The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
A review by autumnleeves
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg
3.0
Reading a book about the importance of social infrastructure, that both valiantly and frustratingly puts libraries on a pedestal, especially one written before the pandemic is ... a trip.
While imperfect and only skimming the surface of how race and class play into these problems, it is still full of some thoughtful and important information. I can't help but wonder how many of the ideas and projects mentioned are faring now. How much has been derailed, paused or abandoned?
Reading about the importance of libraries to that social infrastructure was on one hand a much-needed jolt of energy when I'm so burned out in this work I don't know why I'm in it. But on the other hand, it deifies libraries in a way that feeds our profession's problematic vocational awe, and the assumption that we can fill all the gaps left by a lack of social services. I'm sure there are libraries out there doing these amazing things for their community, but it hurts to know my library system will probably never be one of them.
While imperfect and only skimming the surface of how race and class play into these problems, it is still full of some thoughtful and important information. I can't help but wonder how many of the ideas and projects mentioned are faring now. How much has been derailed, paused or abandoned?
Reading about the importance of libraries to that social infrastructure was on one hand a much-needed jolt of energy when I'm so burned out in this work I don't know why I'm in it. But on the other hand, it deifies libraries in a way that feeds our profession's problematic vocational awe, and the assumption that we can fill all the gaps left by a lack of social services. I'm sure there are libraries out there doing these amazing things for their community, but it hurts to know my library system will probably never be one of them.