Building and Using the Universal Library

Hub of the Community

09February2000

Libraries perform one of the most important aspects of social amelioration by making available to anyone with an understanding of the language all the published works currently available A free university if you will, to be had simply for the filing of some information for a library card. Through the mass of books and other media available any newcomer can come to understand in infinite detail anything that the heart or head desire. This allows the outsider to, as quickly as comprehension allows find the working of what was an unknown social milieu.
Of course language is the bump in the road to any immigrant or outsider. In some instances the library also functions as a waypoint in the acquisition of the new language. Either through the library offering ESL courses in ethnic population centers or by providing a means for groups offering these services. This furthers the libraries role or agent as social ameliorator.
In the same way libraries can also act as network hubs for other ethnic or immigrant interests, including social services assistance, legal assistance, and political organizing. All of these activities and networking can take place either through the bulletin boards within the library or in meeting rooms and lounges designed to allow social congregation. Without these places, the ability of socially marginalized or minority groups to form community support networks are limited or non-existent.
Considering how difficult the legal and social services offered through governmental agencies, these facilities are nigh essential to the opening up of our social and democratic institutions to the newcomer. We have been made great by our ability to ameliorate wave upon wave of immigrant, the library has in recent times aided this process to the benefit of all of our citizenry.