Plot:

I’m a librarian. Every day I encounter people. I serve the regulars, the crime enthusiastics, the bookworms, the homeless, the eccentrics, the jobless, the teenagers, the toddlers, the aged. I know my community well. And they know me.

The library is a sanctuary for some, a place for warmth for others and, on many occassions, an internet cafe. It’s not always the books that bring us together. That’s why you might be surprised to hear that I’ve been a witness to an attempted murder, a target for a drugs gang and the last hope for people in desperate poverty. The quirks of library life. But what I didn’t expect was for a simple part-time job to become a passionate battle for survivial, both for me and for the library.

I’m sharing stories from my daily life to show you that being a librarian isn’t what you think it is. Libraries are falling apart at the seams and we need to start caring before its too late. So this is my eye-opening account of the strange and wonderful library that saved me and why I’m on a mission to save yours.

Review:

This is a must-read for those curious about what really goes on in libraries! Allie I feel seems to have a unique point of view as she has worked in a few different branches over the years which means she has witnessed some dangerous situations which you would not expect to ever occur whilst your working a job like this. I have learned a lot of what is within this job role and I have a new found respect for library workers especially those in particular types of areas.

Allie successfully transitions from Twitter to print in her frank observations about libraries and the people who use them, from society’s most vulnerable to the people who just love to read. I was delighted to see her quirky and loveable personality seen on Twitter was present throughout the book.
Allie shines a spotlight on parts of our society who are normally forgotten about in normal times, let alone our current difficult times (well, those of mainly 2020 and 2021 so far) I enjoyed how she has discussed the difficulties. We can all recognise the management described in this work. The ones totally out of their depth or just completely out of touch with normal life. It really does make you angrily think, where is my tax money going if not on these vital services?
However the book is not just about library’s. Allie adds her own mental health issues throughout and shared her struggles and coping mechanisms in her own unique way.
This is delightful book. A real eye opener and a must read.

4/5 Stars