Friday, September 30, 2011

Tiny Tots on the Firing Line

Every Friday morning I try my darndest to get my little tyke to the local library for Tiny Tots reading and play time. Some days are more successful than others, but each time we walk through the library doors, my teacup human heads straight to the playroom - where he then stands just outside the door debating whether he's going in or not. He eventually does and plays.

Today the woman who supervises the reading and playtime announced that the city has decided to no longer fund the program at the local library. Maybe the "oil money" may pay for it, but only if the city or council decide to give some of that to the library.

It makes me sad to see libraries hit the hardest during these trying times. Libraries are an integral part of a society and I don't give a shit what you say about there being the internet, Google, and Wikipedia. Oh, and Facebook. Seeing a child look through books in the children's section at the library will tell anyone that the benefits of having a library can be viewed on that child's face. The wonder of counting butterflies on the page, or reading about Elmer, the fish's adventures in and out of the coral reef, or pointing to the letter "W" and knowing how it sounds like - if you're still reading this, have you ever thought how we ever started reading "back in the day?"

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