At a budget hearing, a council member asked why the library needed evening hours.

“People can study at home,” he said.

A librarian stood up and replied, “Some kids don’t have a desk. Some adults don’t have a quiet place to study. Some families don’t have heat.”

The room went silent and no one offered a counterargument.

Libraries aren’t extras.

They’re the safety net for everyone who’s left out of the conversation.