Review: Librarian Tales - William Ottens

 

 

Review: Librarian Tales - William Ottens - September 2020

Some books arrive in your life at exactly the right moment. Librarian Tales by William Ottens was a birthday present, and it was the perfect one for a self-proclaimed bookworm and bibliophile like me.

This book was written for librarians, by a librarian. It's part memoir, part behind-the-desk confessional, and it doesn't shy away from any side of the job. There's the fun, the ugly, and the endless parade of weird and wacky things we see and get asked. If you've ever worked a library desk, you'll be nodding along, laughing, and occasionally wincing in recognition. And if you haven't, it's a wonderful peek behind the curtain at what librarians really get up to (spoiler: it's a lot more than stamping books).

It spoke to me because books and readers' advisory are my true passion. I was that librarian. I had the Dewey Decimal system memorised. I remembered what each customer read so I could hand them their next favourite book. I made myself familiar with every new book that came through the door, and I chatted with customers on a personal level. I knew my library card number off by heart, and I was nicknamed "the walking catalogue" because I was quicker than the computer. I even wrote a readers' advisory column for our newsletter and website called Myrtle the Reading Librarian. Yes, I was the Children's and Teen's / Branch Librarian, and I loved every page of it.

Reading this book, I'll admit I miss it. Sometimes I really do miss working in a library. Then I remember why I left. It became a toxic environment, and near the end I was in a downward spiral of self-sabotage, suicidal thoughts and sickness. I had to leave for my own mental health. It also left me with PTSD, and even now I can't walk into a library without feeling horrible and wanting to get out as fast as I can. Even writing that hurts, because the library was my first love. I never imagined I'd be coming up on six years without using one. Seeing that written down still shocks me.

So it's a bittersweet thing to read a book that captures so much of what I adored about the job. Librarian Tales gave me a chance to remember the joy of it, the people, the stories and the small daily magic of matching a reader with the right book, without the weight of the rest. For that, I'm grateful to William Ottens.

This book is for  Librarians, former librarians, library lovers, and anyone who has ever wondered what really goes on behind that desk. It's warm, funny and honest, and it reminds you that libraries are held together by people who care.

As for me, my dream job is still working in a school library or a bookshop. If you're a local Tauranga school or bookshop on the lookout, I'm available for full-time work. I promise I can find the book you're thinking of from a vague description of the cover.

Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0d7r33sO