When I hear heart-breaking news like this recent story of the closings of the libraries at Philadelphia’s two top academic high schools, following the closing of so many others,  I recognize that my own community likely takes our own libraries for granted.

Really, how often do we as communities stop and acknowledge that we value our library spaces, programs, resources and the people behind them?

ALA President, Barbara Stripling, would like to see each and every community around our country to affirm the value of libraries in their lives.

The Declaration for the Right to Libraries, the cornerstone document of Barb’s Libraries Change Lives initiative,

is designed to build the public will and sustained support for America’s right to libraries of all types – academic, special school and public.

The Declaration website shares the plan for the visible communication affirmations: In the next year, libraries of all types will hold signing ceremonies, during which community members can visibly declare their right to have vibrant libraries in their community.  The signing ceremony is intended to serve as the launching point for continued and vibrant community engagement to: Increase public and media awareness about the critical role of libraries in communities around the  country Inspire ongoing conversations about the role of the library in the community Cultivate a network of community allies and advocates for the library Position the library as a trusted convener to help in the response to community issues