Walk into a busy public library on a weekday afternoon and you will find students, job seekers, parents and retirees sharing the same tables.
That mix, librarians say, is the point. Free, welcoming places to sit are rarer than they used to be.
Beyond books, modern libraries are becoming the living rooms of their communities.

Walk into a busy public library on a weekday afternoon and you will find students, job seekers, parents and retirees sharing the same tables.
That mix, librarians say, is the point. Free, welcoming places to sit are rarer than they used to be.