The Spectator’s View: Happily, Hamilton loves its libraries

http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7091296-the-spectator-s-view-happily-hamilton-loves-its-libraries/

“Have you been to the library lately?

Based on numbers presented in a report to council last week, many of you have. The number of visitors to our libraries was up 13 per cent to four million. What’s more, Hamiltonians are tops in the province in ‘circulations per cardholder’, which is to say, we borrow lots of items.

But a library is just books, right? In a world where any information we desire is one Google search away, do we really still need them?

Judging from the response on social media last week, it would seem so. Questions from a Hamilton city councillor, born out of financial prudence, sparked an uproar. Personal attacks aside, the defence of libraries was passionate, and not unexpected, because libraries are an essential part our fabric.”