From the earliest frontier days, libraries have been a symbol of culture and learning. Today, communities large and small are investing in new and refurbished public, school and academic libraries as essential resources in the information age. Many indexes such as Money magazine and School Match use the quality of local libraries as criteria in rating quality of life in local communities. For many people, the library is where they turn to learn more about their new community. For newcomers from other countries, many libraries offer English classes, foreign language collections and other services to help ease their transition.
Libraries support a community of readers.
They also promote a lifelong reading habit with special collections and programs to entice young adult readers. For adults who lack basic reading skills, many libraries offer specially designed literacy classes and collections. For people of all ages and backgrounds, libraries offer an array of reading materials for learning and enjoyment. Libraries provide global reach and local touch. Today, thanks to the Internet, even the smallest library can provide almost instant access to great museums, libraries and other online information resources around the globe.