The Importance of a Public Library
Public libraries offer a variety of services and activities that are free and open to the public. Teens can participate in robotics and computer programming classes, join a teen advisory board, participate in SAT preparation, or attend book clubs. Adults can attend computer classes, meditation classes, and author talks. The library is also open 24 hours a day.
The mission of a public library is to help people expand their knowledge and contribute to society. The service helps people gain access to reliable information, promotes their personal and social well-being, and encourages their creative and spiritual capabilities. With so much knowledge available today, public libraries play an important role in society. They can help people stay informed and educated about current events, new inventions, and current events, and they can also help people become more professionally-developed.
The International Federation of Library Association has set minimum standards for public libraries. These standards cover the number of resources the public library must have, as well as its facilities and services. Information resources should include fiction and non-fiction books, newspapers, magazines, pictures, records, toys, and more. Facilities should include computers, periodical racks, lighting, and a notice board.
In the early nineteenth century, private and public libraries enjoyed immense popularity. Many of these institutions were founded by scholarly professional associations, and were often open to the public. Several are still in existence today. Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company in Philadelphia, founded in 1731, was the first subscription library in the United States. The Boston Athenaeum opened in 1807, and Thomas Carlyle’s Library in London was founded in 1841.