As of writing this, I am attempting to participate in National Library Week as much as I can. For those unaware, National Library Week is a national holiday celebrated every year by the American Library Association (ALA). It is designed to give the much needed thanks to all those who keep libraries alive in our world, and it also shows the importance of libraries in our society. Even though I do a good bit of writing in Libraries, it was not until starting this article that I realized how truly important to our world libraries are.

In this increasingly digital world we all inhabit, I think a lot of us forget how important libraries are to our society, our culture, and our knowledge. Libraries are more than just places to go to rent dusty books for a bit. They area a vault for knowledge, and they keep a record of, not just our society, but every society. Every culture, famous figure, founding father, artist, way of life, anything you want to learn can be found in a library. The best part about all of this is that it is completely free to one and all! The library has absolutely no restrictions on who can take part in its resources, which is the way learning should be.

The American Library Association also works hard to make sure all libraries, both public and academic, have complete and accurate information in them. They are also dedicated to making sure that each book is read as it is intended with no censorship. The Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list every year of the most challenged books that are available that year. These are books that have faced censorship due to the material they contain. However, OIF works to make sure people can see the true form of the book. It is important for people to discover the facts without distortion. That is, once again, the importance of a library. They must be able to provide everyone with accurate and unabridged information despite any sensitive material.

Libraries offer the world to people who might not see it otherwise, and it offers new worlds to people who have explored this one thoroughly. There are a lot of ways to stay entertained now, but there are those who cannot take advantage of all of these forms such as video games and film, which can be a bit expensive. Libraries, on the other hand, offer endless and ever-growing entertainment for no charge at all. Everyone from children to seniors can adventure to the artic or distant planets, or they can expand their minds to learn more than they ever thought they could.

Libraries provide the tools for anyone to achieve their dreams no matter what they are. Libraries can help train our future scientists, artists, doctors, and leaders. They are an invaluable resource that can only benefit us. Numerous prominent people in the world such as Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Lilly Tomlin, and even Albert Einstein have spoken on how important Libraries are for the world, and I agree with them. Most would say that there is no magic in the world, but one step inside a library would be enough to change their mind.