--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People may go to the library looking…" description: "\"People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.\" — Robert D. Putnam" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/robert-d-putnam-29120_information_people-may-go-to-the-library-looking-mai_2931884.jpg" --- # People may go to the library looking mainly for… ![“People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.” quote by Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/robert-d-putnam-29120_information_people-may-go-to-the-library-looking-mai_2931884.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/robert-d-putnam-29120_information_people-may-go-to-the-library-looking-mai_2931884.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/robert-d-putnam-29120_information_people-may-go-to-the-library-looking-mai_2931884.jpg) > “People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.” [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Libraries serve as hubs where information seekers also connect socially. **In simple terms:** Libraries help people meet each other. Key Takeaway Leverage libraries for networking. Themes community information social capital Mood analytical optimistic Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - research sessions - book clubs - community events Key Concepts public spaces knowledge sharing Questions to Reflect On - What role do libraries play in modern social life? - How can libraries enhance community bonds? A Different Perspective Digital resources may reduce physical visits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Library Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library-looking-958147/) [Looking Mainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-mainly-4326886/) [Mainly Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainly-information-4326885/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-library-1881372/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [they should let some people into the library by prescription only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/they-should-let-some-people-into-the-library-by-prescription-only/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I walked around the library looking for books. I pulled them off the shelves, one by one. But they were all tricks. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-walked-around-the-library-looking-for-books-i-pulled-them-off-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“One: A Library Is the Size of the Universe and the Universe Is the Size of a Library. Two: Everyone Is Looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/one-a-library-is-the-size-of-the-universe-and-the-universe-is-the/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I walked into the local library and asked the librarian do you've any books on the meaning of life? And she said go look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-walked-into-the-local-library-and-asked-the-librarian-do-you-ve-any/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [I liked reading and working out my ideas in the midst of that endless crowd walking in and out of the (library) looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kazin/i-liked-reading-and-working-out-my-ideas-in-the-midst-of-that-endless/) [Alfred Kazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kazin/) > [The only thing that I discovered very early on is that, even though we might change schools and cities and towns and states, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/the-only-thing-that-i-discovered-very-early-on-is-that-even-though-we/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [The most beautiful people are all in the library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kennedy/the-most-beautiful-people-are-all-in-the-library/) [Caroline Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kennedy/) > [“A library was nothing without its people. You say library and there’s this iconoclastic image of an old-lady librarian telling people to be quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-douglas/a-library-was-nothing-without-its-people-you-say-library-and-there-s/) [Scott Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-douglas/) > [“Surrounded by the familiar covers of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, I felt like this was where all lost people should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-j-campilan/surrounded-by-the-familiar-covers-of-alice-in-wonderland-and-the/) [V.J. Campilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-j-campilan/) > [You get all sorts of people in the library, and the librarian gets it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-get-all-sorts-of-people-in-the-library-and-the-librarian-gets-it/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Yes, we know you are a graduate with PhD. But when was the last time you chase after a book shop to buy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/yes-we-know-you-are-a-graduate-with-phd-but-when-was-the-last-time/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Tea? At the beach? No time for luxuries, Holly. There is important work to be done.” He winked at Butler. “Are you sure you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/tea-at-the-beach-no-time-for-luxuries-holly-there-is-important-work/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) [Andrew Nikiforuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-nikiforuk/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) ## More by Robert D. Putnam > [“We all know that the way to get something done is to give it to a busy person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/we-all-know-that-the-way-to-get-something-done-is-to-give-it-to-a/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Our national myths often exaggerate the role of the individual heroes and understate the importance of collective effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/our-national-myths-often-exaggerate-the-role-of-the-individual-heroes/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [What really matters from the point of view of social capital and civic engagement is not merely nominal membership, but active and involved membership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/what-really-matters-from-the-point-of-view-of-social-capital-and/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historic rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/young-americans-are-dropping-out-of-religion-at-an-alarming-rate-of/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [How well you do in life shouldn't depend on how well your parents did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/how-well-you-do-in-life-shouldn-t-depend-on-how-well-your-parents-did/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [“Financial capital - the wherewithal for mass marketing - has steadily replaced social capital - that is, grassroots citizen networks - as the coin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/financial-capital-the-wherewithal-for-mass-marketing-has-steadily/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Busy people tend to forgo the one activity - TV watching \_ that is most lethal to community involvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/busy-people-tend-to-forgo-the-one-activity-tv-watching-that-is-most/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Unequal Democracy is the sort of book to which every political scientist should aspire--it is methodologically rigorous, conceptually serious, and above all, it addresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/unequal-democracy-is-the-sort-of-book-to-which-every-political/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Community connectedness is not just about warm fuzzy tales of civic triumph. In measurable and well-documented ways, social capital makes an enormous difference in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/community-connectedness-is-not-just-about-warm-fuzzy-tales-of-civic/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [None of the people watching 'Big Brother' will bring you chicken soup if you get sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/none-of-the-people-watching-big-brother-will-bring-you-chicken-soup/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [A society that relies on generalized reciprocity is more efficient than a distrustful society, for the same reason that money is more efficient than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/a-society-that-relies-on-generalized-reciprocity-is-more-efficient/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [ “{The Progressives\] outlook was activist and optimistic, not fatalist and despondent. The distinctive characteristic of the Progressives was their conviction that social evils would… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/the-progressives-outlook-was-activist-and-optimistic-not-fatalist-and/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Social capital may turn out to be a prerequisite for, rather than a consequence of, effective computer-mediated communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/social-capital-may-turn-out-to-be-a-prerequisite-for-rather-than-a/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [School performance, public health, crime rates, clinical depression, tax compliance, philanthropy, race relations, community development, census returns, teen suicide, economic productivity, campaign finance, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/school-performance-public-health-crime-rates-clinical-depression-tax/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) > [Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-putnam/positive-people-have-more-friends-which-is-a-key-factor-of-happiness/) [Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) [Explore all 18 Robert D. Putnam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-putnam/) ## More Information quotes > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [I'm not going to be part of looking at information only partially. I'm not going to be part of just coming to quick conclusions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cleland/i-m-not-going-to-be-part-of-looking-at-information-only-partially-i-m/) [Max Cleland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cleland/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I didn't expect to be so comfortable handing my child off to a nanny without getting any of her information. As soon as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-didn-t-expect-to-be-so-comfortable-handing-my-child-off-to-a-nanny/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Information is money, but data is squat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-llama-butler/information-is-money-but-data-is-squat/) [Angela Llama-Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-llama-butler/) > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [There's nothing more special than intellect and labour that makes painting work. There's no magic there; it's information, and it's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/there-s-nothing-more-special-than-intellect-and-labour-that-makes/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [That's what makes a human a human, if we store information outside our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/that-s-what-makes-a-human-a-human-if-we-store-information-outside-our/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [The mere imparting of information is not education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/the-mere-imparting-of-information-is-not-education/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) [Browse all 6,395 Information quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert D. 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