London: Politics Daily Online, June 6th 2010.
"...more than 25 million Americans reported using their public library more than 20 times in 2008, up from 20.3 million Americans in 2006. Particularly in the wake of the economic downturn, more and more Americans are turning to public libraries for such things as job hunting or to seek government services and continuing education -- not to mention free books, DVDs and CDs. And yet, according to this same study, a majority of states report cuts in library financing. In short -- much like the post office -- we seem to be losing these iconic communal institutions of our youth....My librarian friend reminds me that President Barack Obama obtained his first job after attending Columbia University by going to the New York Public Library.... In short, libraries are vital to creating an informed citizenry that is the hallmark of any democracy. So what do we lose when we lose libraries? We lose a lot."
