Wednesday, August 1, 2007

What do librarians read while on the picket line?

Sunny Freeman, Vancouver Sun: Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Workers at the Vancouver Central Library were asked what they were reading during the strike:

Lis Nygaard
Age: 61
Occupation: Librarian
Book choice: The Witch of Portobello, Paulo Coelho
Recommended for: Teens and up
Reason: "It's the latest from the author of The Alchemist, one of the most popular books of all time. It's harder than The Alchemist. It's very political."

Joanne Canow
Age: 52
Occupation: Children's librarian
Book choice: Timothy of the Cay, Theodore Taylor
Recommended for: Children in grades 4-8
Reason: "Taylor is an excellent writer. The book is about history and slavery and it moves back and forth in time. It is a sequel-prequel to The Cay."

Lisa Howard
Age: 41
Occupation: Librarian
Book choice: Watership Down, Richard Adams
Recommended for: Young adults and up
Reason: "I wanted to reread it and I thought this was the perfect time. I read it 15 years ago. It is a fantastic story full of heroism and tragedy."

Anna Wilkinson
Age: 42
Occupation: Librarian
Book choice: The Iliad, Homer
Recommended for: Anyone with patience
Reason: "I've been trying to get through it for a couple months and this will help me get through it. I've read The Odyssey several times but I've never been able to get through The Iliad. But I'm almost done. It's a great read."

Garth Cox
Age: 38
Occupation: Library assistant
Book choice: Jung on Synchronicity and the Paranormal, edited by Roderick Main
Recommended for: Those reaching beyond the material world
Reason: "I've had several recent experiences of synchronicity. It's when you think about something and then it comes into your life a couple days later. Jung is trying to figure out what it's all about. It makes me want to know more."