Good Things About Libraries

They can be big

They can be tiny

They can be mobile

They can be at unis

They can specialize

They can be in cafes

They can be in parks

They can be in taxis

They can be on bikes

They can be on boats

They can cheer us up

They are customizable

They are destinations

They attract visitors

They can be in hotels

They can be in kiosks

They can be in trains

They are liked by kids

They can be in gardens

They can be in prisons

They can be in schools

They can be on beaches

They can be at airports

They can be at churches

They can be safe spaces

They can be at bus stops

They can be in hospitals

They can teach us things

They are welcoming spaces

They can be in your house

They can create community

They are nonjudging spaces

They are liked by students

We can buy books from them

They build community spirit

They help preserve the past

We can donate books to them

We can travel to go to them

They allow rest and time out

They can be gathering places

They help inspire the future

They can be at train stations

They can be community centres

They can be neighbourhood art

They provide doses of culture

We can borrow books from them

We can exchange books at them

They are liked by older people

They are places of opportunity

They are special social spaces

They might give books for free

We can meet other people there

They can be in shopping centres

They can be in vending machines

They can give us something to do

They can be in nice old buildings

They can be made up of mini books

They can have gardens inside them

They can help us feel less lonely

They can be eccentric works of art

They can go to inaccessible places

They can make literacy rates go up

We can sit and read together there

They can be like public loungerooms

They can be bookless or digital only

They can make writers feel important

They can provide diversional therapy

They are different all over the world

They support refugees and new migrants

They can help us feel calm and peaceful

They help us improve our reading skills

They have librarians who want to help us

They can be masterpieces of modern design

They can be refuges from the outside world

They can have galleries or museums in them

They help people who are isolated or housebound

We can make friends there or meet friends there

They can bring technology to out of the way areas

They run programs that help us feel more connected

They can be spread over multiple rooms or buildings

We can fill our time there if we have time to spare

We can find books on topics we are passionate about

They try to make books and knowledge more accessible

They are a passport to literacy, learning and inspiration

They can be outlets for creativity, design and inspiration

They can order books in for us if they don’t have them there

They host book launches, author events and writing festivals

They can be carried by horses, donkeys, camels and motorbikes

We can feel like we partly own them, or that they belong to us

They help us overcome economic, geographical and social barriers

We can put little free libraries in our front yard or around town

They might sell nice gift things, like cards or magnets or jigsaws

We can find books on interesting topics we didn’t know anything about

They promote social and environmental themes like recycling or sustainability

They can have pillows, pods, nooks, cosy spaces and nests for lounging and reading

They can have displays or exhibitions that inspire us or help us learn about the world

They can have interesting classification systems, like colour, size or emotional theme

They are sometimes the result of a single person or librarian with an unstoppable vision

They can help us feel connected to wise minds and people who know things and have written about them