EBM: Oddest library request you (or a colleague) received from a guest?
BLAINE WENTWORTH (HE/THEY): One of the oddest requests was from a community member who wanted to hold their child’s birthday party at the library. They hoped to turn a section of our library into a party zone for a day, complete with decorations, food and a performer!
What is your favorite section in the library?
For me, reality almost always surpasses fiction regarding intrigue and insight. So, my favorite section is non-fiction.
What is one book you loved that you wouldn’t have read if it weren’t for your job?
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone caught my attention due to its significant waitlists across all of our platforms. After joining the queue and finally accessing the book, I immediately understood the hype. The protagonists, Red and Blue, engage in a poetic rivalry of words throughout time; arguing, wounding and wooing in a lyrical flow that transforms this brief novel into an epic, page-turning adventure.
What do you wish people understood about librarians?
Many believe our primary roles are answering reference questions and handling materials. However, librarians are educators, program coordinators and community leaders. We manage vast amounts of information, offer free all-ages programming, and facilitate access to resources, making us integral to the educational and cultural fabric of the community.
What is one book or genre that doesn’t get enough attention/praise?
Short story collections represent a remarkably underappreciated genre. These collections often showcase some of the most exquisite and compelling writing of their year and genre, yet they remain relatively unnoticed by the broader reading public.
What is one book/genre you think is overhyped?
Dystopian novels have become quite popular, but not all are created equal. While some offer profound insights into society and humanity, most are hollow, too formulaic and need to live up to the creative and critical potential of the genre.
Anything new you’d like to share?
We are expanding our storytime offerings to include community languages in Spanish and Tibetan, and in the new year to Mandarin and Japanese. In partnership with the Pink Project, an organization co-founded by a current UC Berkeley student, we are going to offer free hygiene supplies.
A teen-led organization is going to lead a discussion on lowering the voting age to 16 in Albany.
In collaboration with our Social Justice Division, we will host a panel discussion addressing juvenile crime in our communities. This discussion will cover topics like perceived crime versus statistical reality and the reintegration of offenders into the community upon decarceration.
Lastly, in the new year we will continue to expand programming into sustainability, resilience and DIY home and lifehacks.
For more information about Albany Library, visit https://aclibrary.org/locations/alb/.
