Why Libraries Matter in a Fascist Moment

“If we lose this as a public good and as a free public service, we will have lost everything,” says Mariame Kaba.

An episode of the Movement Memos podcast, hosted by Truthout, titled "Why Libraries Matter in a Fascist Moment" was published on March 19, 2026 and runs 74 minutes.

March 19, 2026 ·74m · Movement Memos

Summary

“A lot of people in power view knowledge as dangerous,” says organizer Mariame Kaba. In this episode, Kelly speaks with Maraime and organizers Alison Macrina and Katie Clark about why public libraries matter, not just as places to borrow books, but as vital public infrastructure. They discuss libraries as spaces where people can gather without spending money, learn together, and build the kind of shared intellectual life that authoritarianism seeks to destroy. The conversation explores book bans, censorship, austerity, AI, political education, and the bipartisan defunding of public goods, while making a powerful case for libraries as sites of struggle, possibility, and collective survival. Music: Son Monarcas & Jobii You can find a transcript and show notes (including links to resources) here: truthout.org/series/movement-memos/ If you would like to support the show, you can donate here: bit.ly/TODonate If you would like to receive Truthout's newsletter, please sign up: bit.ly/TOnewsletter

Episode Description