Miss Library Lady , a "romance for young moderns"

Miss Library Lady , a "romance for young moderns", by Ann McLelland Pfaender (copyright 1954)

I just discovered this book in the Juvenile Collection at the U of A. I had never read it before, and so of course, I was curious as to what a career-oriented romance from 55 years ago had to share about libraries.

It was really a fun and quick read. It also showed that libraries and their patrons are still much the same. Here is an interesting example:
"Scheduled arrangements were made with the school for the next Monday morning, and after careful preparation Jean started on the long walk to Greenfern School. In a Mexican basket, gay with color, she carried application cards for new membership, a few new books, and some bookmarks. As a horrible example she added a tattered book that plainly showed wear and tear, plus the greasy imprint of a limp strip of bacon she had discovered tucked into its pages, used by some child as a bookmark" (53). (This still happens.)

Jean, who was born in Scotland, moved to the US with her mother as a young child. Now as a successful new graduate from Library School, she automatically gets placed in a library position in the local library system! Wow, how fortunate for the graduates! She wanted the Children's Librarian position open in the main library, but one of the branch managers has specifically requested Jean. She grows to love her new position among a diverse population. Then on a ski trip with friends, she meets a man from Hawaii, who eventually convinces her to move to Hawaii - to a Branch Manager position there that he gets for her. How lucky! Of course, they fall in love with each other, and plan to get married. (It is a very "clean" romance.) She will continue to work after they are married - after all, this is a romance for " young moderns", and women can now work and be married at the same time!