Library use has been declining, but that decline probably isn’t due to a decreasing interest in reading. Plenty of pundits blame the rise of digital technology, but even libraries that offer digital services like ebook lending have seen declines. The real culprit is the same crisis afflicting all of American infrastructure: a lack of investment. The Institute of Museum and Library Services found that financial investment in services, staffing, and programming leads to greater usage, while cutting funding, unsurprisingly, leads to less usage.
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