This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Amna Faheem. Find her on Instagram at @amnaf.aheem. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Libraries are one of a community’s pivotal foundations. They hold more than just books; they contain a vast array of knowledge and provide access to many resources and learning opportunities. Libraries foster curiosity and satisfy the need for information, keeping their doors open and inviting in a crowd of all backgrounds and identities. Libraries promote reading and help increase literacy rates, provide free educational material that benefits students and members of the community alike, allow for computer and electronic access to print material and use the internet, and above all, create a safe space for every individual that enters its doors. Libraries are not just a home for words on bound paper; They are a haven, a sanctuary of love, and a breeding ground of culture for children and their communities.
The History of Libraries
Libraries have been around since the dawn of time, with the oldest library founded in the 7th century. Since then, the documentation and immortalization of information and the happenings in society as time went on became standard in civilizations. It is through libraries that we have learned about how life has progressed and what society has evolved from. Libraries drive our desire to learn more and gain experiences through the words we read and the stories we consume. They take us through time and allow us to live different lives. As time has gone on, libraries have continued to carry on their impacts through the ages.
Libraries continue to empower the communities they exist in, acting as critical spaces for education and knowledge, combining culture and diversity. Local libraries are integral to a functioning society but have come under fire consistently through the past few years, many of them reaching the point of closure indefinitely.
The Attack on Books
Exacerbated by the current presidential agenda, the existence of libraries and other public resources, such as museums, have become threatened. Funding is being decreased significantly or cut altogether, and the shortage in staffing is causing limited opening hours and insufficient opportunities for community members to take advantage of the facilities. People can no longer walk into a library and peruse the shelves. There is an air of fear in the walls that each visit could be the last visit.
In addition to governmental attacks on libraries, the evolution of media and its consumption has also placed libraries in a precarious position. The rise of digital access and our current methods of obtaining information have threatened the physical realm of books and media—the very foundation of what libraries represent. The extinction of libraries signifies the loss of crucial programs that strengthen our country, such as after-school programs, reading challenges, and job-searching seminars. Without these, our nation could gradually descend into a culture of poor education and a lack of independent and critical thinking. The damage to our economy and our community would be essentially irreversible.
Our libraries need our support, and learning how to support your local library could prolong the life of the very necessary establishment.
How to Defend Them
To be able to support your local library is not a complicated feat. It’s really quite simple.
Getting a library card and frequently visiting the institution will prove there is a need for it. The more community members acquire library cards, the more the county and those overseeing the operations will understand that people need and want libraries to stay. Supply and demand are the key, and numbers do not lie. Raising the amount of regular and committed members will help keep libraries running and afloat. Borrowing material and taking advantage of the various resources- DVDs, T.V. shows and tapes, magazines, albums, CDs, etc.- shows that the library is invaluable and is utilized by the people.
Attending community events and participating in civic engagement are also very beneficial in keeping libraries alive. Libraries act as venues for many affairs- town hall meetings, birthday parties, reading competitions, and art contests. In being present for the events hosted, you can increase the likelihood of future events taking place. High attendance means people care. And when people care and show up, it proves that these spaces are essential. Showing support for important causes like this is unparalleled, and using the library to its fullest extent is a great method of doing so.
Donating books and other literary items is also favorable for the library and its existence. Many libraries will happily accept donated items, given they are in good and usable condition, and integrate them into their collections. Such an action broadens what is available and what can be offered by libraries and can attract more customers with their wide variety. Shopping at book sales hosted by the library also shows support for the institution and gives them an important monetary contribution.
Above all, advocating and speaking out in support and love of the library and what it offers is one of the most powerful ways to support your local library. Talking to friends and engaging with members of your community, encouraging them to visit and take advantage of the available resources of the library, is very useful. Being in contact with your local representative and government officials is also a good way to keep the importance of the library on the radar of those who are in charge of making decisions. Learning how to support your local libraries ensures that the center for learning, reading, community, and cultural connection stays alive.
Do you frequently attend your local library? Do you have other ideas for how to support your local library? Let us know in the comments below!
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