In recognition of National Library Week, the Huffington Post's Art Brodsky has posted a timely article decrying the all-too-frequent budget crisis in libraries across the country. He cites cuts in places such as Boston, Florida, New Jersey, Indianapolis, etc. He also links to the recent UW iSchool study which reports on the use of library computers for Internet access, and its increasing importance in the lives of Americans everywhere.

Here's the final paragraph from the post:

Let's give the last word to someone who has a secret ambition to be a librarian, but whose career went in a different direction. No less an authority than Keith Richards put it best in his forthcoming autobiography: "When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is a great equalizer."

In a related article the Huffington Post continues its celebration of National Library Week by letting readers vote on their favorites from a slide show of several amazing library spaces. One of which, not surprisingly, is the "new" downtown Seattle Public Library.