Why a ‘Small but Mighty’ Library Is Vital to Research — and Democracy

CUNY Graduate Center

In this episode of The Thought Project, Maura Smale, chief librarian of the CUNY Graduate Center’s Mina Rees Library, explores how academic libraries empower research and uphold democratic values in a time of growing censorship and disinformation. Smale highlights the Graduate Center library’s vital role as a research hub, connecting scholars across CUNY and beyond through expansive interlibrary loan networks that include the New York Public Library, SUNY schools, Columbia University, and more. She explains how her team of expert librarians — “small but mighty” — support a globally engaged research community through specialized consultation, open access advocacy, and resource-sharing. She also addresses the urgent challenges facing libraries nationwide, from defunding threats to book bans, and affirms librarianship as a frontline defense for intellectual freedom. With a strategic vision rooted in public scholarship and equity, Smale makes the case for why libraries remain essential infrastructure for knowledge creation — and for society at large.