On the Media: Libraries Under Attack

'Emily Drabinski, president of the American Library Association (ALA), found herself in the crosshairs of a right-wing media storm after she excitedly tweeted, “I’m a Marxist Lesbian and I won!” after her election to the post. The resulting slew of articles portrayed libraries as dangerous places where children are "groomed" by radical liberals. The accusations reflect a time where much of the county is seeing a larger push to ban books that deal with the experiences of Black and LGBT+ people. According to ALA statistics, 2022 could be a record-breaking year in challenges to library book since the organization started tracking this data in 2000. Amid this intensifying effort to remove books from schools and public libraries, Drabinski argues that librarians need to change the narrative – focusing on the ways that they remain important anchor institutions in their communities. Brooke Gladstone speaks with Drabinski about how libraries across the country are providing communities with far more than books: with public spaces and vital services, like diaper banks, COVID vaccine sites, internet hotspots, and workshops to apply for rental assistance.'