California Library Closes Despite the Support of Author Ray Bradbury

Over the summer, The New York Times published an article about the struggling H.P Wright Public Library of Ventura County, CA. Ray Bradbury, author of the famous sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451, had been trying to help save the library, claiming he had been “raised” by libraries. Sadly it seems, even the help of the local legend wasn’t enough.

Bradbury appeared at a fund-raiser to help save the library and recalled that, “When I graduated from high school…I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.” According to a New York Times article published Wednesday morning, the fundraiser wasn’t enough to save the library, which shut its doors Monday, Nov. 30.

Anyone familiar with Bradbury’s work should know that he is a strong believer in the timelessness and universal value of libraries. His 1953 book Fahrenheit 451 is a story about book burning that was written in the basement of a library at the University of California-Los Angeles. Conversely, Bradbury thinks of the Internet as, “a big distraction.”

Although it is sad to see libraries in danger, it does serve as a reminder of how we shouldn’t take a great resource like the library for granted. Even Bradbury is reported to have spent a lot of time, “talking to children in libraries and encouraging them to read.” Do you have a favorite Ray Bradbury novel or short story? Leave a comment below or contact us on Twitter of Facebook.