Here's something the San Francisco Public Library does that we actually don't hate: free film screenings.

The SF Main Library is showing A Quiet Passion, the 2016 biographical drama about Emily Dickinson starring Cynthia Nixon. It's a beautifully restrained film about one of America's greatest poets — her creative brilliance, her fierce independence, and her complicated relationship with a society that didn't quite know what to do with a woman who thought for herself. Frankly, Dickinson would've had opinions about San Francisco's budget.

But here's the broader point: this is what public libraries should be doing. Not hosting activist workshops or serving as de facto shelters because the city can't figure out its housing crisis — but functioning as genuine community spaces that make culture accessible to everyone, regardless of income. A free screening of a well-regarded indie film at a beautiful civic building? That's a public good that actually feels like a public good.

San Francisco spends enormous sums on programs of questionable value. We've written about that extensively. But library programming like this is the kind of low-cost, high-return civic offering that reminds you government can do simple things well when it stays in its lane. No $300 million budget overrun. No consulting fees. Just a projector, some chairs, and a good movie.

If you're looking for a free afternoon out that doesn't involve dodging scooters on Market Street or weeping at your rent statement, this is a solid option. Head to the Main Library, settle in, and spend a couple hours with Emily Dickinson. She understood solitude, creative defiance, and the quiet power of saying exactly what you mean — qualities in short supply at City Hall.

Check the library's event calendar for screening times.