The Importance Of Libraries In Local Communities

Floor Speech

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARIES IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES -- (House of Representatives - June 26, 2007)

(Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of America's local libraries. Libraries have long been the locus of learning, cultural exchange and imagination for young and old alike.

As a former librarian, I know that libraries play a crucial role in providing generation after generation with access to great books and world-changing ideas. Libraries serve our communities as a sort of guidepost along an often overwhelming path of information in the Internet age. Librarians still provide the invaluable service of helping us answer the toughest questions and directing us to the most reliable sources for research.

For many Americans, libraries are the only place they have ready access to thousands of books on almost any topic. By their very nature, libraries encourage us to branch out and pursue interests that we might not be naturally inclined to pursue.

The phenomenon that best describes libraries, contribution to local communities is a patron wandering through the stacks and simply selecting a book because it caught his or her eye. It's this ability to ignite our imaginations and spur us to learn that makes libraries a lynchpin for thousands of communities across the Nation.

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