> I volunteer at my local food bank to help feed to homeless. I understand just how dire the need is.
If you spent much deal actually dealing with the homeless themselves, you'd know how crucial a resource a library is for homeless people. For something you see as "dire", you don't seem to have even done anything as simple as google "libraries help homeless."
> Libraries are a luxury we cannot afford right now,
Completely false. Libraries are one of the areas of public spending where the return per dollar spent is highest. Libraries are social institutions we cannot afford not to fund.
> and frankly nobody uses them
Again, you seem to have failed to do basic research as libraries get a ton of use and genetally suffer from a lack of funding relative to their usage rates.
> There's already federal subsidies for internet and telephone for the needy, and the people that live too far away to get internet definitely don't have the money or means to drive into town to use the library.
Most poor people are urban and in dense enough areas to that easily access libraries could be (and often are) available.
> I would be willing to compromise on small buildings that function as internet cafes that are free to use for the public, we can get rid of all the excess staff and books, though.
Oh, how generous of you. Why don't you go meet some librarians and learn about what they actually do before you write off their usefulness.