Want to escape from the elections? Head to a public library.

It's not often in this country that something comes along that unites us as a people. But in its way, the upcoming presidential election is doing exactly that. This isn't just because we can't escape the media machines pumping out campaign news 24/7. It's because nearly all of us—whatever our political beliefs—would seem to agree that this is one of the most important elections, if not the most important election, in our lifetime. Add to this the drama of two very different candidates in a race locked in a statistical heat, and it's no surprise that more people tuned in to hear Barack Obama and John McCain deliver their acceptance speeches at their respective conventions than, well, the finale of American Idol. Who thought we'd live to see that happen? I'll admit I'm obsessed with this election, but it's not just the politics. As a librarian, I'm fascinated with the issue of "truthiness," as Stephen Colbert would say, and the difficulties in discerning fact from fiction. Thanks to the nonprofit, nonpartisan FactCheck.org from the Annenberg Public Policy Center—and the work of some news organizations—veracity is getting its due. Still, there's a whole lot about this election that's more confusing than whether or not Sarah Palin did visit Ireland (yes, but it was a refueling stop). Just head online and try to figure out who's eligible to vote or McCain's track record on public education or whether Obama supported legislation requiring sex ed be taught to kindergartners, and you'll be met with a mind-boggling mishmash of official sites, vetted sources, YouTube videos, blog postings, partisan rants, and so much more. Thankfully, we have the public library. After all, libraries pride themselves—and sell themselves to tax payers—as fostering democracy, cultivating an "informed citizenry," as was written at the founding of the Boston Public Library. But a visit to 50 or so library Web sites reveals nothing on the election—or else the resources are buried so deep no one will ever find them. And no, this isn't just an adult issue. Libraries need to help teens who are voting for the first time, are looking for volunteer opportunities in which to channel their enthusiasm, or just need help understanding the whole thing. What you'll find instead are banned books events, plenty of author programs, anime club meetings, exhibits on the history of coffee or the Archdiocese of Boston, cooking programs, and plenty of self-congratulatory marketing about how wonderful the library is. There are some notable exceptions: Cleveland Public Library puts voter registration in your face. Dallas provides a good link to VoteTexas.org. Best of all is the Columbus Metropolitan Library ("as a trusted resource for information, it's important to help our customers prepare for Election Day"), which provides an "It's Election Time!" page with a video message from director Patrick Losinski. What are libraries afraid of? Perhaps they're afraid of being partisan. Or maybe elections aren't sexy enough. Or perhaps they believe that having citizens reserve the second season of Ugly Betty is really more their mission than getting people registered to vote. Whatever the reason, it's wrong. This month, America needs more than a calligraphy class.