Libraries Get It Right While We Get It Wrong

Feminist Book Club: The Podcast
In today’s two-part episode, you’ll hear some of our contributors take a deep dive into a smattering of library systems across the United States. It’s fascinating to compare and contrast different regions, especially in light of funding threats. Libraries certainly do it right. Then hear from a woman who did it all wrong–Rax King–as she discusses her new book Sloppy.
Libraries Across America (0:22)
Join Jordy, Shoshana, and Mariquita as they explore the contrasts between funding and accessibility to teen summer reading lists in urban and rural libraries across the U.S. This episode is packed with insights, book recommendations, questions about equity, and a deep dive into what public libraries really offer their communities.
Doing It All Wrong with Rax King (29:53)
Rax King, author of Sloppy Or: Doing It All Wrong, joins Ashley to discuss what it means to do it all wrong. They also discuss themes including privilege, power, and recovery. A great point of note is when Rax discussed what pop culture does well about bad behavior.
Books/Resources Mentioned:
Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
The Last Session by Jasmine Walls
Queen of Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants by Rebecca E. Hirsch
American Royals by Katharine McGee
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia
A Self-Defense Study Guide for Transwomen & Gender Non-Conforming/Nonbinary AMAB Folks by Transfighters
Our Voice of Fire by Brandi Morin
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
If I had Only Told Her by Laura Nowlin
Adventures in the Northwoods by Lois Walfrid Johnson
Sloppy Or Doing It All Wrong by Rax King
References
Seminole County Public Library Homepage
Orange County Summer Teen Recommendations
Glades County Public Library Homepage
Suffolk County Public Library Homepage
Boston Public Library Summer Reading List for Grades 9-12
Berkshire County Library Homepage
Dixon Public Library Reading List
Chicago Public Library Homepage
Chicago Public Library Reading List (fiction)
Chicago Public Library Reading List (non-fiction)
Madison County Public Library Homepage
Madison County Public Library Reading List
Louisville Free Public Library Homepage
Louisville Free Public Library Reading List
Multnomah County Public Library Homepage
Multnomah County Public Library – As My Librarian
Josephine Community Library District
Milwaukee County Public Library Homepage
Sawyer County – Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library Homepage
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Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky
Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads
Follow Ashley: Instagram
Follow Rax King: Instagram
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This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people.
Original music by Amarissa
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