Heather McCormack

Librarians' Lounge: Studio 54 at BEA?

OK, so it ain't Studio 54, and it's not even close to a dive bar. There's no coke, no booze, no Bianca Jagger, no three-legged dog named Baldino. It's the Librarians' Lounge (Booth # 5131), a rectangular oasis roped off in the far reaches of the Jacob Javits Center, a place to recharge your batteries with coffee, cookies, water, and maybe a few Zzzzs. And the Book Review editors—Barbara, Ann, Willy, Heather, Margaret, and Anna—will be there to keep out nonlibrarians looking to swipe three o'clock brownies, not to mention to hang out and pick your brains, if you'll be so kind to let us.

I, for instance, am very curious about what librarians make of our newish Xpress (online-only) Reviews. Do you find them easy to find and use on our new web site? What would you like to see reviewed since the web allows us more space? Refrigerator repair manuals? More alternative health? Wicca sex manuals? Because there are a lot of books published and not enough printed book space. Here's your chance to cast your vote for, er, eroticism in golden age Spain. I'm not kidding.

It's also a good place to ask us questions. If you're curious about our systems (e.g., "How do you decide what to review?"), we'll be more than happy to clue you in. If you want to know how to be a reviewer, we can get you an application (yes, yes, and yes: we always need new people!). We'll also be able to point you to places to visit and nosh when you're on and off the clock (see Eat New York City—LJ Editor Style and BookExpo Advice from the Pros). Maybe you want to know where to find clean public bathrooms outside of Javits, and I'm certainly willing to share that coveted information if you'll reveal your library's guilty book pleasure.

Here, for the record, are our booth duty times (Barbara Hoffert will be in and out as time allows; Anna Katterjohn will be there most of the time, along with Ann Kim):

Ann Burns: Friday, 11-noon; Saturday, noon-1 p.m. 
Wilda "Willy" Williams: Friday, 10-11 a.m.; Saturday, 3-4 p.m.
Heather McCormack: Friday, 9-10 a.m.; Saturday, 10-11 a.m.
Margaret Heilbrun: Friday, 2-3 p.m.; Saturday, 11-noon

Posted by Heather McCormack on May 29, 2007 | Comments (1)