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VPR's coverage of arts and culture in the region.

Renegade Librarian Jessamyn West On Information, Access And Democracy

Jessamyn West has been named Library Advocate of the Year by the Vermont Library Association. She's here to talk to us about her vision for libraries as vital enablers of democracy.
Liz West
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Jessamyn West has been named Library Advocate of the Year by the Vermont Library Association. She's here to talk to us about her vision for libraries as vital enablers of democracy.

Meet Jessamyn West, the radical librarian. She just got a big award from the Vermont Library Association for her role in the selection process for the next Librarian of Congress. She's behind one of the first librarian blogs, she's annoyed the FBI, and she's a crusader for keeping both sides of the digital divide in mind as we move further into the information age. Cory Doctorow of "Boing Boing" has called her an "internet folk hero."

Jessamyn West describes herself on her website as a librarian, writer, technologist, justice of the peace, and moss enthusiast. We're talking to her about what she describes as the radical, indispensable role libraries play in keeping information free and making democracy work.

Also in the program: Vermont Republicans hold their state convention this Saturday in South Burlington. At the convention, candidates will be elected to serve as delegates at the national convention in July. Two of the candidates hoping to be among them are Jace Laquerre and Sam Ennis. Both are young Vermonters interested in shaping the future of the Republican Party, though their ideas of the right direction for the party differ greatly. We'll speak with these young civic-minded candidates about why becoming a national delegate is a goal and where they hope to move the party.

Broadcast live on Thursday, May 19, 2016, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Copyright 2016 Vermont Public

Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
Sam held multiple positions at Vermont Public Radio for several years, including managing editor of the award-winning programVermont Edition, and morning news editor.
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