Marilyn Johnson Speaks on This Book is Overdue! 4/13

Marilyn Johnson examines and celebrates the role of librarians and cybrarians in a modern digital world. The event will take place on Tuesday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. at The New York Society Library. The New York Society Library is located at 53 East 79th Street (just east of Madison Avenue; 6 train to 77th Street).

Ticket information is available at www.nysoclib.org/notes/2010/book_overdue.html. Library nonmembers and members are welcome; nonmembers should register by phone at 212-288-6900 x230. There is a $10/person fee.

Although the death of libraries has been predicted for many years, human assistance is still a requirement in the automated maze of contemporary life. Librarians of all specialties and backgrounds are stepping up to the challenge. This Book is Overdue asks and answers the questions: Who are they? What do they know? And how quickly can they save us from being buried by the digital age?

This Book Is Overdue is a romp through the ranks of information professionals and a revelation for readers burned out on the clichés and stereotyping of librarians. Blunt and funny bloggers spill their stories, as do a tattooed, hard-partying children's librarian; a fresh-scrubbed Catholic couple who teach missionaries to use computers; a blue-haired radical who uses her smartphone to help guide street protestors; the quiet, law-abiding librarians gagged by the FBI; and a boxing archivist. Johnson captures a range of pragmatic idealists who fuse the tools of the digital age with their love for the written word and the enduring values of free speech, open access, and scout-badge-quality assistance to anyone in need.

Marilyn Johnson has been a staff writer for Life and an editor at Esquire, Redbook, and Outside. Her first book, The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasure of Obituaries, was a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award and a Border's Original Voice.

The New York Society Library was founded in 1754, and is the city's oldest library. In the eighteenth century, an organization labeled "Society" meant that it was open to all-available to everyone throughout society. The Library is open to all for reading, reference, and most events, with circulation and other services by subscription. The beautiful landmarked building dates from 1917 and includes reading rooms, spaces for study, stacks, and an exhibition gallery. The Library has approximately 275,000 volumes and hosts a variety of special events, reading groups, workshops, as well as the New York City Book Awards.