A visual exploration of how a critical piece of social infrastructure came to be.

Editor’s note: This month, CityLab’s visual storyteller Ariel Aberg-Riger shares the story of how America’s public libraries came to be, and their uneven history of serving all who need them.

Further Reading:

About the Author

Ariel Aberg-Riger
Ariel Aberg-Riger

Ariel Aberg-Riger is a self-taught artist and visual storyteller who lives in Buffalo. By day, she works as a Creative Director in New York.