Overdue Reckoning with the public library

Oliver knows that librarians don't read all day in a quiet building; she worked for seven years as a librarian in Washington, D.C., first in its public schools, then at the Northwest One branch of the public library. Like so many public libraries, Northwest One served as a de facto day shelter, with many patrons suffering from mental health and addiction issues, creating an environment where "even with this basic understanding of, and patience for, trauma-impacted behavior, the reality was that I felt unsafe at the library every day." She began to suffer from empathy fatigue, and quit library work when she was diagnosed with complex PTSD. This well-researched book is part memoir, part history of the public library, part analysis of the current state of library service, and a necessary cure for vocational awe for those outside of the profession. Despite harsh words for administrators and the capitalist forces that keep people disenfranchised, she ends with a note of hope, that libraries are a necessary part of American society. A thought-provoking read for those in and out of the library.