What Is a Library? What Do Libraries Do?

"Here, in one volume, noted author and librarian Michael Cart has assembled a fascinating collection of twentieth century short fiction about libraries and librarians" - excerpted from publisher description

Journal of Cultural Economics, vol. 49, pp 141-161 (2025)
Abstract: "We examine the relationship between public libraries and local crime rates. Previous studies have looked at different factors that could account for changes in crime, but few have focused on cultural institutions as a primary factor. Using crime data from the Crime Open Database and library data from the Public Library Survey, we leverage the geolocation of crimes and libraries and explore the consequences of opening a new public library branch in Kansas City, MO, through utilization of a difference-in-difference strategy. Our results show that public libraries may reduce crime within its nearby proximity; in particular, we find within the nearby proximity of the library; there is a substantial reduction in frequency of burglaries, vandalism, robberies, fraud, and assaults. However, such effects vanish in the distant proximity of the library."

Excerpted from Summary and Key Takeaways: "Findings from a 2023 survey of NYPL patrons show that the vast majority of responding patrons report that the Library positively contributes to their well-being. . . While this report directly draws upon the experiences of NYPL patrons, it presents a theoretical model of how and in which ways libraries impact well-being—which is likely relevant to libraries across the nation."