Don't think they don't appreciate it and remember it fondly. Thousands of Cats. Librarians offers homework help for young people, too, and provide a safe place for them to gather after school. Unlike many stores, we don't post signs telling them only 2 kids are allowed in at a time, nor do they have to spend money to be allowed in. For many citizens, the library is where they come for garden club, book discussions, historic preservation meetings, salutes to local authors, model railroad exhibitions, Santa at the library, and workshops on everything from genealogy to making balloon animals.
Any local organization counts on being able to book the library's public rooms.
We know, as these deans apparently do not, that books and magazines still matter to people. We offer books and information on contemporary issues, and on issues like justice and obligation that have been with us for thousands of years. Librarians were faster than most government agencies in noticing that some members of our community weren't being served. When we saw new ethnic groups moving in, we started collecting foreign language materials for them and books reflecting their history and concerns. We were buying large type books, providing recordings for the blind, and making our buildings accessible to users with infirmities and disabilities even before the ADA made it mandatory.