The End of Libraries and the Future of Books?

Not exactly. But this article (from the Huffington Post 11/16/11) shows how library funding continues to be under fire across the country bringing many to the brink of extinction. The most interesting comments are those that indicate that people don't see what is happening until it is too late. Is it because we are distracted in our daily lives that we don't pay attention to what our leaders are doing until they make an unpopular decision? Or is it because there is no way for us to be engaged in ongoing dialogues about how our community and country is run?