"Why do branch libraries matter?" --Maria Luisa Arroyo

“Why do branch libraries matter? Some may argue that, with the rise in technology and the use of cell phones and home computers as a means to get news and books, branch libraries are losing their relevance. Besides, who uses the library anyway nowadays? It just has old books, right?

Neither cell phones nor home computers, though, can teach young children how to hold a book upright, how to turn pages, nor choose for them age-appropriate books to read. Neither cell phones nor home computers can teach any child how to read aloud or check for understanding while reading, a tool that many teachers use and many parents, including myself, have learned how to do. Neither cell phones nor home computers can teach school-aged children the basic skill of finding a book in a library – a skill still needed to navigate bookstores and college libraries, even those with state-of-the-art technology. And finally, neither cell phones nor home computers can replace the joy of reading aloud together en familia as adults and children alike interrupt each other with excitement and recognition as they connect with what they’re reading.”

—Maria Luisa Arroyo

author of Gathering Words / Recogiendo Palabras

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Maria Luisa Arroyo read in PALABRA PURA, where I had the pleasure of hearing her read her wonderful work. Here is her website.