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October 13, 2025

Keep Calm and Read Banned Books

When I was growing up, parents and teachers often warned that once something is posted on the Internet, it would stay there forever. As an adult, I better understand that this assumption that online or digital records are automatically preserved is complicated by the financial, legal, and technological logistics of digital storage and access.

For librarians and archivists, digital permanence is a part of our professional responsibilities. But we also have the responsibility to avoid any assumptions of our authority and objectivity over digital archiving and preservation. In Becerra-Licha’s article on post-custodial archives, she explains how we should interrogate how archives can leave communities and histories behind and turn it into an opportunity to create participatory, community-involved archives that also prioritize consent and privacy (2017). I have personal and professional interest in archival work, so I appreciated seeing how non-archivists can and should be involved in archival work.

However, I cannot talk about preserving documents without also acknowledging the ongoing issue of censorship and book challenges. Physical and digital media are still in danger from these censorship attempts. The discussion of this issue prompted many emotions and self-reflective moments for me. Watching the videos on the book challenges and reactions in Michigan and Texas, I found myself feeling discouraged, anxious, and furious to see both libraries/librarians and the queer community (of which I’m a part of) in the crosshairs of censorship and discourse over what is “child-appropriate.”

A part of my uncertainty and anxieties do stem from the fact that I do not currently work in a library and have not dealt with book challenges professionally. When I do start working in libraries, how will I respond? The majority of book challenges are happening in public libraries; should I lean towards public librarianship for my career because of these challenges? How would I support my professional peers if I’m in a different sector?

Graphic from the ALA, breaking down where book challenges take place

Thankfully, the increase in book challenges also means a strong, ongoing response from librarians and advocates. (In fact, this reflection is posted right after Banned Books Week 2025, so there are ample resources on how to advocate for our “freedom to read.”) Libraries are part of their communities, and this includes how we connect with local policymakers and can invite and guide communities to advocate with us. I’m heartened when I hear that in every story of a book challenge, there are groups of non-librarians showing up and advocating for us and the communities the books represent. In both archives and libraries, there is no better opportunity to invite people of diverse identities and communities to get involved. Digital and online platforms also provide many different ways to participate, from citizen archivist work to involving teens and young adults at the public library to posting your support on social media.

Header graphic for Banned Books Week 2025

Citations

ALA. (2025). Free Downloads | Banned Books. https://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/freedownloads

Becerra-Licha, S. (2017, October 23). Participatory and Post-Custodial Archives as Community Practice. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/10/participatory-and-post-custodial-archives-as-community-practice

Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries. (2022). Banned Books Survival Guide. https://comminfo.libguides.com/BannedBookSurvivalGuide_548_FL22/Home

CNN. (2021, Decemeber 21). Librarians fight back against push to ban books from schools [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M88WuMRNxoU

MLive. (2023, May 18). ‘Gender Queer’ and the culture war in Michigan’s libraries. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x043zuGWgMA

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October 6, 2025

A Library is… the Statue of Liberty?

Ciara Eastell began her TEDx talk by describing two libraries, the Exeter Library and the Ferguson Public Library, that stayed open amidst harrowing and somber conditions to become an oasis for visitors. My mind immediately went to the poem attributed to the Statue of Liberty, the hope of accepting and welcoming everyone.

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
–Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus

Eastell also shared data on the perception of libraries as a safe space for their communities. Libraries provide access to free shelter, resources, and services to support, inspire, and educate any visitor. And if the library cannot provide that outright, it will connect visitors to other community resources that can. I’m lucky to be surrounded by friends and family who participate in and appreciate their libraries, and contribute to my understanding of what I am capable of achieving for our communities. My family members remember libraries as a safe space to quietly study when you live with a large and loud family, to apply for jobs when you’re newly immigrated and can’t afford a computer, to bring your kids when everywhere else is too expensive.

Still, a part of me remains hesitant to be optimistic about libraries working toward diversity, inclusion, and equity to fully serve their communities. Librarians are just as human and influenced by unconscious biases as anyone else. When I just started this program, I learned that the majority of ALA members were white, middle-aged, able-bodied women (according to ALA’s Demographic Study Report in 2017). I had to reckon with the fact that I would be the minority in my own future field.

Additionally, librarianship is not immune to ugly histories nor critique thereof. In Fobazi Ettarh words, “Librarianship, like the criminal justice system and the government, is an institution. And like other institutions, librarianship plays a role in creating and sustaining hegemonic values,” (Vocational Awe and Librarianship, 2018). Ettarh also wrote on the job creep many librarians experience; when libraries do commit to fulfilling a specific social need, it can place a heavy, unexpected responsibilities on those on the frontlines. Is there a way to continuously serve the community while safeguarding everyone’s wellbeing?

There are never any easy answers, but there are actions we can take to move forward, which include acknowledging when our history includes censorship and discrimination. I appreciated Lauersen’s reflections on inclusion and the sheer effort it takes to enact change, especially because he reflected on his own privilege and biases. Likewise, self-reflection, unlearning biases, and developing cultural competency are all steps forward. Beyond this, I know my personal and professional life is dependent on sitting with discomfort, from acknowledging how my biases influence my behavior to being nervous with public speaking, and using it as a jumping off point for growth and action.

Citations

Ettarh, F. (2018, January 10). Vocational Awe and Librarianship: The Lies We Tell Ourselves. In the Library With The Lead Pipe. https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

Lauersen, C. (2018, June 6). Do you want to dance? Inclusion and belonging in libraries and beyond [Keynote address]. UXLibsIV, Sheffield, England, United Kingdom. https://christianlauersen.net/2018/06/07/inclusion-and-belonging-in-libraries-and-beyond/

TEDx Talks. (2019, June 13). How libraries change lives [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvt-lHZBUwU&t=330s

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September 20, 2025

The Times (and Tech) They Are a-Changin’

When I began the Foundational readings for the Hyperlinked Library, the snapshot it created of Library 2.0 was an emerging concept and technology of the early 2000s. For example, Buckland’s specific technological references include “computer-based operations” becoming more affordable and storing “library materials in electronic form” (1993). Speaking as someone from the generation of grew up with Web 2.0, it’s strange to consider how common such things are nowadays. Others references in the text described the early days of libraries buying books from Amazon and user participation on the web stuck out to me because technology and our relationship to it has drastically evolved since the publication of the texts. Even the most recent publications were published before the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still impacting our everyday experiences and (user) needs.

Initially, I felt overwhelmed by how fast and dramatically some of the technological details no longer apply (or have exceeded our initial expectations). How could we as librarians ever hope to keep up? But sitting with that question only reinforced another core feature of the hyperlinked library: continuously embracing and implementing change for the good of the libraries and their users.

Change Involving Everyone

Within the model of Library 2.0, “constant and purposeful change” in libraries is inherently tied to centering and inviting library users into the redesign process (Casey & Savastinuk, 2007). What the change actually looks like will ultimately be defined by the user needs and how the librarians (and staff and volunteers and administration) meet that need. While involving users into this creation is no longer novel, this can come with its own set of challenges. Borrowing lessons from the design thinking process, evaluating user needs in practice could include:

interviewing users directly and empathetically
observing users’ behavior in the library and non-verbal reactions

That being said, creating change oftentimes also requires people and organizations to change themselves. I resonated with some of the barriers and mindsets that Stephens described as “holding librarians back” like being stuck in the mindset of “this is how it’s always been done” and feeling like there would be no time, support, or financial resources to implement change (2016). In my current administrative job, I’m one of the newer, younger employees, and my initial belief was that there were long-held processes in place, and that my job was to learn and assimilate to them, not to rock the boat.

With time and more working experience (and some inspiration from the Foundational readings), I learned that self-confidence, advocacy in the workplace, and empowerment from the organization are key for both productivity and progress. As such, implementing changes for our users and implementing changes in the workplace and design process will have to be done in tandem.

Lessons to Take Forward

The inevitability of change can be a hopeful, optimistic sentiment. So often, we feel that change is out of our control. We either feel that it is happening to us without our permission, or we feel disempowered to implement truly lasting, helpful change. But if technology has changed so much that what was once emerging is now mundane, then there is hope that our efforts today becomes tomorrow’s normal. The services offered by libraries, the technology we use, the mindsets that hold us back–we’ve changed them before, and we can change them again.

We get to decide what change looks like in our libraries. I started this post by saying how overwhelming rapid technological change could be. But the details of technological changes are only as important as how they inspire users and fulfill their needs. The sheer range of what libraries look like is evidence for this. Depending on the users, they may want to keep spaces filled with physical books (even with easy access to electronic alternatives) or designing maker spaces with tools fitting the study programs of university students. As long as we empower ourselves and listen to our users, we are in charge of the positive change we implement.

Citations:

Baldwin, P. (1993). Redesigning Library Services: A Manifesto. Michael Buckland. The Library Quarterly, 63(3), 372–374. https://doi.org/10.1086/602597

Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service. Information Today.

Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship: Attentive, positive, and purposeful change. ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association.

Stephens, M. T. (2019). Wholehearted librarianship: Finding hope, inspiration, and balance. ALA Editions.

August 25, 2025

Introduction

Hi, everyone!

My name is Michelle, and this is my third year in the MLIS program! I’ve lived in SoCal my entire life, attended UCLA for undergrad, and have an English B.A. I’ve loved visiting my local library since I was young, but it was only during college that I decided to pursue librarianship, as it matched my values of community, accessibility, and lifelong learning. I’m so excited to learn the intersection of emerging technology and connecting with library users. And to meet and learn with all of you, of course!

Outside my office job and school work, I enjoy discovering new graphic novels, watching Dimension 20, and taking care of my pixelated farm in Stardew Valley. WordPress is not my first blogging experience (shout out to all my fellow Tumblr veterans), but I’m eager to personalize this blog. Speaking of, my site URL is trying to evoke the idea of a train station! Partly because I commute via public transit every day, and partly because I like that both stations and libraries are spaces meant to connect different places and people to each other.

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