Across the United States, rugged individualism is a historic cultural principle that people should not rely on government assistance to succeed. Today, the belief is growing rampantly more prominent, especially in conservative policy-making. 

In many ways, values of independence, self-reliance and personal liberty are very appealing and very American. 

Consider the many daily norms in the grand scheme of a capitalistic nation of individualists. In a wealthy suburban neighborhood in the Midwest, every household has its own massive automobile, lawnmower, snowblower and personal gadget for any given circumstance— excessive, but that’s just kind of the standard. 

The prevalence of consumerism feeds into individualism feeds into capitalism, and so on. Today, there are few things you can do or places you can go that do not come at some cost. 

But amidst this formidable culture of everyone being pushed to be their own self-sufficient, industrious person, there does lie an often forgotten sanctuary for community, and it can be found across countless regional dimensions: public libraries. 

At the heart of your neighborhood, public libraries serve as a hub for learning centers, accessible resources and events where shared connections shape a sense of belonging among people of all ages. The shared service funded by your tax dollars is more than just a place to borrow books. In Iowa, local libraries play an essential role in fostering education, preserving local history and cultivating social engagement. 

Libraries offer book clubs, reading challenges, STEM/tech workshops and even adult education programs to community members ranging from toddlers to seniors. On March 3, the Des Moines Public Library has an event titled “Resources & Guidance for the 2025 Tax Filing Season.” Other DSM Public Library events are directed towards supporting: new parents, job seekers, veterans, retirement planners, aspiring writers/artists and enthusiasts of just about any hobby. 

Perhaps most remarkably, libraries put the First Amendment of the Constitution into practice, enabling the practice and protection of intellectual freedom. 

Ray Bradbury’s classic “Fahrenheit 451” is a dystopian novel that explores the value of intellectual freedom through the story of a future America where books are burned and outlawed. If one had any comparative takeaway from dystopian stories like this one, it’s, “Thank goodness we have unrestrained access to public, state-funded institutions that give the means, and even encourage us to be freethinkers.”

Or do we really? The Iowa legislature introduced bill after bill that threatens to chop library funding in Iowa and, nationally, Republican legislators also have their sights set on book banning and censorship. Two weeks ago, HF 521, a bill that would require public libraries to follow obscenity laws, entailing the prohibition of books with sexually explicit content for children and adults, passed out of committee in the House. 

Similarly, SF 235 is a bill regarding obscenity exemptions for public libraries and educational institutions. The Iowa Library Association, an organization that advocates for libraries and library workers in Iowa, urges the rejection of this bill. 

“This bill restricts free speech and access to information, and allows the state to ban books and other materials from libraries and schools that have educational and cultural value. This bill strips citizens of their right to a library free of censorship,” the ILA says on its website. 

It’s worth pondering (the same questions posed in dystopian classics like “Fahrenheit 451” and “1984” by George Orwell), “Hmm, why might our representatives want us to be more and more deprived of free assets that provide accessibility and support, offer perspective and inform? Why might people in positions of power want the masses to not be uneducated – but insufficiently educated, to where they just taste enough knowledge to feel like they have control?” 

Local public libraries are one of the few remaining spaces that offer free, shared and equal-access community. It’s worth asking: Why might elites want to take havens for community like that away?  

In a slew of legislation and bills that attack public libraries, it is more important now than ever to support your local Iowa library. 

First and foremost, show up by taking advantage of the unending events, resources and moments libraries offer in your very own neighborhood. Other ways to help ensure we don’t lose these community spaces are to: volunteer, donate, attend library board meetings, advocate by contacting your reps to reject bills that attack libraries, get involved in campaigns and advocacy groups like the Iowa Library Association and raise awareness among your family and friends. 

Community starts with you, where its strength lies in the actions of individuals– invest in a future where knowledge and connection can flourish by supporting your local library today.