<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[A Life in Libraries]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[cbecker53]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/author/cbecker53/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Heart and Soul]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-6042"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="6042" data-permalink="https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/leading-with-heart/scribble-heart/" data-orig-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg" data-orig-size="1600,1464" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="heart " data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=1024" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6042" src="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=300&#038;h=275" alt="heart " width="300" height="275" srcset="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=300&amp;h=275 300w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=600&amp;h=550 600w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=150&amp;h=137 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>&#8220;We’d hit the newspaper offices, the chamber of commerce, city hall, and Main Street for an introduction to the economics, politics, and stresses of a town. <strong><em>The visit to the public library revealed its heart and soul.</em></strong>&#8221;</p>
<p><!--more--></p>
<p>Yup. I agree with everything in <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/03/the-library-card/426888/" target="_blank">this article</a>.  It&#8217;s beautifully written, and sums up what libraries should really be about. &#8220;There are three areas where libraries function as vibrant centers of America’s towns: technology, education, and community.&#8221;</p>
<p>Go read it. Is your library doing these things for your community? If not, why not?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/scribble-heart.jpg?w=300&fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[300]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[274]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>