Sign in

Dylan Flesch

@dylanflesch.bsky.social
1.9K followers 1.2K following 638 posts

Organizing with For the People Leftist Library Project and NYC PLAN. Day job in the archives at New York Public Radio. Views my own. He/him.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Fierce Reads @fiercereads.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Starting local is the first step to fighting for your freedom to read, but it can be a daunting process. Here are some ways to work it into your own life! #BannedBooksWeek Why You Should Get Involved with Local Organizations, & How to do it:
Donate Your Time

Plenty of groups are doing the work to fight back against book bans at a state and local level Florida Freedom to Read or the Texas Freedom to Read Project are two examples. Attend Meetings

Attend local school board and library board meetings. Being informed is the best way to protest book banning and so attending and speaking up at community meetings are vital for making change.Donate Money
Donating money helps these state and local organizations   continue to fight for the  freedom to read.  Even a small amount of support goes a long way to the continuation of these organizations. Join the Fight
Join your local Friends of the Library group. These groups are important in advocating for literacy, library funding, and many other issues but they are also a great place to meet other lovers of the library!
079
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Dr Katy Whitaker (she/her) @artefactual.eurosky.social · 05/10/2026
Catching up on Throughline episodes and very pleased to listen to @katrinanavickas.bsky.social giving a potted history of Luddites! podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com
Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?
Podcast Episode · Throughline · 8 September · 17min
163
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Run for Something @runforsomething.net · 05/10/2026
What books are in your library? What stories do students read in school? How are literacy programs funded? Reading is political because access to information is shaped by public policy. Take action → run for office bit.ly/Run4what
0129
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Internet Archive @archive.org · 05/10/2026
🏛️ Government information belongs to everyone. Government documents help us understand society, investigate the past, and participate in democracy. 📚 Democracy's Library brings government publications together so they're easier to discover. Start with the record. 👇 archive.org/details/demo... 🧵
Four "Tools You Can Use" Democracy's Library tiles in a 2x2 grid on cream graph paper with blue schematic line drawings. Top left, "Democracy's Library" above a blue folder reading "Government Information Freely Accessible For All." Top right, a screenshot of the Democracy's Library page with collection highlights. Bottom left, bold black text repeating that line. Bottom right, "Tell us why government information is important to you," with a multicolor line drawing of a columned building.
3306101
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Banned Books Week is the perfect time to ask: Who decides what happens at your library? Local officials shape policies, funding, staffing, and collections. This year, consider becoming one of them. Get started at ReadLeadRun.org.
02413
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The approved 2026 Chicago Public Library (CPL) total budget request is $169,257,813, which includes an operating budget of $103,966,346. [Just thought I would leave this here]
418677
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Lex McMenamin (they/them) @lexmcmenamin.com · 05/10/2026
it is interesting that I can't find any mainstream media coverage of Altman's sister Annie going viral on social media over the weekend for uploading footage of the first hour of her deposition in her lawsuit against him (one of two) in which she is alleging years of CSA
theguardian.com
Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman
Boss of OpenAI calls for a regulatory light touch because of the ‘good stuff’ the technology can deliver
262025788
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Bedrooms Are For People @boulderbedrooms.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"Boulder’s library district is cutting 20% of its staff. How did it get here?" #boulder
boulderreportinglab.org
Boulder's library district is cutting 20% of its staff. How did it get here?
Less than four years after voters created the library district with the promise of stable funding, declining property tax revenue and rising costs have forced a reversal.
02311
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Bright D Limm 임대중 @bdlimm.myatproto.social · 04/10/2026
Does it make sense for the public to ask Wall Street for funds in order to provide public services + infrastructure, when the public can create a way to fund itself instead? Of course not—but that's actually what all states + cities with bonds are currently doing. The Loop is how we make a change.
2188
Dylan Flesch @dylanflesch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
You know I’m always open to hearing a new idea!
210
Dylan Flesch @dylanflesch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
You are not wrong, you brought this on yourself!
110
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Dorothy Berry @dorothyjberry.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
People who don't know what archival description is are more confident than anyone else that they can automate it
25112
Dylan Flesch @dylanflesch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
🤣
110
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I would like to suggest that seeking election or appointment to your library board is a very good way to address book bans. Applications for our 2027 cohort are now open for those interested: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... - we need leftists to engage in governance.
docs.google.com
FTP Library Elections & Appointments Training Cohort
Hello! You're filling out this form because you've expressed interest in running for or seeking appointment to a local library board seat in your community (or because you're a serving trustee who'd l...
1164107
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
@librariesftp.bsky.social's October newsletter is out. As usual, it's good. Also, our 4th and final cohort for people who plan to seek election or appointment to their library boards kicks off in Feb 2027. Sign up to be kept in the loop. librariesforthepeople.substack.com/p/for-the-pe...
librariesforthepeople.substack.com
For The People Newsletter Vol. XLIV
For everyone working to strengthen and expand public libraries
24225
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Tsushi Tanuki @tsushi.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
It's never been more important for you to actually CONTRIBUTE to the places you consider your "home". Is it a convention? Volunteer. Is it your local LGBT center? fundraise. Is it your local library? Ask how you can help them keep funding. NOTHING you love just exists, it needs effort to stay alive!
13514
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Library Lagomorph @bunnyjadwiga.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
If the people in power in or over libraries lose sight of the purpose of the library being TO LIBRARY, it gets dark and despairing fast, especially for the kind of employees who care about Library Stuff and Library Patrons.
1314
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Library Lagomorph @bunnyjadwiga.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
In libraries 📚 the purpose of the technology and the facilities and the administration and the money people and the politics and the fundraising... Is so we can DO LIBRARY STUFF. Books. Programs. Outreach. Literacy. Human connection. Third Spaces. LIBRARY STUFF.
15112
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Lady Froldmagen (she/her) @zinelib.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
My friend Jane Doe made this zine to document their shitty experience with campus police after they were doxxed. archive.org/details/ftp-... Please read and distribute. And don't trust the cops--any of them. The part I highlighted on page three makes me 🤯
zine cover, which reads

FTP
includes
university 
policescreenshot of page three:

Wanting there to be a record in
case the harassment escalated,
I reported the doxing to the
university police.**
** In the process, I got to experience
what any other victim/survivor would face
reporting a crime to university police.
[this part highlighted] Upon entering the university police
department’s brand new building, you are
confronted with a mirrored window. You are
observed by unknown people and you can see
only yourself reflected back. A voice
rings out from the ether: “what are you
here for?” You are expected to tell the
mirrored window what happened to you. [end highlighting] Only
then will a human possibly come out and
speak with you.
12413
Dylan Flesch @dylanflesch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Friday, October 9th, see a re-enactment of Pura Belpré‘s legendary Puerto Rican storytelling and puppetry. Everything you love about the library was and/is brought to you by library workers. www.nypl.org/events/progr...
nypl.org
0162
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Gothamist @gothamist.com · 04/10/2026
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries gothamist.com/arts-enterta...
gothamist.com
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
0214
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
J. Nathan Matias @natematias.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
>> The only effective, lasting, far-reaching solution is the political, legal, economic & cultural equality of women. This requires the liberation of men from the kind of misogynistic male supremacy Sanday describes in the fraternities @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
We live in a rape-prone society. The horrific Cornell case reveals what that looks like | Rebecca Solnit
Public outcry to punish the alleged perpetrators in the Cornell case misses the point – the only solution is political, legal and cultural equality of women
083
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Puff the Magic Hater @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Most people aren't talking about the kind of transformations we really need, because I think a lot of folks have surrendered to the idea of living in a "rape-prone" society. The satisfaction of occasionally punishing some of the most egregious actors is all many are allowing themselves to hope for.
520030
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Bright D Limm 임대중 @bdlimm.myatproto.social · 03/10/2026
Given all of the above, NYC CORE is justifiably organizing a rally at City Hall Park this Thu, (Oct 08) @ 5pm, with two demands of City Hall: 1️⃣ Stop the broken-windows policing abuses that have run rampant under Tisch; and 2️⃣ End its appeal of the court decision. www.eventbrite.com/e/rally-agai...
eventbrite.com
RALLY AGAINST POLICE ABUSE & MAMDANI ADMINISTRATION’S RACIAL EQUITY APPEAL
Drop the notice to appeal. Confront police misconduct. Respect the Charter!
174
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Violet Fox 🦊 @violetbfox.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
New zine dropping next week at #JCLC2026 (the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color) in Spokane. If you'll be there, stop by the Program for Cooperative Cataloging booth in the exhibit hall to pick up a copy! #critcat 🎵📚😎
Zine cover with an image of an album record and the text "Fixing the Record: A PCC Playlist of DEI in Metadata".
24220
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
ian says DC statehood now @wareian.com · 01/10/2026
many talented people worked very hard to make this happen and an even bigger group of incredible library workers lent their voices to talk about the field. very much worth your time, but I might be a lil biased ;) www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Librarians Discuss the Challenges and Triumphs of Running a Library Today
We asked dozens of them about America’s libraries — what they provide, what they need to survive. Here’s what they told us.
1148
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Every single newspaper that reported that Jane Doe “changed her story” should be rushing to publish retractions right now. This case should be a lesson in taking a DA’s victim-blaming statements at face value. Victims do not report to the police because they thought nothing happened to them.
71324302
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
abby emerson @abbyemerson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
My book will be out in the world before I know it! Want to celebrate with me? All welcome - RSVP: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
02311
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Carey @careylikemariah.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
There was an awesome and HILARIOUS development in the Brooklyn Democratic Party legal fight yesterday. This update requires quite a fair bit of context, but stick with me here, because the payoff is soooo delicious! 🧵
28929
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"The Department of Information Studies seeks a scholar specializing in Media Archival Studies whose research and teaching address historical and contemporary media-making contexts, media formats, and the information systems that support their preservation, management, and use."
recruit.apo.ucla.edu
Assistant Professor of Information Studies (Tenure-Track), Specializing in Media Archival Studies
University of California, Los Angeles is hiring. Apply now!
05942
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
abdullah @ashihipar.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
you can see re: the ruling on the NYC pied-a-terre tax vs the upcoming Medicaid changes - who is not expected to prove things to the government/who the government is expected to do the leg work for vs. who is expected to prove and document everything to the government
012644
Dylan Flesch @dylanflesch.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
This sounds great!
031
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
New Kings Democrats @newkingsdems.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The Appellate Division ruled today that “the amendments that passed on August 25, 2026, are invalid” — the Brooklyn Democratic Party can’t change its rules to reverse an election result. This is a victory for democracy and for common sense. www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad2/H... 1/🧵
nycourts.gov
14815
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 29/09/2026
If I’m reading this right, Anthropic has no choice but to IPO now because it doesn’t have the money to cover its computing / infrastructure obligations next year
1028265
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
DBdant @dbdant.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This tidbit was in the article. 🎈💥 ? "Goldman Sachs warned Friday that AI hyperscalers, including Meta, need to generate roughly $300 billion a year in AI services revenue just to break even on their capital spending—and $1 trillion annually to earn meaningful profits—spooking investors."
finance.yahoo.com
Mark Zuckerberg Loses $9 Billion In A Day As Goldman Sachs Pours Cold Water On Meta Stock Rally
Zuckerberg’s $9 billion loss was the biggest single-day drop among any billionaire Friday.
28595207
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The Heritage Foundation laid out how they were going to rescind Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in education, by first targeting trans people's participation in sport. Capitulating on the human rights of transgender people is catastrophically falling at the first hurdle.
92028712
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 29/09/2026
Reuters got some of the IPO docs. Anthropic is a total dog of a company. Spent $12.6bn to make $4.6bn in revenue in 2025, $7.33bn of which was compute costs. Operating loss of $8bn. Losses getting worse year over year. Amazing stuff www.reuters.com/business/fin...
Summary
Companies
• Anthropic IPO could value the company at more than $2
trillion
• Anthropic lost $42 billion in 2025
• Al lab spent $7.33 billion on compute and infrastructure last year
• Operating loss widened to $8.06 billion in 2025 from $2.98 billion in 2024
• Execs, industry analysts have expressed concerns over harms of Al tech
Sept 28 (Reuters) - Anthropic is making a massive bet that Al will transform the global economy more profoundly than industrialization, electricity and the internet, according to its IPO prospectus seen by Reuters.
But the cost to get there will be staggering. Anthropic reported a net loss of $42 billion in 2025, and plans to spend $518 billion on cloud, computing and infrastructure obligations in coming year, according to the
prospectus.
17341621400
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
tamara nopper @tamaranopper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I am frequently reminded of Fred Hampton’s point that “we have to educate the people as to who their enemy really is.” And that “the people” includes all of us.
0192
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Andrew Schreck @andrewschreck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
i don't think cis guys realize how much power they can shift in a conversation just by casually telling their friends
"that's fucked up, man" when someone says something
82131583623
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
When they get back in power, Democrats need to go all-in on higher education. We need a campaign of reinvestment in public universities across the country that makes the Morrill Land-Grant Act look like nothing by comparison *and* a GI Bill of Rights-style program of tuition grants.
20752441428
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Melissa Gira Grant @melissagiragrant.com · 28/09/2026
I haven't had anything to add re: Cornell, because I don't think anyone wants to use this space to reckon with the fact that none of these systems are meant to help you, unless you are a university seeking to minimize your legal exposure. It's not fair to ask strangers to reckon with that here.
658086
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
nick @unionnick.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
On the *same day* the Cornell Seven drugged and raped Jane Doe, Cornell banned four students (including the President of Cornell JVP) from campus for three years for nonviolent, pro-Palestine protests. The same Cornell officials let the rapists off with apology essays.
6052752113
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Luke O'Neil @lukeoneil47.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Every college in this country decided that expelling and/or sending the police to beat the shit out of their own students for the crime of being opposed to genocide was their top priority. That and giving Trump complete control of what they teach. Contrast that with how they treat rapists.
91951534
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 26/09/2026
A group of locals is trying to reclaim city spots for the people—including lobbying to turn vacant lots into gardens and fighting the event venue Guastavino’s over a courtyard. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
newyorker.com
Are Public Spaces Really for the Public?
A group of locals is trying to reclaim city spots for the people—including lobbying to turn vacant lots into gardens and fighting the event venue Guastavino’s over a courtyard.
0386
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
ve, the ghost of info past @vortexegg.com · 28/09/2026
The push to make it so that "websites as a destination for humans is over" is an intentional move to violate the freedom to read of individuals and move access to information into a "pay to get an opaquely intermediated version from a nontransparent source" model.
717059
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Technology enthusiasts severely overestimate the average person’s desire or willingness or capacity to build and use AI agents. I understand some work roles that could mandate or encourage it but that is no way a tech revolution. Agents are best for structured, clearly delineated tasks.
331890306
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Simon is on strike ✊🏻 @simonxix.com · 28/09/2026
Historic England outsourced their digital image provision to a third-party company. Then the company went bust and now all their images are inaccessible. Tell me again how outsourcing to the private sector is sustainable?
8238131
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Bright D Limm 임대중 @bdlimm.myatproto.social · 28/09/2026
Nearly 500K people in NYS are officially unemployed. But what if each of these people could go to a government agency that— • Intakes what kinds of jobs they're willing to do; and • Matches them with a government job that meets a known public need? I think this is possible, if NY takes 4 steps. 🧵
2298
Reposted by Dylan Flesch
Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
California gave its young free tuition from the founding of UC Berkeley in the 1870s until the 1960s.
17811