On the way to work, I read this article in the San Francisco Chronicle about prison inmates raising money to help keep the Salinas Free Library open. It was heartwarming to hear prison inmates express their belief that libraries are important, and that it can easily be associated with education; most of them stating that they would have never been in prison if they had more opportunities for education; and that the prison library actually has helped them find more meaning in life, whether it be education to prepare them for life in the outside, or knowledge to help others who still have a chance. The article is here if you want to read it.
I just can't understand why schools and libraries are closing down. If the country can afford to rebuild war-torn countries, why can't it save our schools and libraries? Don't you think that when prison inmates start talking about the importance of spending more on libraries than prisons, that it's time to pause and reflect on this matter?
I had a really long walk from the terminal to the office. It was a sad way to start the day.
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