Libraries are vital in every society
I was recently sent this article on the City Librarian of Seattle and found it very intersting. The item that hit me especially, working here in a prison library is the comment about “libraries have absorbed overflow responsibilities from social service agencies and schools” which is true for many libraries including prison libraries. As a library we not only provide books and music for entertainment purposes but also provide re-entry information that is vital to the inmates getting released from prison. As budget cuts have hit everyone hard, including the Department of Corrections (DOC), many have had to do more with fewer resources and fewer staff. In the past libraries have always stepped up to the plate and taken on more , even as they face major budget cuts of their own. In this time of economic crisis that is even more true. We here at the library have taken up the slack by providing comprehensive resources that the inmates can use to re-enter into society. This is information that has traditionally been provided by DOC counselors. Libraries are vital in any world that you live in and hopefully the right people realize that and the libraries will continue to be a vital service to their communities.
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