The Barack Obama Presidential Library promises to be a community gathering space on the south side of Chicago, IL, like no other presidential center before. The project will be run privately and include separate library, museum, athletic, and entertainment facilities (Schuessler). An approximate construction cost of this site is $500 million (Schuessler). The Obama Foundation, which is responsible for the center, makes many social, economic, and cultural commitments that are projected to benefit the city of Chicago.
Presidential libraries are usually run by the government and include thousands of hard-copy archives of national documents. As “presidential libraries have opened windows onto how our democracy worked – or failed – at the highest levels”, the new Obama library will be almost entirely digitized (Zelizer qtd. in Schuessler). According to the Barack Obama Presidential Library webpage, about 95% of administration records originated online, so the library should become the “first digital [presidential] archive for the first digital president” (“About the Library”; Davidferriero qtd. in Schuessler). To cherish the people of the US and Chicago, the new center plans to provide about 2,500 permanent jobs and generate $3.1 billion in economic impact, keeping diversity in mind, while the construction is “funded by private donations” (“About the Obama Presidential Center”). It is a great way for the Obamas family to show love and appreciation for the American people.
The Obama presidential center, which is planned to occupy a part of Jackson Park on the south side of Chicago, is a project of more than just a library. It is a social development space and a place for the community to unite. It not only helps new ideas to spark by promoting education and active lifestyle but also significantly impacts the people of Chicago by providing jobs and stimulating economic growth.
Works Cited
“About the Library.” Barack Obama Presidential Library.
“About the Obama Presidential Center.” Obama Foundation.
Schuessler, Jennifer. “The Obama Presidential Library That Isn’t.” The New York Times, 2019. Web.