214. PALACES FOR THE PEOPLE: the future of pu...

In its first King's Speech, the Labour government said that "greater devolution of decision making is at the heart of a modern dynamic economy and is a key driver of economic growth."Historically, why has the UK been so insistent on hoarding power centrally? And what's the potent ...  Show more

Ed has departed for government, and Geoff is left as custodian of the archive. As the Labour government makes its first raft of announcements and appointments, we delve into our back catalogue to find the ideas which might have influenced them. In this episode, we look at Rachel ...  Show more

Today, libraries across the US and the rest of the world are seen as centers of free learning, presenting enormous opportunities for children and adults alike. However, not too long ago, people in the US and the UK were absolutely terrified by the idea that libraries were dens ...

At a time when public libraries and librarians are facing budget headwinds and sometimes intense political scrutiny for the roles they play in their communities, the Times photo editor Erica Ackerb ...

Almost as soon as public libraries began flourishing, librarian quickly became one of the most female-dominated jobs in the country. In this classic, Cristen and Caroline break down was being a librarian was really like back in the day and the badass women who've shaped these com ...  Show more

Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners. But there's one thing that keeps people away: the fear of overdue book fines. In this thought-provoking talk, librarian Dawn Wacek makes the case that fin ...