Libraries occupy one of the few relatively safe spaces of commons within American society. Though they are regularly underfunded, they are not overtly attacked.
In recent years the growth of social spaces such as coffeeshops have been mimicked to some degree by libraries, which have taken the "third space" rhetoric of firms such as Starbucks, mixed them with the already existing quality of libraries as a free communal space, and moved many libraries into more of a role as social space. We see this especially in urban flagship libraries.
However, it is quite possible for libraries to move even further in this direction without violating the basic goals of the organizations (primarily self-education for pleasure, improvement or necessity), and also without stressing library budgets.
I will offer three relevant examples of "social spaces" as they currently exist as background for a broader proposal.
*[commercial coffeeshops and the "third space."]
*[restaurant in northwest that's pay as you go]
*[toolbanks]
[third spaces; decentralized galleries]
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