Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

For many of us, the public library will always be synonymous with books.

The books drew us to the library in the first place, helped us discover new worlds – beyond our day-to-day experiences.

Libraries continue to embody that same spirit of search and discovery, but in a manner that has been transformed as dramatically as the way we generate, share and consume information. They make this new digital era available to all Americans.

In Chicago and Miami, for example, an innovative space at the main public library called YOUmedia lets any teen with a city library card have in-house access to computers plus video and audio recording equipment to create their own content. In a world where information is increasingly available, learning to analyze it, create it and make it your own is a valued skill.

For many teens, the library may be the only place they can get online and be connected to the digital world. They are in good company. One-third of Americans – mostly older, rural and or poor – lack broadband access at home and can’t participate fully in contemporary life, much less in the $8 trillion global Internet-enabled economy.

Imagine the difficulty of finding work today without access to the Internet – especially when 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies only accept online applications. According to a University of Washington study, in 2009 an estimated 30 million people used public library resources as part of their job search, with half of them filling out applications or submitting resumes.

Beyond providing access, librarians are helping Americans navigate the digital landscape. Classes focus on everything from how to operate an e-reader to how to publish your own eBook. Libraries in Alaska, Oklahoma and other states are adding video conferencing capabilities. Some libraries will even connect you with a digital mentor to strengthen your skills.

The Knight, MacArthur and Gates foundations support public libraries because they help people acquire the skills to become lifelong learners, compete in the global economy and provide the knowledge to participate in civic life. Libraries are a good investment.

Yet some communities are cutting library budgets, forcing reductions in service just when Americans most need to deepen the digital and information skills that libraries foster.

This National Library Week, rediscover your library, as a portal to other worlds – and your own community. It’s no longer a place where you go to learn about someone else’s past, but to create your own future.

Sincerely,

Paula Ellis, Vice President for Strategic Initi       tives, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Deborah Jacobs, Director, Global Libraries Pro       gram, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Julia Stasch, Vice President of US Programs,        MacArthur Foundation