Clippings for March, 2026

A library is a Civic Statement:

A library is a civic statement: that knowledge is a commons, that stewardship matters, that quiet matters, that you can wander without being sold to. In an age of synthetic text, it may become even more important as a site of provenance – of “where did this come from?” – and of human guidance that is not optimised for engagement.

Shaun Bell: Making breakfast on a burning planet: a parent’s perspective on a GenAI future – Education Express

This idea that a library is a civic statement really resonates with me. I began my working life in a public library many years ago and I have never shaken the feeling that the public library is a hallmark of the kind of society I want for the world. In a world where our information is increasingly polluted with misinformation, disinformation and AI "slop", libraries might yet be seen for the treasures of civilisation that they are.