In researching her previous book, ‘The Dead Beat,’ which celebrates the pleasures of obituaries, Marilyn Johnson discovered that, with few exceptions, ‘the most engaging obit subjects were librarians.’ Motivated by ‘the idea that libraries were where it was happening — wide-open territory for innovators, activists, and pioneers,’ Johnson has now turned her attention to librarians, whom she refers to variously as ‘natural intelligence operatives’ and ‘enablers,’ with the good ones possessing ‘all of the skills and characteristics required for that work: curiosity, wide-ranging knowledge, good memories, organizational and analytical aptitude, and discretion.’
Each of the 12 chapters in ‘This Book Is Overdue’ highlights some dimension of contemporary librarianship in an information-overloaded world, including libraries on the digital frontier, library-related blogs, the riches of the New York Public Library and archivists working to preserve ‘what’s worth saving.’
From the Washington Post, a review of a book that will surely intrigue us all.
As it happens, I just finished reading The Dead Beat and have started This Book Is Overdue. Both are right up my alley!