The First American Benjamin Franklin must be turning over in his grave.

In Franklin’s City of Brotherly Love, The Free Library ofPhiladelphia announced yesterday that it is closing permanently due to lack of funding from the state government of Pennsylvania.

Ben Franklin who understood the power of words, the power of learning, and the power of a well educated citizenry, invented (as distinguished from founded) the first lending Library in 1731.

It is reasoned that the demise of The Free Library was victim to the economy but also to the digitization of job and government resources. Library usage is near all time highs but because of revenue pressures on government library funding has not kept up.

Knowledge and Education are the great equalizer in America. Free public education and public libraries are keystones to the assuring that America continues to be the land of opportunity. I often note that the free enterprise system of risk and reward is an essential element to our Freedom. Access to knowledge is essential to assure that hard work is rewarded and America is the land of opportunity. Franklin understood this.

Endbar – Library use is exploding in the Sioux Empire as well. Recent circulation data show that usage in the past year has increased 8.2%. Subjectively the number is even higher given the construction at the Main Branch in downtown Sioux Falls. Circulation at the main branch is down slightly (6.4%) because library patrons believe it is closed. IT’S OPEN! Also of note the Siouxland Libraries website, www.siouxlandlibraries.com usage increased over 30% this past year as more patrons are accessing the library online.

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