Hyperlinked books and other interconnected information—imagine the AI potential of a truly trustworthy national digital library system. But beware if you want AI companies to be part of the effort. So far they’ve balked at the idea of using only trustworthy content.
That was one of the most important points that Tony Marx, President of the New York Public Library, made in a recent podcast that Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger hosted on LinkedIn.
Marx apparently had in mind material that was trustworthy in the usual library sense. But what to do when lying authoritarians like Donald Trump run the country and can order librarians to offer propaganda, including racist content? Trump and his crew are lawless and eager to flout traditional library norms. Of course, omission might be an even greater risk than commission. For example, the Trump administration is especially keen on censoring certain positive mentions of minorities in American history.
In a comment, I’ve reproduced an AI-generated summary of the podcast. Meanwhile, let me emphasize that the thoughts on propaganda and censorship are my own, not necessarily Tony Marx’s, although I suspect he would share my concerns. Also note that the podcast covered other topics, especially library access for low-income people.
Podcast found via Bob Snyder.
teleread.org 
AI-generated Summary of Podcast Episode: Tony Marx on Libraries, Trust, and AI
Introduction:
Libraries as Trust Hubs in an Age of Misinformation
The episode opens with a powerful idea: in a time when
people are struggling to know who and what to trust, libraries are still widely believed in. Tony Marx, president of the New York Public Library, says libraries remain one of the most trusted institutions in any community. That trust, he argues, is not just a nice extra—it’s their most valuable asset. It gives libraries a unique opportunity to innovate without losing public confidence, even in a world increasingly filled with misinformation, AI-generated hallucinations, and shrinking access to truth.
Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, the hosts of the podcast, introduce the episode’s theme: how can libraries and technology, especially AI, help us build a better, fairer, smarter future? What’s the role of institutions like the New York Public Library in the digital age? And how can we make sure that the benefits of AI are shared fairly, especially with low-income communities?
Tony Marx’s Background: A Life of Education and Justice
Before leading the New York Public Library, Tony Marx had a varied career in education and activism. He grew up in New York City, went to public schools, and felt deeply shaped by his family’s history—his parents had fled Nazi Germany. That early awareness of injustice led him to care about civil rights and global inequality.
In college, Marx became involved in the anti-apartheid movement. Though he didnt originally know much about South Africa, he eventually moved there and spent three years helping to create a one-year prep school that helped Black South African students get admitted into historically white universities.
Under apartheid, Black students were denied quality education, and Marx saw firsthand how much of a difference one year of good education could make. This experience convinced him that human minds, even those badly damaged by systemic oppression, can recover and thrive if given the right support.
After his time in South Africa, he wrote a dissertation on Black politics there, taught at Columbia University, and later became president of Amherst College. Eventually, he returned to New York when the public library reached out to him.
From College President to Library Leader
At first, Marx didn’t think of the library as a place he’d ever work. But a visit to the branch hed grown up with the Inwood Library changed his mind. There, he saw people studying, running businesses, and finding peace in a chaotic city.
One man, who couldn’t read, showed Marx how he came to the library every day during his lunch break just to look at paintings of angels. That moment stuck with him. He realized that libraries weren’t just about books. They were about dignity, learning, and refuge. He decided to take the job. As president, Marx has led a transformation of the New York Public Library. It now serves as more than just a place to borrow books. It offers everything from English language classes to free Wi-Fi, from early education to computer training. The goal: help every New Yorker, no matter how much money they have, find a path to knowledge
and opportunity.
Eliminating Fines and Increasing Access
One early change Marx made was to eliminate late fines. He was shocked to learn that fines discouraged poor families from using the library. Some parents wouldn’t let their kids borrow books because they couldnt afford the risk of a fine. But when the library eliminated those fees, people still returned the books. The data proved that fines weren’t needed for responsibility, but they were a barrier to equity. Instead of punishing people, the library’s focus shifted to encouragement: getting more people to read, visit, and learn.
Libraries as Community Centers and Civic Spaces
Marx talks about libraries as third places after home and
work where people come together. That sense of community is especially important in today’s disconnected world, where technology can isolate people as much as it connects them. Libraries offer a space where people from all walks of life can sit together, learn together, and experience something real. They’ve also started rethinking the use of physical space. In neighborhoods where library buildings need to be replaced, Marx and his team have figured out how to use the air rights above the library to build affordable housing. The Inwood branch, for example, now includes both a modern library and 175 units of affordable housing built above it. It’s a model they’re trying to replicate elsewhere.
Digitization and the Role of AI
The library has roughly 5,457 million items in its collection. Digitizing them all is a massive undertaking. The staff prioritizes what to scan based on urgency how fragile or irreplaceable the item is and demand. For older material, especially from the performing arts, theyre racing against time. Marx shared how old magnetic tapes are literally turning to vinegar, threatening the loss of priceless recordings. AI, Marx says, can help libraries organize, sort, and make sense of huge collections. One challenge libraries face is helping people discover what theyre looking foreven when they dont know what that is. AI could help with this. But it must be done carefully, using verified information, not just scraped internet content. The problem is that some AI companies want to train their models on the librarys entire collection without promising any accountability or accuracy.
When Marx asked companies to build AI using only trustworthy library content, they declined. That moment revealed how far apart the missions of public institutions and private tech companies can be.
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