Some quick food for thought: A short article posted on The Atlantic Cities website yesterday reported the results of a new Pew survey that suggests that, “nearly half of Americans aged 16 or older – 48 percent if them – have visited a public library or book mobile in the past year.” The article goes on to note, “Even more surprising: 90 percent of these same people say their community would be impacted if the library closed (suggesting that a lot of folks either like knowing that the library is there, even if they don’t use it, or they recognize that people who do have few alternative resources).”

Here are some handy illustrations that emphasize that Maywood’s outrage over its library closure isn’t unique to Maywood. Moreover, they show just how important these quiet institutions are to the fabric of communities throughout the nation.

To read The Atlantic Cities story in full, click here. VFP