The Awaken Librarian: Jean Darnell on AI, Book Bans, and the Power of Student Voice

What happens when a kid sent to the library for “acting up” grows up to become a national voice for students, AI literacy, and intellectual freedom? Meet Jean Darnell, also known as *The Awaken Librarian*—an education consultant, keynote speaker, and 2024 Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellow. In this powerful conversation, Jean shares how libraries saved her, how she’s reshaping them, and why today’s students need both access to information and a seat at the table. From book bans to biometric data, and from AI ethics to Star Wars, Jean brings passion, purpose, and policy wisdom to the forefront of 21st-century librarianship.