As writers and analysts at New America, we seek out innovative approaches to learning, community-building, and healthy use of digital media—and libraries are increasingly emerging as institutions that have a lot to offer on each front. Libraries are no longer just places for borrowing books; they are places for checking out wireless hotspots, sewing machines, fishing poles, and more. They have become new arenas for making and coding, for vlogging and podcasting, for learning new languages, or preparing for job market re-entry. Some innovative libraries and school systems collaborate to wrap school IDs and library cards into one. Other libraries revise policies to better co-align with their community's needs, such as eliminating overdue fines. This growing collection of articles is designed to help tell the story of the evolution of one of society's greatest community institutions.
This special page collects our writing and projects that involve libraries in one place for readers. We’ll update it as new content is published.
This page is laid out in the following three sections:
If you have ideas for new projects or articles, please contact Lisa Guernsey at guernsey@newamerica.org
The latest content on libraries (regularly updated)
This spring, the Department of Government Efficiency has moved quickly to cancel existing grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and place nearly all staff on leave. This will affect libraries around the country. But librarians and their supporters shouldn’t accept defeat. It’s a troubling moment, but as Sarah Gilliland writes, there’s an opportunity to galvanize support and envision a better future for libraries.
In the chaos generated by President Trump’s order to close the U.S. Department of Education, many may have missed news about another agency that supports public education—the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). President Trump called for its elimination “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." In March 2025, nearly all staff were put on administrative leave.
This report discusses findings and recommendations from New America’s national survey on public libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Survey data from New America's report, Public Libraries and the Pandemic, provides evidence of the need for E-Rate expansion, new broadband benefit programs, and other boosts to libraries, schools, and mentorship initiatives that support equitable access to learning.
Even before librarians closed their doors against the pandemic, they started moving fast to keep their work going. They began shifting regular programming online; distributing stockpiles of mobile technology to the digitally needy; strengthening partnerships with schools and food donation sites; activating their maker-technology to produce PPE; helping prepare the homeless population with alternatives for shelter; and more.
The ideas keep coming.
By Deborah Fallows
The Atlantic
March 31, 2019
By Deborah Fallows
the Atlantic
June 29, 2019
By Lisa Guernsey
EdCentral
April 12, 2019
By Jennifer Howard
National Endowment for the Humanity
By Lisa Guernsey and Sarah Jackson
New America
October 31, 2019
Deborah Fallows work on Libraries, including from her books
Deborah Fallows
Our Towns
February 8, 2016
Deborah Fallows
Our Towns
November 13, 2014
Lisa Guernsey’s work on libraries and media
Media mentors play a key role in addressing digital divides, opening doors to resources and skill-building activities, and helping to build a more informed, discerning, and media-savvy citizenry.
Lisa Guernsey
EdCentral
September 28, 2018
Lisa Guernsey
EdCentral
July 11, 2018
Shayna Cook
Part of New America’s Integrating Technology in Early Learning project
Summer 2018
Lisa Guernsey
EdCentral
Octorber 31st, 2016
Lisa Guernsey
EdCentral
September 4, 2014
Event
June 26, 2019