Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.

The line argues that public spending on libraries is not a luxury but a bargain when weighed against the social, economic, and civic damage caused by widespread ignorance. By framing library funding as a “cost” that is nonetheless “cheap,” the quote uses a pragmatic, almost budgetary logic to defend education and access to information as essential public infrastructure. The underlying claim is that an informed populace strengthens democracy and opportunity, while ignorance carries hidden but enormous costs—poor decision-making, vulnerability to manipulation, and diminished cultural and economic vitality.