In a recent lecture, celebrated author Neil Gaiman discussed among other things why libraries are so important to the future, how important it is to read for pleasure, and how there is no such thing as a bad children's book.
"... Libraries are about freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education (which is not a process that finishes the day we leave school or university), about entertainment, about making safe spaces, and about access to information."
Read the transcript in its entirety here. Search for Neil Gaiman in the Catalog