Happy Library Workers Day

Thank you so much! I want to say thank you! In a video! :)

Today is National Library Workers Day! Thank you so much to every library work for bringing books, periodicals, films, recordings and SO many more things to everyone.

To be honest, growing up I always thought librarians were scary. My mother would point to the librarian whenever I was making too much noise with my books. And then the librarian would sometimes look over at us?

OH! THE TERROR!!!

But later, I found out librarians were just folks, doing the best they could. A lot of them were cool and interesting and fun—and they loved books as much as me, maybe even moreso.

Librarians have been so wonderful to me. The ALA/YALSA honored Light From Uncommon Stars with the Alex Award in 2022. Whenever I hear someone wanting to get my book from the library, my heart does a little pitter-pat. Yes, book sales are important. But there is something magical about knowing someone is going up it one of those (formerly) terrifying librarians and asking for my work.

Thank you, all!
—
SO! I would like to say thank you.

From now until the end of April—if you are a Library Worker and have any questions about my work or Light From Uncommon Stars, please leave them in the comments here. (And just for my happiness, can you say which library you work at?)

I will either do a video or livestream my answers in early May. :) This actually helps me, too because I need to learn how to do these things.

What better and more fitting way to learn something new than with library workers, right?

Also, please share this post with any library workers you might know who have read Light From Uncommon Stars?

All my best, and no, I don’t think you are terrifying anymore. (Except for that lady at the Rosemead Library, but I think she retired.)

Much love,
Ryka

ps—Cover Photo by Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash