this is by far the best thing that happened on twitter in twenty-seventeen. pic.twitter.com/QhIj4eSPB7
— the library haunter (@SketchesbyBoze) December 27, 2017
I would have to agree! Watching New York Observer Columnist Andre Walker be publicly lambasted after tweeting about how “no adult” uses libraries anymore was definitely a bright spot of 2017. Libraries matter.
Back in October, Walker (in a since-deleted tweet) tweeted “I’m serious, what adults use libraries. Almost none.” He then seemed to double-down, putting his focus on librarians:
I know this makes Librarians angry but shutting libraries and putting the books into schools would be an absolute good. https://t.co/AEy4X0iAAx
— Andre Walker (@andrejpwalker) October 24, 2017
Librarians are like French teachers. These jobs exist in order to pay the wages of sad people who can’t get proper work.
— Andre Walker (@andrejpwalker) October 24, 2017
After what must have been a crap-ton of laughing from a lot of people at such ignorance, and ire at the elitist undertones overtones of his opinions, both library patrons and librarians alike rushed to educate Walker on the error of his statement.
Dear #Library users, I surrender! pic.twitter.com/1F0cog6xo0
— Andre Walker (@andrejpwalker) October 24, 2017
“Dear (and I can’t believe I am saying this) all 110,000 people who replied to my tweet about libraries, Your sheer numbers have proved the point that libraries aren’t as unpopular as I believed this morning! Please stop replying!! Andre.”
The barrage of comments must have continued after that, because he did his best to deflect criticism both by retweeting articles from other outlets that were critical of his comments, and by promoting things like this:
Okay everyone who got involved in pounding me. Please donate to this. #Library #libraries https://t.co/nybghivXqR
— Andre Walker (@andrejpwalker) October 25, 2017
Finally, he posted this, which is now his pinned tweet:
My new year’s resolution is to point out that I have no interest in talking about libraries or the faux outrage at my suggestion we move books into schools. If you tweet me about this subject I will block you. It is boring and has gone on too long.
— Andre Walker (@andrejpwalker) December 27, 2017
This is someone who retweets and praises Donald Trump on the regular, uses “leftist” as an insult, and considers Fox News an actual news outlet. Someone who regularly lambastes people on the left for not being able to handle “different opinions.” For someone who wants the world to be “safe” for differing opinions, he sure does have a hard time dealing with those who disagree with his point of view.
Now, having been on the receiving end of people on social media who won’t let up about a particular argument, I get that this borders on harassment, and I wish that, rather than trying to convince Walker of the importance of libraries—someone who is not in government and has zero say in how libraries are actually funded or supported—the people who take issue with his statement put that same pressure on local and state governments to support their libraries and help them thrive.
I am an adult with a library card. Do I use it as often as I used to? No, I don’t. I buy a lot of the books I want, I use the Internet at home, and I go elsewhere for community activities. However, just because that’s true for me doesn’t mean I assume that this is the case for everyone. It used to not even be the case for me.
When I was younger, I couldn’t afford to buy all the books I wanted, and I didn’t have internet access at home. I depended on access at school (high school and college)…and at the library. To this day, I’m still grateful to all libraries for giving me the option to have free access to books (and knowledgeable librarians who can pair me with the right material), for giving me a place where I can have community space for organizing or workshops I might lead, or for simply providing a free, quiet place to work on my writing. Every town, every city, needs a decent public library.
Even though the entire concept of libraries still bores Walker to tears, because he can’t possibly imagine a world in which a person might not have access to everything a library offers on their own (those lazy, good-for-nothing poor people! How dare they!), I’m glad that he’s at least been forced to acknowledge that his view of the world is not nearly as “obvious” as he thought it was.
Live in the United States and want to support libraries? Visit the American Library Association for resources and suggestions! For those of you reading outside the U.S, please feel free to chime in in the comments below about what people can do to support libraries where you live!
(via the library haunter on Twitter, image: screencap)
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