A new documentary on the public library debuted on PBS's series "Independent Lens" last week. Directed by Lucie Faulknor and Dawn Logsdon, I watched the film twice and highly recommend it. The doc makes the point that the history of the public library is intertwined with women's history and the right to literacy. I was proud of the Wisconsin women highlighted in the doc.
Born in 1866, Lutie Stearns was concerned with the isolation and depression experienced by rural Wisconsinites. She created a traveling library that served those residents - possibly the first example of a bookmobile. Sarah Smith, a citizen of Oneida Nation, returned to Wisconsin after surviving boarding school to create the first library for Indigenous children.
You can watch "Free for All" on the PBS app.
