I wanted to like this book, but Michael Guillebeau's fictional librarian Serenity quickly moves from frustrated and funny to angry and avaricious. While the bones of the story began well enough, the author's obvious personal frustration and fantasy too soon overtook it.

Book 61 of my 2017 Reading Challenge
read from September 17 - October 11

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it**

MAD Librarian by Michael Guillebeau

Summary (via NetGalley)
When the city cuts off funding for her library, Serenity Hammer embezzles from a neglected city fund that turns out to be the conduit for all state political corruption. Now she has all the money she needs to build the library her city deserves - if she can do it fast and stay alive.

My Opinion
I'm a fan that half of the book's profits go to a librarian fund.

As a former librarian there were many points where I was yelling "Preach" as I was reading and sending lines to my friends still working there. Both frustrating points about funding and quiet moments about finding peace in the shelves (personally, my place of Zen I go to in my mind will always be opening the library on Sunday afternoons when I would be the first one there and walk around taking an extra second in the stacks before turning the lights on).

Haha, the first rule for writing and sex: Keep your hand moving.

Perfect out-of-context chapter title: "need to check out a placenta? call your librarian."

It went off the rails a bit but suspend your belief and enjoy a little vigilante justice from unexpected places.

I wanted to read this book because I love libraries. My childhood dream was to be a librarian, and while I didn't end up going in that direction, I sometimes continue to dream about what it would be like. Any book that bases its plot on a library and librarians is one that will get a second look from me.
In spite of that, I wasn't overly impressed with this book. It was good enough to keep me reading, but beyond that, it didn't really strike me as an especially clever or solid piece. It seemed like an attempt to pair a cozy mystery with Tim Dorsey style characters and plot. Neither of which are favorites of mine. That said, I think this book will appeal to either of those reading fans. Its formulaic style will be comfortable and familiar for them.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Review: I give this book 3 out of 5 MAD Stars! This book had big potential to be a 5 starred book for me. I liked this book and the premise of the story but there was things I didn't enjoy as well. Pretty much the best way I could review it is by saying the premise was amazing but the author poured it on a little too thick. Some parts of this book I was laughing hysterically, other parts I was annoyed by the main character. I felt the story was overdone a little and could have done with a little less "MAD" shall we say. Overall, I liked this book and would be interested in the author's future works.
I received a eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great story about a little librarian, Serenity Hammer, who leads the fight to keep her library open. Fun storyline that in the battle of corrupt politicians is very timely!

What would you do if your library was going to close down after government cuts . Well this is what happens in a small town and the librarians aren't going to stand for it . They are going to take back their library and make it the great place it should be . 
   I laughed when I read the title for this book , I didn't know what I was getting myself into . I started this book and got sucked into Serenity and the girls of the library . They are quirky and full of life even though it seems that they are beaten down at the beginning of the book . When the city council cuts the libraries budget to the bones and puts the librarians in charge of the computer servers and doing the books . Amanda, Serenity and Joy are tired of it and well do some things that really aren't that legal to get the library back . After finding a big bundle of money in a slush fund from the city council . They start to pay bills and build the library of their dreams . But all isn't right in whoville when the people who the money belongs to find out and honestly hilarity ensues as they try and figure out how to deal with it all . 
     The characters in this book are well lets say at the least they are quirky and loving . Serenity is such a good woman , she seems beaten down but she is strong and will do whatever to get her library done .  Amanda or Doom as everyone calls her , she is the tough chick that just wants to have a fun place to work and be herself . Joy is the calm of the three . She seems almost must like . The cast of characters are all fun to read  and you will love them and laugh out loud at some of the antics . 
      I truly liked this book and the author shows us that libraries are there for more then just doing in research . Libraries are an essential part of everyone's lives for companionship and a feeling of someplace to be needed . It also shows that we will do almost anything to help out when someone is or something is being destroyed . I have told my librarian friends to read this book . Hopefully they will have as much fun reading it as I did . You will be laughing all the way through . So if you want a great book with some great laughs check it out

I don't know what I expected from this book, but a librarian assaulting a customer with a book (I mean, he was a flasher, but still) doesn't recommend a book to me.

Library budgets are being slashed everywhere, and that thought brings little consolation to Serenity Hammer when the Maddington Library budget is cut to the bone. Now, she has three days to figure out where to find funds to pay the library's internet bill. When she approaches the mayor and city council for a restoration of the library's budget, she's basically laughed out the door. If Serenity was upset before, she is beyond pissed now. Thanks to the fact the city council has every librarian doing double-duty, Amanda Doom, is now also the town accountant and she and Serenity come across a secret fund, a secret fund with plenty of money. Initially, Serenity just takes enough money from the fund to pay the internet bill and a few other outstanding library needs, like having the plumbing fixed. When she checks the fund again and realizes large quantities of money are coming into the account, she does the unthinkable and has the money channeled to the library and goes on a massive spending spree. The library's expansion project is not only greenlighted by Serenity but is given a massive upgrade. There's just one little catch, all of the work has to be done in seven days. This new library will not only be a library, but a community resource with a business incubation center, employment center, daycare center, homeless shelter, and more. The only problem is that someone wants their money back and have started to threaten Serenity. This wouldn't ordinarily be a problem since she is married to a police officer, but she can't confide in him about what she's doing or can she? That argument becomes moot when there's a murder of a former FBI-agent in the library during a forensic accounting study ordered by one of the city councilmen. Will Serenity tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth to the love of her life? Will Maddington get it's brand new MAD built before the money guys kill more people?

MAD Librarian was a fast-paced read. Serenity reminds me of the broadcaster in the movie Network that says: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." Well, Serenity and the citizens of Maddington are MAD about their new library, the MAD, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to protect the MAD. Okay, back to the book and the characters: Serenity Hammer is anything but serene; Amanda Doom, walks around in clothing with assorted protest messages and her favorite tagline is "By Any Means Necessary"; Joy Quexnt is the third librarian, a former police officer, and tattoo afficionado; Joe Hammer, local law enforcement officer and Serenity's husband; the hapless mayor; the library's pet rat (the rat wouldn't leave so they decided to keep it); and one city councilman that is also a practicing pediatrician and when townfolk want to discuss city business when he's at work bills the talk as a patient visit. There's a lot of action in the book, they are trying to build a library in seven days! There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor in MAD Librarian as well as outright humor, drama, and some violence. Obviously, there's quite a bit more going on in the story and if you really want to know more then read the book! If you're looking for something different to read, and I do mean different (in a good way) and want to support small libraries then I urge you to grab a copy of MAD Library to read, you'll get a madcap read and do some good as well.

MAD Librarian was a quick, high-energy and fast-paced book about a library that is about to be shut down due to money woes. The plot was unique but the characters, including the main librarian really didn't seem likable (maybe that was the author's point?). I was unsatisfied with the ending, which hopefully means a sequel is on its way.

I spent some time working in a library when I was in college so this book called to me. I had to read it. Reading the blurbs about it, I worried that it would not stand up to the talk. Not only did it stand up but it captivated my attention. That is a task. I realize that it may not seem like one but it truly is.

Strong characters. I enjoyed the concept of a librarian on a mission. The main character was not only likable but I found myself geniunely rooting for her. Add in my love of libraries and I could not help but be in her corner. She has to save the library and is willing to do anything to do so. A woman after my own heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Madison Press for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am rating it Four Stars because there were some moments that I found hard to believe. I loved the premise and enjoyed the writing. Overall, I would recommed this book.


InkedBookDragon

If you are a librarian, ever worked in a library, value your local library, would love to see government truly serve the citizens, or just enjoy a book with quirky characters and lots of laughs, you should read this book. One of the most enjoyable books I have read this year.

The author has created some wonderful characters, especially the librarians at the Maddington Public Library (known as the MAD) -- Head Librarian Serenity Hammer and assistant librarians Amanda Doom and Joy Quexnt.

The librarians had grand plans to create a library that truly served the needs of the community, but the city council, led by Councilman Doctor Bentley, had different ideas regarding the library (and community organizations/social services in the city of Maddington in general). The city council, in an effort to save money, placed the city's computer servers in the children's reading room of the library and expected Amanda Doom, because of her minor in computer science, to maintain the servers. Serenity Hammer, with her minor in accounting, had been placed in charge of the city books. Councilman Doctor Bentley and his cronies on the city council would come to regret their cost-cutting efforts. While trying to figure out a way to pay the library's bills, Mrs. Hammer runs across the city's "Residuals" fund, which has an amazing large amount of money in it, and decides to transfer some to the library to pay the bills. Then she and her fellow librarians come up with an audacious plan to fund the library expansion they had been pushing for and create the library of their dreams, with facilities and resources to assist in job placement, business start-ups, rudimentary legal and medical advice, and other services. However, the true owners of the money do not take kindly to the diversion of funds and want the money back. In addition, Mrs. Hammer's husband is a police officer and believes very strongly in right and wrong; she cannot tell him what she is doing, but with the amount of money the library is spending, he knows something suspicious is going on, which causes added stress for both of them.

Not only is "MAD Librarian" an amusing story, and also a story about people taking risks (albeit less than entirely legal/ethical risks in this case) to achieve great things for their community, but the author manages to comment on many of the issues facing society without hammering (pun intended) the reader over the head with it; issues such as underfunded community organizations and social services; politicians that are either inept or corrupt; the influence of "dark money" in politics; and the tension between different parts of a community over a limited supply of funds.

The author also does a great job of demonstrating that libraries and librarians are more than just a resource for reading or research materials, but are also often a resource for finding a job, for figuring out how to start a business, for furthering education, for obtaining basic medical or legal information, and even a temporary babysitter for working parents, among other roles that libraries and librarians play.

Of course I had to request an early copy of a book about embezzling librarians, especially when the author sent me an email talking about how wonderful librarians are. However, this story wasn't really for me, surprisingly. I admired certain aspects of these characters, but I found I didn't connect with them in any way that made me care about these characters beyond the page. The dialogue seemed very stilted, and as someone who works in a public library full time, there were many scenarios that didn't ring true, or that didn't feel realistic. I was also left confused about the actual embezzlement itself, since the plot just seemed to dive into a murky mess when it was brought up. (I'm also terrible at numbers, which is why I could never embezzle, which may be another reason why this part of plot was so boring to me.)

I appreciate the author's advocacy for libraries. They are incredible resources that are severely underfunded in rural areas. I was excited to read about a Robin Hood-type librarian, but it wasn't nearly as interesting as I had hoped.

Serenity, Joy and Doom, the librarians at MAD, are characters you will remember for a long time. The budget cuts mount, the work and expectations pile on until little is left but despair. Hopelessness is replaced by rebellion. These librarians who love their jobs commit a crime, which leads to further mayhem. Although at times a little outrageous, the heart of the book comes through clearly. Was their action justified? Will they get caught? And how will Serenity make Joe understand, This book was funny, sad and above all entertaining. I wish everyone would read it, love it and pass it on.
I received this ARC from NetGalley , to read and review. Thank you for this wonderful book. It expressed many of the sentiments I have felt over the years. Our own library just finished months of renovation and expansion thanks to people who love this place as much as we do.

I started this book with high hopes for a fun read and I tried to like it. I really did. But, unfortunately, I didn’t. It just seemed to try too hard to be funny, cute and quirky and only succeeded in annoying me. So, after 30% I gave up.

I really wish that I'd liked this book more than I did. I liked the idea of it. Library satire with a side of a caper set in the South about a town called Maddington (hence the library's nickname, the MAD) that is rife with politicians that want to kill it, and then there's Serenity, the Head Librarian who wants more than anything for the library to be the center of the town and the community. She stumbles onto a sort of slush fund of some kind filled with money and because MAD's internet is being turned off and their AC just stopped working (in Alabama in the Summer) she dips into it once, then again, and then dips into something even more dangerous. Then she's getting threatened and all sorts of things start swirling around her.

There is one problem with that. I've lived/worked in towns where the library is the center of the community, you can have 80% of the town use it, love it, advocate for it, it doesn't help. It's still always, always the first to get cut and the last to get back onto the gravy train.

Another problem I had with the book was that although I get that it was supposed to be a caper and satire, where everything is exaggerated for emphasis. I'm also a librarian, and while a lot of the library stuff that was in the book was point on, there were parts of it that I thought were too exaggerated. I think I'm trying to say that the underlying feeling of librarianship was there, which I will give the author credit for because I've read more than one book where the library/librarians are totally portrayed entirely wrong and it hurts my heart. In this one they were portrayed mostly right. But, some of the nitty gritty library stuff chafed at me while I was reading the book.

I really, really liked the idea of this book a ton, the plot and that it would be a satire, but, perhaps I'm just not Southern enough, or I'm too librarian to like it a ton.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Madison Press.

When NetGalley first offered me an advanced copy of MAD Librarians by Michael Guillebeau, I thought I was going to be reading a book filled with funny library stories. Instead, I was treated to a very realistic fantasy where a frustrated Librarian, Serenity, finds an unusual solution to library funding being cut. For example:
1. Local politician decides that the library doesn’t need funding. They can make all the library jobs redundant by giving each citizen a set amount of Amazon credits to provide books for them. While I haven’t heard this exact “solution”, I have heard “Libraries won’t need shelves in the future because everything will be digital”. Because of this City Councilman, the library expansion that had been planned, gets put on the backburner.
2. IT department staff cut? Get a library staff member to maintain the database. After all, they are just sitting around reading, right? This scenario made me laugh like a madwoman! This is how the Librarian finds that the local politicians are skimming money from city accounts and putting it in a personal slush fund. Serenity and her staff find a way to divert those funds to use for building their new library. They cover up the theft of the theft (WHAT??) by saying they received an anonymous donation.
When the City Councilman hired an investigator to find out where the money is coming from, things begin to go wrong for Serenity and her team. So far, Serenity has been able to hide her theft from her police officer husband, but when the investigator end up dead in the library, he is called in to investigate. Serenity also has the brains behind the “skimming of fund” now threatening her and her staff. As the library expansion is being built, Serenity tries fend off the bad guys, hide her new source of funding from her husband, keep her pet rat entertained, and create a library and community center that the city will be proud of.
This was a very timely subject, as our small County library branch is getting a new building. If you are a library supporter or have worked in a library, MAD Librarian will hit a nerve and then make you laugh about it.
Great read!

This book was... not my favorite. Although well-written, it was basically a revenge fantasy for burned-out librarians, and I really didn't enjoy the unkindness of it all.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I enjoyed this delightful murder mystery with a comic twist. The three librarians, Serenity, Doom and Joy all conspire to obtain illegal funding to keep their library open and even expanded to seven floors. Serenity is the head librarian and is married to Joe, the local (very honest) police officer. The book slows down a little in the middle and then gets exciting at the end. The characters are interesting , from corrupt politicians to a librarian born to hippies. Serenity will do anything to keep her MAD library open.

Simply a fabulous compelling read where you cannot help but develop a strong caring for the species, the pack, and individual animals.