I also work at a pubic library. And I did not enjoy this book. I have several reasons for giving it the "okay" rating: First, because it was not very engaging. It felt like Douglas was trying to drag readers along with shocking patron mishaps sprinkled among his biographical lessons. It was more of a autobiography through the lens of his job in librarianship, trying to be satirical. Second, it was not very engaging because his writing was not "good"-meaning it was not well-written style and the feel of the writing was not engaging. Third, I was expecting the book to be more humorous, because of reviews I read. Maybe I just don't have the same sense of humor as Douglas, or maybe it was intentional. However, if you are looking for a easy to read book to give you a general idea of what working at a library is like (and don't mind the page to 1/2 page long interruptions about library history and lots of gross circumstances) you might enjoy it.

I will admit there were a few positive elements of this book. Several passages were really enjoyable, and the chapter titles using Decimal call numbers by the subject of the chapter were cool (it did bother me that they weren't in order by decimal number... but that's because my job is to sort and shelve books). Even though they weren't disguised very well, he did offer important nuggets of wisdom throughout the book. One of the most looked-over fact was that libraries are really made up of people; they are not just the buildings. These were the elements that kept me from giving it a 1-star rating- it was not terrible, it was just okay.

If you are looking for more entertaining books about public libraries, I highly recommend this one:
[b:I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks|19507861|I Work at a Public Library A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks|Gina Sheridan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403185191l/19507861._SX50_.jpg|27624780] ( )

drifting into career as librarian

"There are good days and bad days, but in the end I can't really complain." What an ironic last line, considering Douglas's entire book is one long complaint. What started out as quirky stories of patrons and coworkers quickly devolved into painful, sometimes offensive, quasi-observations. Teens are annoying. The mentally handicapped are mental. The homeless smell.

Douglas should left his observations (judgements) there, but instead he tries to slip in a lackluster qualifier. These do not help. Teens are annoying BUT some are worth saving. The mentally handicapped are mental BUT entertaining. The homeless smell BUT at least one hasn't killed me yet. So many problems. So many.

"Dispatches" would have gotten fewer stars if it hadn't been for the twisted corner of my brain that has some respect for Douglas making himself look like such a merciless asshole.

I would recommend my library friends and coworkers read it mostly so they can talk about it with me. It's also kind of funny at parts. Betsy read this. ( )

Adult nonfiction. Another behind-the-scenes look at public libraries, this one more irreverent than most. ( )

If I could have, I would have rated this book at 3 1/2 stars. It is not because the book is bad, but I do have some very mixed feelings about it overall. I am not sure if I am supposed to recommend it to people as a true look of what our work is like, or if I am supposed to recommend it to people as way to scare them away from libraries, especially from working in a library. Much like Douglas, I have been in librarianship long enough to have my own battle scars and the stories to go with it. So I can relate to a lot of what he is saying. I have had the fortune (or misfortune depending on your point of view) of working in academic settings, but they are settings that in some ways are very similar to public libraries. In other words, I do not work at some fancy, Research 1 (that's Carnegie rating for my non-library friends) where we they just serve often brilliant students, faculty, and scholars. Working in a small town campus or working in an inner city university are very different balls of yarn. So in that sense, I could relate to a lot of what he wrote about because I have seen and experienced many of the types of patrons, coworkers and bosses that he writes about. That I am also a state employee works to further help me identify.

I think this book should be handed out to library school students or anyone considering a job in a library, especially a public library. Most public libraries are part of the city services, and with that come all the related politics. You also get all the dysfunctional people who probably should not be working in a public service capacity, but they end up doing so anyhow. That it took so long to get rid of Brenda, who is was a toxic employee and a perfect example of what Bob Sutton would define as an "asshole" was something I found hard to understand, yet, I could understand because it was city politics. We all know getting fired out of a city (or state) job is next to impossible. So let's say those jobs do attract a certain type of toxic people. The problem I found with Douglas's story is that it seemed his environment was saturated with toxic people. There really is not anyone he works with that you might find endearing in some way. To be honest, those people don't really have any redeeming qualities if at all. Naturally, the author comes out looking very heroic (is is the nature of the narrative), but again, since I know he is not the only one, he comes across as credible. I have met a librarian or two who are as beleaguered as he is; heck, I have been that librarian.

The strong negative wave aside, the book does have some very nice endearing moments. Just when you think you can't take another negative segment, Douglas throws you a lifeline and reveals a small epiphany here, or a little warm and fuzzy moment there. These serve to provide relief to the reader, and to librarians like me, a small reminded of why it is we do what we do in spite of the bad odds. Thus, this blend of very negative and depressing with some positive uplifting moments is why I don't rate the book higher. I really want to like it more, but I can only take so much before I end up depressed and wanting to go look at the job ads. And yet, I believe that this book is a must read.

Politicians should read it so they actually get an effing clue of what actually happens in public libraries. It is not all about the sensational (but rare) story about catching someone looking at porn. Libraries really do a major service to their communities, and they often provide things that the government otherwise does not provide.

Community members need to read it. The people that really need to read it are the whiners who are always saying libraries should be closed because they do not want to pay taxes for it. Maybe we should send the homeless to your home if we close the library, for instance. Libraries provide things like story time for children, internet access, help with looking for jobs, and many other things. It is not all about those selfish whiners. Sure, those people may buy their books on Amazon, but a library does a lot more for the community. Get a clue.

Librarians need to read this. For one, they may well find a kindred spirit in Douglas. Some of them may get angry (why the hell did he put up with X or Y so long? I know I asked that question once or twice while reading this). But librarians will also find some uplifting moments that, if nothing else, will maybe remind them of why they do what they do, at least for another month.

Finally, library school students and anyone considering attending library school, or just getting a job in the library, needs to read this. This book basically tells it like it, and it pulls no punches. You need to read this so you can go in with your eyes open.

So, at the end of the day, I do recommend it with some caveats.
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