This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson

As a librarian, I (unfairly) approached This Book is Overdue! like it was an assignment--a title that professional blogs and networks have pointed me to since its publication, so one I had better read. And as a procrastinator, of course I put off reading it for years. However, once I started, Ms. Johnson pulled me in immediately. This is not some ass-kissing eulogy by an undercover ally designed to show the world why librarians and libraries still matter—well, maybe it is a little, but it includes some librarian foibles, too. It also will make anyone who has ever worked in a library (or in public service, for that matter) chuckle and think, “I’m glad she mentioned that; so true.” It also contains some practical information for researchers and librarians on interesting sources and where to find them (though this clearly is not the focus of the book), and her rather lengthy section on Second Life engaged me despite the fact that I have no interest in delving into Second Life (even after reading this book).

Perhaps my recommendation of This Book is Overdue! is just camouflaged self-aggrandizement, but I think it is a well-written, engaging, and fun exploration of “the greatest profession on earth.”