I love my job every day, but yesterday was an especially good day. I had a few reader's advisory questions in a row, so I had the opportunity to talk to patrons about books for almost the last half hour of my shift. It was heaven!
I started thinking later about why it was so great for me. Because I love reading, right? Well, that's the easy answer, and it's partly right but I think it goes beyond that. At its heart, reading is about connection. Connection with characters, the author, and other people who have read the book. Talking about books we've both read -- whether it's a book I loved and you hated, a book we both liked but for different reasons, a book I didn't understand by you did -- creates a common bond between us.
There's also that connection between people and books. Sure, it's fun to recommend books I've read and enjoyed. But my job goes beyond that to recommending books that I know the patron will like, even if I don't enjoy the same books. The other thrilling part of my job is connecting people with the next book they'll love, and while that's more challenging than recommending books I love, it's one of the best jobs in the world.
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