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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Libraries are the great equalizer
Corey Friedrich, M.I.L.S.
Director of Chippewa River District Library
Libraries are great to have around. different social services agencies, explorations of topics raised in
I love being able to read a great assisting with the application the news reports. More recently,
book, try a movie outside of my process and, in some cases, libraries have become training
normal interests, or listen to a advocated for the citizen. More centers for information literacy.
new album in its entirety and not recently libraries have been the With the advent of the Internet
have to worry about my financial source for technological equality. and anyone having the ability to
investment. I can enjoy all of When personal computers publish whatever they would like
these things for free by utilizing the started showing up in the homes to a worldwide audience, libraries
library. These are only a few ways of the wealthy, libraries started have sought to help people
in which an individual can benefit purchasing computers for the determine what is fact and what is
from a library. However, a library public to use, as well as teaching fiction in what they read online.
also benefits the community in them how to use those computers.
its role as the “great equalizer,” When a connection to the Internet The library as a community center
watchdog, and community center. was an expensive proposition for is the function we most commonly
most Americans, libraries started see on display in libraries—people
Ever since the founding of the first using community resources to interacting with other people
American public library in Boston, pay for Internet access for all their through face-to-face contact,
in 1848, libraries have broken computers. The role of the “Great recorded media, library programs,
down barriers to equality. At first Equalizer” is one that libraries and the written word. When I look
this was simply providing access continue to play today. Whenever out the window of my office and
to information. While the wealthy something new comes along that see two people, who came to the
could purchase their own books causes a discrepancy in America library for different reasons, run
and attend college, the poor between the rich and the poor, into each other and engage in a
didn’t have the means to do those libraries step in to try to level the conversation it makes me happy
things. Public libraries broke down playing field. The more resources that I work in an institution that
this barrier by using community a library has, the better it is able encourages connection to others.
monies to purchase materials and to do this. Libraries build communities. All
loan them out to any community residents are welcome. We
member. But, sometimes the In partnership with a Free Press, connect to each other in this
barrier for people was literacy public libraries are the watchdogs space. But we aren’t limited
itself. When libraries perceived of our society. The press keep to only our neighbors. We can
this need, literacy classes were a vigilant eye on our institutions interact through space and time
established to enable people to and report what they see, both with others through the collections
read. When those individuals good and bad. This is essential to the library has. I like to think of
became readers, they also became a democracy. Libraries assist in the library as a city within a city.
more involved in the governing of this by helping to disseminate this Within our four walls at Veterans
our nation, the enrichment of self, information as well as expanding Memorial Library we have 50,000
and were able to become part on it. Not only do libraries provide authors, researchers, and artists
of the workforce. When urban access to the news media in all that are eager to meet the citizens
centers were dealing with mass its forms, but we also provide of Isabella County and share their
poverty, libraries stepped in to for the further expansion of passions with them.
assist citizens with connecting to these ideas through book-length
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