This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I went to one of our public libraries the other day, a trip that I have frequently made in the past. However, on this particular day as I was walking out the door of the building,
I was struck by the diversity of information that is offered by our public library system.
I realized that I have checked out music, DVDs, fiction and nonfiction books, travel guides, reference books, educational and technical publications, as well as art and music related magazines. I have been exposed to everything from Black Sabbath to Mozart, Steve Martin's "The Jerk" to Shakespeare's "Macbeth," Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" to David McCullough's biography of John Adams.
On top of it all, those staffing this public institution are kind, friendly, knowledgeable and eager to help with even the most obscure requests.It seems to me that this is one strong example of how a public agency can positively benefit our society and a direct statement about how our tax dollars have been used effectively.
Brent Larsen
Salt Lake City