Library use is up throughout the nation -- and throughout Abbeville County

"Library use is up -- as belts tighten, people who might have bought a book in flusher times suddenly remember this fantastic free civic resource. . . .libraries are free, welcoming and comforting spaces: you don't feel judged or like you should be buying something. And these days, libraries offer more than books. Did you know that according to the American Library Association, 73 percent of libraries provide the only free Internet access in their communities? In rural areas it's 83 percent. For many out-of-work people looking for jobs, for low-income students who don't have the Internet at home, the library provides the only access to information technology they can afford."

From: Katha Pollitt's article "Stimulating Reading" in the Feb. 9 issue of The Nation