Tuesday Slice: Please read these!

The latest shipment of new library books crowds the top of our middle row of shelves in our elementary library.

Fiction novels, picture books, biographies, college football.  Fractured fairy tales and tales about wall art around the world.  Humor, adventure, science fiction, fantasy.

Buying books is one of my favorite parts of my job.  I love scouring the Kirkus reviews, perusing the book suggestions made by students and staff, following up on the recommendations of my graduate professors, authors, and fellow librarians.  I start another online shopping cart as soon as an order is placed, and add to it often.  Since I only place big orders two or three times a year, it feels like Christmas when the boxes arrive, with exclamations of "Oh!  I forgot I ordered that one! Isn't it great?".

But like an art gallery owner on opening night, I get a touch of anxiety, with thoughts of  "Will the students like what I've chosen?"  "Why hasn't that book been checked out? I thought for sure it would go quickly."  I start pointing books out to the staff, too, hoping they will find them useful, especially the ones that seem to fit so nicely into the curriculum.

We had a few straggler books left over from the last shipment, and I put the latest arrivals on display yesterday afternoon.

Fingers crossed that like great food at a party, they get snatched up quickly.