Intersection Column | Librarians, the Unsung Heroes

by Sarah Monzon

I don’t know about you, but I have a deep and abiding love for libraries. I enjoyed library time as a kid at school, getting the chance to look through books and being in a nice, quiet environment was a highlight in my scholastic week. But my appreciation for libraries and librarians (especially children’s librarians!) soared to new heights when I became a mom and had little ones of my own. It’s been a few years, but I still remember the exhaustion that comes with being a stay-at-home mom to small children. The energy it takes to constantly be their entire world. It’s an honor and privilege, but it can also leave you wrung out and looking for some back-up . . . even if only for a few minutes! And you know where I found those snippets of structured time where my children were not only safe but engaged and learning and loved on and I could have a moment relax a little in the background? You guessed it. The library.

I think at one point I might have even had the library’s schedule memorized. We were regulars for any age-appropriate story times. Participated in everything from puppet shows to LEGO building to STEM experiments to book-themed crafts. My kids experienced their first solar eclipse at the library. They’ve learned about different cultures, tried a range of musical instruments, got to see rescued wildlife up close and personal, read to dogs, and participated in literacy challenges.

It's no surprise, then, that when I was dreaming up my librarian romcom series, Checking Out Love, that I knew one of the books was going to have to have a heroine who’s a children’s librarian. The unsung hero of not only children but worn-out parents as well.

Martha Aldridge, the leading lady in Bookmarked for Love, is dedicated to Little Creek Library’s youngest patrons. She’s worked tirelessly to bring new programs to the community and meet the needs of all the kids who come through the library’s doors. Those programs are threatened, however, by funding issues and unforeseen expenses. If she doesn’t raise the needed money, not only will she be out of a job, but the children will lose many of the activities and events they rely on every single day. Which is not something she’s willing to let happen without a fight. Fortunately, she knows someone with deep pockets. Unfortunately, in order to ask him for help, she must break a promise she made to herself years before.

Bookmarked for Love is the third and final book in the Checking Out Love series. All three books were fun to write, each featuring a different aspect of a librarian’s responsibilities. Being able to include literary references and bookish easter eggs made writing even that much more fun. With Bookmarked for Love, I got to remember all the children’s events at the library I went to with my own kids as well as all the picture books, chapter books, and YA books I’ve read aloud to my kids. I love the fictional librarian heroines I’ve created in this series, but I love the real-life librarians who have made an impact in my family’s life over the years even more.

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About the Author

HOLT Medallion, Selah Award–winner, and Carol Award finalist Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain’s wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her. Learn more at SarahMonzonWrites.com.

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About the Book

Julien King has been groomed to one day run his family's publishing empire, except he doesn't know the first thing about children's literature. So when librarian Martha Aldridge waltzes into his office, attempting to save the library’s children’s program, he sees an opportunity. But the longer they're forced to work together, the more they come to realize their jobs may not be the only thing on the line.