Running head: SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE 1

“Public Libraries as Place:

Mending Our Social Infrastructure”
Crystal S. Stephenson
University of South Florida
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“Public Libraries as Place: Mending Our Social Infrastructure”

Public libraries serve as the social fabric of a thriving community, and in a time of

increasing polarization, provide the interconnectivity necessary to mend an otherwise fractured

social infrastructure (The Aspen Institute, 2017). According to Eric Klinenberg, author of

Palaces for the People, “building places where all kinds of people can gather is the best way to

repair the fractured societies we live in today” (2018, p. 11). Public libraries have the unique

opportunity to repair societal fissures by providing equitable access for all community members

regardless of identity, background, or class, in a place they can gather, linger, and socialize as

one. Public libraries not only stand as a foundation by which to forge relationships and discover

common ground, but also serve as a welcoming and inclusive center of the community that

broadens our understanding and familiarity with others through valuable programs, services, and

diverse collections. The goal of this paper is to examine Klinenberg’s theory of public libraries as

a “key to bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides” (2018) by highlighting the many critical

contributions libraries make in bringing us together and creating common purpose at a time we

may need it most.

Throughout history, public libraries have always shared a common focus on the specific

needs of the communities they serve. According to Kathleen M. Heim, “the objectives of the

public library are directly dependent upon those of the society itself” (1986, p. 181). In other

words, the public library exists for and because of the people. The purpose of a library is “to

serve the community as a general center of reliable information and to provide opportunity and

encouragement for people of all ages to educate themselves continuously” (p. 182). And just as

the makeup of every community is different, “the ways libraries implement these services differ

as well” (Stephens, 2006, p. 224). The American Library Association echoes Klinenberg's

argument, stating, “Never have our nation’s libraries played such a pivotal role in strengthening
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communities through education and lifelong learning” (2019). As a “microcosm of the larger

society”, public libraries “play an important and unique role in communities that they serve and

provide an inclusive environment where all are treated with respect and dignity.” At their core,

“public libraries are acting as catalysts in fostering community-wide solutions that strengthen

communities” (“State of America’s Libraries Report 2019”), thus supporting Klinenberg’s theory

of a strong social infrastructure and its inherent benefits to their respective communities.
Equitable access to a diverse collection of materials and resources are vital to a sense of

belonging and inclusivity. The value of a public library to one’s community cannot be

understated or simply touted in a mission statement, but “must be proven, demonstrated,

quantified and qualified in these difficult economic and political times; within our campuses or

larger communities, in our state, and across the nation” (Hines, 2018, pp. 22-23). As a

welcoming environment to gather and socialize, the public library contributes to civic discourse,

builds comradery, supports common purpose, and stands as the backbone of the communities

they serve. By offering a broad and relevant collection of materials for informational,

educational, and recreational purposes reflecting the diversity of their respective community,

public libraries can make a valuable impact by expanding “access to information, learning

opportunities and social connections for all” (Hildreth & Sullivan, 2015, p. 648). By providing a

safe space to learn and grow together and create healthy bonds with fellow community members

over a diverse and representative collection of materials, public libraries help to bridge the gap

between oneself and the other. It is difficult to hate or distrust a particular group of people when

you have been exposed to and formed relationships with members of that specific group.
Public libraries serve as civic centers and often encourage political literacy through the

variety of programs and services they offer. This is important, because a well-informed citizenry

and voting populace is vital to all of us as a collective whole, and in an “environment of

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decaying trust in public institutions, libraries remain a trusted and respected public resource,

which makes them ideal civic engagement leaders” (Urban Libraries Council, 2018). According

to a 2015 report published by the Pew Research Center, citizens not only recognize the

importance of their public library and the impact they have on their respective communities, but

survey results identify civil activists as most likely to use and visit their public library. The Urban

Libraries Council lauds the Wichita Public Library’s City101 program, which is a series of

classes held “to introduce community residents to how local government works and how they

can get involved in neighborhood and community action” (2018). Palo Alto Library’s Being

Different Together focuses on community engagement and “thought-provoking conversations as

a path toward building and nurturing a community that models respect for differences.” And the

Baltimore County Public Library has “established ‘be an instrument of democracy’ as an

objective in its strategic plan and provides a range of programs” highlighting racial justice,

discussion of presidential elections, and those geared toward common ground among different

religions and cultures through their Voices of Our Community program. The Monroeville (PA)

Public Library, according to McCook and Phenix, serves as a “model in democratic exchange”

by hosting a series titled, Hot Topics, which guides “patrons to reliable online news and

information current events” (2018, p. 279), from the Islamic State to the U.S. presidential

primaries to local tax issues. “It’s a thoughtful service with a conscious goal: to support the

informed citizenry a strong democracy depends on” (p. 279). What patrons gain from these

programs are numerous and invaluable, including access to reliable and unbiased information

and preparing to confront “new community challenges such as inclusion and tolerance, race and

social equality and preserving the foundations of strong democracy” (Urban Libraries Council,

2018). Patrons also garner a respect for and build valuable connections with fellow community
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members as well as broaden their overall awareness of the world beyond their own community.

Through these exemplary library initiatives, patrons learn to navigate the onslaught of

information, determine truth from fiction, and locate the most reliable resources, which

inevitably contributes to a more tolerant and inclusive society. According to Klinenberg, “the

future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces” (2018),

and libraries contribute to the social infrastructure by “helping to solve some of our most

pressing challenges: isolation, crime, education, addiction, political polarization, and even

climate change.” To be certain, public libraries ultimately play a crucial role in civic life and

“safeguarding democracy.”
Public libraries also “serve as a lifeline for some of our nation’s most vulnerable

communities” (“State of America’s Libraries Report 2019”) both in access and inclusivity. Most

integral to a public library is their unique variety of programming and services, which can bind a

fragmented society through exposure to all groups, including the often underrepresented and

underserved members of the population. By offering critical services to immigrants and the

homeless, resources that bridge the digital divide, and programs dedicated to the LGBTQ

community and people with disabilities, public libraries “at their core humanize us all” (The

Aspen Institute, 2017) by embodying a “central repository for different segments of our

communities.” Once again, libraries have the opportunity to “promote crucial, sometimes life-

saving connections between people who might otherwise fail to find common cause”

(Klinenberg, 2018). Libraries are increasingly shifting their focus and “approach to advocacy to a

more inclusive, intrinsic, holistic one that builds awareness and support” (Hines, 2018, p. 24) for

community building, and by connecting “libraries back to democracy and the community” with

respect to their individual needs and functions, contributing to a stronger social infrastructure.
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In keeping with Klinenberg’s sentiment, public libraries must continue to strive for

inclusivity as a safe and welcoming environment for all by incorporating more unique

programming, like the innovative Drag Queen Story Hour and civic-minded classes and events,

as well as more services to recent immigrants and language-learning, and broaden the scope of

digital amenities to patrons without the means of access otherwise. While many libraries host

events for people with disabilities, it is crucial that more libraries offer similar programs and

classes for the underserved. Libraries must continue to evolve and support their local homeless

populations with essential resources and activities, consider more health and wellness initiatives,

as well as bolster the assimilation to society for those formerly incarcerated. The ALAs mission

of lifelong learning extends to all members of the community and the programs and services

should reflect as much. “Communities and public libraries must think of themselves as

interconnected” (The Aspen Institute, 2017), and by providing free and relevant access to

everyone, the library is cemented as “a critical part of the community ecosystem.”

In a time of extreme polarization and deep political and social divides, public libraries

have a unique opportunity, if not responsibility, to mend these fractions and support the social

infrastructure of their respective communities through their wide variety of services, programs,

and resources. A diverse collection is integral to a library’s contributions, but they must continue

to diversify their programming as well. Many public libraries host events and offer essential

resources for the most underrepresented and underserved among us, but more libraries need to

incorporate the same efforts and initiatives moving forward. Public libraries must encourage

civic discourse and advocacy as they help to bridge democratic divides in the community and

broaden minds and understanding through exposure to all members of the population. By

providing free and equitable access to valuable collections and a broad variety of valuable

programs and services, public libraries “embody equity in access and serve as the glue for the
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various ecosystems in communities” (The Aspen Institute, 2017). Libraries are the patchwork of

the communities they reside in and bridge societal divides by providing a place “where people

gather and linger, making friends across group lines” and inevitably, according to Klinenberg,

“strengthening the entire community” (2018) in the process.

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References
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Hildreth, S. & Sullivan, M. (2015). Rising to the Challenge: Re-envisioning Public Libraries.
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Hines, S. (2018). Public Policy, Advocacy, and YOU!: What You Never Knew. Alki, 34(2), 22-
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http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/09/15/libraries-at-the-crossroads/
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