I initially picked up The Library Book because it drew me in with the mystery of the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. But this book didn't turn out to be about that... not really. The fire was only a few chapters, detailing the fire itself, the fight to put it out, and the investigation afterwards. It also talks about the rebuilding and the restoration effort after the fire, including how to save and rehabilitate all the ruined books, which I found to be fascinating.
The majority of the book, though, was about the history of libraries, and in particular the history and operation of the Los Angeles Public Library--its inception, its librarians, its progress from a book lending institution to a community center, its collections, and the logistics of its operation. Since it covers so many topics and the author intersperses the narratives, I did feel the constant shift through the topics occasionally made it hard to keep my attention. Just as I'm getting into one topic, the author shifts focus onto another topic. But that's not a ding against the content of the book, since I found everything to be interesting and well-worth mentioning.
In the end, this book is a love note of the author's adoration of libraries, and the joy, knowledge, and belonging they bring to patrons and communities everywhere. As someone who also loves libraries, I'm glad I picked it up. Libraries are among my favorite places to be (I stop by one almost every day!), so I greatly enjoyed this deeper look into how they came to be and all the wonderful people who make libraries the welcoming places that they are.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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