How Getting a Library Card Is a Salute to Democracy

(NonProfitQuarterly.org) Public libraries have always been an accessible institution for many Americans, located just around the corner and respected for their wealth of books and knowledge. But now, more than ever, we can appreciate how fiercely libraries strive to represent our values in their pursuit of authentic democracy. From the stories on their shelves to the workshops they host, public libraries aim to serve their communities. They expand civic engagement to everyone, including young children and marginalized groups, who choose to use the library’s services. It is not an opportunity one should take for granted—especially if they are feeling powerless or misrepresented in federal politics.

The simple act of getting or renewing a library card can have a large impact on your local library. Not only can it boost local government funding, keeping the library’s resources flourishing for everyone, but it displays strong community support. “At a time when people are more divided and disconnected than ever, libraries remain places where anyone—regardless of background, politics, or income—can walk through the door and feel a sense of belonging,” Brooks Rainwater, the president and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council, told NPQ.

“A library card and the library itself is more than access to books. It’s a statement of belief in community and democracy.”

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Linehan stressed the importance of getting a library card, calling it a “profoundly civic act” that serves as the most valuable investment in a library. She said that a public library embodies what American democracy should look like, and thus, having a library card symbolizes support for the practice in its truest form.

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