What You Are Looking For is in the Library

Needless to say when I saw this title I knew that I had to read this book and I was not disappointed. What you are looking for is in the library, written by Michiko Aoyama and translated from Japanese by Alison Watts, tells the story of five people who are at crossroads in their lives and how they make decisions that will impact on their future. Although the five chapters each feature one of the main characters, interactions between characters occur throughout the book to create an interweaving story.

Tomoka sells clothing in a large department store, Ryo is an accountant in a furniture manufacturing firm, Natsuma is a young mother who was a magazine editor before the birth of her child but now reluctantly works in the Information Resources department, Hiroya wants to be an artist but is currently not employed in any work and Masao has recently retired. The common thread is that they all discover the local community centre and the library where they meet librarian, Sayuri Komachi, who not only helps them find the books they are initially seeking but also suggests an entirely different book that in all cases influences the next decisions that they make about plans for their future.

How books and reading can effect a person's view on life is a theme of the book. Another theme is the importance accepting one's involvement in a community.

What all the characters finally learn is that it is OK to look at life differently and decide what they really want in the future, not necessarily what they feel the world expects of them. As the librarian explains to one of the characters - "Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique". Some characters changed careers or changed their attitude to the work they were doing. Others discovered how to incorporate new interests or hobbies into their normal lives creating a lifestyle that was more than just work. 

All in all this is an uplifting novel showing the importance of books, libraries and librarians in communities. The novel also encourages readers to consider how books can influence their lives.