an excerpt from It Happened In Rhode Island

My thanks generally to all librarians because they are the last bastions of a glorious vision of sharing free knowledge with all citizens. In an age where everything is commodified and public services are increasingly looked upon as expendable, libraries are a bulwark against the destruction of public goods.

A Rhode Island historical tidbit: The Redwood Library and Athenaeum, in Newport, is the oldest lending library in America, and the oldest library building in continuous use in the country. It was founded in 1747, based on a mission statement of “having nothing in view but the good of mankind”, to make knowledge available to all. Public libraries are a glorious thing, and I trust anyone with an interest in history will likewise see the importance of supporting them.