In February 2022, the Utah legislature honored Utah Libraries with an Official Citation in recognition of the many ways libraries and librarians improve the lives of all Utahns and add value to our communities.
The Citation noted that there are 140 public libraries in Utah, and hundreds of libraries in Utah schools and institutions of higher education that collectively serve millions of Utahns of all ages. The Citation recognizes the variety of ways libraries serve Utahns including the thousands of educational, STEM, cultural, arts, entertainment, family, and business programs offered every year for children, teens, parents, seniors, entrepreneurs, and new arrivals.
While many Utah families are familiar with the important role libraries play for students—fostering strong early literacy skills, offering homework help, test prep, coding instruction, and other 21st century technology literacies—the Citation also recognizes that libraries support a prosperous, competitive, and healthy economy by offering workforce skills development, career planning programs, job-search assistance, and research and resources to entrepreneurs that support small business creation. The Citation also notes that:
- Libraries help families overcome intergenerational poverty by serving as community centers for lifelong learning, bridging the digital divide with access to public computers, WIFI and mobile hotspots, and by providing free resources and expert assistance to Utah residents in neighborhoods across the state who want to learn, grow, and develop their skills and creativity.
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Libraries are one of the most trusted civic institutions, are at the hub of numerous partnerships, extending community investments in all areas of civic society, thereby amplifying the reach, efficiency, and effectiveness of community organizations and government service providers.
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Serve as a key and trusted partner to hundreds of agencies and nonprofits and provide a vital service to Utah residents in need, helping to connect them with available resources, health information, and financial assistance, thereby helping Utahns lead longer, more productive, and fulfilling lives.
I'm signing my name because I want my fellow Utahns to know that I recognize and appreciate the contributions of our libraries.
I know that:
- My community is a better place to live, is more fun and interesting, and is more successful because of our library.
- Libraries are free and open for all and provide a wide range of information, supporting a more educated and informed community. Libraries have books that reflect all perspectives; they transcend partisan political parties and politics.
- Libraries are centers of free expression, discovery, learning, self-direction, and artistic creation. Libraries support and nurture arts and culture in our communities, providing gallery space, performance space, and maker/creative spaces for all ages and interests.
- Libraries support business development and entrepreneurs, fostering prosperity, and strengthening our local and national economy.
- Libraries cultivate and preserve our local history and stories, helping us make connections between our past and present, and inspiring us to see the future we can create together.
For these reasons I am proud to sign up and add my name to the list of Utahns who support strong, well-funded libraries across the state.