By Christine Fonville
A tweet from a local librarian is going viral and highlighting the multifunctional importance of libraries for everyone.
On March 4, David Russell, a librarian with the DeKalb County Public Library (DCPL) system, tweeted about his experience helping a woman who was lost. His story has since been retweeted more than 18,000 times and gained more than 250,000 likes on Twitter. It was also re-tweeted by the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden as well as Levar Burton, actor and host of a popular children’s television show called Reading Rainbow.
“Today a woman with developmental disabilities came into the library, and said she was lost. She didn’t know her address, but her phone number was in her pocket on a piece of paper with Elmo on it. She kept saying ‘The library is a safe place.’ We called and her guardian came right over. They even stayed long enough for her to check out some new books and Sesame Street DVDs. The library is a safe place indeed,” read Russell’s tweet.
Many of the people re-tweeting Russell’s story have emphasized that libraries provide much more than books for communities by sharing their own stories of how libraries offer help and numerous resources.
“Libraries are safe havens and sanctuaries for ALL people,” stated Hayden in her re-tweet.
“David decided to share how staff assisted a patron in need, as many of our staff members do every day. Thanks to the DCPL staff for all that you do for our patrons,” said DCPL officials.
To learn more about the resources DeKalb County libraries offer, visit www.dekalblibrary.org.
Read the original story on TheChampionNewspaper.com.
