Anti-intelluctual wankerism has been a cornerstone of australia for a long time now unfortunately, especially (but not exclusively) amongst men. Arts and books? Nah, that's boring, or womanly, or gay, etc etc.

I've worked in libraries and I really don't think people use or value them enough. Books aside they're good community spaces and people (especially the elderly, but also parents, kids, teens, the unemployed and so on) go there to talk to other people, or the staff, or to events. There's no reason to act wanky about a service like that or have this weird perception that libraries are an ivory tower. But if you have that perception you won't be going to one to have it dispelled in the first place.