If you're looking for a fast, fun read this weekend, I have just the book for you: I Work At A Public Library by Gina Sheridan.
If you don't currently or haven't ever worked in a library, this will read like fiction. Or maybe a crazy joke book with funny but impossible anecdotes.
Librarians and staff know otherwise. As some of you know, I used to be a librarian at a university. Yes, I helped students find research articles for their papers, but I also helped them research topics like what kind of tattoo designs they wanted. (Librarian Tip: It's best to seek out an authoritative source if you want a Chinese character for a tattoo, rather than relying on the translations at the tattoo shop.) Trust me, there's all sorts of crazy stuff that happens along the quest for
knowledge: misunderstandings, expectations, a mix of laugh-out-loud
funny and sweet and heartwarming moments.
The author writes a popular blog and has collected stories from a wide range of readers for inclusion in this volume. To add to the fun, she's used library-style headings for each entry such as "Pizza, Stupid" or "Autobiographies, Dragon."
A few examples:
- A woman wants to get her free "wiffy" (wi-fi), but doesn't have a laptop, tablet, or smart phone.
- A little boy asks for books on scoundrels after a weekend visit from Grandpa.
- A library patron wants a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey's Anatomy.
For my jewelry making readers, check out page 142 and the mention of the "sparkle librarian."
After reading this book, you might be like a friend of mine ("I could never work in a library!") or if you're
like me, you might feel strangely nostalgic for the steady stream of
craziness that used to be part of your work day.
This is the kind of book that's irresistible to read aloud. Think about getting it for car trips and other occasions where you have a trapped and attentive audience.
Happy Friday!