Are Libraries old relics; are they more important than ever?

Everyday life is stressful. Now imagine having no escape. Imagine feeling trapped in a never-ending cycle of work, school, and homework. Imagine being locked away from locked away from history, culture and whole other worlds.

We can all agree that out teenage years were stressful, so why would we even consider depriving the young generation of the palace of solitude we all gained from.

Because libraries are not just for the over achievers.

It is a common mistake –people believe that the walls of books scattered around, worlds spiralling from the page, painting grand pictures of worlds of we could only imagine are for those who spend all their time studying. A waste of time which could be spent socialising. But it is a common misconception. What about the children desperate for escape from their own household? What about the children who need a place to think? What about the children who are easily overwhelmed and need the solitude to find themselves once more?

Where do the children who have no one to turn to go? Where can they find a welcoming adult, who will help them on their journey to success?

Unfortunately, many communities are having to deal with budget cuts, and so many people are led to believe that these spaces will be more valuable to the society as community spaces. I know from my own childhood how valuable libraries were to me; how happy I felt to be completely surrounded by other words, new ideas and life changing information. Yes, it was overwhelming, but it filled my younger self with so much joy, just knowing the possibilities I was surrounded by.

But what are libraries? Many people will argue that libraries are not essential for the growth of a community, that they are a waste of space and ultimately funding, believing that the bank of knowledge can be easily accessible online. The greatest source of knowledge and history can be accessible for everyone: children and adults can share experiences, give their opinions and share their interests all while being in the comfort of their home.

Many people have seen the writing on the wall, and have adapted successfully to this new digital age, overcoming many of the challenges presented by the computers and internet. With this, it must be clear: society is ready for its completion of the transformation to this new age.

But this is with the assumption that everyone has access to the internet. It is believed that over 30% of all children living in the UK do not have the ability to reach this source of knowledge, whether that Is due to poor internet in rural areas, or a lack of devices that grant them the freedom to explore the bank of wisdom like everyone else.

If libraries are not accessible for these children, it broadens the class divide.

We know knowledge is power; it is the torch we pass to the younger generation. We know the class divide prevents so many from reaching their full potential. We know this is a problem that desperately needs addressing. Will you sit back and allow this to happen, allow the tyrants of our world to rule without restraint? Or will you help share the books, to share the opportunities.

Nothing can ever replace the feeling of a leather hard back in hand, or the smell of the fresh printed pages, or the consuming silence. Books are timeless; the stories they hold can never be replaced. The fountain of knowledge spilling out from the very pages, transforming a secluded room into a paradise. Tranquil. Secluded. Idyllic. An escape from the melancholy everyday. This is essential to the future of our world –even in a growing digital age.

I for one would not be the person i am today without my local library. It was heart breaking for me to witness its demise, with the graffiti seeming to grow on its walls, the lack of new books and the general state of the ones they still did have. That place was my childhood. It filled me with hope and gave me such excitement. In fact, while my local library no longer exists, I still find myself remembering the peace I felt as a child. I still feel it now.

Libraries are essential to our communities, a hub for everyone, where discrimination only exists in the books we read.

Are libraries old relics? No. In this growing age of information, libraries are more important than ever.