The 100 Libraries Project
Libraries have always been a central part of my life. My mother instilled a respect of libraries in my brothers and I that was akin to a religious institution, with at least bi-weekly trips to pick up books and participate in story time to organizing the books in our own house according to the Dewey Decimal system.
Beyond books though, as I did financial stability work in rural Virginia, I saw first-hand how libraries serve as essential community anchors, offering crucial digital access in broadband-deprived areas, a safe public space, and access to information and services to improve lives. It’s really no surprise that following graduate school the library field intersected with my professional life, as a Program Manager at the Urban Libraries Council I have the profound privilege of supporting libraries across North America, in everything from new approaches in supporting entrepreneurs to assessing the community needs and programming surrounding digital resources.
As a full-time library enthusiast, I often travel and visit libraries across North America. And as a photographer, I have been attempting to capture images of these community anchors with my camera. The 100 Libraries Project is a collection of images from my travels and an attempt at showing gratitude to a public institution and the individuals behind it who tirelessly work to better their communities.