Why Libraries Rock

Posted on August 31st, 2009 by Amy Kearns

This is our entry for the Louisville Free Public Library Blogathon. Check out the story behind the blogathon on the wiki. You can donate the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation by clicking banner below. The blogathon is being done to help raise awareness about the flood and the need for donations.

Flood them with money!

Flood them with money!

As a regional library cooperative, we thought we would solicit input from our members as to “why libraries rock” and post them as one blog entry from the entire region here for the blogathon. We used our listserv, Twitter, facebook page and other means to gather the input from our members. I also received one reply via our “My Plugoo” chat-with-us widget! So, with a big thanks to those who replied, here goes:

“Libraries ROCK because if you don’t have Internet it’s free at the library.” – NJ Librarian

Libraries are the modern churches; places where like minded people can go to connect, but better since you can explore and discover new things about yourself and our world. My school library was my first place of solace outside the home. I can’t imagine where I’d be without the library as a kid. – Karen Sue

What would we do in this economy without libraries? Give up reading, I suppose. [shudder] – Rachel Milligan Ferat

“Libraries rock because at any given moment we are serving any number of people from any and every walk of life – and we have something for every single one of them. Get the rocks out of your head – Come to the library!” – Kate Angelo, Long Branch Public Library

WHY LIBRARIES ROCK….

Like the  rock ‘n’ roll sound, the public library combines services, collections and staff for something unique and special.  Rock shakes up and incites, and libraries allow their own version of “unrestricted” in access to information.  We librarians must keep the backbeat going for our patrons and our communities!

Laverne Mann, Ewing Branch Library

My library (Princeton Public) rocks because we have the following music available:

  • Velvet Underground & Nico/Velvet Underground & Nico (perhaps the best rock album ever made)
  • Ramones/Rock & Roll High School (the best ROCK band ever)
  • Who/Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (which might be the best ROCK album name ever)

And soooo much more…. – Cynthia Lambert, Princeton Public Library

Why libraries rock: Libraries are great places for rock concerts! The School of Rock – Princeton played at the West Windsor Branch of the Mercer County Library during the 2009 Teen Summer Reading Program. – Caroline Aversano

When the economy is standing still people go to the library to hunt for jobs, the library rocks, people work and the economy rocks. – George Conwell, Director, Hamilton Public Library


If you want to share your thoughts, there’s still time! Either send an email to amy at cjrlc dot org, or leave your thoughts in the comments area. There are many blogs posting on this theme today, so I hope you’ll check them out – you can see the list of blogathon blogs at the wiki.

Rock On!

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3 Responses to “Why Libraries Rock”

  1. why libraries rock… « first conclusions, on August 31st, 2009 at 3:14 pm Said:

    [...] contribution is part of CJRLC’s Louisville Free Public Library Blogathon entry.  Many thanks to CJRLC for rallying the [...]

  2. Twitter Trackbacks for CJRLC Blog » Why Libraries Rock [cjrlc.org] on Topsy.com, on August 31st, 2009 at 4:54 pm Said:

    [...] CJRLC Blog » Why Libraries Rock cjrlc.org/blog/2009/08/31/why-libraries-rock – view page – cached #RSS 2.0 RSS .92 Atom 0.3 CJRLC Blog » Why Libraries Rock Comments Feed CJRLC Blog Happy Holidays! Blogathon for the Louisville (KY) Public Library — From the page [...]

  3. Beatrice Priestly, on August 31st, 2009 at 5:03 pm Said:

    amy,
    Libraries do rock. we are a third place away from home and school; or home and work, where people can go for nourishment for the mind. people of all ages, races, sizes, shapes, colors, and orientation can mix and mingle and learn something new from what they read, from a program they attend, from a staff member, from the person sitting next to them at the computer, or the person they share a table with. I do believe there is a freedom to read and libraries do allow those who want to do so without a doubt. we just use the lesson written of previously in “all I really need to Know I learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum ( that we all know in our hearts- we have to share it is the right thing to do.)
    Beatrice priestly Long Branch Public Library, NJ

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