The Atlantic magazine ran an article showing some of the world's libraries. It was put together by Alan Taylor, the magazine photo editor. https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/10/a-photo-appreciation-of-libraries/573811/ My friend, retired pastor Ken Hansen, recently did a similar presentation about world libraries and bookstores so I looked at the article.
Picture 11, taken by the photographer Adek Berry, shows a very different sort of library. An Indonesian donkey with baskets of books hanging on his sides. The baskets are filled with children's books and the animal is surrounded by village children looking at the books, choosing what to borrow. When I think of the selection and freedom available to me as a child in a large city's libraries, I realize I had access to a treasure. I feel that all kids should have such access.
I hate to think of children with good minds and good potential who don't learn to read or kids who don't have access to a good library.
Another big contrast showed up in an article in the New York Times about Sundar Pinchai, the CEO of Google.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/business/sundar-pichai-google-corner-office.html The man who heads one of the most powerful and recognized companies in the world grew up in India. His house had no refrigerator and the family slept on the living room floor. Quite a contrast with what happens to me. I imagine we all are better off with some CEO's who know other lives than our typical American ones.
