Check It Out: 9+ Great Books by Librarians

I started my career as a librarian, and while I’ve been working as an editor now for longer than I worked as a librarian, the things I learned while working in the library have informed so much of my career and life. I published my first book while working in libraries, and it was a book written for librarians. But when I stepped out from behind the reference desk, it was my experience and depth of knowledge of the books that did–and did not–exist that helped me think about the kinds of books I wanted to write for teens in the future. My three anthologies, Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health, and Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy, were all published when I was out of libraries. All three were deeply informed by that library work, though.

I’m far from alone. While the average reader may be surprised to learn that some of their favorite authors were or are librarians, for most librarians or former librarians, this dual career/hobby path makes sense. Many librarians spend their days working with books, whether they love to read or help patrons discover the resources they need to live their lives. That engagement with books is ripe for inspiration.

Task #15 of the 2026 Read Harder Challenge is to read a book by a librarian, and you’re in luck, no matter what your preferred category or genre of reading may be. Let’s take a look at several authors who are also librarians, many of whom have written several books. I’ve highlighted just one title for each, but know their catalogs may have you reading for weeks. There’s fiction and nonfiction, as well as books for adults and young readers, across a range of genres, formats, and styles. This list features only librarian-authors who are still alive; there are so many additional librarian-authors if you want to go back in time, too, including Beverly Cleary.

Librarians are rad. So, too, are the books that they’re writing.

Hearts on Hold by Charish Reid If you’re looking for a sexy librarian romance, then you’ve come to the right place. Professor Victoria Reese knows it’ll be hard work to convince her colleagues at the elite university where she works to build a partnership with the local public library. The good news is that the children’s librarian at the library is not only all-in on the partnership, but he’s also pretty easy on Professor Reese’s eyes. There’s definitely chemistry between them, and there’s also a heck of a lot of flirting, thanks to a late fee for a steamy romance novel on the Professor’s record.

Read Woke Books by Cicely Lewis Immediately after noting that I would be highlighting just a single title from each librarian-author, I’m breaking my own parameters. That’s because Cecely Lewis is the founder and author behind “Read Woke Books,” a series of nonfiction works for upper elementary and middle school readers that explore American history. Among the titles she’s published are The Real History of the White House, Focus On: Civil Rights Sit-Ins, Resistance to Slavery: From Escape to Everyday Rebellion, and Mass Incarceration, Black Men, and the Fight for Justice. Any or all of these would make for great reading, whether or not you’re the target readership–they’re texts intended to expand our understanding of the fullness of American history. Want more from Lewis? Then you’ll want to share her emerging reader series, also part of the Read Woke franchise, with your youngest readers, “Hair Magic.” Start with Imani Finds the Right Notes.

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