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I just read a quote from a librarian who is in charge of a major system of eight libraries in Boston, who said, "There isn't a single library in the country that isn't feeling tremendous pressure on its budget," and he's correct, regardless of the circumstances of this library's closure. There are two forces at work: (1) budgets are shrinking everywhere, and (2) sources of information are proliferating, and both of these forces are causing people to question the role of libraries in a community. I am working with several libraries on this issue, and we're focusing on measuring the impact of libraries in their communities, showing how patrons benefit from library resources, and helping libraries develop budgets that truly reflect the needs of patrons.