What do you get a [Librarian] for Christmas when she already has a [book]?

Lurkbot

So it's my mom's birthday today and I need to get her something. This sounds last minute, but it's really not since I live in Baltimore and she lives in Seattle and I'm flying out there in two weeks. I'll just tell her I want to give her her gift in person.

Anyway, so yeah, she's a librarian and also a huge book reader. Probably 2-3 books a week. I want to get her a book that she would enjoy but might not have read yet. I know there are a couple librarians on here so maybe I can get some advice on what a librarian could be happily surprised to get?

I know she reads a lot of modern fiction dealing with political and social topics (The Red Tent, "That-guy-whose-name-I-forget"'s Kite). She did read Harry Potter but I don't think fantasy is her thing.

Was thinking that a humorous memoir of a librarian might be a good thing, but I have no idea where to begin to look for that.

Halp!

starmanbrand

This is just off the top of my head, but if she has access to a library where she can get many, many free books...Perhaps you should get her something other than a book that will be digest and put aside within a couple days?

matt has a problem

Yeah, buying a librarian a book would be like buying a museum curator a day pass. Maybe get her something book related?

TychoCelchuuu

Maybe you could get her chocolate or something. Even people who read books enjoy things in life other than reading books, especially if they spend their day job working with books too.

Saddler

Yeah, unless it's a rare/signed/etc book from her favorite author, a book is a bad idea. And now you've built up the gift a little, wanting to give it to her in person. She's gotta have some other hobbies or likes you can tap into.

Maybe tickets to a play? Or a professional massage, or a day at a spa?

Wezoin

You should get her this: Deluxe Librarian Action Figure

ricko

Looks like you're thinking of your mum as a librarian before you're thinking of her as your mother...no offense, but surely she has interests other than books? Try broadening the field a little bit when it comes to ideas, maybe get her a gift voucher for her favourite clothes store, or even music perhaps?

If you're talking about buying a book i'm guessing you're budget isn't too high? Try and think outside the box a bit anyway, it is the thought that counts. : )

eternalbl

Just because she's a librarian doesn't mean a book couldn't be a really sweet gift. Like a rare edition of her favorite book. Or maybe one of her favorites has been adapted into a movie?

Improvolone

Saddler wrote: »

Yeah, unless it's a rare/signed/etc book from her favorite author, a book is a bad idea. And now you've built up the gift a little, wanting to give it to her in person. She's gotta have some other hobbies or likes you can tap into.

Maybe tickets to a play? Or a professional massage, or a day at a spa?

As impersonal as a massage sounds, they are the greatest things in the world. If you can afford it, do that.

onceling

To directly answer your question, I would recommend: The Eyre Affair (Jasper Fforde)

But yeah, what the others said.

Kingthlayer

A nice pen and a stationery set.

Hypatia

You could always put together a really cute "Librarian survival kit" or "Librarian care package" and include stuff like bandaids for papercuts, a spray bottle of some nice scent for the really smelly books, disposable rubber gloves for the really gross books, cookies and tea for those rainy days, a book light, some old library stuff if you can find some (like those pouches with the lined paper that they'd stamp before everything was computerized, or cards from an old card catalog), etc.

Steev

Well, I'm a librarian, but I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I actually don't read a whole lot. I have heard good things about this book called Dewey which is about a library cat. It's written by a librarian. That might work!

MayGodHaveMercy

Perhaps a clever book (such as the one above) and a little something else?