Libraries: Seedbeds of Possibility for Students and Communities
I had the privilege this past weekend of volunteering at a school library clean-up hosted by William C. Bryant School and Teach for America. As I walked the shelves, dusted spines, organized sections, and chatted with fellow volunteers, I was reminded of why I love libraries and why we must invest in them.
There is something almost electric about being in a library. Knowledge, stories, resources, and people all signal an abundance of possibility. Across those aisles and tables, you see people from every walk of life coming together around a shared resource: children reading with their parents, entrepreneurs refining ideas, students researching, and community members seeking a safe haven.
In my own work, I am passionate about connecting communities to the critical resources they need to thrive. Libraries are one of the most underutilized partners in our social infrastructure, especially in schools. In Philadelphia, for example, the number of school librarians declined from about 57 in 2012–13 to just one in 2023–24 (City & State). Few people realize the range of resources available in community libraries or how they can support them.
Libraries open doors, both metaphorical and literal, for students and community members. They are standard bearers for curiosity, equity, access, and trust. For students, libraries cultivate confidence, curiosity, and the sense that their world is much larger than the zip code they live in. For communities, libraries help close gaps in access and opportunity.
Consider the Parkway Central Library. It hosts author events, health programming, and extensive business resources through the BRIC program. BRIC offers workshops on grant writing, research techniques, entrepreneurship, and job seeking, including résumé help, search strategies, and headshots. Through a partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, representatives even hold regular office hours in libraries across the city to advise entrepreneurs on how to grow and manage their businesses. All of this is free.
Reflecting on my experience at Bryant, one of the joys of volunteering was spending time with the other volunteers. Seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones from various organizations reminded me how efforts like this strengthen camaraderie across nonprofits, businesses, and schools while bolstering the collective investment that comes from working together.
These services transform libraries into community hubs where learning, wellness, business, and connection thrive side by side. Whether it is the library in your neighborhood school, another school you know needs support, or your local community library, any investment you make promises strong returns across generations. I am thrilled to support our libraries and extremely grateful for the role they play in uplifting communities of all ages and backgrounds.
Here are a few ways you can help sustain these invaluable institutions:
Donate books, funds, or technology to help fill resource gaps
Volunteer your time with shelving, programming, clean-ups, or literacy tutoring
Attend public library events with friends or family to build usage
Ask librarians what they need; you may be surprised at what free or low-cost resources already exist
Support your local school library or Bryant in particular through fundraising, advocacy, or partnership
Amplify the need by posting stories, advocating with local officials for library funding, and encouraging businesses or nonprofits to partner
To the extent you can, and in whatever way makes sense for you, let’s commit to investing in libraries, entrepreneurship, and protecting the potential of our students. A library is a seedbed of possibility. Plant it, nurture it, and watch futures bloom.