Commissioner Starks Remarks to SHLB Conference

When you visit today’s libraries, they are a long ways from the Dewey decimal system. I have observed at least four ways that libraries today are serving Americans in exciting new ways as 21st Century Community Tech Hubs, and are “meeting people where they are.” First, libraries are providing internet access to Americans who otherwise lack it—they are lending their Wi-Fi signals and, in some cases, are lending connectivity itself. Lending hot spots provides a connection when the internet is available in neighborhoods, but not at an affordable rate. This is a key problem and I appreciate this innovative approach that libraries are taking to address it. Second, libraries still serve an indispensable role in communities as a place to learn, offering reading and literacy programs geared toward very young children, for teens, and for adults. In addition, libraries also provide essential information to newly-arrived refugees who are working to establish a place for themselves and their families in the US. Third, I have seen how libraries play a critical role in getting people back on their feet – assisting those particularly looking to secure employment. This is an important trend and it’s not an exception or a corner case—libraries are providing these types of resources throughout the country. 73% of public libraries provide help with job applications and interviewing skills. 68% have programs to help library customers use electronic search tools to find job openings, and over a third of libraries offer workspaces for mobile workers. And finally, libraries also play a stabilizing role as “2nd Responders” in communities in the wake of disaster and disruption.


Commissioner Starks Remarks to SHLB Conference