Libraries are . . . If a free society is to survive, it must ensure the preservation of its records and provide free and open access to this information to all its citizens. It must ensure that citizens have the resources to develop the information-literacy skills necessary to participate in the democratic process.
Free societies allow unfettered dialogue and guarantee freedom of expression.
Our libraries help to ensure that this happens. Guarding against the tyranny of ignorance During my presidential year, I will use every opportunity to demonstrate just how essential libraries are to our democratic way of life. Since their inception, libraries have served as pivotal community institutions upholding, strengthening, and realizing some of the most fundamental democratic ideals of our society. Libraries are the place where people can find differing opinions on controversial questions and dissent from current orthodoxy. They serve as the source for the pursuit of independent thought, critical attitudes, and in-depth information.