Support your Local Library

This post started out as an ode to the library, but due to recent events, it has turned into a completely different creature.

Recently, Forbes published an article by economist Panos Mourdoukoutas with the title "Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money."

I'm not going to lie, my head about exploded.

Screenshot of the (inactive) article link from my Facebook page.

I didn't believe it at first. I thought it was one of those satirical pieces that people write that expound on the virtues of the thing they are "against."

I was wrong.

In it, Mourdoukoutas claimed that libraries no longer serve the community like they used to, basically, they cost more than they are worth. He said that people can just as easily go to Starbucks for their wifi and human contact, use Netflix and other streaming services for their movies, and go straight to Amazon for their books. Mourdoukoutas also said that physical books are a thing of the past and there is no need for libraries' borrowing services since everybody just downloads e-books.

He is wrong for a few reasons:

1) Physical book sales are steady and are actually up from a few years ago when e-books first became popular.

2) You have to buy something from Starbucks to hang out there (it's rude otherwise and you might get the cops called on you).

3) Streaming services cost money as does getting books from Amazon.

What Mr. Mourdoukoutas fails to realize is, that libraries offer more than just books, movies, and wifi (all for free, I might add, which is very beneficial to low-income families, poor college students, and anybody living paycheck-to-paycheck). They offer classes on taxes, computers, languages, writing, crafts, music, and the list goes on; summer reading programs to encourage literacy in all ages, author readings/signings, local art/historical artifact exhibits, musicians, book clubs, stuffed animal slumber parties, pub quizzes, historical documents, genealogy services, and are usually staffed by some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

The article has since been removed from Forbes' site because of the backlash they received and they have issued a statement saying,

Forbes advocates spirited dialogue on a range of topics, including those that often take a contrarian view. Libraries play an important role in our society. This article was outside of this contributor's specific area of expertise, and has since been removed.(Quartz, downloaded 7/24/2018)

While I am happy Forbes removed the article and ecstatic that so many people jumped to the defense of libraries, what does this mean for our society? That a influential magazine like Forbes would publish something claiming that something as important as libraries mean nothing in our modern communities, op-ed piece or not.

As a taxpayer, I am 100% okay with that tiny percent of my taxes going to libraries. If I can help keep the doors open and the lights on so that single-income parent with a family of bookworms can check out the entire Berenstain Bear collection or new additions to the community can take ESL classes, I am more than happy to do it.

Why are we a society obsessed with things that will make money? Encouraging kids to get into STEM subjects is fantastic, but don't shame the kids who would rather dance, sing, write, read, draw, etc. because those things won't make them money.

Just because things "don't make money" doesn't mean they are without value.

I snagged this off of author and fellow Nebraska Writers Guild member,
Sarah Buhrman's Facebook page. It's been floating around the internet
for a few days. Thank you Denise Ivanoff for putting it into words.

First, they came after our national parks. Next they came after our arts and humanities. They try to come after our libraries again and there will be hell to pay.

#HufflepuffsUnite #RavenclawsCanComeToo

Be a Cheerleader, Pompoms optional

You want to be the next J.K. Rowling? Awesome, sign me up to be a beta reader when you finish your novel.

You want to be the next Stephen Spielberg? Spectacular, can I be an extra? I'll bring Reese's Pieces to share.

You want to be the next Julia Child? Amazing, let me know if you need to borrow any kitchen stuff or need a taste-tester.

You want to be the next John Wayne Gacy? Cool, you stay right there while I go call the police and get my self-defense machete, but when you start painting clown pictures in prison, let me know. They make lovely gifts.

Growing up, I never really was told that I couldn't be what I wanted to be. My parents taught me to be realistic with my goals but to also go for what I wanted. They gave me the right amount of encouragement that kept me reaching for my dreams but kept me grounded.

That's what I try to give whenever somebody shares their goals with me (especially if it's in the arts because that's where my heart is). If they tell me they want to go back to grad school to get their masters after being out of school for 10 years, I am going to cheer, encourage, offer study help, and anything else I can, including being ridiculously excited and proud.

Or if they say they're about to give up on their book because they've been working on it for five years and it isn't going anywhere.

Oofta.

You want to see some beat-you-over-the-head encouragement? Tell me you're going to give up writing because it's too hard/somebody said your writing is terrible/*insert stupid reason here*, because I will encourage the shit out of you.

This is my level 5 crazy face.

Do you know why?

Because you deserve it.

I have a few special cheerleaders in my life. They know and understand that I can easily get caught up in pipe dreams and instead of crushing them, they calmly bring me back to reality with questions about how exactly would I go about dropping everything to move to Brazil to own a llama ranch when I don't speak Portuguese, nor do I know the first thing about llamas. But they are champs with my more realistic dreams like becoming an author, moving to Lincoln, adopting a cat, and living up to my Worlds #1 Aunt tee shirt.

A few years ago one of my best friend's daughter's teachers told her that her daughter wasn't very creative and that they should work on that at home. My friend was floored because her daughter was one of the most creative kids she had ever known. She loved coloring, crafts, making up stories, and decorating their living room. I remember my jaw hitting the ground when my friend told me this because she was always bringing me pictures her daughter had colored for me. I still have them and one is on my fridge right now.

With less encouraging parents, that teacher's one comment could have stifled that little girl's creativity and artistic dreams for the rest of her life. But my friend did something awesome. She blew off the teacher's opinion and kept doing what she was doing. When a paint your own pottery place came to town, my friend took her daughter. They now go once a month to do all the projects that the place offers and her daughter's skills are growing by leaps and bounds.

I guess the point of this whole thing is encourage, don't discourage.