Sept. 16, 2026
“Libraries are for everyone.”
~Nashville Public Library
Friends,
I recently participated in a citywide customer experience survey being conducted by our public library system (of which I am a fan, I mean, they have books! Old books, new books, and things that aren’t books that I can borrow for free!). Their slogan for this campaign is “Libraries are for everyone” and they seem to be open to hearing new ideas about how they could be serving us. If you live in Davidson County, I encourage you to participate in the survey (find a link in my P.S.), and I’ll bet you learn about services the library has available that you didn’t know about! And if you have ideas, you can share them.
Over the last many months, the library I typically use has been closed for renovations, so I’ve been visiting other libraries around town to pick up my hold requests and check out their new books. (I always check the new book shelves; our librarians are ordering books I am so happy to see in the world and to hold in my own hands!) I have noticed that some of the library branches in certain neighborhoods seem to me to be more in need of loving attention than my “home” branch (which happens to be located in a preponderantly wealthier area). So when the survey asked what else NPL could do to serve the community, I suggested that maybe we could spend more resources on smaller and less comfortable (but still very busy) branches throughout the city.
You may or may not care as much as I do about books and/or libraries, but this survey has me wondering this: What else is, or should be, for everyone? (maybe: clean air, peaceful living spaces, general safety, respect, healthy food, opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive–you’ll have more ideas, I’m sure!) Where are we missing the mark of sharing widely? How could we do better?
Yours in all the questions and all the possibilities,
Rev. Denise
RevDenise@gnuuc.org
P.S. The Nashville Public Library survey is open through September 30, if you’re inclined to participate. Find it here.