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Public libraries’ conservative exteriors belie radical interiors. They are counter-trend.
They are broad and diverse in an age where so much has become targeted to narrow niches. Libraries are authentic and locally controlled, unlike the homogeneous, distantly controlled entities that mediate our physical landscape and commercial interactions.
Their goal is to advance people, not profits.
Libraries are fascinating research subjects, with rich individual and collective histories. As Americans, our cultivation of libraries unites us with societies throughout modern history and around the world.
They are the nexus of productive tensions between tradition and innovation, research and entertainment, short-term needs and long-term goals. Their continued success will signal the emergence of a new cultural ability to appreciate holism and complexity.
Our libraries are public mirrors and what they reflect about us is very interesting.
Visit Justin Menard’s blog for more images of beautiful libraries.
