My daughter is wise. Although she lights the candles on Friday night, the Jewish sabbath, sings in the Unitarian church choir on Sunday and attends a Buddhist sangha on Sunday afternoon she told me her basic belief is in the public library. Before she retired from the school system she introduced many 'culturally deprived' children to the joys of reading and the library.

The library is an institution which provides an avenue to enter a world of culture. Every month the library drops a bunch of books at my door. It is a wonderful program. It is meant for the disabled, but since I am very old the library includes me. The library knows my tastes, and many of the books are interesting to me. One book the library left was "The Ode less travelled" by Stephen Fry. It's about the structure of poetry. Fry includes many examples along with delightful commentary. I bought my own copy. When I woke this morn I went from bed to verse.

Dear David,

Libraries mean the world to me. I have helped many people
though my work - that even today they come up to me
when I'm shopping to say hello. Libraries to me are as
vital as breathing. Books have had a huge impact on my life.
Supporting libraries I consider vital.

Hi Foxy and David,

The Brisbane City Council Library, a free lending library with its 33 branches is one of the best assets available to the people of Brisbane. It about more than "books", it has a whole range of services including a "Games" club every Tuesday, heaps for children, regular interesting guest speakers, etc etc. Foxy gave me the thumbs up for "Sarah Maddison's 'The Colonial Fantasy' didn't have a copy at my local branch, but order online and I had it in 2 days no problem, free shipping from another branch.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/council-venues-and-precincts/libraries

Dear Paul,

It is amazing the job that libraries do.
And as you and David have pointed out - they
definitely are an asset to our communities.

that you really believe what you just said
Foxy,
Well, Years ago when I was very much into a particular history I made many requests for photocopies from Libraries. Several times I visited & sometimes got what I was enquiring about.
One incident that sticks in my mind is when an elderly lady from the Library showed me Water colour paintings of a particular scene depicting (european) artefacts. I didn't see at that time how interesting this would become for me not long after I placed it back into its particular drawer. Only weeks later I contacted the Library to ask if I could get a photocopy of this painting & was told "we don't have that". I told the woman on the phone that it was in that & that drawer as I had placed back there myself. "Anyhow, we're too busy & under-staffed" was the abrupt reply. A few days later I spoke with another women there & got pretty much the same answer. Fast forward ten years-I ran into an indigenous producer & I mentioned this painting & he exclaimed " Yeah, great painting, I got a copy not long ago from the ... State Libray" !
So, I called that Library again and, "we don't have it" !
In the late 70's & early 80's the Libraries were great but that changed dramatically when the not-so-genuine Librarians began to command them !

indyvidual,

What does any of that have to do with your saying
that "Australian libraries don't cater for non-Lefties?"