When we think of libraries, we think of them as temples of knowledge and hold them in high esteem. Although modern libraries can be very sleek, in our minds' eyes we usually see the old libraries with their walls paneled in dark polished wood and long desks topped with rows of lamps with the prerequisite green lampshades. We tiptoe along endless shelves of books and speak in hushed tones to librarians—usually bespectacled, pleasant, reserved, and devoid of guffaws.
Wait a minute! This is not the kind of library Nora encounters in The Midnight Library. In The Personal Librarian, Belle da Costa Greene is like no other librarian in the history of libraries—she has a secret, and it’s deeper than skin deep. Sharon Washington’s Feeding the Dragon takes us on a tour of a library she literally lived in that turns us all into bright-eyed kids.
Join us on the journey through the diverse and surprising world of literary libraries, some are even out of this world. You’re welcome to step in. Quietly, please.
Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the 30-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June joins a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals to keep the library open. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. His feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won't believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way. She must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she's determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself too.
Perfect for book lovers, this is a fascinating exploration of the history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age. Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes, or filled with bean bags and children’s drawings—the history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of incident. In The Library, historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen trace the rise and fall of literary tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts. They reveal that while collections themselves are fragile, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have the perfect life with her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile joins the Resistance together with her fellow librarians, with the best weapons she has: books. When the war ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983: Lily, a lonely teenager is looking for adventure in her small town. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, and learns they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu tells the incredible story of how Abdel Kader Haidara, a mild-mannered archivist and historian from the legendary city of Timbuktu, later became one of the world's greatest and most brazen smugglers. In 2012, thousands of Al Qaeda militants seized control of most of Mali, including Timbuktu. They imposed Sharia law, committed terrible acts against the citizens, and threatened to destroy the great manuscripts. Haidara organized an operation to sneak all 350,000 volumes out of the city to the safety of southern Mali. Over the past 20 years, journalist Joshua Hammer visited Timbuktu numerous times and is uniquely qualified to tell the story of Haidara's heroic and ultimately successful effort to outwit Al Qaeda and preserve Mali's and the world's literary heritage.
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco web-design drone. Out of curiosity, and the ability to climb ladders, he landed a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Clay realizes that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. Clay concludes the store must be a front for something larger. With his friends, he tries to figure it out. Once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.
Librarian Sylvia Ashe knows nothing about her past, having grown up without a father and with a mother who refused to discuss him. When she stumbles upon a diary that suggests she's descended from magicians, she's skeptical. She seeks answers from a member of the most prominent family of magicians, and quickly learns that finding the truth won't be easy. War hero Gabe is gifted with wealth, and an incredible amount of luck. He becomes a consultant for Scotland Yard, investigating the theft of a magician-made painting. His life changes when he unwittingly gets Sylvia dismissed from her job and places her in danger. After a new job in a library housing the world's greatest collection of books about magic, Gabe and Sylvia's lives become entwined as they work together to find both the painting and the truth about Sylvia's past before powerful people can stop them. Is the past better left buried?
Inspired by the true history of America's library spies of World War II. Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence. In occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It's a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in order to silence them. As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war.
Two women. One secret. 1918: Timid and shy Emmaline Balakin lives more in books than her own life. That is, until an envelope crosses her desk at the Dead Letter Office bearing a name from her past, and Emmaline decides to finally embark on an adventure of her own—as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. A romance blooms as she secretly participates in a book club for censored books. 1976: Kathleen Carre is eager to prove to herself and to her nana that she deserves her acceptance into the first co-ed class at the US Naval Academy. But not everyone wants female midshipmen at the academy, and after tragedy strikes close to home, Kathleen becomes a target. To protect herself, Kathleen must learn to trust others even as she discovers a secret that could be her undoing.
