“Libraries are not musty, fusty museums that are just filled with books that nobody even wants to look at — they are exactly the opposite,” she said. “They’re vital, robust, thriving institutions that are very much part of the modern world.”
In New York, library patrons can borrow accessories like neckties and briefcases to complete an ensemble for a job interview.
Libraries lend seeds, tools, toys, games and many other items. In this they follow in a rich tradition conceived as early as the 1880s, when an early Los Angles head librarian proposed an expansion that would have allowed the library to lend out tennis racquets, footballs, games and other equipment for children who otherwise would be unable to afford it.
“This is a generation of young people who place a very high value on the idea of sharing space and sharing in general,” Orlean said. “What a wonderful thing to have a generation that’s really endorsing that with a great enthusiasm.”While libraries benefit from taxpayer support, they face challenges too; one stands out above all others: homelessness. Orlean described it as “the single consistent issue” she heard from nearly every librarian she spoke with around the world.
While the problem is a societal one, Orlean said libraries “have done more than most city agencies” to help by offering services, even adding on-site social workers in some places.
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