Libraries Change Lives

At last month's North Carolina Library Association Biennial Conference, Barbara Stripling, ALA President, presented a Declaration for the Right to Libraries. This document testifies to how libraries change lives and are essential to a democratic society. Ashe Library strives to uphold and serve the county in all ways highlighted by this declaration. Libraries empower the individual by offering resources and technology for developing skills needed to succeed in life. Libraries support literacy and lifelong learning. Families are strengthened at the library with programs that provide opportunities to learn grow and play together. Serving people of every age, education level, income level,ethnicity, and physical ability make libraries a great equalizer. Libraries build communities. This past year at Ashe Library activities such as World Book Night, The Human Library, Community Read, and On the Same Page Literary Festival were some of the programs designed to bring people together for conversations to learn from and help each other. Libraries protect out right to know by defending the freedom to read, speak freely, and seek information. The economic health and successful governance of our nation depends on people who are literate and informed. Libraries advance research and scholarship. They help us to better understand each other and learn from our differences. Knowing that our past is the key to our future, it is libraries that preserve our nation's cultural heritage. The librarians at Ashe Library encourage everyone to visit the library and sign the declaration that affirms our right to quality libraries.