There is something about being a library director that leads friends and customers to believe you’ve read every book on the library’s shelves, or that you read only “good” books, as in exemplary literature. I assure you I do not live up to either of those lofty goals, but people still tend to apologize to me, eyes downcast, if they didn’t like or finish a book.

First, if you start a book and you don’t like it…stop reading it. Return or donate it without the tiniest bit of guilt. Your free time is valuable. Long and boring narrative? Annoying protagonist? Your only response should be, “NEXT!” This definitely makes a case for having a stack of books at hand. If you like to own books rather than borrow them, a budget-friendly way to augment your personal library is a shopping trip to the Friends of the Library Bookstore on our library’s lower level.

Second, don’t be afraid to ignore the hot bestsellers; they’ll still be there when the initial frenzy has passed. Not to pick on John Grisham, but a million years ago when The Firm came out, everyone I knew was reading it – even people who admittedly never read anything. When I asked one friend what she liked about it, she admitted that it was just her visible beach book on vacation. Sigh. What you read is your choice, not a popularity contest. A friend I admire chose to spend most of a year reading one book from every shelf in her local library. If you need some out-of-the box suggestions, our library’s reference desk staff are experts at giving advice on good reads and where to find them.

Third, if you find yourself distracted by life when you pull out a book to read, try listening instead. I’ve only discovered the joy of audiobooks since COVID shutdowns, when I found myself restless and homebound. Although some still don’t consider audiobooks “real books,” I beg to differ. Listening to a book is not, as I have heard some friends and print book snobs say, “cheating.” Even when I listen to audiobook versions of books I’ve already read in print, I find that I hear things I missed the first time. I‘ve found narrators who really bring books to life, and audiobooks can make things like driving across the plains of Kansas or cleaning out the garage enjoyable. If you don’t already know, you can download free audiobooks with your library card using the Libby app.

So, here is just some of what I read as a librarian: I collect and read flea market antique books with ghastly covers and titles like Broken Wedding Ring and He Done Her Wrong. I love to go back to long series and read them all in a row, just like bingeing a TV show. (Series from Robert B. Parker and Diana Gabaldon were favorites that lasted a long time.) I love suspense, but not horror – with the exception of Stephen King. I read biographies of people I’ve never heard of, children’s books both current and nostalgic, new young adult fiction, some chick lit, narrative non-fiction, and fiction books written about real historical figures. I love to check out a cookbook on Friday and find one new recipe to try the following week.

Go forth, and read what the librarians read – which is anything and everything – without apology. I approve.