Community Empowerment

In many communities, the library is the only place for people to gather and meet. Community rooms and smaller meeting rooms at libraries provide the opportunity for people to gather, discuss common concerns and develop plans for community improvement. How many times does the Garden Club use a library meeting room to talk about plans for local beautification? How many times does the local League of Women Voters host a candidates’ night in a library’s large community room?

The ability for people to meet in an impartial place that fosters the exchange of ideas underscores just how important libraries are to our communities, our state, our nation, our democracy.

More and more, our libraries have become centers of our communities--a safe place for children and teens, the “great equalizer” that is open to everyone and anyone regardless of economic status, political persuasion, race or ethnicity, the place where anyone can go to improve their lives, where all generations are valued, where the opportunity to learn and expand your horizons is the ultimate goal.