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readinginspace3's review
3.0
This felt like a good start. We need to discuss the social institution of the Public Library much more than we do and with this kind of systemic awareness. Having worked in a public library (around 8 months myself), I know firsthand how challenging it can be to offer public services to folks without the support or training to do so.
However, at times this book felt like it was using the patrons (telling sensational stories) to say "look how bad this is" rather than framing these stories as evidence of systemic injustice. Sort of "look how hard it is to serve this population because of their actions" rather than "look how hard it is to serve this population because there is no governmental support for the work libraries actually do."
I'm not sure. I think we need more of this, and I think there are real hints at nuance here. It just didn't come together for me.
However, at times this book felt like it was using the patrons (telling sensational stories) to say "look how bad this is" rather than framing these stories as evidence of systemic injustice. Sort of "look how hard it is to serve this population because of their actions" rather than "look how hard it is to serve this population because there is no governmental support for the work libraries actually do."
I'm not sure. I think we need more of this, and I think there are real hints at nuance here. It just didn't come together for me.
erine's review
3.0
This starts out uneven, clunky, and a bit preachy. Once Oliver gets to her experiences in the public library, things even out a bit and there's a focus that pulled me along to the end. The crux of the book narrows in on Oliver's nine months at a challenging branch of the DC public library. While I'm a public librarian in a well-funded, suburban, single-branch library, the problems she describes are well-known to librarians the country over. Trying to balance freedom of information and access to the library itself with creating and enforcing reasonable and fair behavior standards, while at the same time satisfying a widely varied pool of community needs as an institution that is both free and open to all is no simple task. Each community experiences all these demands differently and has its own challenges in implementing solutions, but despite the fact that my own experience is much more fundamentally mild than Oliver's, I was easily able to relate to her struggles.
Despite her mere nine months on the job, I thought Oliver did a decent job at describing many of the conflicts and difficulties facing libraries, including that sneaky concept of vocational awe. Librarians are not superheroes, nor should they be placed on a pedestal. But much like other public services, the necessity of the job frequently gets in the way of appropriate support. We've seen teachers and medical professionals get stuck in this same whirlpool: the services are necessary, the professions are inherently noble, and so the professionals should thrive on all the "rewarding" experiences they have. Funding, additional support, and other considerations that would make these jobs easier somehow rarely manifest.
In the end, this was more individual memoir than a roadmap for the profession, although Oliver offers a good amount of context to her personal experiences.
Additional notes:
Data is not just numbers, but numbers plus the experiential knowledge and context of the librarian. Circ stats and door counts do not exist in a vacuum.
I've read before about how "first responders" are not really first. First responders are whoever is on the scene (bystanders, ordinary people, librarians). Oliver hammers on this point, and notes that librarians are responders at all levels -- first, second, and post-emergency -- which puts a unique kind of stress on them.
Librarians are explorers, withholding the appearance of judgment, demonstrating and explaining as they adventure alongside patrons to find answers.
Despite her mere nine months on the job, I thought Oliver did a decent job at describing many of the conflicts and difficulties facing libraries, including that sneaky concept of vocational awe. Librarians are not superheroes, nor should they be placed on a pedestal. But much like other public services, the necessity of the job frequently gets in the way of appropriate support. We've seen teachers and medical professionals get stuck in this same whirlpool: the services are necessary, the professions are inherently noble, and so the professionals should thrive on all the "rewarding" experiences they have. Funding, additional support, and other considerations that would make these jobs easier somehow rarely manifest.
In the end, this was more individual memoir than a roadmap for the profession, although Oliver offers a good amount of context to her personal experiences.
Additional notes:
Data is not just numbers, but numbers plus the experiential knowledge and context of the librarian. Circ stats and door counts do not exist in a vacuum.
I've read before about how "first responders" are not really first. First responders are whoever is on the scene (bystanders, ordinary people, librarians). Oliver hammers on this point, and notes that librarians are responders at all levels -- first, second, and post-emergency -- which puts a unique kind of stress on them.
Librarians are explorers, withholding the appearance of judgment, demonstrating and explaining as they adventure alongside patrons to find answers.
book_hound_ross's review
I enjoyed the first 15% or so but this seems like more of a memoir than I thought it was going to be. Also the author only worked in a public library for 9 months? Just wasn't feeling this one.
abbuelita's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Hmm…not quite what I was expecting. It felt a little bit disjointed at times and maybe like it could have used a more cohesive narrative/approach.
oisinthewizard's review
Got the audiobook. Did not enjoy the cadence of the narrator. Am also unsure of the premise: that libraries are assumed to be egalitarian spaces while being contrasted with a reality that librarians actually have to deal with the public. Seems like a bold assumption made by the author - maybe it's backed up further in the book but I didn't get there.
lattelibrarian's review
informative
medium-paced
4.25
If people want to know what it's like to work in a library, I'd recommend both this book and the film The Public. Thank goodness that my everyday life isn't filled with being called expletives or having to stay late at night due to a sit-in.
I work at a particularly slow branch in an urban system, much like Oliver's system, and over the course of my time across the entire library we've called 911, filed incident reports, taken trainings on de-escalation, helped with research, helped with job hunts, helped with resumes, and so much more for all demographics of people.
And honestly? Yeah, there's only so much you can take. Oliver places you front and center at her branch and makes you look at what librarians deal with: sexual harassment, being called a bitch, buildings in disrepair, managerial failures, lack of budgeting, lack of general support. And if you think that's bad, think of all the people who NEED the library. The people who need shelter. And sleep. And food. And jobs. And climate control. The list goes on for librarians and library patrons but there's never any support from the actual city.
Where is the funding for job support? We don't need it, the library has it! Where's the funding for education? We don't need that, the library can help!
It's a lot of pressure to put on just one city department and even more pressure for the librarians and library staff, too. So what I'm trying to say here is that I completely understand Oliver's perspective here. Working in library sciences can be traumatic. It can also be hugely rewarding. But the line is difficult between needing to help, needing to be your own person, needing to care, and needing boundaries. It's a difficult path to take, and one that is forever evolving.
I work at a particularly slow branch in an urban system, much like Oliver's system, and over the course of my time across the entire library we've called 911, filed incident reports, taken trainings on de-escalation, helped with research, helped with job hunts, helped with resumes, and so much more for all demographics of people.
And honestly? Yeah, there's only so much you can take. Oliver places you front and center at her branch and makes you look at what librarians deal with: sexual harassment, being called a bitch, buildings in disrepair, managerial failures, lack of budgeting, lack of general support. And if you think that's bad, think of all the people who NEED the library. The people who need shelter. And sleep. And food. And jobs. And climate control. The list goes on for librarians and library patrons but there's never any support from the actual city.
Where is the funding for job support? We don't need it, the library has it! Where's the funding for education? We don't need that, the library can help!
It's a lot of pressure to put on just one city department and even more pressure for the librarians and library staff, too. So what I'm trying to say here is that I completely understand Oliver's perspective here. Working in library sciences can be traumatic. It can also be hugely rewarding. But the line is difficult between needing to help, needing to be your own person, needing to care, and needing boundaries. It's a difficult path to take, and one that is forever evolving.