The Quiet Revolution: How Libraries Show Us the Circular Economy in Action

Walk through the doors of any library—whether the sunlit reading rooms of the Boston Public Library, the dark but delightful basement stacks of Harvard's Widener, or the vibrant, bright community spaces of Medford’s newly reimagined library—and you are entering more than a collection of books. You’re stepping into one of humanity’s oldest, most resilient experiments in circularity.

Libraries, quietly and persistently, have modeled a system that values shared resources, community empowerment, and the collective betterment of society. Long before the term “circular economy” became a buzzword, libraries were living it.

What is that smell?

The smell of old books comes from the slow breakdown of paper and ink over time. As cellulose and lignin in the paper degrade, they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like vanillin (which smells like vanilla), benzaldehyde (almond-like), and furfural (sweet and earthy). These combine into that familiar warm, nostalgic scent—part science, part memory—unique to well-aged pages and quiet shelves. I personally LOVE the smell.

A Historical Loop of Knowledge Sharing

The story of libraries is as old as civilization itself. From the clay tablets of ancient Mesopotamia to the legendary halls of the Library of Alexandria, and the monastic scriptoria of the Middle Ages, libraries have long represented the impulse to preserve, share, and build upon human knowledge. But the greatest leap came in the 19th and 20th centuries, when the public library as we know it emerged—free, accessible, and open to all.

It was a radical proposition: that knowledge should not be hoarded or monetized, but circulated. That citizens, regardless of income, age, or background, should have access to the tools to educate themselves, dream, and grow. A library card became a passport—not to ownership, but to stewardship.

You were trusted to borrow, to care for, to return—and in doing so, to keep the cycle alive for others. That model instilled not just access, but responsibility, participation, and respect for shared resources. It was, and still is, a vision of society at its best: equitable, generous, circular. A quiet, radical idea that continues to echo across generations.

Random Side Note - Favorite Doctor Who Episode!

One of my all time favorite episodes of the British classic TV series Doctor Who is "Silence in the Library." The episode finds the Doctor and his companion Donna Noble arrive at an enormous, planet-sized library in the 51st century—completely empty, eerily silent, and filled with shadows that kill. Blending sci-fi and horror, the episode explores digital consciousness, memory preservation, and nonlinear relationships—posing deep questions about identity, technology, and how time can be rewritten or recorded, like books in a library. It's a haunting, clever tale that’s both emotionally rich and conceptually futuristic. Plus the acting is just superb.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/S4_08

The Medford Model: Circularity Meets Sustainability

This vision of circularity finds a particularly inspiring embodiment in Medford, Massachusetts. As the city celebrates 150 years of its public library on High Street in 2025, it also celebrates a bold leap into the future. The Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library is Massachusetts’s first net-zero energy public library. Its more than 600 solar panels generate enough power to completely offset the building’s energy use, and since their installation, they’ve prevented over 1.1 million pounds of CO₂ emissions—the equivalent of planting over 8,600 trees.

This isn’t just symbolism; it’s strategy. Here is a building where books are borrowed, not bought; where tools and tech are lent, not owned; and where the very electricity is harvested from sunlight and cycled back into the community. It’s a temple of knowledge and an engine of sustainability.

Libraries as Community Catalysts

Libraries are among the few civic spaces where no purchase is required, where all are welcome. In Medford alone, programs bring people together for everything from toddler story time to civic engagement workshops. It hosts book clubs, like Planet and Pages (A Climate Book Club) run by Trove's Clare Flaherty, authors and community speakers, girl scout meetings, and music events too! The library is a maker space, a digital access point, a teen refuge, a job hunt ally, and a neighborhood anchor—all in one.

It’s hard to overstate the radical equity of a space like this. In an age of increasing privatization, surveillance, and transactional culture, libraries hold firm in their commitment to openness. You are not a consumer here. You are a participant in a living, breathing commons.

"Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation." - Walter Cronkite (1916-2009. American broadcast journalist, in American Library Association "Libraries Change Lives" Campaign, 1995)

A Blueprint for What Could Be

When we talk about a circular economy—a world in which resources are reused, systems are regenerative, and society is oriented around sharing and sustainability—we don’t need to imagine it from scratch. Libraries have been living that future for centuries.

"Everything you need for better future and success has already been written. And guess what? All you have to do is go to the library." Henri Frederic Amiel  (1821-1881. Swiss moral philosopher, poet, and critic)

They remind us that abundance can be measured not by ownership, but by access. That the health of a community is reflected not in its wealthiest members, but in its shared spaces. That innovation and tradition can coexist—just look to Medford, where a 150-year-old institution now runs on solar power and community dreams.

So step into your local library. See the revolution humming beneath the quiet. And know that, in those walls, the best of what society can be is not just preserved—it’s being practiced.

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MPL 150th Celebration

Monday, June 30th, at 4:00—6:00 PM

Bonsignore Hall + Kitchen

Medford Public Library

111 High Street, Medford, MA, 02155

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Come join the Medford Public Library Foundation in celebrating our 150th year of being on High Street! There will be food, giveaways, and lots of fun.