We here at ArtsNow have a close connections with the libraries of Summit County. So much of what we do rely on using the libraries on a near daily basis. We see others using them too. There’s never a day where we are by ourselves. With that in mind, we would like to share a perspective from a Summit County librarian. So, allow us to introduce you to Stacy Love of Twinsburg Public Library – our guest blogger for this post.

It’s all yours, Stacy Love! – ArtsNow

Some days, it is quiet. Quiet enough for research and reading, as has always been the core reason for libraries. Libraries are a place where everyone, no matter their circumstances, can go to educate or entertain themselves.

Some days, it is noisy. Noisy children’s chatter and laughter escape the Storytime room as they learn shapes and colors through books and music. Noisy groups of adults in the meetings rooms, as they set up their small business, conduct strategic planning, or share valuable experiences. Libraries are a place where everyone, no matter their circumstance, can go to listen or speak about the world.

When the printing press was invented, it was the end of libraries. Books will be cheap enough that everyone who can read can possess a book. When the chain bookstores came, it was the end of libraries. So many low cost books and movies (with coffee shops!), everyone will buy a book instead of borrowing.

Google came, and it is the end of libraries. All the information is online and available to everyone. Why drive or walk to the library?

I am a librarian. On any given quiet or noisy day, I see a fair amount of patrons. They come to use our computers, access government websites, pay their bills, and apply for jobs. They come to meet other booklovers and discuss at length their favorite stories. They come with children who want to learn how to write programming languages or read the entire collection on dinosaurs.

At Twinsburg Public Library, we offer workforce development training and tests. We have and will host successful job fairs. We teach monthly computer classes to patrons, some have driven as far away as Cleveland to attend some.

We record the lectures of war veterans, including those who served in the Second World War, and give a chance for the public to interact with history. We provide passport and notary services during the evening when most people need them, so they will not need to take a day off work.

I have helped a PhD student with his dissertation and provided another with help getting her GED. I see a wide range of people with unique needs. They still come.

For today, at least, it is not the end of libraries.