Slated for Extinction: The American Library System

It's been said before that Americans live in an aliterate society-that we can read, but if given the choice, we won't. Even though this is a sad thought, it's a difficult one to comprehend when even the less-than-reputable vendors on the street are selling used and new books by the dozens. Walking down Fulton Street at noon, one would get the impression that the book business and the reading rates were booming. Unfortunately, the first theory of our country has been proven time and time again to be the more truthful picture of current America.

Not only are people around the world choosing to read less due to other modes of communication and forms of entertainment, such as television, the Internet and those ubiquitous iPods, they are choosing to get rid of books altogether. Over the past five years, libraries around the world have been forced to close down in shocking numbers.

These closures are the results of bureaucratic "cost reduction." Funding for other social programs has to come from somewhere, and many state and local governments are pulling it out of their public libraries.

Numerous branch libraries have closed, making people in smaller towns drive farther distances to the main library in their area, which isn't always open daily.

The whole novelty of having branch libraries was so that small communities could feel connected, and literacy and free books could be spread to all people in all places.

Recently, three libraries in Salinas, CA have announced their closing. One of those slated to close is named after famed American author John Steinbeck and is located in his hometown. Not surprisingly, the libraries are closing because of budgetary reasons; however, the libraries are of great importance to the immigrant community, helping many with learning to speak English. The Salinas libraries have been able to remain open until the end of the year due to $500,000 raised in a grass roots campaign to save the institutions.

Commenting on the rejection of new taxes aimed at funding city services, Salinas Mayor Anna Caballero said, "I don't think they [the community] realized the enormity of what we were facing."

Youngstown, OH has also seen its share of branch libraries close in the past year. Library Director Carlton A. Sears said, "It is the library's hope and intention to see that these buildings are put to a good productive use that is appropriate for the community."

What could be better for the community than a communal, safe place to go, learn and educate yourself and your family? Circulation, population trends and cost of operation were considered in the decision to cut the Youngstown branches. The area had seen a 54 percent decrease in circulation within the past six years. It's not only in obscure parts of America that this epidemic is happening, but in London and Japan, various forms of branch and smaller mobile libraries have been closed and cut from programming due to the same concerns of cost and monetary loss.

However, there are some libraries that are attempting to keep their heads above the water by coming up with new and inventive ways to get people interested in their local branch. Many libraries now offer not only books but movies and music on loan. In addition to that, across the country, libraries are beginning to offer high-speed Internet access.

But the South Huntington Public Library in Long Island, NY is thinking differently. During the month of March, it ran a pilot program where iPod Shuffles containing the latest audio books were loaned out to the community. The response was overwhelming and largely positive.

Regardless, the threat of more closings looms over small communities. How long until we become completely devoid of all books? Perhaps we need to re-evaluate the priorities of our society. When did we stop appreciating free literature? When did we decide that monetary gain was more important than building a community?

This epidemic of aliteracy that is plaguing the world will only worsen unless we all decide it is what we find in and get out of these libraries that is of the highest value and that we will move to stop this trend from continuing. Cesar Chavez once wrote, "You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read."

We are such a fortunate society to be able to teach our youth to read and afford for them to go to school. How can we systematically take away those things we are trying to teach them to love so that they don't even know what it feels like to sit down and curl up with a good book?