[Publib] Re: "entertain our diverse community"

[Nann Blaine Hilyard]

 Our mission statement is, "The Zion-Benton Public Library connects our
communities to the universe of knowledge and ideas for discovery,
enrichment, and lifelong learning."  

"Communities" means the three municipalities in the district; also the
ethnic, socioeconomic, age, etc. diversity.  We omitted specific
references to formats so as to include programs as well as
print/nonprint materials.  We concluded that "entertain" could be
perceived as frivolous--we figure that discovering and enriching can be
entertaining, too.

Nann
@the library in Zion, Illinois 


-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Joe Schallan
Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 12:23 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Re: "entertain our diverse community"

A Publibber praised this mission statement:

"The Elkhart Public Library provides access to resources which inform,
educate, enlighten and entertain our diverse community.....Books are
just the beginning."

Maybe I'm just an old crank, but the word "entertain" troubles me here,
as does the implication that books themselves are not a worthy end in
and of themselves.