Welcome to Litsy!

There were a lot of negative reviews for this book. The life and work of a librarian is one that has always fascinated me. Spending a lot of time at a Planned Parenthood clinic, and having had a close friend who worked at a public library, I was prepared for some of the experiences the author mentioned, as they all intersect. Libraries did not have an equitable origin. Today, they and their workers are struggling—not only because they⬇️

The actual light that libraries provide comes not just from the books and resources and shared resources but from the people within them and the stories they carry—both the library workers and the patrons. That light beams that we can care for others more justly, equally, and empathetically. That we can do so without tying it to capitalism, to profit and commodity. That we might all have a willingness to bolster and create shared free spaces,⬇️

2/5
- Badly structured, ideas not well organized
- Too much auto flagellation. Recognizing privileges is good, but here it's just too much, nearly caricatural
- What is the point of this book? Not clear. Her experience working at a public library is actually a small portion of this book...
- She points interesting issues, but her thought process seems unfinished, blurry.
This book is lacking on so many levels, wanted to bail...

Something about this time of year. I had a similar interaction recently at a different branch. I told them to forget my face 🤣 #LitsyHumor

This book is informative about the changing demands that public libraries face today. I understand that it is controversial,because the author left her position working in Washington DC after a short period of time. There are 11 pages of source materials in the Notes section at the end of the book. I appreciate that it raises awareness.

This photograph was taken in front of a local library. The memorial fountain was erected in 1924.

I come to this book with over 20 years in public libraries, 17 of which with a masters degree…and I also don‘t like eating someone‘s personal experience, but yet, I just can‘t keep reading this.

Oliver writes with a very bitter tone. Given her experiences in her short-lived public library experience (less than a year), I can understand some of her bitterness. She works in the DC public library system, which cannot be easy. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

I read somewhere that anyone involved with a public library should read this book. So, I immediately reserved it.

This was disappointing. Oliver comes across as a privileged, entitled brat who wants it both ways. She screams about all the problems inherent in the job she only lasted nine months in (many of these problems are worth exploring) without offering solutions or demonstrating that she attempted any meaningful change while there. More screed/polemic than useful narrative.

I read this because I work in the same library system she did but I was not the target audience. Also, this was marketed as something very different than what it actually is.

Welp, May was not my month for reading! THREE out of state mini vacays may have had something to do with this.

This has been on my TBR list for a while, Hoopla had it available so I gave it a go. A good read for those that have great interest in libraries and current socioeconomic challenges that libraries face.

This book is part memoir of the author‘s brief time working for the DC public library and part social economics. She covers a lot of what libraries do and have become, and it‘s all prevalent and true, but I wish she talked more about programs, events, community partners etc. My library system (between DC/Baltimore) does a great job of supporting staff and the community, and I wish more of these aspects were highlighted in the book. I ❤️ my job!

Former librarian Oliver takes a looks at what libraries can do for their most vulnerable users and how MLS education fails to offer the social work training that is often required of librarians. She worked in underfunded schools and at a DC branch that saw many houseless patrons. She discussed how modernization of older libraries often favors what more wealthy clients would use. She writes the empathy fatigue that caused her to change careers. ⬇️