Amy Connors' Essay

The abilities of modern technology are both inspiring and overwhelming. Stocks can be exchanged in seconds, conditions in the Middle East appear buzzing on blogs almost as they are happening, and teenagers download the latest music onto their ipods in the blink of an eye. The question is, how long before this instant gratification causes us to lose touch, literally, with the world outside of our computer monitors and blue tooth devices? Progress is made when communities work together, and the one place where the word community always thrives is in a public library. Whether used for research, engaging in thoughtful discussion, volunteering for a local cause, getting SAT help, or simply finding a book for pleasure, the Albert Wisner Public library uses its every resource to keep the bonds within our town strong. While many questions remain unanswered in our society, sometimes to find the solution all you need are a friendly librarian and an open mind.

For many teenagers, life outside of school revolves around the clicking of a keyboard or the many functions of a remote control. High school students can spend hours on Facebook or watching reality television in solitude. Thanks to the Albert Wisner Public Library, however, computer savvy students in Warwick have the option of stimulating their curiosity and engaging in group activities that are both enjoyable and educational. In a world where undependable information is abundant on the internet, the library’s online database offers convenience and reliability. By incorporating the library into a teenager’s digital world, checking out a book is hassle-free. To combat idleness, the website is always furnished with upcoming library events and workshops, many targeted specifically at teenagers. Informative babysitting courses allow some younger adolescents the opportunity to learn about childcare, which can provide the expertise necessary to care for younger siblings or earn a first job. For the older, college-plagued students, SAT prep courses offered by the library provide invaluable tips and advice to relieve test jitters. And if a young adult simply wants to have fun, the library supports that as well. A wide variety of activities, from kick-boxing to cooking, allow adolescents to express their creativity in a healthy and stimulating environment. Through gratuitous services such as these The Albert Wisner Public Library has proven that the internet can do more than just isolate adolescents, it can actually be used to bring them together.

A library can be used as a means of communication between teenagers and adults in the community as well. An Addiction Awareness program initiated at Warwick Valley High School this past year has been aided tremendously by our local library. The library uses an “honors system” to lend out books purchased by the school after the HBO Documentary Addiction was screened in various sites throughout Warwick. This has enabled a program largely endorsed by students to affect the rest of our community. Discussion between parents and children was one of the most outstanding effects of the initiative. Albert Wisner Library has therefore played a crucial role in instigating us to tackle the universal issues of addiction and drug abuse on a local level through honest communication among Warwick citizens of all ages.

Appreciating multiple perspectives is a crucial skill in today’s diverse world. Again, public libraries offer a perfect environment to develop tolerance and group problem solving. The literary discussions frequently held at our local library allow readers to exchange ideas and gain fresh outlooks on various topics. For many of today’s political and economic issues, such as the Genocide in Darfur or nuclear proliferation, a single individual cannot come up with the solution. Open discourse among today’s leaders is the key to answering these questions and learning to reconcile between diverse cultures. The literary groups at Albert Wisner Public Library encourage the development of such vital skills as respect and cooperation so that our future leaders will have the attitudes necessary to resolve whatever social problems develop in our global community.

Volunteer activities are another important component to both the Warwick community and society at large. Public Libraries promote community service simply with their very existence. Here in Warwick our library serves as the launching point for many important volunteer projects. At Albert Wisner Public Library it is not uncommon to find a student tutoring a fellow peer or a member of Interact researching charities such as UNICEF. Our local library fosters compassion and understands that every act of kindness, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is worthwhile if it has helped another human being. Libraries are constantly living up to this message, as they generously lend out materials to the local community and always have librarians available to assist visitors. The concept of humanity cannot be emphasized enough, and the Albert Wisner Public Library is an important voice in conveying this message.

Another principal value is that of keeping local history in tact, and despite proliferating technology that urges us towards the future, Warwick’s heritage remains a significant part of our modern lives. This is due in large part to the dynamic relationship between the Albert Wisner Public Library and the Warwick Valley Historical Society. The efforts of both of these organizations succeed not only maintaining organized records of our history, but also in bringing it to life for community members. The Albert Wisner Public Library has sponsored such events as the “Warwick IS America” presentation, which included a slide show and guest speaker who revealed how Warwick has played a fundamental role in United States History. Events have also been brought to the Warwick Valley Central School district, where local history is fused with the school’s curriculum. Such was the case during Black History Month when Warwick Valley High School welcomed a talented folk teller, or when history classes attended a presentation on how Warwick has changed over the course of several hundred years. These efforts are well-received, especially by local students, who learn to appreciate the unique town they have grown up in.

Keeping local culture alive is a key component of moving towards the future. Perhaps remembered most for housing George Washington during the Revolutionary War, Warwick has made many contributions to our nation’s past. Every piece of our town’s heritage is important, however, because through studying the past we can better understand how to contribute in the future. This is especially true today, where global warming and environmental issues are erupting worldwide. Warwick has for generations been a self-dependent, agrarian society, and presently many groups are searching for lifestyle methods to replace those that are harming our environment. Warwick citizens still cultivate and purchase produce on a local level, maintain parks, and express local culture in handmade crafts, performances, and music. By keeping our heritage in tact, Warwick has evolved into a model town that compliments and respects our environment instead of being detrimental to it. This will be increasingly important as “green” policies become more mandatory and as more people become aware of the need to exist in harmony with nature.

In dealing with worldwide affairs, the Library is obviously a bastion of information and resources. Periodicals, autobiographies, reference books, videos, and multi-cultural material of many medias wait within our Libraries walls waiting to be explored. Just as local culture is kept alive through documents, global issues are communicated through the literary world, and taking advantage of the Albert Wisner Public Library’s resources can transform anyone into a cosmopolitan savant. For a student, crossing the threshold into our local library is like entering the treasure chest of knowledge. Scanning the newspaper, one might read an article about Chinese control of Tibet and the Dalai Lama’s struggle to help his people from afar. In the library, that article is merely the window into a new realm. With a quick glance at the computer database, one can find a book on the history of Tibet or the Dalai Lama’s autobiography. In a sense, the library serves not only to whet one’s appetite for any subject, but to also satisfy that curiosity and make learning effortless and individualized. In the case of research or school projects, the library of course comes to the rescue with multitudes of valid sources, whereas the internet alone needs to be carefully filtered for legitimate information.

The Albert Wisner Public Library upholds the values of service, scholarship, loyalty, pride, humanity, and compassion. Still, for those looking to simply enjoy a relaxing summer read our local library is impressively accommodating. New releases and top sellers are always displayed in convenient categories, so that someone with a tight schedule will always have time to snag a book for pleasure. Whatever an individual’s specific tastes or goals, A public library brings the world to his or her fingertips. The Albert Wisner Public Library reaches out to every member of the local community. It keeps the timeless pastime of reading and the invaluable pursuit of knowledge integral parts of our lives, regardless of what changes may affect us. There is no mood that reading does not compliment, no attitude that reading will not benefit, and no student so erudite he or she cannot find a new book. In a rapidly developing world, it is important to keep these ideals in mind, because having even one constant eases the difficulties and problems that change can cause. In the end, technology can make our daily lives go faster, global issues can alter our habits and lifestyles, but it is learning that has caused these changes and learning that will help us advance them further. For this reason, a public library serves as the foundation for any community and the very basis of a successful society.

Updated May 2008