Thankful for Libraries

We've rushed through the first months of the year at breakneck speed and now 2024's last days are dwindling away. With shorter, cooler days ahead and the holidays around the corner, it's the perfect time to focus on the important things in life, like the people we love and the things that bring us joy. While libraries might not necessarily be at the top of your "thankful for" list, they're wholesome, community-driven institutions that provide loads of enriching and educational services for nearly everyone. Back in 2013, a PEW report found that 94% of those polled believed that public libraries "improved the quality of life in a community". Moreover, 81% said that public libraries provided "many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere". What's more to be grateful for? Check out what Mississippi Library Commission staff had to say below.

Working for state government can sometimes feel lonely, but when I get to see our public libraries in action implementing things we’ve discussed or getting the opportunity to brainstorm ideas over the phone, it makes it seem less isolating. I get hyped on their successes and that is what I am thankful for. 
-Lacy Ellinwood, Lead Library Consultant

I am thankful for libraries, because they gave me a place to be myself and belong. As a child, I grew up going to the library with my mother and brother. As a teenager, I walked to the library after school to hang out if I missed the bus or wanted books my school library didn't have. I was thankful for the one place that didn't cost anything to visit and let you be inside during the Mississippi Delta heat of summer: a community place where you were always safe. As a young adult in college, I saw another side of libraries when I accepted a part time position at my childhood library. I was thankful that the position allowed me to help people and to be useful to members of my community. The library offered me stability, consistency, and a support system of my fellow librarians. Libraries offer the rare commodity of true human connection. The library gave me comfort and community as a child and continues to provide the same to this day.
-Megan Fleming, TBS Outreach Librarian

I am thankful for libraries because, through E-rate funding, they provide essential internet access and technological resources to underserved communities. This support not only helps bridge the digital divide but also empowers individuals with the tools they need for education, job searching, and community engagement, fostering a more informed society.
-Sharmaine Frazier

My elementary school librarian introduced me to the love of reading in sixth grade. I fell in love with stories when she read Little House on the Prairie to us and it changed me.
-Gloria Jimerson, Large Print Direct Librarian

I am thankful for libraries because they have shaped me into the person that I am today. From childhood, I have always sought out libraries for whimsical tales or to explore new ways of existing. Libraries helped cultivate a curious nature that defines who I am.
-Mikayla Johnson, MAGNOLIA Outreach Coordinator

I'm thankful for the different books I find at my library. I love to read them and transfer myself into the stories of grand romances.
-Lorietha Myers, Library Development Assistant 

Libraries have always played a significant role in my life, filling it with beautiful memories from childhood all the way to today. I was fortunate to have parents that not only enjoyed reading for pleasure but also emphasized the importance of our public library within the community.
-Shellie Zeigler, Library Consultant

Libraries are many things to different people, but they help us all in their unique way. Let us know why you're grateful for libraries in the comments.

Elisabeth Scott
Reference Librarian