As a fan of books, libraries, and language itself - this article bugs me.

The head of Michigan's libraries asking for a 68% increase in funding over 10 years for a district, to be offset by a substantial increase in property taxes.

Property taxes are regressive - I have no doubt that libraries can offers some substantial value, but if they really offer that value, why are you asking the poorest people in the district to fund them?

I'm also concerned by their actual plan for improvement. If playing videogames is really "how kids learn nowadays.", to quote the article, then why not buy out some old warehouses, get some donated computers, load 'em up with educational games, and create a low-cost after school space, with free "tuition" available to needy parents? That would cost far less than $500,000 and childcare is one of the hardest things for working poor to deal with - it would radically improve lives.

I love libraries, everything about a proper research library makes me happy, which is why the thought of them being gutted and turned into childcare centers is so unsettling. I don't feel like institutions of knowledge should be asked to contort themselves to continue existing.