I en tid av ökade påtryckningar på yttrandefrihet och tillgång till information blir bibliotekens roll allt viktigare. Sam Helmick, ordförande för American Library Association, skriver om hur bibliotek i USA navigerar i en föränderlig verklighet – och vad vi kan lära av varandra internationellt. Läs krönikan på engelska nedan.
There are moments in our profession when the path forward feels uncertain. The direction remains clear, yet the terrain is shifting beneath our feet. In the United States, libraries are living in such a moment.
We are navigating a convergence of pressures. There are sustained challenges to intellectual freedom, evolving community expectations, financial strain, and a broader questioning of public institutions. These are not abstract concerns. They appear in meeting rooms, in collections, and in conversations with neighbours. They shape daily decisions about what it means to serve.
Even in this, I remain hopeful.
Libraries in the United States have long been more than repositories of knowledge. They reflect a shared belief that access to information is a public good, that learning continues throughout life, and that everyone deserves a place where they belong. This belief is being tested, and it is also being reaffirmed in meaningful ways.
Across the country, library workers are responding with care and resolve. There are renewed commitments to community-centered service, deeper partnerships with local organizations, and a willingness to engage directly with the realities communities face. Libraries continue to adapt, to listen, and often to lead.
It is also important to speak plainly about what this moment requires. Intellectual freedom depends on vigilance, courage, and collective action. Sustainable funding grows through advocacy, trust, and demonstrated impact. Leadership develops through relationships shaped by transparency and accountability.
Supporting libraries also means strengthening the structures that support them.
This brings into focus the role of our professional associations. The American Library Association is working to ensure it remains financially sustainable and responsive to its members. These conversations are complex, yet necessary. Supporting libraries also means strengthening the structures that support them.
Looking ahead, I am encouraged by the leadership of Maria McCauley, president-elect of the American Library Association 2026–2027. Her upcoming visit to Stockholm – where she will attend Swedish Library Associations top political meeting – offers a reminder that this work extends beyond national borders. The challenges we face, including misinformation, inequity, and access, are shared across countries, and so are many of the solutions.
There is much to learn from one another.
In Sweden, we observe strong examples of public investment, national coordination, and a deep commitment to libraries as essential to civil societies. In the United States, we hold experiences rooted in local innovation, community-driven service, and a long-standing defense of intellectual freedom. Together, our professional traditions and perspectives strengthen the global library community.
The exchange of ideas matters. Through conversation and shared work, we gain clarity about our own practices and a deeper understanding of others.
Together, our professional traditions and perspectives strengthen the global library community.
If there is a guiding thought for this moment, it may be to remain grounded in values, while staying open in practice. The future of libraries will be shaped through careful listening, thoughtful action, and a continued commitment to equity, access, and truth.
We are all stewards of something larger than ourselves.
In times of uncertainty, attention often turns to what may be at risk. There is also value in noticing what is being revealed. The enduring relevance of libraries, the strength of the professional community, and the impact of this work in people’s lives remain clear.
The path forward will continue to take shape through shared effort.
And that remains a source of responsibility and hope.
/Sam Helmick,
ordförande,
American Library Association.
