Enoch Pratt Librarian, Deborah Taylor, spoke at upper
school Convocation last week about the importance of libraries and reading in
the age of technology. "There are two questions that inflame life-long
readers and librarians, two groups to whom I happily belong:Does anybody read
anymore?
And why
do we need libraries when we can just 'Google it'?" I’ll start with
the second. No, you can’t just 'Google it'.” Ms. Taylor explained
that although she uses Google as much as anyone, we must be aware of its
limitations. She cited author, Neil Gaiman, who once said "Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one."
In responding to the question of whether people still read Ms. Taylor said that not a week goes by that she doesn't see a
Netflix movie that is based on a book. "Somebody's reading!" She
reminded us that graphic novels and comics count as books too. "Books
come into being in all kinds of ways because we can become readers in all kinds
of ways." Ms. Taylor's grandmother told her stories aurally, and that sparked
her love of books and reading. She shared some of her
favorite books throughout the speech, and they are listed below. Ms. Taylor
will be retiring from her position as the Coordinator of School and Student
Services at Pratt next week. We are very thankful that she took time out of her
busy morning to visit Bryn Mawr.
Books that Ms. Taylor mentioned during her speech:
Check, Please! by
Ngozi Ukazu
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story
of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Dear Martin by
Nic Stone
Harry Potter series by
J. K . Rowling
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness (A
Discovery of Witches is first volume)
The Mortal Instruments
series by
Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette
Gordon-Reed
Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord
Chief Justice by Paula Byrne
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
