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The Public Library – Reuse in Action

October 28, 2013

My work at NERC takes me to a wide range of communities and allows me to see firsthand how people practice reuse, recycling, and composting. During my latest travel experience in Washington County, New York I conducted a survey of local residents to find out about their home organics management practices (composting, grasscycling, etc.). Being in the small town of Greenwich (population 4,896), the transfer station and the public library were likely spots to meet and survey residents. My first stop was the transfer station where I spent two hours asking my survey questions.

Next stop the library. Over the course of two days I spent about five hours in the Greenwich Free Library. The library proved to be a great place to talk with residents. It presented a relaxing, happy, and contemplative environment. While I stood in the library foyer, all manner of people came and went—children, teenagers, adults, and older adults.

My survey taking also allotted time for exploring the library, doing a lot of thinking, and of course reading. Libraries are one of those great foundations of learning and opportunity that we take for granted. They are there, many of us use them, but it seems that in so many communities libraries struggle to retain funding and government support.

For those of us in the recycling business, libraries are the very essence of reuse. For hundreds and hundreds of years libraries have promoted the reuse and sharing of books and knowledge. People borrow books, books on CD, music CDs, DVDs, and even e-book readers. Library book sales are popular in most communities. At the Greenwich Library there is a free paperback book exchange. The Greenwich Library offers a “welcome bag” for children containing a free children’s book and a library card application. For Halloween, a “Trick or Treat” event is sponsored where children can come for cider, a donut, and a free book.

Studies indicate that public libraries offer a tremendous benefit to communities and a high rate of return for tax dollars. Libraries provide a place of refuge for children who need a safe place, for teenagers to study, and for the elderly and others who may have difficulty navigating our increasingly complex and technologically oriented world. As institutions, our libraries reach people who have fallen behind in today’s economy; students, the unemployed, and others can go to the library to search for employment opportunities, apply to college and training programs, and more. Libraries also benefit authors, as they are frequently the only place where the writings of lesser known authors can be found. Unless it's a bestseller, books seldom remain in bookstores for long. Without permanent acquisition by libraries, the works of many authors would disappear.

Greenwich library_digToday’s libraries offer computer literacy classes, skills development courses, and workshops on every subject imaginable. Libraries play a vital role in helping adults upgrade their skills and conduct employment searches and they provide resources for immigrants to learn English and to learn about our country. Computers and other technological resources are made available to those who may not have access to a computer or an internet connection in their home. And, of course, libraries foster reading enthusiasm and literacy skills in young people.

Of course, e-book sales are growing exponentially and the Internet plays an ever increasing role in our quest for information and research, adding fuel to those who question the role that public libraries play in our increasingly technologically oriented society. I confess that I enjoy my Kindle and Amazon makes it so easy to download books. Of course, e-books offer the environmental benefit of using less paper, although I haven’t run across a study which compares the environmental impacts of e-readers to books.

Greenwich library_book discussionNonetheless, I’m firmly in the camp with others who believe that libraries have a continuing role to play in our society. Librarians still play a vital role in answering reference queries. Public program offerings at libraries continue to increase, offering free and low costs classes on a range of topics. Libraries have branched out to offer art shows and some even have coffee shops associated with them. When I was at the Greenwich Library, paintings by the well-known folk artist Art Poulin were on Exhibit. Libraries offer a free or low cost space for nonprofit and communities groups to meet and hold events. Libraries are dynamic and provide a versatile community center accessible by anyone. Library-sponsored book groups have had a huge impact on fostering reading. Libraries typically get new releases of books and DVD's, along with music.

According to the American Library Association (ALA), in 2009, more than 1.59 billion people visited public libraries. Our libraries lent out books 2.4 billion times – more than 8 times for each citizen.  More than half of young adults and seniors living in poverty in the United States used public libraries to access the Internet. Public libraries cost just $42 per citizen each year to maintain.

When I was young I pretty much spent all of my non-school time in the library immersing myself in books, periodicals, research. I’ve vowed to spend more time at my public library. While I won’t be giving up my e-reader, I think our libraries deserve our support.

 

Greenwich library_book club

 

By Athena Lee Bradley

Photo credits: Courtesy of the Greenwich Library, Town of Greenwich, New York State.

 

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