Maxwell's thesis has potential and the book is ripe with good ideas and speaks well for the importance of libraries. Unfortunately, what unfolds are weak attempts to force inconsistent puzzle pieces together and a lot of fluff regarding librarianship. ( )

Although a few of the chapters show signs of the struggle to maintain the asserted relationship between libraries and religion, other are extremely successful in suggesting that libraries are more than information warehouses. Based on my highlighting, chapters 3, 4, and 6 seem especially provocative. ( )

We don't often realize it, but there is a spiritual dimension to librarianship. We often feel helping others with their information needs is our calling. Many are drawn to this profession from childhood. I highly recommend this book to any librarian who feels as if their job has become routine and boring. ( )

As other reviewers have suggested, this book would have worked better as a journal article. I think its repetitiveness detracted from the author's purpose. I was puzzled by the author's analogy of librarianship to religious vocation since the idea of vocation is not limited to the clerical profession. It can apply to any profession, including librarianship. The discussion of library as place was the most useful and thought-provoking part of the book for me. While this book isn't a must-read for librarians, I would recommend it to those who have a strong interest in both spirituality and the library profession. ( )

Libraries have always been divine to me and are certainly my personal sanctuary; and though I lack membership in an organized religion, this book made me realize that perhaps learning is my religion and libraries my church. Although I am not a librarian (yet), I have felt a calling to the profession like that which the author describes in this book.

I found many of the author's analogies between libraries and religious places to hold true, and enjoyed the overall premise of the book. However, I did feel it was at times redundant; as another reviewer noted, it would have been better as a long article than as a book. ( )