The Library Book

I highly recommend The Library Book by Susan Orleans. The book is about the 1986 burning of the Los Angeles Public Library and expands into fascinating discussions of libraries, LA, arson, book burning, daily life in the Library, etc. My favorite sections were her explorations of the LA Public Library archives, where she learned about the most popular books in the 1920s, the questions asked by those calling the Library info desk in the 1980s, and other hilarious and insightful fun facts. As a review in the LA Review of Books wrote, libraries are spaces we can actively cherish:

In an era of neoliberal capitalism, the “publicness” of the public library is an increasingly rare commodity. When everything is scrutinized under the cost/benefit analysis, our public libraries function like rebels, resisting the encroaching legion of policies that monetize all things in their path. 

Visit a public library in the new year and experience this publicness in all its glory. The DC Public Library has 81 copies of The Library Book waiting for you across the District branches. Anyone who resides, works, pays property taxes or attends school in the District of Columbia (and in several MD and VA countries) can get a free card (how to get a library card; if you live outside these areas, you may apply for a regular library card by visiting any library location in person. The cost is $20 and the card is good for one year).

Also visit the Library of Congress reading rooms and read a couple books there. Anyone from anywhere who is 16 years of age or older can do this!