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Librarians are sharing the most unhinged promotional videos and people can't get enough

Unexpectedly dark, but hilarious.

Photo credit: Canva

Librarians are far funnier than people might guess.

Is there any greater proof of humanity’s amazingness than public libraries? No, there isn’t. Creating spaces where people can find and borrow books for free, not to mention all the other offerings libraries have these days? Epically amazing. Well done, humans.

Of course, such awesome places naturally have fabulous people working at them. Librarians might have a reputation for being serious and no nonsense, but just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge a person by their job title. Sure, there may be some stuffy, stodgy librarians out there, but if you spend any amount of time with librarians, you’ll see some things that might surprise you.

Case in point: The librarians at New Berlin Public Library in Wisconsin, who created and shared a hilariously unhinged promotional video that has been viewed by millions. It was so unexpectedly dark, but in the most delightful way, and it had people howling.

See on Instagram

The promo begins with two older women, one standing with her arms outstretched, ready to catch the other woman in a trust fall. But at the last second, the woman in the back steps to the side as the woman in front falls backwards, and as the camera follows the would-be catcher, we hear a thud off screen.

“You can’t trust everybody,” the woman says to the camera, “but you can trust the New Berlin Public Library to give you access—for free—to hundreds of books, great programming, and resources."

Then the camera pans back to the other woman sprawled on the ground while another librarian looks on in horror. And people are rolling.

"I am hollering!!😂😂😂😂 I’m coming there to get a book right now," wrote one commenter.

"I live in New Berlin and have never been to the library here, and this is my introduction to it 😂," wrote another. "I'll be stopping by for sure!"

"“Whoever is running this account needs a raise 😂😂😂," wrote another.

Seriously effective marketing, eh? But New Berlin isn’t the only library to post a cheeky promo video. It appears to be a trend, and we are here for it. Check out the North Little Rock Library's video about people "literally knocking down" their door to get a library card.

See on Instagram

As one person wrote in a comment, "This is the second SAVAGE library ad I’ve seen in the last 5 minutes here…I hope this is a trend specific to libraries."

Another agreed: "Algorithm, give me all the unhinged library content."

New Little Rock Libraries is on a roll with their "unhinged" content. Here's another that people are delighting in:

See on Instagram

This kind of silliness from public libraries is exactly what some of us need to be hit with, especially if we tend to doomscroll. The fact that these are just local folks having fun in their jobs trying to get people to do the most wholesome thing in the world—frequent the public library—is so heartwarming. Will more libraries get in on the cheeky action? Let's hope so.

After all, how often do you get to see a librarian violently swipe a water bottle out of someone's hand, like they did at the Marysville Public Library?

See on Instagram

Here's to librarians, literacy, books, humor, and the overall awesomeness of humanity. If we ever forget what makes us great, we can all just head to our local public library and get a wonderful reminder.

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Heroes

What you should know about Banned Books Week, according to librarians

"Acts of censorship of any kind weaken our democracy."

Photo credit: Canva

Banned Books Weeks runs from Sept 22-28

It’s not every day that we think of librarians as heroes for democracy. But as they continue to show up on the frontlines against books bans—often at the risk of their own professional livelihood—the label is well earned.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise how passionately librarians are fighting to protect the free flow of information. They are, after all, natural “helpers in society,” says Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association (ALA), and a librarian herself for the past decade.

Hohl has seen firsthand how librarians have been essential advocates for literacy, access to accurate information and (especially now) anti-censorship. But those who have spoken up against book bans often get falsely accused of wrongdoing, which Hohl says is “harmful” for all Americans.

Photo courtesy of Cindy Hohl

“Americans have fought for and enjoy many freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment is for everyone, from children to adults,” she told Upworthy. “It is not appropriate for anyone to tell anyone else what they should read, watch, listen to, or even believe. We can trust our neighbors to make informed decisions for themselves and acts of censorship of any kind weaken our democracy. We are empowered to seek out accurate information and make decisions for ourselves and our families, but not for anyone else.”

Besides censorship violating a fundamental American right, Hohl notes that it only serves as a “dehumanizing distraction.”

“The U.S. Government already has a lot to regulate…We don’t need distractions when everyone has a right to hear the truth. Censorship is causing a division among us and that behavior needs to stop. No voices should be silenced in America.”

And it’s with this emboldened sentiment that the librarians of the ALA are looking to celebrate Banned Books Week, running from Sept 22-28.

Banned Books Week was originally launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. The annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.

However, with this year’s staggeringly high number of banned books—a large amount being LGBTQ titles—there is less cause for celebration, and more for urgent action. That’s why the ALA is spreading the word on what folks can do to keep books on the shelves.

First and foremost, they are urging people to join in on Freedom to Read Day on Oct 19th, when libraries, bookstores, readers, and other partners nationwide will be hosting rallies and community events to unite against book bans and demonstrate shared commitment to this fundamental freedom. Get information about a nearby event , or to host your own, here.

Second, you can share “book résumés,” which detail each title’s significance and educational value with administrators, book review committees, elected officials, and board members. Those can be found here.

And last, but certainly not least, Hohl urges everyone to support your local library and staff. Quite simply because “we need recognition of our good work.” Now, more than ever, that statement seems to ring true.

book bans

Joy

These 6 professions are known for having the 'coolest, most honest, most together' people

Park rangers, for one.

Photos by Eddson Lens (left) and Big Bag Films (right)

Librarians and bass guitar players were both mentioned as "good people" professions.

Have you ever noticed that the majority of people in certain jobs seem to be a bit nicer that most other people? More solid? More honest? A little more high-level humans overall?

While there's a wide range of personal diversity in every profession, there are some careers that seem to either attract or produce exceptional people. Exceptions to the exceptional exist, of course, but there are some jobs that people are calling out—with many people in agreement—as having the "coolest, most honest, most together people."

Park Rangers

People who care about nature, protect our public lands and help educate the public about good stewardship? Not surprising that Reddit users would call those folks solid human beings.

"Park rangers are some of the coolest, most genuine people you'll meet. They care deeply about nature, are always willing to help visitors, and have fascinating stories about the wildlife and landscapes they protect." – Sexy-Ass18

"Seconded. First thing I ever wanted to be was a park ranger, because the ones I knew were just the coolest." – belligerentoptimist

"Can confirm all of this. One of my best friends from high school is a LEO ranger and actually now in a fairly major role at Yellowstone. She is seriously the coolest individual, absolutely one of the best humans ever. She went to school for wildlife education or something like that, but has gone to FLETC training and basically ran the internal prison at Yellowstone for a while. She is one of the most badass people I know. She told me once that they have millions of visitors per year. All of those visitors bring all of their problems (domestic abuse, drugs, alcoholism, theft, etc) to the parks with them, so.... the park had a prison for holding people until they could be turned over to other law enforcement. They also had particular people who would deal with visitors who died in the park, including liaising with families, helping arrange to get remains returned home, etc. And that happened regularly. Apparently national parks are a major suicide destination, which is incredibly hard on the rangers who have to deal with it. She told me stories about deaths at the Grand Canyon when she was there.... It was exactly as bad as you imagine it would be to deal with suicides at the Grand Canyon. They do not leave them there, so.... Yeah. And people have to clean it up. It's absolutely insane all that goes on in the major parks that nobody thinks about." – SpectrumDiva

"One of my college friends is a park ranger. He's just the coolest guy. Always feel lucky when we get to hang out, get our kids all mixed up.

That being said, he's raising fearless heathens. One picked up a snake and was like "it's ok, we have the antidote in the truck." while waving it at my poor, defenseless city kids. They just ran away haha. Park ranger friend made his kid put the snake back and gave him an earful about not harassing wildlife and city people." – ButtWhispererer

Librarians

Lots of love for librarians out there.

"Honestly, from my anecdotal experience...librarians. Smart, consistently know how to deal with the greater public, great resources of knowledge, and live for the truth." – SirVeritas79

"I have always loved the way they talk to me when I have a question. I never feel stupid or bad for asking. They really are a 'people person.'" – SillyGayBoy

"YES! Agree! My wife and I have a couple of friends who are librarians and they are probably some of the smartest, most patient and kind people we know. And none of them are 280 years old, which used to be the stereotype I had of librarians because that was all I ever saw growing up. One of those friends is married to a childhood buddy of mine - they are both in their late 40s - been together since their 20s. When they first met I was shocked that someone so young was a librarian lol but also thought it was awesome. I’ve told them both many times that they can’t ever get divorced because we are keeping both of them ha ha

"Seriously though librarians are community treasures and a way underrated profession. 💯" – Intrepid_Detective

"I worked at as a children's librarian assistant for 3 years. It was awesome. People there were so chill, easy to get along with. Best office environment ever. Good stable government job, no need to constantly apply for grants or hustle. And knowledge all around." – kathmhughes

"As a librarian, I've often remarked that the best part of the profession is other librarians." – thatbob

Bass Players

"Bass players in a jazz band...best job in the world I might add." – myobservationonly

"Bass players in general honestly. Which is a tough thing to admit as a guitarist." – tintedwithrose

"As a pianist who usually plays right next to them...agreed. Bassists are my homies." – Casul_Tryhard

"As a drummer I totally agree. My bass player is probably the most talented member of our band, but he'd rather put everyone else in the spotlight. Also, even though he's super frugal he will gladly pay for dinner and drinks and buy us tickets to shows. He's a great guy and I'm really proud to say he's my friend." – Childish_Calrissian

"Most of the bassists I've met are kind, selfless people. I think there's something about the role of the instrument itself that attracts the kind of people who enjoy holding it all together without needing the attention and adulation that comes with it.

Of course, being a bassist myself, this could be complete bias lol." – the_alt_fright

"Singer here. It’s true. Every bass player I’ve played with is an exceptional human. My wife is one and she’s my rock. The bassist I played with on Saturday has his own non-profit for homeless outreach. My main bass player makes incredible falafel wraps when we carpool, with sourdough pita from scratch." – cha-do

Toll Booth Operators (but only in certain places, apparently)

Oddly enough, some toll booth operators in certain countries and specific places in the U.S. got a shout-out for being utterly delightful.

"In Japan, for some inexplicable reason, tollbooth operators. Everytime I take the freeway, those people are the friendliest, cheeriest, just overall nice people I meet in a month. Zero clue why." – festoon_the_dragoon

"It's actually the same here in Ireland. Always wondered why but they are super friendly every time you go through." – 5Ben5

"The toll booth operators on the Mackinaw Bridge are all super nice." – HalfaYooper

"I’ve actually had pretty positive experiences for the most part while using tolls in the northeast US! Pretty shockingly friendly people. To the point where my partner and I were like, 'how do you think they stay so cheery while literally sitting in the middle of a highway for hours on end?'" – Outandabout2023

"A few weeks ago I was driving to Topeka, KS and the toll booth operator was so friendly and asked me if I was doing anything fun in Topeka while I was there. I told her I was just picking up a movie from Vintage Stock but she was so friendly and the best part of my mini road trip from KC. I’ve actually never had an unfriendly Kansas toll booth experience." – i_n_c_r_y_p_t_o

Geologists

"Every geologist I ever met has been a pretty interesting, humble and enjoyable person to be around. Somebody who works in the field will probably reply back and disagree, lol." – LittleKitty235

"My father was a geologist, in the 70s he quit working for (major US oilco) because they wanted him to falsify data. So, yeah, they're honest. My dad told me once that it was one of the most romantic of the sciences...it wasn't the study of rocks but of how planets are formed, and therefore life. I so miss him." – WorldBiker

"Came here to say Geologist and surprised to see it near the top. We are awesome haha!" – Latchkey_Wizzard

These responses also prompted a flood of geologist puns, which pretty much rocked:

"They probably had a good foundation growing up."

"Agreed. Very down to earth and grounded in reality."

"I think they just don't try to find faults in people."

"They're good at digging beneath the crust of a person and seeing what's on the inside.'

"Generally speaking, rock solid people."

"They focus on having good mantle health."

"At their core, they accept the fluid nature of existence."

"They’re really gneiss, and don’t take friendship for granite."

"They’re truly sedimental people."

"There has to be one or two who are full of schist though, right?"

"I bet they dig these comments!"

Local Beat Newspaper Reporters

"Print reporters who’ve covered the same community their whole lives are pretty amazing people. People like to glom together all media, but reporters with a civic drive are some of the most curious and honest people I’ve ever spent time around. If you want people who really want to get to the bottom of a story and operate from facts/evidence, these are people to pay attention to. We owe a lot of what we actually know for sure in society to the labor local reporters." – SenorSplashdamage

"Very true, but they're all nearing extinction. The ones I know are just struggling to make it to retirement.

I've been a media guy for nearly four decades. Print reporters are good people." – Lincoln_Park_Pirate

"My uncle was a reporter in the Twin Cities his entire career. He wrote for the paper and local magazine. Extremely interesting guy who has a story about everything and seems to know the history of every patch of land and building in the area." – evilhomer3k

"I live in a small-ish town (about 15,000 residents). For years, we had a local paper, but it eventually went under as it was not profitable as the world moved more toward internet news. So, for a few years, we had nothing. Then, a guy who didn't even live in the town (but it was where he grew up) started an "online newspaper" and covered everything that went on (good and bad) pretty much as a labor of love and in addition to his job as a reporter at one of the much larger local papers. He makes a little bit of money from banner ads and sponsored ads, but that pretty much only covers his costs. However, he spends his time covering things in town, interviewing people, going to meetings, writing obituaries, etc. Plus, of late, he has taken some high school and college students under his wing and sent them out to report on some things in town. He is not obligated to do ANY of it - he's not profiting from it in any way, it is of no advantage to him, but he does it anyway... That speaks volumes about his character to me." – Madeline73

The human family is full of all kinds of people with a virtually endless array of personalities, characteristics, qualities and interests. But some simply stand out for their awesomeness and congregate in certain jobs, so here's to the park rangers, librarians, bass players and others who have earned a reputation for being solid human beings we can all appreciate.

good people

Joy

Young librarian shares heartwarming tale of three kids, three grown-ups and a Spanish book

"I'm now confident that library kids are gonna save the world," says librarian Mychal Threets.

Mychal Threets/Instagram

Mychal Threets shares heartwarming library stories on Instagram.

We've said it before and we'll say it again—public libraries are the greatest idea humanity has ever come up with.

Seriously, a quiet place to read or study, access to tons of books you can take home and knowledgeable experts on hand to help you find whatever you need—all for free? What kind of unimaginable utopia is this? How are we not marveling all day long about the awesomeness that is the public library?

Librarians get it, and one young librarian is highlighting that awesomeness by sharing the heartwarming stories he witnesses at the library on social media. Mychel Threets, a supervising librarian at Solano County Library in Nothern California, recently shared a story on Instagram of how a young kid wanted their dad to read a book they'd chosen, but the book was in Spanish and the dad didn't know how to read it.

From there, the story turns hilariously sweet as a kid who says they think they know Spanish (even though they actually don't know a word) offers to help. And it just gets better and better from there.

Watch and enjoy this wholesome chain of encounters:

See on Instagram

Understandably, people are loving this example of libraries bringing people together.

"In tears; I am an immigrant and libraries and public schools were my gateway to America," wrote one Instagram commenter.

"It takes a village! and why did my eyes just leak a wee bit of happiness 🥲," wrote another.

“'He doesn’t know Spanish. He just really likes people.' Same, buddy, same, ❤️ " shared another. "Love this story. It would make a great children’s book!"

Another person added, "I love these stories of real people excited about reading and helping each other. Thank you so much for sharing. Libraries hold a special, vital place in our communities. ❤️"

Even Jennifer Garner chimed in with a simple, enthusiastic "YES."

Libraries are truly magical places filled with wonderful stories—both within the pages of books and in the real-life interactions that happen there.

Follow Mychal Threets on Instagram for more wholesome, heartwarming library stories.

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Archivists from around the world share their most unique finds—and some are super weird

Tiny books, presidential chairs, iconic dresses and more.

Canva

The world is full of so many cool things.

This article originally appeared on 10.05.17

Ever wondered what goes on in a library's dark corners, where you aren't allowed to go?

Wonder no more, thanks to The Society of American Archivists' Ask an Archivist Day.

On Oct. 4, 2017, university, corporate, and museum archivists around the world dug out the coolest, rarest, and weirdest items in their collections, photographed them, and put the results on Twitter.

They didn't disappoint. Here's just some of what they had in storage.

1. Small items. Very small items. Like a Bible so tiny that it has a magnifying glass with it for reading.

\u201c@HornbakeLibrary We have this New Testament from 1895 with its case and magnifying glass in our collection. #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507129340

2. And a barely-bigger-than-a-quarter book about birds, published during the deadliest year of the Civil War.

\u201cQ: What's one of the smallest items in our collection? A: This tiny book, "Bird Stories," published in 1863! #AskAnArchivist #umdarchives\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507129340

3. Or this one of three women in West Virginia, rocking the slickest hats of 1908.

\u201c@AlabamaArchives We're partial to hats. West Virginia History OnView | WVU Libraries https://t.co/VSMTWTQEpU #AskAnArchivist #WVRHC #ArchivesFashion\u201d
— Alabama Department of Archives and History (@Alabama Department of Archives and History) 1507135579

4. A folding chair used by Barack Obama.

\u201cNewest acquisition? That would be this folding chair that @BarackObama sat in during his #Rutgers250 commencement address. #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives (@Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives) 1507132827

5. Dirt from the grave of a well-known American writer.

\u201cQ:What's a spooky item in your collections? A:Here's a pine coffin owned by Katherine Anne porter & dirt from her grave site #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507149032

6. A Roman-era coin, depicting either a man in a helmet or a curious understanding of human anatomy.

\u201cWhat is our oldest item? A Didrachm coin minted between 280 B.C.E.-276 B.C.E.\n\n#AskAnArchivist #RomanCoins\u201d
— Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives (@Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives) 1507129302

7. A photo of a sailor whose ship vanished in the Bermuda Triangle in 1918.

\u201cHamilton Beggs is also part of the Gold Star Files. He was on the USS Cyclops when it disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. #askanarchivist\u201d
— Alabama Department of Archives and History (@Alabama Department of Archives and History) 1507136852

8. And one of of other World War I sailors giddily posing on top of two ginormous battleship guns.

\u201cHow many photographs are there in the archive and how can we find these? https://t.co/udBOw9b36d #AskAnArchivistWW1 #AskAnArchivist #WW1\u201d
— Today's Document (@Today's Document) 1507139116

9. A child's sketch of a groundbreaking concept car — complete with a built-in kitchen and a 300 mph top speed.

\u201cThis child's car drawing sent t @ford from the 1960s has a stove, icebox, seat belts, and can go 300mph! #askanarchivist THF268169\u201d
— The Henry Ford (@The Henry Ford) 1507137015

10. A legal document drawn up in 14th century France.

\u201cQ: What's the oldest item in our collection? A: This French legal document dated 1334. Check out that wax seal! #AskAnArchivist #umdarchives\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507143664

11. A pioneering, ultra-glittery work of feminist art.

\u201cWhat is the most glittery object in our collection? That would be this untitled drawing by Miriam Schapiro. \n\n#AskAnArchivist\u201d
— Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives (@Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives) 1507122040

12. A photo of fashion designer Ann Lowe, the woman who designed Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress.

\u201c#ArchivesFashion #AskAnArchivist Did you know that Alabama native Ann Lowe designed Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress?\u201d
— Alabama Department of Archives and History (@Alabama Department of Archives and History) 1507137183

13. A script for a rarely heard "Empire Strikes Back" radio play.

\u201c@KBtheLib @nprchives Our #StarWars radio dramatization is an institutional favorite! #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— NPR RAD (@NPR RAD) 1507064825

14. An image of rows and rows of classic radiator shells waiting to be installed at a Depression-era Pontiac plant.

\u201cQ: What are these?\nA: Pontiac radiator shells, circa 1937.\nQ: Where is this photo?\nA: @HBSBaker \n#AskAnArchivist \nhttps://t.co/UuOV1KJeH6\u201d
— Working Knowledge (@Working Knowledge) 1507135835

15. A handwritten letter from Sigmund Freud.

\u201cCool KSHS collection: Menninger Foundation archives include Sigmund Freud letters. https://t.co/SgKrkCXYZh #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— Kansas History (@Kansas History) 1507135195

16. Ancient technology.

\u201cQ: Do you have floppy discs in the archives? A: Yes! Our e-records archivist helps preserve data on lots of outdated formats #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507136506

17. Proof that Queen Elizabeth II is apparently a secret football fan.

\u201cYou voted & the results are in! Who's #UMD's most famous visitor? Queen Elizabeth II - shown here at a football game in 1957 #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507125652

18. A memo warning campus police about an upcoming Ozzy Osborne concert, citing the singer's involvement with "abuse of animals" and "alleged satanic groups."

\u201cQ:What's the coolest thing you found in the archives lately? A:How about a 1983 police memo when Ozzy Osborne played at UMD! #AskAnArchivist\u201d
— UMD SpecColl (@UMD SpecColl) 1507123820

19. And why, if you want to see more, you'll have to visit a library or archive in person.

\u201c#AskAnArchivist When people ask "so is everything digitized?" I usually reply with a photo of our caverns, which I hope answers the question\u201d
— UMN Libraries (@UMN Libraries) 1507128190

You can happily scroll through dozens more like this using the #AskAnArchivist hashtag.

\u201cQ: Describe the role of an archivist in haiku form: \nArchivists connect\nus between the record of\nthe past and present \n#AskAnArchivist\u201d
— M+ (@M+) 1507101297

No appointment necessary.

This article originally appeared on 10.05.17

Update 10/9/2017: The headline was changed to reflect that archivists and librarians differ, in part by the type of materials handled.

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AmazonSmile

Replace libraries with Amazon? Not if these librarians have anything to say about it.

In case you didn't know, libraries are cool as heck.

They've been around for — well — ever (or at least thousands of years), there are more than 17,000 of them in the U.S., and they serve a myriad of purposes beyond just access to an unlimited number of free books (which, let's be honest, is pretty great in itself). Nearly all libraries offer access to computers and Wi-Fi, and many serve double as venues for community events. Best yet, libraries can help people develop the tools they need to combat the spread of false stories on the internet and identify reputable sources of information.

Don't worry! No books were harmed in the making of this photo. Photo by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images.

With all those awesome things about libraries, it's kind of mind-boggling that someone call for them to be replaced by Amazon.

Economics professor Panos Mourdoukoutas published a (since deleted) blog at Forbes on July 21 arguing for shutting down local libraries in favor of brick and mortar Amazon stores "in all communities." His argument centers around the idea that "third places" like Starbucks and affordable content-streaming options like Netflix and Amazon Prime have all but made libraries irrelevant.

He wrote:

"Amazon Books is a chain of bookstores that does what Amazon originally intended to do; replace the local bookstore. It improves on the bookstore model by adding online searches and coffee shops. Amazon Go basically combines a library with a Starbucks.

At the core, Amazon has provided something better than a local library without the tax fees. This is why Amazon should replace local libraries. The move would save taxpayers money and enhance the stockholder value of Amazon all in one fell swoop."

According to the American Library Association, Americans check out an average of eight books a year, which costs them an average of $36.96 in total taxes. As far as plans to "save taxpayers lots of money" go, this is a pretty huge dud.

Naturally, librarians weren't exactly thrilled about the idea.

Not to get too snarky here, but if you're planning to write an opinion article about why a private company should replace a public good, a librarian would be the perfect person to help with your research.

— (@)

Many (correctly) said that the article's premise seemed to ignore the fact that there are millions of low-income individuals who rely on libraries. Replacing them with Amazon stores would take away their ability to apply for jobs, learn new skills, or just be able to read bedtime stories to their kids.

— (@)

And not everyone has the cash to dish out for a Netflix account, either. A year of Netflix costs more than the average taxes that go to local libraries.

— (@)

Plus, there's a community element that just can't be replaced by a for-profit company like Amazon. When the end goal is to make money versus to provide a service, events that don't help increase profits get cut.

— (@)

The idea that physical books are some kind of relic of the past is simply false.

— (@)

Some suggested that maybe, just maybe, the author hadn't actually visited a library in recent years.

— (@)

And others reiterated this idea wouldn't actually save people who need libraries any money.

— (@)

If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that replacing public services with private ventures is a bad idea. That and don't piss off librarians.

Libraries are a lifeline to people of all income levels. Replacing it with something that would cater solely to middle and upper class families in order to save $40 a year won't exactly elicit a standing ovation from most people.

According to these tweeting librarians, it sure sounds like Mourdoukoutas didn't do his research. If only there were a place where he could go to read up on subjects he doesn't quite grasp...

OK, so this is a runway model during some sort of library-themed fashion show in 2015. Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images.

Friendship

A stranger found a lost library book and returned it with this heartwarming note.

Image created from Pixabay.

Nobody enjoys having an overdue library book.

Employees at Idaho's Meridian Library were going through the mail after the Thanksgiving holiday 2017 when they got a sweet surprise.

Inside one of the packages was a book — Thomas Rockwell's "How to Eat Fried Worms" — that had been missing from the stacks.

Getting books in the mail is no major shock at Meridian. The library finds that visitors passing through or patrons going on vacation will often mail back items to avoid fines.

Along with this particular book, however, there was a curious handwritten note.

"I found this book on an airplane last month," the message began.

"I called your library to notify them. I failed to return on time (and) apologize. Please add this $5.00 to the person's account that borrowed the book as a credit. Thank you."

Sure enough, along with the note was a $5 bill.

Found in the mail with a $5 bill this morning. There are some amazing people in our community. #mymld
Posted by Meridian Library District on Monday, November 27, 2017

The good Samaritan had been hoping to get the book back to the library before the due date but couldn't and decided to assume responsibility for the late fee.

Obviously, they were under no obligation to pay the fine, and their small, understated generosity floored the library staff.

Knowing you have a book overdue at the library and not being able to find it is one of those little stresses that can add up big time.

It's like having a sink full of dirty dishes or being behind on laundry. It's not a source of massive worry, but many unresolved things added together can make you feel anxious and overwhelmed — too much of which is certainly bad for your health.

So while a stranger returning a book and paying $5 in fines may seem inconsequential, the act is inspiring thousands of people who have read about the story online.

"Everyone is loving this heartwarming story," says Macey Snelson, who heads communications and marketing for the library. "I think that this is resonating with people so much because we live in a world where the news cycles are filled with contention and negative stories, and it's refreshing to see a story that shows that people are inherently good."

This story proves that even a teeny, tiny act of kindness, in a small part of the country, can have a big impact.

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