<p>Using a podcast format, this dissertation examines our cultural and societal relationships with libraries and archives, both as places of wonder and as places of fear. My examination is conducted through a narratological and rhetorical analysis of four speculative fiction series, including Genevieve Cogman’s <em>The Invisible Library</em> series, A.J. Hackwith’s <em>Hell’s Library</em> series, Rachel Caine’s <em>The Great Library</em> series, and Rod Duncan’s <em>The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire</em> series. My analysis provides the framework for a larger conversation about information accessibility and equity in higher education and the need for open access and open educational resources. Along the way, I provide a transparent perspective on the nature of graduate-level work, the difficulty of the dissertation process, and the mental health struggles that often come along for the ride.</p>
