For this assignment, I went to a smaller library near where I live. Going in, I knew I wanted a romance book, but not necessarily one that would be catalogued in romance, something like Emily Henry, that could be catalogued in fiction. I knew I also wanted it to be a diverse read as I’ve been challenging myself to read more diversely.
The staff was very kind and easily approachable. They asked a lot of questions up front.What I really enjoyed and appreciated is that they asked several clarifying questions in their own words, like “you’d like something not necessarily as lighthearted as typical romance?” and “you’re hoping to learn about other cultures through the story?”. They thought Helen Hoang best fit what I was looking for, citing things from Hoang's Novelist page that led them to believe her books will have more depth like I was looking for.
I believe that the librarian at first came off a little too enthusiastically, particularly since I prefer to find books on my own, but once they began to ask clarifying questions, I eased into the conversation more. I appreciated that it was a conversation with the librarian actively listening. It was a very good experience that I enjoyed and challenged me to think about how I choose books.
Good summary!
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