Minneapolis has once again proven that literacy matters. For the seventh year in a row, the city has been ranked in the top three of the most literate cities in the U.S., according to an annual Central Connecticut State University survey on literacy.

The nature of the survey suggests what many Minneapolitans have long suspected: We have created a vibrant literary culture right here at home.

Using six criteria including Internet availability, educational achievement, library resources, periodical publishing resources, newspaper circulation and the number of bookstores, the survey has compiled a list of the most literate cities in the nation. Of them, only Seattle and Washington D.C. come out ahead of Minneapolis.

Though such rankings often get little fanfare, they do provide indicators that continued commitment to shared resources, like Internet access and public libraries, do indeed make a difference. The propensity of the city&undefined;s residents to read and read often has also helped maintain a healthy supply of bookstore chains, not to mention coffee shops in which to read those numerous volumes. On top of that, Minneapolis remains a news-thirsty population with many newspapers and periodicals available. A population with a desire to read and stay informed is important and something to be proud of.

The survey also took a look at the relationship between wealth and literacy for the first time. Where it was often thought that wealth might produce greater literacy, no correlation existed. This is good news for cash strapped communities, for literacy must always be among the greatest gifts we pass on to our children.