We know you love libraries, but Ross Librarian Dale Scott recommends listening to this episode of the long running radio series This American Life if you want to gain a deeper appreciation for just how important libraries truly are.

The Room of Requirement

Public libraries offer their patrons a great deal more than their (already impressive) never-ending supply of books. This excellent episode from the acclaimed radio show and podcast This American Life explores how libraries are "often spaces that transform into what you need them to be: a classroom, a cyber cafe, a place to find answers, a quiet spot to be alone." Here, listeners will find three fascinating segments sharing stories of a library located right on the border between the United States and Canada, a library whose collection solely comprises unpublished manuscripts deposited by their authors (inspired by the library in Richard Brautigan's novel The Abortion), and a library that, for six months straight, was a vital haven for a little girl who revisited as an adult. A full transcript of the audio is available, though the podcast notes that the episode "is produced for the ear and designed to be heard." A public radio fixture since 1995, This American Life is produced by WBEZ Chicago.