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wildwafflesreads 's review for:
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean
While "The Library Book" centers around the 1986 fire in the Los Angeles Central Library, it really is more of a love story to books, libraries, librarians and the roles these play in our communities. Libraries have long been the agents of social change, bastions of inclusion and acceptance, encouraging open minds and explorations into new ideas. Beautiful writing, engaging story telling, fascinating research and history make this book a true gem. Having grown up in Los Angeles, it was extra special for me to read about the city and the many city workers and volunteers over the years who have poured their support into the LA Public Library system.
"It wasn't that time stopped in the library. It was as if it were captured here, collected here, and in all libraries - and not only my time, my life, but all human time as well. In the library, time is dammed up - not just stopped but saved. The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever". (pg. 11-12).
"The publicness of the public library is an increasingly rare commodity. It becomes harder all the time to think of places that welcome everyone and don't charge any money for that warm embrace. The commitment to inclusion is so powerful that many decisions about the library hinge on whether or not a particular choice would cause a subset of the public to feel uninvited." (pg. 67).
"It wasn't that time stopped in the library. It was as if it were captured here, collected here, and in all libraries - and not only my time, my life, but all human time as well. In the library, time is dammed up - not just stopped but saved. The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever". (pg. 11-12).
"The publicness of the public library is an increasingly rare commodity. It becomes harder all the time to think of places that welcome everyone and don't charge any money for that warm embrace. The commitment to inclusion is so powerful that many decisions about the library hinge on whether or not a particular choice would cause a subset of the public to feel uninvited." (pg. 67).