American Libraries

Ron Reagan: This current administration seems bent on destroying those liberties and rights that we have, so we all have to stand up and fight for those sorts of things. We'll have a chance in November, of course, to do something really big about that.

Diahann Carroll: When I was a girl, "librarian" really meant something quite special to me on a smaller scale. Librarians were not as organized, but they were certainly as necessary within the community.

Wes Studi: I'm excited to be here, mainly because this is a very important kind of an organization that we're having a convention with. And we have the opportunity to introduce ourselves to your membership from the Indigenous Language Institute, which is a very important part of my life.

Khaled Hosseini: I'm just appreciative of the support that libraries and librarians have given to me. My book has been—both of my books, actually—have been largely word of mouth successes and one of the first groups that really got the word of mouth started were librarians.

Lisa Loeb: I think something about books brings out the sexy ladies with the glasses. It's true. (Singing) When I first met you, I didn't think I liked you. But now that I know you, you could be my best friend. You could be my best friend. Well I am from the city, you’re from the middle of nowhere. And you don't talk to strangers, I’ll talk to anyone who's there. Well I like dogs and you like cats…

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.: Believe in what you’re saying and have a knowledge base for what you're saying.

Jim Silva: Libraries are free throughout the country. They aid education, we educate the masses of the United States; I think that's one of the primary reasons that we have a great country.

Don Borchert: One of the most common comments I've heard is that, “I could have written that book.” And I think that's why the book has gotten some kind of a popularity is because these are experiences that all of the libraries are going through and all these weird things—finding horrible things in the book drop and people dealing drugs in the bathroom—people go, “That happens at my library.”

Lisa Loeb: (Singing) You could be my best friend.

T.B. Brazelton: I think that librarians have a real opportunity to do something very special for families these days. Families are stressed beyond their capacity to do it for themselves.