Carnegie called libraries "palaces for the people" and that investment in libraries across the country created Third Places for people that in some communities are the only ones left. (This is something Klinenberg explored in his book by the same name.)

There's an opportunity for someone to continue Carnegie's legacy and fund and build anew libraries that continue that tradition but also make Third Place-ness central to their mission.

Third Place is a term I hadn't heard before and now I'm obsessed with the concept. Nice to find a useful comment under an infuriating headline. I want to go to there.

There is also the more general meme called the “secret third thing”.

Bad people came for the library. People with meanness & smallness in their hearts.

Care to describe who these bad people are?

I've been to public libraries in several states known for vastly different politics and have seen the same things: quiet, calm people, old folks, and mothers with kids.

I think OP was referring to the people that are trying to shut down libraries.

Yes. As I said, people coming for, not coming to.

To come for something is an expression meaning you're going to take it away from wherever or whomever has it.

In this case, to take libraries away from regular & good citizens who've been using these treasured 3rd spaces for decades. And the librarians who've done so much to care for these treasures.

Republicans.

It's vexing to discuss issues like these because at their nature they're quite partisan, but the calling out is simply an acknowledgement rather than a partisan response.

Exactly. It's not a both-sides kind of thing. Not anymore.

Come to library meetings in our town and you will see people screaming and being removed from the building. not an exaggeration.

problem is not the patrons, so much as the ones trying to control the content available

He means bad people came to get rid of the libraries.