There are a lot of debates about how much tax to collect and how to use taxes. But I don’t think there can be any debate that the public library is the single best use of public money out there.
- It’s a true public good. It is totally available to anyone, rich or poor. You can walk right in there and get a library card in like five minutes, pretty much no questions asked.
- It contains a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and entertainment. There are books, videos, and computers everywhere. They provide all the knowledge in the world right at your fingertips.
- Libraries are often community anchors. I used to live in an urban section of St. Paul, MN, and there was a library right in the middle of our neighborhood. There were always tons of kids and old folks and people of all walks of life in there. It was wonderful.
- Because it is totally free to use, anyone can get an education, expand their mind, or just pass a pleasant afternoon reading a good book.
I think that the public library is among the greatest inventions in the history of the world.
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