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Candidates defend libraries and urge protections for federal data and public records
Summary
At the Hartford debate, candidates said public libraries are essential and warned that federal records and data are being removed; they urged congressional action to protect access to government information and to prevent erasure of histories.
Sitting in the Downtown Hartford Public Library, candidates affirmed the role of public libraries in providing free access to information. Luke Bronin described the venue as a model and warned that the administration "is erasing records from the federal government" and "refusing to post data" such as climate and labor statistics. Ruth Fortune countered that not everyone has equal access to information and called for laws to "preserve and protect information, not allow histories to be whitewashed." John Larson and Jillian Gilchrist likewise emphasized libraries' role and said government must ensure reliable public data.
Why it matters: Access to government data and library resources affects research, public accountability and local services. Candidates tied the issue to broader concerns about transparency and fairness across communities.
