"The public library does not make anyone money; it does not understand its patrons as mere consumers, or as a revenue base. Instead, it aspires to encounter people as minds. The public library exists to grant access to information, to facilitate curiosity, education, and inquiry for their own sake".
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/28/usa-public-libraries?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other