If you are seeking information about a society, your first stop should be the local library. Along with providing free access to information, libraries also provide resources that are vital to our communities. Libraries help build communities, promote literacy, and protect your right to information. Join us this October in celebrating the importance of libraries.

Libraries protect your rights. Libraries carry materials that share different perspectives, opinions, lived experiences, and ideas in society. There have been. and continue to be, many attempts to censor what libraries can share with the public. The American Library Association has documented more than 1,269 attempts to censor books in libraries around the country. Community libraries like the VLP exist to provide information representative of everyone.

Libraries provide access. Digital access has become crucial to the function of our daily lives. Most community libraries provide free access to Wi-Fi, computers, and other necessary digital resources. Additionally, with the help of library staff, there is a multitude of other available resources that are made available to communities. These include books, periodicals, media, and connections to other community partners.

Libraries build communities. Stock your social calendar with events at your local library. Libraries are filled with free events and workshops that connect people with resources, and skills, and serve as a meeting place for people who share interests. Make a friend while you learn! Libraries help to develop the health and well-being of all.

Libraries promote literacy. Whether it’s a toddler storytime or a seasonal reading challenge, libraries do their best to encourage patrons to read and to connect with books, ebooks, newspapers, and magazines. Libraries help to create lifelong learners through connecting parents and young readers to books at an early stage.

Community libraries like the VLP are a lifeline for lifelong education, connection, and enrichment. These buildings provide a safe haven for thoughtful exploration and expression and are vital to the health and well-being of our communities. Please stop by and use our space soon. We are happy to have you!

Submitted by Aja Hope