What is in a Library?
A library nourishes and sustains a community. It’s more than just a building; it is a means to bolster education, fight unemployment and to create social cohesion. Libraries are essential to a democratic society as they make the basic human right of freedom of access to information a reality. They are spaces of tolerance to all races, genders, classes and ages. They provide access to computers, free space, safer environments, learning materials and books, a quiet space for school children to do their homework and most importantly a team of valuable, knowledgeable librarians – which WiLI hires on a full time basis.
According to Hart, G (2004) in her research article, Public libraries in South Africa: agents or victims of educational change?, the five most common reason why school children visit libraries are:
- To work on a project
- To sit in the library to do homework
- To use library materials to complete an assignment
- To bring back or borrow a book.
- For social reasons