Jacob Shymanski

Do you know where I'm coming from with curation nowadays?

It feels like there's only a pantheon of books that are in the mainstream and talked about a lot.

And if you go to places that offer recommendations, you often get just those books in the pantheon.

How are you, the Calgary Public Library, curating books that are outside of the mainstream?

I'm assuming a lot of other public libraries do that too, create these book lists.

Where can people access the Calgary Library's book lists?

You have a fascinating job as a director of collections.

Can you talk a bit about what your day-to-day looks like?

What does a director of collections do for a public library?

Like a tax collector.

What does one have to study to become a librarian?

What do you learn when you do a master's in library studies or in information?

This is fascinating.

It's like a strange mix of being a service worker, logistics, and English literature.

Exactly.

It's all three of those together.

I cannot pass up the opportunity to ask a professional librarian for book recommendations.

Can I get a couple books that have excited you recently?

How many books do you read?

Do you ever get tired of it?