“The Library Book” by Susan Orlean
Join other NELA 2019 attendees in reading and discussing this Washington Post top ten book of the year, NYT bestselling book and notable book of 2018 that is part mystery, part history, and part love letter to libraries everywhere!
Summary of “The Library Book” from Amazon: On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?
How do I participate?
- Read or listen to the book prior to conference.
- Pick up an exclusive “Library Book” sticker at registration. Display it on your name badge or other prominent place.
- Join us for a lively discussion of the book at (Sunday, 4:30pm, Monday, 2:00pm, Tuesday, 9:00am), led by conference committee members. Discussion questions will be sent out in advance of the conference. You can view the full conference schedule HERE.
- Strike up a discussion of your own with other attendees wearing the badge.
- Join in the discussion group on NELA’s Facebook page!
