Neil Gaiman on the value and future of libraries and reading

Very good piece, two things in particular stood out. First, he attended a talk about the American private prison industry and that they projected their future growth and need for cells based on the literacy rate of 10 and 11 year olds. Wow. Second, that English town councils have been closing libraries to save money, Gaiman talks about the penny-wise, pound-foolish aspect. He says that England is the only country in which the oldest generation is more literate and numerate than the youngest generation, which bodes ill for the future.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming