Presidential Library versus The Boston Globe

I was going through my Google Reader today and noticed that a friend of mine had shared two articles that individually caught my interest. But seeing the headlines of the two articles together was what inspired this post:

- N.Y. Times to File Notice It Will Close Boston Globe
- Bush Library Raises $100 Million in 100 days

Sunday mornings, I would sit on the carpet in my living room with the various sections of the Boston Globe strewn around me. Granted, I was quite young and gravitated towards the front page and the comics. But I learned how to read newspapers on Sunday mornings. My love for the news can be traced back to the Boston Globe.

And these libraries. I appreciate what these libraries represent and the role they play in preserving history. But who goes to these libraries? Not enough to warrant one for each president - especially when they come at more than $100 million a pop.

Now, far be it for me to suggest where people should donate their money. It just struck me that there is $100 million that people are willing to give for a library - enough to cover the Boston Globe's expected losses this year. Or a better way to think of it: which institution touches more people?