“Ironically, for all of the scheduled programming it offers, the BPL has discovered one of the biggest services it provides is simply its space—giving people a place to be. For free.”
The genius of public libraries is that they were created by citizens, and their only agenda is to collect what humans know—and perhaps try to be helpful.
Image: A production assistant digitizes stereoviews from the late 1800s to 1920s. / Courtesy photo
@Michael Great Article! I love how it talks about how space itself is a service for users. It really is! Honestly, when I was in high school, I mainly went to my local library to cool down from the 100-degree weather. I didn’t go for the books or the computers (although checking my Myspace was a bonus); I just wanted to sit in a cool and safe place for a while. Space is a luxury and I’m glad libraries can provide that
@msandoval I so agree. I think space to just be is one of our important roles.
I’m from Boston and the BPL was a huge part of my teen years.
I’m thankful for the librarians there and how they just let me and my weird friends exist.
A great article! And it plays nicely into my final paper for Collection Development!