Appreciate Your Public Library
"A library is an arsenal of liberty." - Quote unknown
Libraries are part of the American Dream, a place for opportunity, education, self-help and lifelong learning. April 15-21st is National Library Week, a time to celebrate and embrace the offerings of our local libraries.
Libraries represent a place where the whole community can come together to learn, share and discover. They provide us with a physical gathering place, a crossroads for people of all ages, ethnicities and economic means, complete with trained information professionals - librarians - fostering inquiry and assisting with interpretation of information both onsite and online.
National Library Week reminds us of the contributions local and school libraries make in our communities through their programs and services.
Students come to the library to learn critical research skills and find a place to study with friends. Parents and guardians introduce their child to his or her first books and videos and stay for a family concert. Seniors keep in touch with family across the country using free Internet access, job seekers get connected with resources to help them land their next interview, and researchers and medical professionals tap into the databases, journals and other resources they need to make breakthroughs and to affect the lives of their patients. Furthermore, libraries actively work to bridge the digital divide in our country by providing technology access to all individuals.
I encourage everyone to visit the library this week to take advantage of the wonderful library resources available and thank their librarians and library workers for making information accessible to all who walk through the library's doors. Libraries are a place to research and learn about every topic imaginable; in a library your mind can truly roam free.
My priority is to provide the best representation and constituent service possible. I wish to re-open a regular dialogue between Iowans and our U.S. Congress. To that end, if you have questions, concerns or comments please contact my district offices at 1-866-914-4692 and visit my Web site at http://www.loebsack.house.gov/ where you can get helpful information and contact me electronically.
