Why Authors Are This Librarian's Favorite People

Some of my favorite people are authors. Maybe it is because they are so open.  After all, they open a piece of themselves up with every book they write. It doesn’t have to be a book about someone like them or a life like theirs. When they create, they pull from their own experiences – whether major or miniscule.

I thought of this as I listened to author Lauren Oliver speak at the recently. She spoke of her life and where she got her ideas before a room full of young people - with a sprinkling of moms and dads and interested librarians. Before meeting her, it might be hard to imagine where she got her intriguing story ideas. As she sat cross-legged before her audience enchanting them with her personality and stories, you began to see the author shine through her work.

I had another experience this week that reminded me of how much I like authors.  There is a fairly new book at the library in the children’s section called Best Friends Forever: A World War II Scrapbook. It is the fascinating story of 14-year-old Louise who keeps a scrapbook when her best friend, a Japanese-American, is sadly sent off to a relocation camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The scrapbook format makes the story come alive with what look like old programs and even hair ribbons taped onto the pages. The reader feels a bit like they are getting a sneak peek into someone’s private diary.

What I did not realize at first was that the author, Beverly Patt, was a frequent patron at a former library where I worked. She often came with her children to check out books and to attend programs. I remember her talking about her dream of writing a book someday. She came to the library to do her research and to get ideas. Now I hold her book, her dream, in my hands and feel so happy for her. Of course I e-mailed her and quickly got a response back. She said how special the book was to her because she used so many photographs and memories from her own family. She had opened up a piece of her family history to share with us.

Yes – authors are some of my favorite people!