When I’m out and about, I often talk to people about books, reading, and libraries. The vulnerability of libraries during times of economic difficulty comes up a lot too, this being a subject of many recent news stories.

The other day while paying for my purchase at a local store, the shopkeeper relayed to me that a prominent community member had recently defended the idea of eliminating library services by stating that "No one ever died from a lack of libraries."

If I could reply to the person to whom that comment was attributed, I would say, "Well, maybe not directly." But it is a fact that many, many people upon hearing the results of medical tests, or upon being given a diagnosis of disease, or when being prescribed unfamiliar medications, do not ask their doctor’s important questions. This is not because they’re not concerned, worried, or lack curiosity, but often because they don’t know what questions to ask. That’s where the library comes in. People frequently visit the library to consult books, electronic databases, Web sites, and Reference librarians about various medical conditions, the symptoms, causes and treatments so that they may better understand their health issues and make informed decisions about how to proceed when working with medical professionals who care for them. I might add that the library also affords the benefit of privacy in these sensitive matters, because the borrowing records of library customers are confidential, and once you’ve logged out of an electronic resource or Internet site, no record of what has been searched is maintained.

Perhaps no one has ever died from a lack of libraries, but I’m willing to wager that countless numbers of people have improved their health and made better decisions about their medical treatment because of libraries. I would not go so far as to claim that libraries save lives, but they certainly change lives for the better.

Has the library ever changed your life or the life of someone you know?