I will always be known as Mrs. Terri’s daughter. I was shopping the other day and was recognized as such. I recognized her too. She was the mom of a preschooler who attended Preschool Story Hour at the library.... more than a decade ago. My mom worked at the Millard Oakley Public Library for most of my life. I was raised in that library. My summers were spent working the prize table for the Summer Reading Program. Milestones ranging from my eleventh birthday to my wedding reception were celebrated at the library. It is where I learned the power of community.

I saw how the library was a space to facilitate mutual aid. My mom and other librarians provided connections and resources for the community every day. The library is a safe and welcoming place for everyone and a vital resource for serving our rural area. Libraries provide essential services such as free access to accurate information as well as social and educational programs, enriching the lives of individuals and subsequently strengthening the foundation of society.

National Library Week, a celebration of the vital role libraries play in transforming communities, is coming to a close on April 12th. However, libraries need our continual support as threats of federal funding are jeopardizing the functionality of our libraries. Trump signed an Executive Order against the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency that supplies funding and grants to libraries and museums across all 50 states, including nearly $5 million for Tennessee last year. This funding bridges gaps in local libraries to better serve the community's unique needs, especially in rural areas. I am encouraging everyone to show up for our local libraries in this tumultuous time. Please consider writing to your representatives and donating to the American Library Association to ensure that our libraries remain the cornerstone of our democracy. On a grassroots level, you can donate to your local Friends of the Library. I implore you to use your local library’s services: check out a book, grab an audiobook on Libby, attend a reading program, movie night, or book sale. For my Overton County folks, if you go to the Millard Oakley Public Library, tell them Terri’s daughter sent you.

Sincerely,

River Jordan

Cookeville