Written by Dr. Kanu Nagra, Chair of the ACRL/NY Professional Development Committee 

The Professional Development Committee of ACRL/NY convened its April 10, 2026 program, “Save the Library, Save the World,” organized and moderated by Dr. Kanu A. Nagra, Chair of the committee. The event brought together academic, public, special, and government librarians at a moment when the role of libraries is being tested in unprecedented ways.

The speaker, Emily Drabinski—Chair of the Queens College School of Information Studies at City University of New York and past president of the American Library Association—drew on her nationwide advocacy tour to deliver a powerful message: libraries are not just under pressure; they are at a crossroads.

Today’s challenges extend far beyond funding. Libraries face a convergence of existential threats-organized censorship efforts, sustained disinvestment, political scrutiny of collections, and the rapid, often uncritical adoption of new technologies that risk undermining professional expertise. Together, these forces threaten to erode libraries as trusted, independent pillars of knowledge.

Drabinski emphasized that defending intellectual freedom while maintaining community trust has become increasingly complex in a polarized climate. Yet the solution is not retreat—it is stronger, clearer advocacy. Libraries must be recognized as indispensable public infrastructure—foundational institutions that sustain education, empower workforce development, and strengthen democratic engagement.

Equally urgent is the need to reshape how the public understands libraries and their role in society. Far too often, they are viewed through an outdated lens--as quiet, unchanging places defined primarily by collections. In reality, libraries are vibrant, evolving institutions at the heart of their communities. They are dynamic hubs of learning where people of all ages build knowledge and skills, reliable centers of community life that foster connection and support, and engines of equity that broaden access to opportunity. Recognizing this fuller, more accurate picture is essential to ensuring their continued strength and relevance.

As the discussion made clear, the future of libraries is inseparable from the future of an informed, inclusive society. To save libraries is not simply to preserve institutions—it is to safeguard the foundation of the world we aspire to build.