Librarians are punk rebels of the digital age

Librarians are the punk rockers of the literary world. They’re the ones who challenge the status quo, fight for freedom of expression, and make information accessible to everyone.

It all started with the t-shirt saying “What’s more punk than the public library?”. This, now iconic, t-shirt was designed by the supporters of Mount Pleasant Library back in 2021. The creators were hoping to sell 50 copies.

Instead, they’ve sold 7,000, and started a viral campaign “that is redefining a community resource typically associated with shushing” (read more in The Washington Post article by Justin Wm. Moyer).

Every time I think about the idea of associating libraries with the punk movement, I think “I couldn’t agree more!”.

Libraries are the punk rock of the mind. They’re free, they’re open to everyone, and they’re full of ideas that can change the world.

And librarians are the ones who fight for freedom of access to information and knowledge. They teach us how to use those tools to think critically and challenge the status quo.

Most importantly, librarians are the punk rockers of the information age. They are the ones who ensure that everyone has access to the information they need to be informed citizens, and they’re the ones who teach us how to evaluate the information we consume.

Every day, librarians are helping us imagine a better tomorrow, and teaching us how to use our imaginations to create change.

Libraries are punk, and they are more needed than ever before.

All this made me think of how I would support the libraries and librarians. So I created a few artworks that further explore the idea of libraries being the punkest place on Earth.

Would you like the designs in high resolution so that you could print them out, just like the monthly literary calendars?

Libraries are punk posters

“Libraries are punk and punk is not dead” quote.

“Librarians are punk rebels of the digital age” quote.

Note: I used Midjourney to create modern punk library interiors for background images.

Libraries are punk merch

Take a look at how the designs look on an apparel. The artworks are available in my Amazon, Zazzle, and Redbubble stores.