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Hello and welcome to the Ex the excerpt I'm Dana Taylor.

Today is Wednesday April 10th 2024 and this is a this episode is for you. When I was six years old my mother took me to the library, pointed at two shelves of books and told me that I could choose any one of them to take home.

An entire world opened up for me in that moment.

Our next guests are intimately familiar with libraries and bookstore culture,

best-selling author James Patterson's latest book, The Secret Lives of

book Sellers and Librarians, is in many ways a love letter to this cornerstone

of education here in America.

Joining him, we're delighted to welcome Michael Threates, a librarian whose viral library-focused

videos have endeared him to thousands of readers across the country.

James and Michael have long admired one another

and are finally meeting for the first time today.

Jim and Michael, thank you for joining me.

Thanks for having us.

Pleasure.

I want to start with you Michael.

You're known for the tagline you borrowed from an animated art bark named Arthur Reed.

Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card.

When did you first realize the special connection you felt with libraries?

Libraries have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I grew up a homeschool kid in my local library the library where I spent so many years of my life working my mom was my teacher for me and my siblings

...