HB Squad ALERT! . gossip + snippets
The popular philosopher Alain de Botton may have put his finger on a possible explanation. “It’s in walking into a library that most people first get the sense of how little they know,” he explained. “Surrounded by so many books, we are liable to feel how great our ignorance is, next to all the accumulated wisdom and insight of others.” This “sense of inferiority” is “far from being uncomfortable”, he continued, “because libraries invite us to share their riches with them. They hold up a ladder to us.”
What do you think? Know of any interesting book-related news?
Email us at HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg

2 comments
Ivan Chew says:
May 26, 2006
The article says “42% of adults haven’t visited their local library in the past two years.” Mmmm… very interesting. Might be quite close to our figures I think. Must look at the NLB annual reports again.
christopher savage says:
May 27, 2006
Definitely as we progress as communities and societies globally. The library will always be a place shared with such tools as the internet as we live in our knowledge based enviroments. The library will also assist as an additional aid to child development towards good reading habits.
As each country varies in its development and society. The library however can play an important role towards being part of the community by its very existence for familys to visit and community development programs.
The library can also help in the development of healthy reading by providing good reading material, talks by writers both local and foreign and by book clubs where people can share interest in reading and discussion.
The need for good libraries that facilitate to the needs of change that correspond with each society is paramount. As this is the benchmark for growth in a society in spite of material wealth and development.
If we did not have good services like this we would not be able to contribute to the topic of ” Do we need libraries “.
The importance is as clear as the comments received. Thanking you for the opportunity towards a better understanding of the importance in a need for libraries.