I love libraries...and not just because I'm introverted and enjoy solitude and silence. In my youth I assisted the librarian at the elementary school where my mother taught with catalog cards. I'm a product of the Dewey Decimal System, Lol! Here in Cincinnati, Ohio, petitions are circulating from concerned citizens about library funding potentially being cut. This would be a tragedy, especially for disenfranchised populations who use libraries for everything from access to WIFI, to their amazing maker's spaces, to the classes they hold and the books they display on every conceivable topic.
Librarians are some of the most helpful, service-orientated professionals in our world. For children, youth, and adults who love books, the library is a wonderland that satisfies our wanderlust. We can travel to another world through our minds and imaginations without leaving our seats. Journalist Carl Rowen states above that libraries and reading are gateways to LIBERATION which is the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; release; or freedom from limits on thought or behavior. That's why books and reading are constantly under attack. Half of Americans read fewer than 4 books per year— 38% said they didn't read a single book in 2024.
Some of us are on a quest to understand more about life's complexities. Aside from books, another way I engage learning is by watching documentaries. I viewed an intriguing but somewhat concerning one called "Four Horsemen," about the modern-day economic crisis in which we find ourselves. It broke down the basics and history behind some of the financial structures and systems that have widened the wealth gap and destabilized the society. The director, Ross Ashcroft stated the following at the conclusion of the film:
“To really understand something is to be liberated from it. Humanity's greatest ally is the self-educated individual, who has read, understood, delays their gratification, and walks around with their eyes wide open.” — Ross Ashcroft -British Filmmaker
As I write, I am considering the breadth of the link between understanding and liberation. In the US, Anti-literacy laws were put in place prior to the Civil War prohibiting enslaved and free Black people from learning to read or write. That's why my mother, an avid reader, would challenge anyone she met to get degrees and increase their knowledge. This stance that bondage comes in part because we don't fully understand a system, structure, philosophy, or person...and that a greater understanding would be freeing...is a powerful one. It transcends global, political, and economic arenas and moves into relational spaces with ourselves, our families, our friends, and co-workers. King Solomon's mother advised him in Proverbs 4:
"5Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
We have made great progress. The global literacy rate increased from 67% in 1976 to 87.01% in 2022. Still, 13% of the population, 773 million over age 15, cannot read nor write. We see around us that many more lack intellectual, relational, and spiritual understanding. Perhaps that's because Jesus, the Greatest Teacher of all time, gave us His insights and wisdom in the pages of a book. Leadership guru Stephen Covey taught us, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." It's possible that freedom and liberation will come once you do. | 
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