Erica Ross, a Library Assistant at my local Greenfield Public Library. Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh

"Science has backed up what many of us have long been saying: the library rocks. A study from the New York Public Library surveyed 1,974 users on how the library makes them feel and how it affects their lives, and the results are overwhelmingly positive.

"The researchers’ analysis discovered that libraries are good for people, their well-being, and their communities. Not only that, but the positive societal impacts are more pronounced in lower-income communities, even more reason to make sure we’re funding and supporting libraries."

"Some top-line statistics from the study:

– 92% of respondents reported feeling somewhat to very “calm / peaceful” after visiting the Library

– 74% of respondents reported that their library use positively affects how equipped they feel to cope with the world

– 90% of respondents reported that their Library use positively affects how much they love to learn new things

– 88% of respondents reported that their Library use has supported their personal growth"

"Those are some big numbers and some uniformly good news — people are not only feeling better about themselves and their world after a visit to the library, but they’re feeling more secure in their world too." - James Folta

ARTICLE: It’s Official: Research Has Found That Libraries Make Everything Better.