Libraries as Builders of Social Capital

492 Words2 Pages
We view libraries in many different ways. Some people love to frequent the library, others don’t want to ever step foot inside of its doors. A library, especially on a college campus like Messiah College, is an important place. People know the denotative meaning of a library. It is used for study, for research, and for quiet, structured learning. However, libraries also have an unthought of connotative meaning; they can be places of substantial social interaction. People don’t think of socializing when they go to the library, but it exists there. In short, libraries are an under-appreciated creator of social capital. Robert Putnam, in his book Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital, defines social capital as “features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit.” (123) Under this definition, things such as formal organizations, friends, face-to-face interaction, and clubs all become creators of social capital. Social capital is viewed as a good thing in that, “for a variety of reasons, life is easier in a community blessed with a substantial stock of social capital ... networks of civic engagement foster sturdy norms of generalized reciprocity and encourage the emergence of social trust.” (Putnam 123) Social capital allows people to become more interactive, and as a result, more apt to trust and share with the people around them. However, according to sociological research, social capital is something that we have seen a decline in over the years. Robert Putnam wrote a whole book all around this topic! In short, our current generation is less and less interacting in ways that build social capital. We have become less open and trusting, and more reserved. This is what most likely contributes to societies' current views of libraries as non social interaction. We are
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