I officially started working at my local library at the end of September 2019, which means I’ve been on the job for just about 9 months.
First of all … wow, has it really been that long? o.0 It simultaneously feels like it’s been three months and three decades all wrapped into one, and I’m not sure what to do with that information.
My official title is Library Clerk, meaning I work the front desk, but okay, wow, let me tell you exactly how misleading that is.
Yes, I usually check books and movies out for people. I also recommend books and movies to people and help them find things. On top of all that, it seems like every day brings a new challenge or talent that I get to flex. A few things I’ve been known that aren’t generally in my official “job description”:
- Being over YA, Juvenile, and Easy books, because I’m the only one in the library who reads them (which includes shelving them, organizing, displays, and recommending new acquisitions).
- Catalog minion underling (basically, whatever the cataloger and junior cataloger don’t want to do … that’s where I come in)
- Graphic design for social media and fliers
- Technical support
- Wrangler of wayward books
- Feeder and denmother of the bookwyrms
I … may have embellished that list just a little bit. Just a smidge. But you get the point.
What my job all boils down to is getting books into the hands of readers. I basically get to play book matchmaker and ferry books and readers into their happily ever afters.
Which is precisely why the way I talk about books has shifted drastically. But before we get to how it’s changed, let’s step back and talk about why. You may very well have noticed this shift on the blog, too, to some extent, so if you were wondering … well, here you go.
Why I Changed How I Talk About Books
- Who’s going to read a book when you say, “Yeah, I hated it. Worst book I ever read. You should just set your corneas on fire now and save yourself five hours.” Nobody except the masochists. I see you out there, and if you ever need recommendations, hit me up.
- Sometimes the books other readers enjoy will be books I don’t enjoy, just by necessity. This doesn’t make the books bad or the readers wrong. I like to say there’s a market for everything. Yes, even dinosaur Nazi erotica. Probably. I don’t know. The Amazon Kindle marketplace is a scary place.
- I just really hate qualifying things with good or bad. Star ratings are a given because of the sites that we use, and since I’m a part of that system, I consider them a necessary evil. But most books I read have good things and bad things about them … but even that’s still my opinion. My good things may be someone’s bad things and vice versa. Plus, they’re just weak words. Pffft, my 88-year-old grandfather could beat them up, they’re so puny.
- The aim of my reviews has changed. I want to both provide my opinion still (obviously, since it’s my blog), but I also want to make it abundantly clear who this book is for. Whether that’s readers with tastes similar to my own or not is unimportant. When I started the blog, I was reading for myself, and my reviews were extremely self-important.
Because I’m just that important, obviously. Sheesh.Since working at the library, I’ve gotten comfortable with my role being more that of an informer. The world revolves just a little bit less around me and more around other people. Wait. I’m not sure the Earth can revolve around multiple things, but you know what? You get my drift.
How The Way I Talk About Books Has Changed
I’m much more careful about how I word things.
While I still 100% post my opinions and never shy away from saying what works and what doesn’t for me, I’m much more conscious about how I word things. I try to steer away from “good” and “bad,” and for things that don’t work, I prefer to use “sticking points.” Why? Because first, I’m nobody. Second, I like what I like and so does everyone else.
I don’t see it as my place to attempt to dissuade anyone from reading something. Honestly, I’m just thrilled to see people actually reading. You do you. I’m more a liaison and less a gatekeeper, please and thanks.
TL;DR: My trash is someone else’s treasure. Hopefully, though, they at least washed it first or something.
I’ve started thinking less about what I like and more about what other readers would like.
This is sort of my job, so this was by necessity. Let me give you an example. I read Imaginary Friend. Didn’t love it. Gave it two stars. Thought the beginning was fantastic, but the ending was disappointing. Had a regular come into the library wanting something scary, and I immediately handed her the book. She missed me when she returned the book, so she made another trip in when she knew I was working just to tell me how much she loved it. This is probably the highlight of my nine months at the library, if I’m honest.
When I write reviews, the first thing I think about is, what do I need to tell people so they can decide if this book is for them?
Naturally, that’s going to include things that just didn’t work for me, because if you’re like me … well, first of all, mercy on your soul, you poor wretched creature. But second, you’ll have a better idea if my issues are things that would be issues for you.
TL;DR: My reviews exist just so readers can make an informed decision regarding a specific book. User experience may vary. I make no promises.
I tend to “sell” books more often on the blog.
Figuratively, of course, because nothing here is for sale. Except maybe my husband. Like new, rarely used, 29-year-old white male who likes animals, is good at fixing things, does yard work, *mumbles* and maybe is a teensy bit of a sociopath. No books are for sale here, though.
Instead, you may have noticed that a lot of my posts now talk about why you might like a book, or who a book might be for. Listen, I work 20 hours a week at the library. It’s hard to turn that off when I’m talking about books, so I just went with it.
TL;DR: I’m super quick on the draw when it comes to recommendations. Accuracy may vary.
In the end, I really just want to support authors.
You may be surprised to know that giving a book I love to someone who is obviously not going to love it is doing absolutely no favors to neither the author nor the reader. It’s just setting everything up for a tragedy. And not the fun Shakespearean kind where everyone dies.
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll often see me sharing content from authors whose books I rated lower or sometimes boosting that particular book.
It may seem a little contradictory at first, but not really, because different people like different things. Simple as that. The authors are fabulous. They deserve the support. Just because I didn’t enjoy the book doesn’t mean I don’t want to support them and help them get the book in the hands of people that will enjoy it.
The important thing here is I don’t lie about my relationship with the book. Even at the library, when I hand something to someone and they ask if I read it and what I thought, I’ll tell them if I didn’t like it. I just happen to follow it up with, “But here’s why I think you will like it.”
TL;DR: Sometimes throwing books at people isn’t enough, especially when you don’t like the book. Throwing people at people is also fun!
My entire way of interacting with books has shifted to be less egocentric and more reader-centric.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have opinions. Loud opinions. Sometimes angry opinions. I will still scream and yell and carry on and throw myself on the floor to cry over books … and those are the ones I like. I’ll let you imagine the rest.
I tend to qualify things now and say, “If you like this, you’ll probably like this book,” but also just as willing to say, “I loved this book, but you probably won’t.”
Even if it totally breaks my heart and I’ve probably had at least a handful of daydreams about locking you in a shed and forcing you to read it until you love it, darn it. But still. As I tell my daughter, “Not everything is about you!” That also applies to me. Sometimes. So even though I’m honest about what I like or don’t like in books, when I talk about them, it tends to be in terms of their perfect reader.
TL;DR: Not everyone will like the books I do. Clearly, they’re wrong, and probably slightly broken, but that’s fine. I just have to guide them towards books they will like.
At my library, I’ve become the go to person for sci-fi, fantasy, horror, YA, and movie recommendations. There are patrons who come in specially to talk to me about those things. It’s quite a thing! 😁
That’s fantastic! It’s such a good feeling, isn’t it? I absolutely love doing it, and when patrons recommend things to me.
It sounds like you have the best job in the world. And I love how your thinking about reviewing and talking about books has changed. I can see how your position in the library has more responsibility than that of a book blogger, so that makes complete sense!
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy recently posted…THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones – Review
Not to brag, but I’m pretty sure i do. xD Well. There might be someone out there who’s paid to just, like, play with puppies and kitties all day, and they might have me beat, but this would be a close second.
Wow, love this post so much! I think it’s so smart how you seek to balance the honesty of your opinions while also acknowledging that there is always some sort of reader out there for every book.
I’ve definitely gone back and forth on how I try to write my reviews: statements always make the review sound more concise and formal, while using “I” a bunch makes it sound informal. But lately I’ve been sticking to phrases such as “Personally,” “I believe,” “I think” a lot because I want to reinforce that a review is my opinion, and not a objective evaluation of quality.
Also, I just love how you think of yourself as “more a liaison and less a gatekeeper”. Wow, being a librarian sounds so fun and cool. Again, love love love this post! <3
Keri @ Are You My Book? recently posted…Review: Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Thank you. <3
I try (and I think I succeed? Mostly) to do the same when I review things. If I say something critical, especially, I make sure to couch it with "personally" or "I think that" or "for me," etc. Because at the end of the day, I still have an opinion, but it's just that: an opinion.
Yes, I agree: it’s especially important to empathize that it’s only your own opinion in a critical review! 🙂
Keri @ Are You My Book? recently posted…Tips for Motivating Yourself to Write During a Pandemic
Amazing post! I’m still trying to find that perfect balance of writing a review that tells so much about characterization, descriptiveness, scenery, language… without giving any of the real plot and happenings away. I felt that I did a very good job with delivering that with my last review.
Guiding someone in the right direction of a good read based off of their styles is a great review perspective. You got a winner with that one. That’s probably why I’ve loved so many of the posts you’ve been writing.
I wrote my first “bad” review a few weeks ago, and I felt so icky after I wrote it because I felt like I harshly expressed too many of my personal viewpoints on why it wasn’t for me and could’ve deterred someone from reading his work.
It was my first “not for me” review, and I guess with that there will be some mistakes made. Next time, I will handle it better.
It’s definitely a weird balance! Sometimes I feel like I can’t give much of anything away, and then what do you do, because anything you talk about might be a spoiler. xD
Aww, thank you! I’m glad you enjoy them. Bad reviews are really hard, especially when they come from authors who you enjoy as a person. I’ve had to write a few of those, and it’s always that toss-up of I want to be honest, but also not hurt anyone’s feelings (and they shouldn’t be reading my reviews anyway, darn it haha). I’m pretty sure my earlier low-star reviews weren’t handled well, and I cringe thinking about it, but I refuse to go look and check it out myself. xD
I have been trying to get a job at our local library since forever because it’s basically my dream job. I love being surrounded by books but also helping people. And organizing things. It’s so hard to get in at our branches though! *crying*
Anywho, loved this post!
Lisa @ waytoofantasy recently posted…2020 Audiobook Challenge – Mid-Year Update
It can be hard to get! I got my position purely by accident, so I consider myself incredibly lucky, especially since there’s not much turnover here, so positions don’t open up that often. I hope you can get into one, though! Just keep trying. 🙂
I love this post because it is true that we sometimes center our reviews around ourselves. And that is fine for most of us but if book pushing is your job than that does change things. 🙂 Its all about getting the right book in the right hands.
Annemieke recently posted…Happy 10 Years to #TopTenTuesday | Looking Back at an Old Prompt | #TopTenTuesday 243
That’s right! And when you spend all day doing that, it’s really hard to divorce yourself from it at night when you’re *still* doing the bookish thing, even if it’s for a blog instead. xD
I think it’s important to remember that everyone has different reading tastes. There are many books I did not think were well-written, at all–but they were action-packed and many people enjoyed that! I try to note in my reviews things like, this book didn’t really work for me, but its target audience might enjoy it more.
Krysta @ Pages Unbound recently posted…In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Yeah, this happens to me a lot, especially considering middle grade, where the humor is very different from my humor (which, let’s be honest, is probably a good thing). I do so love your reviews, though. <3
This is a really interesting post, Sammie. It kinda makes me think of my bookstore years which sounds much more impressive than it was. 😛
My thinking back then was similar, you think much more about what others might like, even though of course I would still recommend the ones I loved a little bit more. (It’s a given and you will never get out of it. If only a little part of you thinks that it might be a great read for that patron that’s standing in front of you, you will give it to them.) But I also think that now that I don’t work at the bookstore anymore, my reading habits have changed again. I’m thinking more of what I want to read and what I enjoy and while I still recommend stuff to people that I think they might like even though it wasn’t for me, I am not ashamed of my opinions anymore. I hope that came out right. Nevermind.
Anyway, how are the dragons? And would your husband be available for a playdate for mine?
Marion @tirilu recently posted…WWW Wednesday
Oh, for sure. I definitely push the ones I love harder, because I want everyone to love them. But I also (totally begrudgingly) admit that not everyone will be a good fit for them. Some people don’t like stabby murder? Pfft, the chumps.
Oh my gosh, YES. Think of all the peace and quiet we could get if we send the menfolk on a playdate. xD I’m 100% for this idea. Your idea is so much better than mine. If we were stuck at home together much longer, I was contemplating feeding him to the dragons. Poor dears would probably get indigestion. 😛
Hi! I just found your blog 🤗 I love this post & your sense of humour 😀 Sounds like you’re learning lots and enjoying the job, which is great. I love the Imaginary Friend story 👏🏻
I’m looking forward to reading more of your blog 😁
Gem recently posted…How to Fail: Book Review
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Definitely enjoying the job, though. 🙂 It’s a dream job for me.
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