Public Libraries: Computers, Books and Much More

[Commentary] As local governments have struggled to cope with the Great Recession and its aftermath, elected officials and their administrators have had to make increasingly tough budget choices. Slumping property tax revenue for example, has forced public officials to determine which services and personnel were essential, and how much they could afford for those essentials. Law enforcement, fire protection and basic social services are obvious choices as fundamental to any community's quality of life. Yet, with those critical community functions, at least one more service deserves special recognition: Public libraries can be the heart and soul of a community and its government -- especially in hard times. The public library is where an unemployed father or mother has free access to a computer to look for a job -- and where a knowledgeable staff member can help in the search. It is where a family struggling to get by on reduced income can find a treasure of books, movies and music -- all at no cost.