“At 9 he saw his first Broadway show, Anything Goes, with the Broadway belter Ethel Merman, which explains everything.” – The New York Times

The most radical institution in America right now may be the public library. Branches are lending power tools, musical instruments, even prom dresses alongside the books (The New York Times) — running on the premise that you should be able to borrow what you can’t afford to own. Essentially the new Commons.

Universal has started skipping the influencer screenings and is taking The Odyssey straight to the few remaining professional film critics (Wired), a bet that expertise still sells tickets. Meanwhile, the limited series, prestige TV’s darling, is collapsing under its own weight (Vulture), and Quibi turns out to have been right about microdrama, just half a decade early (The Seattle Times).

Two novelists made the same argument from opposite temperaments. Dave Eggers warns that once a machine writes for you, “you’re cooked as a species” (The Guardian); Margaret Atwood, more wryly, says the real AI problem is a very old one (Deadline).

And if you’re a George Washington reenactor, the semiquincentennial has made this your year (NPR).

All of our stories below.

A bookstore owner writes, “Queer literature has become one of the growth engines of the publishing industry. L.G.B.T.Q. fiction has never been more visible, more varied or better promoted.” Happy Pride! – The New York Times

“‘In general, at the studios, they systematized the production design, so that it was fast,’ Kanjo said, describing the rigid process as militaristic. ‘Five artists at a time work day after day to get these things done.’” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)

“You’re one of one. … You’re unprecedented in the entire line of human history. Only you have your brain. Only you can think of what you can think of. Only you can tell a story in a particular way. Why would you cede that to a machine?” – The Guardian (UK)

“Why do these shows feel so minor this year? Are we in a limited-series slump, or are viewers looking for a different storytelling vehicle in 2026?” – Vulture

“While it should be noted that any number of TikTok and YouTube content creators will still get to see the film ahead of its release along with the press, the decision to not directly court their buzz has proved widely popular—not least with the film critics themselves.” – Wired

One man “retired a year ago from his ‘regular job’ at an alternative energy company and is reenacting full time these days, while the heightened interest lasts. He and his horse recently set a personal best with three separate events in one weekend.” – NPR

“Blyth was just 17 when she made Mildred Pierce, based on James M. Cain’s hard-boiled 1941 novel. She had begun her movie career in innocent-teen roles, and played sharply against type as the coddled, conceited Veda Pierce.” – The New York Times

“So much of our show is shot so quickly, but then we really get to slow down with these choreographed pieces of kitchen ballet, and that’s also when we feel really strong as a group of performers, where we’re incredibly reliant on one another.” – Los Angeles Times (MSN)

After all, “Library of Things” doesn’t mean only tech things. – The New York Times

“The thing about AI is that it’s garbage in, garbage out,” she said at a book festival. – Deadline

“An intense and impeccably dressed former social worker with hardscrabble West Virginia roots who was blessed with a silken baritone, Mr. Brown acknowledged that he made programming decisions ‘on the basis of one thing — will it help Black people?’” – The New York Times

You’ve heard this one before, right? But: Country music is taking over … in the UK. Excuse us? – The Guardian (UK)

Said one hastily removed artist, “They assured me many times — as recently as two days before the article in the New York Times came out — that there would be no public announcement. … It’s a callous breach of trust.” – Hyperallergic

OK, Hana Sharif resigned under great pressure. She wrote: “The board and I arrived at a crossroads — one defined not by a lack of shared love for this institution, but by differing visions for how Arena Stage should meet the future.” – The New York Times

“With vertically shot episodes often running one to three minutes, microdramas have emerged as one of entertainment’s fastest-growing formats. That’s drawing interest from celebrities, creators and major media companies looking for new ways to reach audiences.” – Seattle Times (AP)

“Reading a good book, I feel like a really hysterical chihuahua barking and trembling, and then someone picks me up, and then I just go limp. You know? Like I’m just calm. … And when I’m there, and when I can actually feel stillness.” – The Atlantic

The Maryhill Museum of Art, on the Washington State side of the Columbia River Gorge, is 150 miles upriver from Portland. Its permanent collection is eclectic, to put it mildly. So how does it get exhibitions, or even help revitalize its own collection? – Oregon ArtsWatch

Brent Ott, Chief Operating Officer of The Henry Ford, talks about their historic exhibits and programming celebrating America 250.

“Anyone who spends even a day with a professional dancer or a ballet troupe could likely come away and already have the core of a body horror flick ready just from seeing all the injuries strapped up and ignored, or hearing the stories of cut-throat auditions.” – Far Out

Ingram Library Services and Penguin Random House have announced a print-on-demand program designed to supply libraries with popular backlist titles.  – Publishers Weekly

The indie movie studio was, for a sizable set of Americans under 40 or so, about as cool as a studio could get. (You never saw anyone wearing a Focus Features hoodie, right?) Then A24 announced a $75 million deal with Google’s AI venture, DeepMind. The fan base is furious. – The Hollywood Reporter