Quotes on Libraries from the American Library Association

Children know that if they have a question about the world, the library is the place to find the answer. And someone will always be there to help them find the answer--our librarians. A librarian's job is an important one. Our nation runs on the fuel of information and imagination that libraries provide. And they are in charge of collecting and sharing this information in a helpful way. Librarians inform the public, and by doing so, they strengthen our great democracy. First Lady Laura Bush

One of the greatest gifts my brother and I received from my mother was her love of literature and language. With their boundless energy, libraries open the door to these worlds and so many others. I urge young and old alike to embrace all that libraries have to offer. Caroline Kennedy

As a child I was a very shy little blonde kid that didn't speak at all to anybody...And what was wonderful about the library was that you didn't have to say a word. So it was my oasis. And you didn't have to ask for things in full sentences. You could just point to a shelf and say, '18th century dolls,' and the librarians would lead you there. It was amazing. I felt like a queen. Adrienne Yorinks, award-winning illustrator and quilter.

Going to the library builds a kid's imagination. Books help them discover themselves and the world. Baltimore Oriole All-Star shortstop Mike Bordick

When I was a kid and the other kids were home watching "Leave it to Beaver," my father and step-mother were marching me off to the library." Oprah Winfrey

The part of my education that has had the deepest influence wasn't any particular essay or even a specific class, it was how I was able to apply everything I learned in the library to certain situations in my life. . . The library takes me away from my everyday life and allows me to see other places and learn to understand other people unlike myself. Musician Gloria Estefan

As a child, I loved to read books. The library was a window to the world, a pathway to worlds and people far from my neighborhood in Philadelphia. And even today, as I travel around the world, I often visit places I used to dream about because of the books I'd read. The library made a difference in my life.
Broadcaster Ed Bradley

When I was young, we couldn't afford much. But, my library card was my key to the world. Actor John Goodman

As a child, my number one best friend was the librarian in my grade school. I actually believed all those books belonged to her. Author Erma Bombeck

I'm of a fearsome mind to throw my arms around every living librarian who crosses my path, on behalf of the souls they never knew they saved.
Author Barbara Kingsolver