Since September 11, 2001, our world has been reshaped. One of the ways the lives lost in the historic tragedy are remembered daily, are on the shelves of the Laramie County library. 

Librarian Elaine Hayes tells Wyoming News Now, “The books come from a lot of different perspectives. We have survivors accounts, accounts of family members of survivors, political figures and photographers that were there, even firefighters.”

Books at the library such as “Report from Ground Zero” is a firsthand perspective written by a former firefighter, Dennis Smith who was present to save lives on ground zero following the 9/11 attacks. Other books like “The Day the World Came to Town” by Jim Defede, a nonfiction story from one living in a town who extended empathy for victims providing food, shelter and were a glimpse of hope for humanity after this heart wrenching tragedy. On the library shelves also stand the stories children can read.

9/11 books with titles like, “September 11, Then and Now” are also great for educational purposes for kids. A book can sensitize information so that a child can interpret the message, in an age-appropriate fashion.

Librarian Elaine Hayes tells Wyoming News Now, “Books last forever. We have books that are thousands of years old, so we know the books will still be there. You just need to read, you don’t need the internet.”