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| The Entertainment Review |
| By: Scott Douglas Publisher: Da Capo Press |
Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian” by Scott Douglas is a single man’s observation of the world of libraries
Everyone has their own personal thoughts on what a stereotypical librarian is supposed to look and act like. “Quiet,
from behind the reference desk, set in the Anaheim Public Library System. Before Douglas wrote this book he wrote
essays for the website McSweeney’s and his work has appeared in The Morning News, Opium Magazine and The
Pacific Review. He was encouraged to compile his essays into a single book, resulting in “Quest, Please: Dispatches
from a Public Librarian.”
For anyone who has ever worked in a library, this is a fairly humorous book that is easy to understand everything
that Douglas talks about, and former librarian readers will be able to sympathize with his tales of the library patrons in
a small town library. Douglas narrows his stories down to four distinct type of library patrons: homeless people, crazy
people, angry teenagers and old people. Again, those who have ever worked in libraries will know that this really is
the majority of the library’s patrons. His observations of these groups are fairly accurate and though he depicts his
coworkers or the library patrons negatively in a chapter, he sums up the values of being a librarian at the end of
each chapter.
One of the major points that Douglas reiterates throughout the book is that it take more to being a librarian than
simply being well read and reading books. He explains how it is about getting to know the library community and how
to best serve them, that librarians are there to serve the patrons, whether they want to or not. This service comes in
the form of computer classes that many will probably not want to take, checking the bathroom to make sure patrons
are okay and providing story time to children though it may be quite awkward at first. He also explains how libraries
are becoming more modern and many libraries don’t want to make the transition because it would take more work,
though everyone knows that it would be better for everyone. This ranges from having computers with Internet to
having food available for purchase in the library, but small libraries want to books only.
Douglas talks about all of the changes that took place in the library when computers and the Internet were first
introduced and how the reception to these technologies affected the library. The teens took to the computers right
away, while the staff and the elderly kept far away from the new technology. Through this, Douglas showed how it is
impossible to serve all of the communities involved in the library because while the teenage population enjoyed the
new service, the other population was being neglected.
This is an enjoyable book that everyone can read and enjoy, especially with the materials “to be shelved” breaking
up chapters discussing library history and trivia. His writing is sharp witted and cynical at times. His observations are
keen and his descriptions of the patrons and events that occur are often very funny. Anyone who has worked in a
library will appreciate this book the most, but general readers will enjoy this peak into the gritty world of the public
library.
Everyone has their own personal thoughts on what a stereotypical librarian is supposed to look and act like. “Quiet,
from behind the reference desk, set in the Anaheim Public Library System. Before Douglas wrote this book he wrote
essays for the website McSweeney’s and his work has appeared in The Morning News, Opium Magazine and The
Pacific Review. He was encouraged to compile his essays into a single book, resulting in “Quest, Please: Dispatches
from a Public Librarian.”
For anyone who has ever worked in a library, this is a fairly humorous book that is easy to understand everything
that Douglas talks about, and former librarian readers will be able to sympathize with his tales of the library patrons in
a small town library. Douglas narrows his stories down to four distinct type of library patrons: homeless people, crazy
people, angry teenagers and old people. Again, those who have ever worked in libraries will know that this really is
the majority of the library’s patrons. His observations of these groups are fairly accurate and though he depicts his
coworkers or the library patrons negatively in a chapter, he sums up the values of being a librarian at the end of
each chapter.
One of the major points that Douglas reiterates throughout the book is that it take more to being a librarian than
simply being well read and reading books. He explains how it is about getting to know the library community and how
to best serve them, that librarians are there to serve the patrons, whether they want to or not. This service comes in
the form of computer classes that many will probably not want to take, checking the bathroom to make sure patrons
are okay and providing story time to children though it may be quite awkward at first. He also explains how libraries
are becoming more modern and many libraries don’t want to make the transition because it would take more work,
though everyone knows that it would be better for everyone. This ranges from having computers with Internet to
having food available for purchase in the library, but small libraries want to books only.
Douglas talks about all of the changes that took place in the library when computers and the Internet were first
introduced and how the reception to these technologies affected the library. The teens took to the computers right
away, while the staff and the elderly kept far away from the new technology. Through this, Douglas showed how it is
impossible to serve all of the communities involved in the library because while the teenage population enjoyed the
new service, the other population was being neglected.
This is an enjoyable book that everyone can read and enjoy, especially with the materials “to be shelved” breaking
up chapters discussing library history and trivia. His writing is sharp witted and cynical at times. His observations are
keen and his descriptions of the patrons and events that occur are often very funny. Anyone who has worked in a
library will appreciate this book the most, but general readers will enjoy this peak into the gritty world of the public
library.
