MOI HEART THE LIBRARY!

I've often thought my ideal career would be that of a librarian (hi John, ye poet-librarian!). This goes back to my first "job": shortly after immigrating to the U.S. (I was ten years old), I came to be a volunteer in my school elementary library.... over the years, this has meant I've long been a library patron as well as library supporter by donating books. Most recently, I donated a bunch of books from the Meritage Press titles I publish, as well as (but of course) some of my poetry books to the Andy Ausonio Library. If you click on this link to Jean's OKIR, you'll see a wonderful write-up of the library, but also including the rather limited state of its poetry collection -- scroll down to the bottom of Jean's report and you see a photo of its poetry collection...on a mere two shelves!

Anyway, so imagine my extra-special delight to receive a letter recently from Kurt Ellison, whose title identifies him as Supervising Librarian, Castroville Branch Library, Monterey County Free Libraries." Kurt writes:

"Jean Vengua brought your very generous donation of a box of new poetry books to our Castroville Branch Library...That was a very, very pleasant surprise! Your thoughtful donation really beefs up our poetry collection and will be of great benefit to our patrons. Our staff has had a chance to skim through the books you donated and have found the collection to be of high quality and from authors not in our current offering."

et-wonderful-cetera....

And as an author moiself, I love the idea of any of my books being in a public library collection. That ... is just special.