This is Why Libraries Matter: Ferguson Library

Today I feel very overwhelmed by world events. So I thought I would take a moment and share with you what the Ferguson Library is doing for its residents, a very important reminder to us all that libraries do in fact matter.

With schools delayed another week because of the protests in Ferguson, the library is opening its doors to students. Several teachers are holding special programs and such from 9 to 4 for the students. I heard on NPR last night that over 80% of the kids qualify for free or reduced lunch, so some of the schools are even opening to serve lunch because it is the only way they will eat during the day. And the Ferguson Llibrary is also reminding its residents that they can come into the library to get a drink of water, keep in touch with loved ones, or just read a book in a safe oasis. Here is some of what I have seen on Twitter:

We are here for all of our residents. If you want to come, get water, read, check email, we are here… http://t.co/56qhtfFoOz

— Ferguson Library (@fergusonlibrary) August 15, 2014

Parents of Walnut Grove Elem students – a few teachers have set up activities 9-4 here at the Ferguson Library until schools open. #Ferguson

— Ferguson Library (@fergusonlibrary) August 19, 2014

LOVE this RT @fergusonlibrary We’re here for all of our residents. If you want to come, get water, read, check email. http://t.co/pa8chggo9G
— Michelle Witte (@michellewitte) August 19, 2014

Ferguson Public Library welcomes students – KSDK http://t.co/mjBcuIp0L4
— Librarian Chat (@librarianchat) August 20, 2014

Gloria Pasley & Betsy Anderson outside the public library, willing to take students in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/doq3vozTqi
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 19, 2014

Sign in the Ferguson library. Intense. ht @_rachelhartman pic.twitter.com/WC7XWjSeHT
— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) August 19, 2014

#Libraries bring together communities! RT @fergusonlibrary “a few teachers have set up activities 9-4 here until schools open”
— Erin Kilkenny (@erinincolumbus) August 19, 2014

Yesterday I tweeted and asked the Ferguson Library if they were taking donations to help provide snacks and drinks to the students they were serving. I would also love to maybe send them some books to hand out to those students so they could take them home and just have their own books, because one thing we know about high poverty areas, and by all accounts Ferguson does have a high poverty level, is that many of the homes in these areas don’t have the money to buy books they can call their own because they are trying to provide the very basic necessities like food and water. There are several food drives happening as we speak to help feed the students of Ferguson:

https://fundly.com/feed-the-students-of-ferguson

http://stlfoodbank.org/helping-ferguson/

I haven’t heard back from the Ferguson Library, but I have worked in libraries long enough to know we always need more money, so I am sending a small donation for youth programming any way. If you have ever wanted to support a library, please consider supporting Ferguson Library today as they remind us all that communities do in fact need their libraries.

In the coming days, weeks, months and years, the community of Ferguson will have a lot of processing to do. There will be a lot of information that the librarians will have to work to preserve and archive about this time that will always be a part of their history books, of our history books. They will probably have community wide discussions, need meeting places, and more. And right now, they are doing exactly what their community needs – opening their doors to serve their community.

My hat goes off to you Ferguson Library!

Filed under: Ferguson