Beyond Books: A Look Into What Public Libraries Really Are | Tara Franzetti | TEDxYouth@RVA

so the America I love still exists not

so the America I love still exists not in the White House or the Supreme Court

in the White House or the Supreme Court

in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of

or the Senate or the House of

or the Senate or the House of Representatives the America I love still

Representatives the America I love still

Representatives the America I love still exists at the front desks of our public

exists at the front desks of our public

exists at the front desks of our public libraries Kurt Vonnegut wrote that in a

libraries Kurt Vonnegut wrote that in a

libraries Kurt Vonnegut wrote that in a man without a country and I’ve been

man without a country and I’ve been

man without a country and I’ve been thinking about that quote a lot

thinking about that quote a lot

thinking about that quote a lot especially lately things are crazy out

especially lately things are crazy out

especially lately things are crazy out there and sometimes the only two things

there and sometimes the only two things

there and sometimes the only two things that bring me hope and the only two

that bring me hope and the only two

that bring me hope and the only two things that keep me going are young

things that keep me going are young

things that keep me going are young people and the existence of public

people and the existence of public

people and the existence of public libraries my name is Terra and I’m a

libraries my name is Terra and I’m a

libraries my name is Terra and I’m a librarian at the Richmond Public Library

librarian at the Richmond Public Library

librarian at the Richmond Public Library and I was honored to be invited here and

and I was honored to be invited here and

and I was honored to be invited here and really excited because y’all are my

really excited because y’all are my

really excited because y’all are my bosses public libraries belong to and

bosses public libraries belong to and

bosses public libraries belong to and answer to their users above anyone else

answer to their users above anyone else

answer to their users above anyone else we are publicly funded and overseen by a

we are publicly funded and overseen by a

we are publicly funded and overseen by a library board that’s selected to ensure

library board that’s selected to ensure

library board that’s selected to ensure that we use tax dollars prudently but

that we use tax dollars prudently but

that we use tax dollars prudently but really we answer to you without users we

really we answer to you without users we

really we answer to you without users we have no purpose and if we don’t if we

have no purpose and if we don’t if we

have no purpose and if we don’t if we don’t know what you need from us we

don’t know what you need from us we

don’t know what you need from us we can’t grow and that’s what I mean when I

can’t grow and that’s what I mean when I

can’t grow and that’s what I mean when I say that you are my bosses public

say that you are my bosses public

say that you are my bosses public libraries are not dead or even dying

libraries are not dead or even dying

libraries are not dead or even dying they’re living vibrant spaces within our

they’re living vibrant spaces within our

they’re living vibrant spaces within our communities in fact on Thursday while I

communities in fact on Thursday while I

communities in fact on Thursday while I was desperately trying to memorize the

was desperately trying to memorize the

was desperately trying to memorize the speech which I’ve had varying success

speech which I’ve had varying success

speech which I’ve had varying success with

with

with a Wall Street Journal article came

a Wall Street Journal article came

a Wall Street Journal article came across my desktop talking about how

across my desktop talking about how

across my desktop talking about how public libraries specifically reference

public libraries specifically reference

public libraries specifically reference librarians are busier than they ever

librarians are busier than they ever

librarians are busier than they ever have been before the article mentioned

have been before the article mentioned

have been before the article mentioned one county in Minnesota that has a

one county in Minnesota that has a

one county in Minnesota that has a population of about 1.2 million people

population of about 1.2 million people

population of about 1.2 million people and last year they’re very busy Public

and last year they’re very busy Public

and last year they’re very busy Public Library System answered 1.3 million

Library System answered 1.3 million

Library System answered 1.3 million reference questions more questions and

reference questions more questions and

reference questions more questions and answers than people that’s pretty

answers than people that’s pretty

answers than people that’s pretty incredible the Richmond Public Library

incredible the Richmond Public Library

incredible the Richmond Public Library had over 750 thousand visitors last year

had over 750 thousand visitors last year

had over 750 thousand visitors last year working in an urban public library or

working in an urban public library or

working in an urban public library or any public library for that matter is

any public library for that matter is

any public library for that matter is never boring

never boring

never boring and there is no typical day I could help

and there is no typical day I could help

and there is no typical day I could help someone scan documents to send to their

someone scan documents to send to their

someone scan documents to send to their insurance company I can help a new

insurance company I can help a new

insurance company I can help a new reader find it just right book for them

reader find it just right book for them

reader find it just right book for them help someone do research about a school

help someone do research about a school

help someone do research about a school they went to growing up conduct

they went to growing up conduct

they went to growing up conduct storytime for toddlers and their parents

storytime for toddlers and their parents

storytime for toddlers and their parents and sometimes we’re just a safe place

and sometimes we’re just a safe place

and sometimes we’re just a safe place for people and the first place they come

for people and the first place they come

for people and the first place they come to when they need help her information

to when they need help her information

to when they need help her information I’ll never forget this young woman I met

I’ll never forget this young woman I met

I’ll never forget this young woman I met working in in Churchill northern

working in in Churchill northern

working in in Churchill northern Churchill at the East End branch in

Churchill at the East End branch in

Churchill at the East End branch in Richmond

Richmond

Richmond she was one of her new regulars meaning

she was one of her new regulars meaning

she was one of her new regulars meaning she appeared out of nowhere and was

she appeared out of nowhere and was

she appeared out of nowhere and was suddenly at the library all day every

suddenly at the library all day every

suddenly at the library all day every day for several weeks in a row and then

day for several weeks in a row and then

day for several weeks in a row and then one Saturday afternoon in August it was

one Saturday afternoon in August it was

one Saturday afternoon in August it was sweltering hot outside she comes inside

sweltering hot outside she comes inside

sweltering hot outside she comes inside and says she had a question asked me but

and says she had a question asked me but

and says she had a question asked me but she was a little embarrassed about it

she was a little embarrassed about it

she was a little embarrassed about it and I said well that’s silly there’s no

and I said well that’s silly there’s no

and I said well that’s silly there’s no I mean we get asked all kinds of

I mean we get asked all kinds of

I mean we get asked all kinds of questions and there’s no there are no

questions and there’s no there are no

questions and there’s no there are no bad questions and there’s nothing he

bad questions and there’s nothing he

bad questions and there’s nothing he should be ashamed to ask me and she

should be ashamed to ask me and she

should be ashamed to ask me and she still was hesitant so we stepped to the

still was hesitant so we stepped to the

still was hesitant so we stepped to the side away from the circulation desk so

side away from the circulation desk so

side away from the circulation desk so she could have some privacy and she said

she could have some privacy and she said

she could have some privacy and she said well I have a job interview on Monday

well I have a job interview on Monday

well I have a job interview on Monday and I said a job interview that’s

and I said a job interview that’s

and I said a job interview that’s fantastic she’d been applying to jobs

fantastic she’d been applying to jobs

fantastic she’d been applying to jobs for weeks and working on a resume for

for weeks and working on a resume for

for weeks and working on a resume for hours at a time at the library so that’s

hours at a time at the library so that’s

hours at a time at the library so that’s great congratulations and said so what’s

great congratulations and said so what’s

great congratulations and said so what’s your question

your question

your question she said my question is I’m not really

she said my question is I’m not really

she said my question is I’m not really staying anywhere stable right now and I

staying anywhere stable right now and I

staying anywhere stable right now and I don’t have access to running water and I

don’t have access to running water and I

don’t have access to running water and I want to know if there was somewhere I

want to know if there was somewhere I

want to know if there was somewhere I could go to take a shower today to get

could go to take a shower today to get

could go to take a shower today to get ready for my interview we just never

ready for my interview we just never

ready for my interview we just never know who’s going to come through our

know who’s going to come through our

know who’s going to come through our door what they’re gonna need from us

door what they’re gonna need from us

door what they’re gonna need from us that Wall Street Journal article that I

that Wall Street Journal article that I

that Wall Street Journal article that I mentioned before spoke of librarians who

mentioned before spoke of librarians who

mentioned before spoke of librarians who specialized in pop music historic

specialized in pop music historic

specialized in pop music historic properties and symbolism

properties and symbolism

properties and symbolism I’d really like to see Google replace

I’d really like to see Google replace

I’d really like to see Google replace any of those things I just mentioned by

any of those things I just mentioned by

any of those things I just mentioned by the way if you’ve been in the library

the way if you’ve been in the library

the way if you’ve been in the library lately you know that all that’s true

lately you know that all that’s true

lately you know that all that’s true we’re not just buildings full of books

we’re not just buildings full of books

we’re not just buildings full of books and staff to guard them

and staff to guard them

and staff to guard them we are gateways to anything that anyone

we are gateways to anything that anyone

we are gateways to anything that anyone could ever want to access we want to

could ever want to access we want to

could ever want to access we want to help you be a better student employee

help you be a better student employee

help you be a better student employee partner and friend a more informed voter

partner and friend a more informed voter

partner and friend a more informed voter please consumer and advocate for your

please consumer and advocate for your

please consumer and advocate for your community without without your input we

community without without your input we

community without without your input we can’t grow and that’s why it’s so

can’t grow and that’s why it’s so

can’t grow and that’s why it’s so important and even though we might seem

important and even though we might seem

important and even though we might seem like outdated institutions to some you

like outdated institutions to some you

like outdated institutions to some you all know better a recent study by the

all know better a recent study by the

all know better a recent study by the Pew Research Center that came out in

Pew Research Center that came out in

Pew Research Center that came out in June of 2017 showed that young people

June of 2017 showed that young people

June of 2017 showed that young people are the biggest users of public

are the biggest users of public

are the biggest users of public libraries more than ever before and more

libraries more than ever before and more

libraries more than ever before and more than any other age group over 50% of

than any other age group over 50% of

than any other age group over 50% of what some of us call Millennials visited

what some of us call Millennials visited

what some of us call Millennials visited a public library in the last year and

a public library in the last year and

a public library in the last year and eighty-seven percent of that same group

eighty-seven percent of that same group

eighty-seven percent of that same group said that they rely on the library for

said that they rely on the library for

said that they rely on the library for trustworthy information and in a land of

trustworthy information and in a land of

trustworthy information and in a land of fake news and click holes trustworthy

fake news and click holes trustworthy

fake news and click holes trustworthy information is very very important that

information is very very important that

information is very very important that also makes young people a really

also makes young people a really

also makes young people a really important group you get to decide what

important group you get to decide what

important group you get to decide what libraries of the future are going to

libraries of the future are going to

libraries of the future are going to look like and how we will serve our

look like and how we will serve our

look like and how we will serve our communities usage determines how

communities usage determines how

communities usage determines how libraries decide to spend their ever

libraries decide to spend their ever

libraries decide to spend their ever shrinking budgets so the question then

shrinking budgets so the question then

shrinking budgets so the question then is what do you want us to be what can we

is what do you want us to be what can we

is what do you want us to be what can we do to make your lives easier more fun

do to make your lives easier more fun

do to make your lives easier more fun better more productive I could go on and

better more productive I could go on and

better more productive I could go on and on about public libraries and how

on about public libraries and how

on about public libraries and how important they are how we are anti

important they are how we are anti

important they are how we are anti censorship and pro information how we

censorship and pro information how we

censorship and pro information how we treat everyone who walks through our

treat everyone who walks through our

treat everyone who walks through our doors equally with dignity and respect

doors equally with dignity and respect

doors equally with dignity and respect how we create access and opportunity I

how we create access and opportunity I

how we create access and opportunity I could also talk about how important

could also talk about how important

could also talk about how important young people are but you all know that

young people are but you all know that

young people are but you all know that already instead what I’d like to do is

already instead what I’d like to do is

already instead what I’d like to do is ask you to think about what potential

ask you to think about what potential

ask you to think about what potential impact you could have in this world and

impact you could have in this world and

impact you could have in this world and I say potential because it’s only true

I say potential because it’s only true

I say potential because it’s only true if you do something about it if you make

if you do something about it if you make

if you do something about it if you make your actions and intentions known to

your actions and intentions known to

your actions and intentions known to others one small example of that would

others one small example of that would

others one small example of that would be to get a library card and use it and

be to get a library card and use it and

be to get a library card and use it and help determine what we become in the

help determine what we become in the

help determine what we become in the future so I’m going to challenge all of

future so I’m going to challenge all of

future so I’m going to challenge all of you to do just that

you to do just that

you to do just that whenever you have a chance to go to your

whenever you have a chance to go to your

whenever you have a chance to go to your public library talk to the staff use it

public library talk to the staff use it

public library talk to the staff use it help tell us what we can do to make your

help tell us what we can do to make your

help tell us what we can do to make your community better and empower yourselves

community better and empower yourselves

community better and empower yourselves to do the most then

to do the most then

to do the most then important monumental wonderful thing

important monumental wonderful thing

important monumental wonderful thing thank you for listening

thank you for listening

thank you for listening [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]