This interesting book looks at librarianship from a religious (primarily Judeo-Christian) point of view. Focusing on the idea of the library as both a sacred and secular institution, Maxell discusses how librarians and libraries perform sacred functions, organize chaos, impart immortality, uplift individuals and society, provide sacred space, support community, and pass on culture. The ideas presented in this book describe the significant meaning of unique roles that libraries play in society and the special services that are not provided by other societal institutions (thus, our libraries should not strive to be like Barnes and Noble or Borders and our catalogs should never strive to be like Amazon or Google). While it can be difficult and redundant in places, I would recommend this book to anyone involved in libraryland (at any level, not just librarians) as well as those interested in religious studies.
Leatherby Libraires Call Number: Z716.4 .M37 2006
2nd Floor Social Science Library
Review submitted by: Andrew Tessandori, Cataloging Assistant, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended
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