Why Librarians Are Awesome

Last week, my local library hosted an adult coloring event. I was the only one who showed up. (I live in a pretty small town, so it wasn't that surprising.) So for an hour and a half, I was coloring with the librarian on duty and our new library director, who has been working there for only a few months. I'm not very good at small talk (long live introverts!), but the conversation was flowing pretty easily, and I was enjoying myself and the quiet time away from my little guy.

After about 15 minutes, the library director went over to the only other patron in the library. She was a high school student who was killing time by watching YouTube videos on the computer. The director invited her to come color, and she reluctantly agreed. Within the next 45 minutes or so, here is the awesomeness I saw from the librarians:​

• They got her a snack when she said she hadn't eaten all day.
• They encouraged her to focus on the positive things going on in her life, rather than the negative. (It appeared that she had previously gotten into some trouble, but was trying to turn her life around.)
• They admired her project from wood shop, asking follow-up questions about what type of wood it was made of and how she did it.
• They offered her the use of the library conference room to meet with her case worker, if she didn't want to do it at home.
• They helped her with her math homework.
• They gave her information, including the website with application info, about Americorps because she said she wanted to travel someday.

Libraries are about so much more than books. Yes, free books are great. But librarians are incredible human beings who take care of the people who walk through their doors in so many other ways than just providing books.

​So thank a librarian. They richly deserve it!