Report From Canada: “How Libraries Play a Vital Role in Restoring the Economy”

Note: The article linked to below comes after an op/ed about public libraries (focusing on Canadian public libraries) “Overdue: Throwing the Book at Libraries” was published by The Globe and Mail on July 25, 2020.

From The Globe and Mail:

According to Mary Rowe, president and chief executive of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), the uncertain times brought into focus the new reality that the library is another kind of frontline commons.

“In a contemporary city, the built environment consists of various kinds of facilities that function as anchors,” she says, “and during this pandemic that’s become clear.”

In April, the CUI held a special pandemic panel discussion on how these city-building institutions were adjusting to the lockdown and preparing to reopen. Going forward, Ms. Rowe says, they will play an essential role in restoring the economy.

“A library is as much an economic service as anything else,” she says. “To have an economy that functions, you need people who are healthy and able to contribute and who have the skills and resources to participate.”

Read the Complete Article (approx. 1100 words)

UPDATE: Libraries vs Bookstores? No, False Dichotomy. They are Different Animals (via Brewster Kahle)

Filed under: Libraries, News, Public Libraries