Both my former home in Appalachia and my current home have one wonderful thing in common: They are within walking distance of a public library. This means I have internet access quickly available if my power goes out. I have a safe, quiet space to work, and for my child to do his homework or meet friends. I have free books close by. And I have community.

This week at the Climate Justice desk, we are looking at the library’s link with climate, and why you, more than ever, need to care—and fight—for your local public libraries. Books, their writers, and libraries have not escaped the Trump administration’s anti-DEI agenda. As the Department of Education is gutted and libraries face attacks, who’s holding the line against book bans? Next, what’s the reason for the public library’s enduring importance? It’s a public space in a privatized world where those public spaces are increasingly rare. Then, what happens when libraries close? We look at the services and resources gap left behind. Finally, in the face of escalating climate disasters, public libraries don’t only provide access to urgently needed information; they are safe places to shelter from the storm.

Dr. Alison Stine
Climate Justice Senior Editor