Libraries at risk
“Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.”
- Silence Dogood, 1722*
In the United States, anti-intellectualism now has a stranglehold on our future. Reading and writing anything critical of the current regime has specific consequences; funding for already threadbare agencies devoted to the arts has been terminated mid-grant, and libraries and librarians are under attack simply for keeping an accurate record of our culture.
In this work, my aim is to re-center the library in our lives. With over 1,500 public libraries in California alone, there were plenty of choices. Looking at the libraries from above, placing them on the map. Some of the libraries I have simply driven past, others in which I have spent hours.
Each panel is derived from a satellite view of the library’s location; I did not want to create accurate replicas; I wanted to prioritize impact above accuracy. Like much of my other work, the images are layered with color, media, and history.
More than just a sort of warehouse, a library is the cultural hub of a community, offering kinship and enlightenment. A place to both ask and answer questions.
Andrew Carnegie had a similar vision of community. The first library he built, in Braddock, PA, included a theater, a swimming pool, and meeting rooms. While Carnegie is touted as a remarkable philanthropist, he was also flawed, with antisemitic views and racist tendencies. His generosity was not unlimited; he was tight-fisted with his employees,** believing his gift of libraries served a higher need.
How does your local library map to your life today?
*Benjamin Franklin writing as Silence Dogood, The New-England Courant, 1722
** Independent Lens: Free For All: The Public Library, Season 26 Episode 16. April 29, 2025
