How Important Are Libraries?

 

There are plenty of spaces throughout society that can be considered among the most important. Hospitals, for example, and the courts of law. These are the obvious answers, but there are also some spaces that also have a considerable influence, but in a more subtle way. One such example is public libraries. These can have a tremendous impact on communities, and help to make the country a better place. On the face of it, their influence might not be instantly recognizable -- but it extends far and wide. After all, more people in the United States visited a library last year than visited the cinema, and there are also more public libraries than there are McDonald’s. Nice!

But how exactly do libraries positively impact society? There are multiple ways. To begin with, they simply provide a space where people in the community can gather. There is, surprisingly, not as many public spaces as you might think, especially since so much land in the downtown area is owned by private corporations. And then, of course, there’s the fact that libraries provide books and the internet, which can be a crucial benefit for the people that are unable to afford such luxuries.

And there are more, as you’ll see in the infographic below, which was put together by USC. Indeed, in the long list of important spaces across the United States, it might just be libraries than have the most varied impact on the community, both now and in the years to come.

Infographic Design By USC USC

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