Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!

10 points if you got that song from the classic PBS show, Arthur, stuck in your head from the title! 

I grew up going to my local library every single weekend. As a 90's kid, I was obsessed with the VHS section and the Nancy Drew series with the glossy yellow covers. I can still remember how it smelled, the pictures painted on the walls, and what seemed like endless rows of magazines, books, cassette tapes, and more. 

For the last 6 years, I worked in local government here in Texas where libraries were a huge part of each city. Most notably, when I was a City Manager, our Library Director went all the way to Washington D.C. to speak about the importance of funding for libraries for things like tablets for kids or hotspots for families whose homes didn't have internet. I can't even begin to express how AMAZING this particular little library is. In the Summer, they became a place where any kid from anywhere in the area could come and get meals like they would during the school year. They had a "Library of Things" where you could check out home appliances, party supplies, etc. that would normally cost you an arm and a leg to rent or buy. 

Nowadays, libraries serve a purpose that I never could have imagined as a child. Libraries are truly an act of resistance, they're anti-capitalist, and Libraries save lives. A 2024 article from Cornell really says it best: "Libraries are not in the business of making money, or of peddling ideas and getting people to think a certain way." (Read the full article here.)

Our little library had a room that was fully sound-proofed and fitted with the technology so people could have virtual doctor appointments during and after the pandemic. They offered CPR and disaster relief classes, and they provided fire safety equipment for people's homes: all 100% for free. 

I shudder to think about what could happen to libraries during the next four years and beyond. So many cities are cutting library operations from the budget to save money or are bowing down to those demanding book bans. It's a frightening pattern that I hope does not continue. The American Library Association recently posted information about how imminent book bans could be with the current state of the Department of Education. I highly recommend you read the full article which has a ton of information and resources: Book bans could escalate after Department of Education dismisses censorship complaints

What I plan to keep doing—and encourage you to do too—is get a library card! Get as many as you'd like! I have three local library cards, and I recently learned that anyone with an address in Texas can get a free library card from the Houston Public Library online! Now, I have access to their massive collection of audiobooks and even their streaming services!

It may seem small and may not feel as radical, but supporting your local public library is a huge step in fighting against the oppressive, harmful "regime" that seems to be growing more and more powerful with each day. Resources are out there. We just have to get out and use them, support them, and tell all of our friends about them!

People stand and protest in front of the Marshall Public Library. | Kyle Riley, EastIdahoNews.com