The public record is the foundation of an informed democracy, but in the digital age, it is more fragile than ever. In this timely conversation, Merrilee Proffitt (Democracy’s Library at the Internet Archive), James Jacobs (Stanford University), and Christopher Marcum (Federation of American Scientists) examine the growing challenges of preserving government information in the digital age. As government websites, scientific datasets, public health guidance, and other public records can be altered, removed, or lost with unprecedented speed, they explore the critical role libraries, archives, and civil society organizations play in safeguarding trustworthy public knowledge.

This conversation was recorded on 6/23/2026.

Check out all of the Future Knowledge episodes at https://archive.org/details/future-knowledge

In Big Fiction, author and Emory University professor Dan Sinykin examines how decades of mergers and acquisitions have transformed the publishing industry, and how those changes have shaped what it means to be an author. Sinykin explores the rise of the “Big Five” publishing houses, the pursuit of blockbuster titles, and what the consolidation of publishing means for the books we read and the culture they create. Joining Sinykin in conversation is humanities scholar Ted Underwood.

Grab your copy of Big Fiction: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/big-fiction/9780231192941/ 

This conversation was recorded on 5/9/2024.

Check out all of the Future Knowledge episodes at https://archive.org/details/future-knowledge

In Reclaiming Fair Use, copyright scholars Patricia Aufderheide and Peter Jaszi argue that fair use is not merely an exception to copyright law, but one of its core principles, enabling creativity, scholarship, journalism, education, and cultural participation. In this discussion they explain how fair use works in practice, dispel common misconceptions, and show how creators, educators, librarians, filmmakers, and others can confidently exercise their rights. Joining Aufderheide and Jaszi in conversation is co-host Dave Hansen from Authors Alliance.

Grab your copy of Reclaiming Fair Use: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/R/bo28242133.html

This conversation was recorded on 9/24/2024.

Check out all of the Future Knowledge episodes at https://archive.org/details/future-knowledge

What does it mean to preserve culture in an age of disappearing websites, platform-controlled media, and fragile digital memories? In the final episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, Future Knowledge hosts Dave Hansen and Chris Freeland sit down with musician and series host Vida Vojić and producer Alice Bridgwood to reflect on the conversations, ideas, and lessons that emerged throughout the series.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

Languages can vanish just as easily as books, websites, or archives, and when they do, entire ways of understanding the world can disappear with them. In the fifth episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, host Vida Vojić speaks with Peter Scholing of Biblioteca Nacional Aruba and the Coleccion Aruba digital heritage platform about the importance of preserving Papiamento, Aruba’s creole language, and the cultural heritage it carries.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

Folktales are living records of culture, identity, and collective memory. In the fourth episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, host Vida Vojić speaks with writer and researcher Helen Nde, founder of Mythological Africans, and folklorist Laura Gibbs about the importance of preserving African folklore in the digital age. Together, they explore how stories help communities understand themselves, pass down knowledge across generations, and make sense of a changing world.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

Queer history has often been overlooked, erased, or excluded from traditional archives. In the third episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, host Vida Vojić speaks with writer, artist, and archivist Brooke Palmieri about the vital role queer archives play in preserving memory, identity, and community. Drawing on his work with CAMP BOOKS and his research into LGBTQ+ history, Brooke explores why archives matter—not just as collections of records, but as tools for helping people understand where they come from and imagine new futures.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

Why preserve a cookbook? In the second episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, host Vida Vojić speaks with Katie Livingston, a doctoral researcher at Stanford University who studies domestic culture and women’s literature. Through the lens of family cookbooks, recipe collections, and food traditions, Katie explores why everyday cultural artifacts deserve preservation and what they can teach us about history, identity, and community.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

As more of our cultural heritage moves online, a troubling question is emerging: what happens when the things we create, share, and cherish simply disappear? In the first episode of our special six-part series on Vanishing Culture, host Vida Vojić speaks with author and humanities scholar Luca Messarra, author of the Internet Archive’s Vanishing Culture, about the growing threat of cultural loss in the digital age.

Read Vanishing Culture for free at the Internet Archive or purchase in print: https://archive.org/details/vanishing-culture-2026

In Transaction Denied: How Financial Institutions Silence Dissent and Undermine Democracy, author Rainey Reitman examines the growing phenomenon of financial censorship, in which banks, payment processors, and credit card networks can restrict access to financial services based on speech, identity, or perceived risk. From voting rights organizations and educators to adult content creators and cannabis entrepreneurs, Reitman shares stories of individuals and communities who have found themselves excluded from the financial system, and explores what these cases reveal about power, free expression, and democratic participation in the digital age. Joining Reitman in conversation is author and journalist Annalee Newitz.

Grab your copy of Transaction Denied: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/transaction-denied-big-finance-s-power-to-punish-speech-9780807019115/new

This conversation was recorded on 6/3/2026.

Check out all of the Future Knowledge episodes at https://archive.org/details/future-knowledge