OPENING LINES LIBRARIES ARE CENTRAL TO COMMUNITY LIFE. MANY ARE IN AGING BUILDINGS THAT ARE FALLING APART. The researchers found that libraries offer much more than books, he said. “We heard stories about the high demand for meeting spaces in libraries, how some are emergency centers during extreme weather and how many are a resource center for unhoused individuals,” he said. “A library often has a central role and importance [in a municipality] these days.” However, maintenance and repair issues are keeping libraries from carrying out those missions, the report finds. Elevators, HVAC systems, flooring and roofs are most often flagged for replacement or repair — especially in older library buildings, which also are less resilient to natural disasters and extreme weather.The report estimates that 47% of the nation’s libraries are over 60 years old. Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Vicky Uhland, First Published Feb 11th, 2026 Most U.S. library buildings face deferred maintenance, aging systems and limited funding options that put core civic services at risk, a new GAO report found. The GAO report was based on a survey of about 16,400 public libraries in all 50 states; Washington, D.C.; and four territories. The GAO also visited 23 public and tribal libraries and conducted interviews with local, state and national library stakeholders for the report. About 81% of Americans live within a 10-minute drive of a public library, the report states. This “shows the extent to which libraries are important institutions across the country,” Marroni said. 11 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 02
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