Public Libraries as Instruments for Social and Political Activism

Diedre Conkling, one of the subjects in the article, is a librarian in Oregon who has spent most of her career working to encourage public libraries to embrace progressive social change, environmental issues, and politics and spurred them to be part of the movements that make those changes possible. She very graciously took the time to answer a few of my questions about the role public libraries should take in this time of great social and political upheaval.