What You Are Looking For Is In The Library – Serendipity

What You are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama was recommended to me by a friend while enjoying a latte and a huge blueberry scone one Saturday morning. She described it as a short read depicting people of all sorts encountering a mysterious librarian who recommends a random book that ultimately changes their lives. At the time, I interpreted the librarian to be some magical being influencing all who sought her power at the library. However, I soon discovered that this short book was not entirely of the magical sort, but it does possess a certain magic that our readers at QTL will certainly appreciate. 

A collection of residents in the Hatori Ward are surprised to learn that there is a local community house that offers classes, events, and an extensive library. They’re even more surprised by the librarian they encounter, a formidable and serious woman, who is always aggressively felting souvenirs in her small office space. Each resident requests books on a particular topic, and the librarian dutifully delivers a list of appropriate book recommendations and one seemingly misplaced title. The residents question the additional title, but the librarian sticks to the recommendation and sends them on their way to discover something new and hopefully, life changing.

I could argue that the librarian at the Hatori Community House does possess powers. She would disagree with me, but there is something uncanny about her ability to strike at the heart of the issues plaguing the residents appearing before her. They barely utter a word, yet the librarian knows exactly what book the resident needs to inspire them. Despite the librarian’s intuitive recommendations, everything about this story feels real and ordinary. Despite flirting with magical realism, Library also depicts that in our normal lives, we can be swept away by the power of books. How often has a story changed, challenged, and encouraged you? Magic simply exists by opening a book and absorbing its story.

Reading Library was like coming home, and it made me take stock of my current path and the journey before me. Aoyama inspired reflection by featuring a relatable resident for us all to find pieces of ourselves in. There’s a high-achieving college graduate who has lost steam, a company man watching his dreams slip away, a woman who loses her successful career to raise her first child, a young man who can’t find his place in the world, and a gentleman who is losing himself in the quiet days of his retirement. Regardless of their situation, I connected with each character and saw my struggles and worries replicated in their stories. Just as each character had to come to terms with their life and choices, I too, learned to appreciate my journey and make decisions for a new day. 

There is much to appreciate across the different stories, but I loved how Aoyama included small details to remind us of how connected we all are. There are threads through the residents’ lives, some obvious and others more subtle, but their circle of life overlaps one another in some way. Something as simple as each resident recognizing the Honeydome cookie box on the librarian’s desk and having it spark a unique memory for them brought a smile to my face. It’s so easy to get swept up in the chaos of the world, but if we zoom out, it’s really quite small, and we can find a lot of happiness and meaning in the people, situations, and symbols around us. Aoyama also reminds us how much of an impact we can have on another person’s life, and it can happen with the smallest thought or action. The connections warmed my heart and reminded me to slow down in life and appreciate the seemingly mundane.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library will have a permanent home on my shelf. I already anticipate revisiting this story each year because it will serve as a wonderful reminder to ground myself and appreciate life’s journey. Michiko Aoyama wrote a feel-good story with a lot of heart, and I encourage you to experience its transformative tales. 

Rating: What You Are Looking for is in the Library – 8.5/10
-Brandee