Libraries Were a Community Focal Point Before Tim Hortons..

...and they still are today and if anyone takes the time to visit their local branch they will see a segment of the population they won't see at Timmies; single moms getting resources for their child's school work, immigrant parents and children expanding their use of english, many getting videos for family entertainment (have you checked the cost of taking a family to the movies), etc.

FP’s Lawrence Solomon: Atwood’s library
Library branches are often about computers and movies more than books..
Toronto has an extraordinary library system with close to 100 branches. The former is mostly about books; the latter mostly about everything but books. This is true of most Canadian cities, where the great history of building public libraries to bring books to the people is running up against rapidly changing cultures and technologies.
The old public library business model, such as it was, is under attack. In Toronto, author Margaret Atwood is fighting for the status quo against cost-cutting Mayor Rob Ford. Before Ms Atwood takes this cause too far, she should open her eyes to the distinction between libraries as a system and libraries as branches. The library branches of her youth are no more. Read more