An essential community asset

Recently an outraged customer told me she had been told by a Martinborough resident that there was no need for a library in Martinborough as it was a “tourist destination”. Also suitably outraged, I thought it was perhaps a good time to remind everyone why libraries exist.

“Libraries and information services contribute to the sound operation of the inclusive Information Society.
They enable intellectual freedom by providing access to information, ideas and works of imagination in any medium and regardless of frontiers

They help to safeguard democratic values and universal civil rights impartially and by opposing any form censorship.
The unique role of libraries and information services is that they respond to the particular questions and needs of individuals. This … makes libraries and information services vital to a democratic and open Information Society. Libraries are essential for a well informed citizenry and transparent governance, as well as for the take-up of e-government.

They also build capacity by promoting information literacy and providing support and training for e?ective use of information resources … libraries contribute signi?cantly to addressing the digital divide and the information inequality that results from it. “
This is from Society in Action, Alexandria Manifesto on Libraries, the Information Society in Action

Now we are all suitably impressed, I will just let you know that we have a new Book Babies session on Wednesday mornings at 10, in addition to the Tuesday one at 10. This one is in Te Reo and has much more singing! Yay, you get to hear me belting out songs too – that must be a bonus!
Look forward to seeing you. Shirley