In the Spring of 2016, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by one of my favorite teachers at Saint Mary’s College– Alex Green. Although I was a little bit nervous, Alex is such a great interviewer that I got comfortable onstage with him immediately. We were there to talk about my recently published memoir, There Was a Fire Here. I had cast a very wide net and invited everyone I could think of. And even though the Golden State Warriors were in a playoff game that night, the turnout was wonderful. (I understood when a few people tiptoed out toward the end to catch the 4th quarter.)

I was afraid I would stumble over words, or say “um” and “you know” too much, but I’ve watched the video  and I didn’t really do either of those things to excess. Alex kept the conversation moving and referenced many pivotal moments in the book. He is no stranger to the art of the interview: his career behind the mic is impressive, with podcasts and radio shows to his credit. He made the conversation flow, he spoke without notes, and asked many thought-provoking questions. We were serious, we kidded around a little, and I felt listened  to. What I loved about this night was seeing friends and colleagues from all parts of my life: family, friends, neighbors, friends from high school, fellow writers, and even the architect who designed our rebuilt home.

When I think about this night now, it seems magical. I’m so grateful for my local independent bookstore, Great Good Place for Books, for sponsoring; Angel Cakes bakery for the fire-themed cupcakes, and Alex Green for making this a night to remember.

Afterward, I signed a lot of books and then floated home.

I could say more, but I’ll just leave this here in case you’d like to see for yourself.

https://youtu.be/N0YY4b1Ouxc

(with thanks to Bruce Nye and Dianne Passen)

My Snowy Year in Buffalo

In the mid-60s I was newly married and heading up to Buffalo, NY for a year while my husband completed med school.  I had just gotten my graduate library degree and applied to the Buffalo Dept of Ed for a school librarian’s job.

I was interviewed at the school superintendent’s office by Mrs D who coordinated all the school libraries in the city.   She told me that for years school budgets had been woefully small in Buffalo and funds for school libraries were a low priority.  I’d find the library collection sadly lacking new books or books reflecting the Black student body in the inner-city K-8 where I was hoping to work.

But,  Mrs D said,  the time was now opportune for an ambitious young librarian to turn things around.   Lyndon Johnson had just signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) into law.  Under ESEA,  grants were offered to school districts serving low-income students,  with funding for classroom texts and also library books.   It was a windfall for Buffalo,  and very exciting.   I convinced Mrs D that I was that ambitious young librarian,  and I got the job.

I can’t remember what my budget was that year,  but it was enough to revamp that library and put my stamp on it.  I had free rein to weed the collection and order what I wished.   As the book cartons would arrive and I’d put new books out on the shelves,  I’d see the kids’ faces light up.  It seemed they couldn’t get enough and I ordered more of what they liked –  fiction,  non-fiction,  biographies,  lots of poetry,  and books by Black authors.

l went home every day exhausted but happy.  Then one night on the news we heard that heavy blizzards were forecast for the following few days – my first real taste of life upstate in winter.  I told my husband I assumed the schools would close and I’d have a welcome ‘snow day’ off.

My husband disabused me.  In Buffalo, he explained,   even 12 inches of snow is no big deal,  the plows hit the streets and life goes on.

And so it did,  but in all my years working in school libraries since then,  none has been as rewarding as bringing new books to those eager kids that snowy year in Buffalo!

– Dana Susan Lehrman 

The man winced and looked at me again. "I'm really sorry, I thought you were the stripper."
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