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Meet Me at Your Grandmother’s Library: Negotiating Place and the Purpose of Public Libraries in Memphis Tennessee

Phillips, Laurel G.
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Phillips, Laurel G.
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Public libraries—Tennessee—Memphis, Libraries and community—Tennessee—Memphis, Libraries—Social aspects—Tennessee—Memphis, Third places (Sociology)—United States, Librarians—Interviews—Tennessee—Memphis
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Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies
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2025_rirs_phillips.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10267/36869
Abstract
This research explores the evolving role of public libraries in Memphis, Tennessee, focusing on their function as “third places”—community-centered spaces that exist outside of home and work. Drawing on Ray Oldenburg’s concept of third places, Wayne Wiegand’s historical analysis of American libraries, and Shamichael Hallman’s civic vision for libraries, the paper investigates how Memphis Public Libraries (MPL) serve as inclusive, accessible, and socially vital institutions. Through interviews with librarians across six MPL branches, the author examines how libraries balance traditional roles (like lending books) with broader social responsibilities—such as providing shelter, hosting community programs, and fostering civic dialogue. The study highlights the tension between the “book place” and the “community hub” identities of libraries, ultimately arguing that MPLs are actively negotiating their place and purpose to meet the diverse needs of their communities. The paper concludes that public libraries are not just repositories of books but dynamic civic institutions that offer solutions to societal issues like isolation, inequality, and lack of public gathering spaces.
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This document was received from the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies and uploaded to Dlynx by Rosie Meindl during fall 2025.