Next week is Library Week here in Lansdale! During this week, we celebrate the important role our library plays in our community and how they help us learn, discover, and explore different ideas and expand our knowledge of the world.
For some, a library is just a repository for books that they can peruse at their leisure. However, the reality of libraries is that they play a much more fundamental role in the design and development of a community. They are a critical access point to knowledge and intellectual growth for the entire public.
Critical to this mission is the public access component to their mission. Knowledge and growth cannot be limited to the few. It must be shared with the many so that new information, new ideas, and new technology can lift our entire community up as it is discovered. For these reasons, libraries have existed since antiquity and were often places of extended discussion and debate to fuel the desire to seek new information and explore new ideas.
As the son of a librarian, I always felt at home in the library. It was a refuge when I needed an escape, a resource when I needed to research, and a place of revelation when I needed inspiration. I can speak firsthand to the power of libraries and the impact they can have on a person's life. For those without the means to access critical infrastructure, like internet access, the library is their access point to the world, for those without the means to buy textbooks, the library is a shot at a passing grade, and for those with all the imagination in the world, the library is a place to ignite it and set it free.
As always, I am immensely proud of the hard work our librarians and library staff do every day. They impact the lives of our whole community, and it is my honor to declare next week as Library Week. So, if you are looking for something to do, please consider stopping into our library and exploring to see what the library will bring out of you!
WHEREAS, today’s libraries are more about what they can do with and for their communities, and not just about what they have on the shelves;
WHEREAS, libraries have long served as trusted institutions, often the heart of their cities, towns, schools, and academic campuses;
WHEREAS, libraries serve people of all ages, interests and backgrounds providing the resources and space to engage in life-long learning;
WHEREAS, libraries offer equipment and professional staff support to utilize technology, programs and services; often free or with nominal charges to users;
WHEREAS, libraries are a resource for all - regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic status;
WHEREAS, we recognize librarians as information professionals who provide expertise, services and guidance for patrons to access credible sources and material, making their own informed decisions about the world today;
WHEREAS, libraries provide access to and display a wide range of information not just a majority opinion or single perspective;
WHEREAS, librarians hold the professional values of diversity, equity and inclusion to meet the needs of all users;
WHEREAS, the PA Forward™, Literacy is POWER, initiative highlights how libraries and staffs encourage literacy in Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health, and Financial, which contributes to greater personal and community success;
WHEREAS, America is celebrating National Library Week including April 5 as National Library Workers’ Day and the immeasurable contributions made by library workers; April 6 as National Outreach Day showing library services are not limited to their physical location; and April 7 as Take Action for Libraries Day encouraging community support for libraries;
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Mayor Garry Herbert, proclaim National Library Week, April 3-9, 2022 in Lansdale, PA. During this week, I encourage all residents to visit our library, and explore all that they offer to help move PA Forward™!
(Mayoral Musings is a weekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert.)
See also:
Mayoral Musings: Lansdale Police Receive Pennsylvania Police Chief’s Association Accreditation
Mayoral Musings: Main Street Manager Vote
Mayoral Musings: Lansdale’s Road Work Plan for 2022
Mayoral Musings: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman to Make Campaign Stop in Lansdale Wednesday
Mayoral Musings: Lansdale Electric Holds The Line As Rates Rise
