--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The library is central to our free…" description: "\"The library is central to our free society. It is a critical element in the free exchange of information at the heart of our democracy.\" — Vartan Grego..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/vartan-gregorian-33143_critical_the-library-is-central-to-our-free-socie_179474.jpg" --- # The library is central to our free society. It is a… ![“The library is central to our free society. It is a critical element in the free exchange of information at the heart of our democracy.” quote by Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/vartan-gregorian-33143_critical_the-library-is-central-to-our-free-socie_179474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/vartan-gregorian-33143_critical_the-library-is-central-to-our-free-socie_179474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/vartan-gregorian-33143_critical_the-library-is-central-to-our-free-socie_179474.jpg) > “The library is central to our free society. It is a critical element in the free exchange of information at the heart of our democracy.” [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) ## 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 foundational institutions that enable unrestricted information flow, essential for democratic participation and an informed public. **In simple terms:** Libraries allow free information exchange, supporting democracy. Key Takeaway Support and protect libraries. Themes education democracy information access Mood hopeful serious Type informational inspirational When to use this quote - community learning - policy advocacy - digital literacy Key Concepts public good civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do libraries strengthen civic engagement? - What threats do they face today? A Different Perspective Funding cuts can limit access and diversity of resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Free society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-society/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [There are no heroes in most of my stories. 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Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [“A steady recognition that the evils which prevent the fullness of moral development are precisely the elements which are also the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/a-steady-recognition-that-the-evils-which-prevent-the-fullness-of/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [Few policies are more calculated to destroy the existing basis of a free society than the debauching of its currency. And few tasks, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/few-policies-are-more-calculated-to-destroy-the-existing-basis-of-a/) [Hans F. 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Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-randazzo/satire-must-always-accompany-any-free-society-it-is-an-absolute/) Joe Randazzo > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) ## More by Vartan Gregorian > [Everybody is somebody, so you don't have to introduce anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/everybody-is-somebody-so-you-don-t-have-to-introduce-anybody/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [Libraries keep the records on behalf of all humanity. the unique and the absurd, the wise and the fragments of stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/libraries-keep-the-records-on-behalf-of-all-humanity-the-unique-and/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [The book is here to stay. What we're doing is symbolic of the peaceful coexistence of the book and the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/the-book-is-here-to-stay-what-we-re-doing-is-symbolic-of-the-peaceful/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [The library is not only a diary of the human race, but marks an act of faith in the continuity of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/the-library-is-not-only-a-diary-of-the-human-race-but-marks-an-act-of/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [In our democratic society, the library stands for hope, for learning, for progress, for literacy, for self-improvement and for civic engagement. The library is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/in-our-democratic-society-the-library-stands-for-hope-for-learning/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [The universe is not going to see someone like you again in the entire history of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/the-universe-is-not-going-to-see-someone-like-you-again-in-the-entire/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [That is the future, and it is probably nearer than we think. But our primary problem as universities is not engineering that future. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/that-is-the-future-and-it-is-probably-nearer-than-we-think-but-our/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [It meant that New York philanthropists, New York society, would now rediscover the library. ... that learning, books, education have glamour, that self-improvement has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/it-meant-that-new-york-philanthropists-new-york-society-would-now/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [Dignity is not negotiable. Dignity is the honor of the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/dignity-is-not-negotiable-dignity-is-the-honor-of-the-family/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [Libraries and museums are the DNA of our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/libraries-and-museums-are-the-dna-of-our-culture/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [It is very important that, no matter what happens, you keep your feeling of self worth and value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/it-is-very-important-that-no-matter-what-happens-you-keep-your/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [The library is our house of intellect, our transcendental university, with one exception: no one graduates from a library. No one possibly can, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/the-library-is-our-house-of-intellect-our-transcendental-university/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [One of my greatest sources of pride as president of the New York Public Library is the continuance of the library's open, free, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/one-of-my-greatest-sources-of-pride-as-president-of-the-new-york/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) > [The only condition a library asks its users to honor is to do justice to their own imagination, their own curiosity and their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vartan-gregorian/the-only-condition-a-library-asks-its-users-to-honor-is-to-do-justice/) [Vartan Gregorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) [Explore all 15 Vartan Gregorian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vartan-gregorian/) ## More Critical quotes > [People will pay a price for putting political obstruction over progress in a time that is so critical and urgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/people-will-pay-a-price-for-putting-political-obstruction-over/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. 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Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. 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