MY HOMETOWN LIBRARY

An invitingly detailed portrait of the Guilford (Connecticut) Free Library, from photos of books the author enjoyed there as a boy and of its still-active former director to descriptions of the latest technology; from nitty-gritty details like fines and spine labels to a full range of materials and services—all generously illustrated with excellent color photos of staff, programs, people chosing and reading books, a behind- the-scenes look at book processing, and such intriguing details as how finger puppets are attached to a special glove (velcro). Jaspersohn even distinguishes between ``library staff'' who check out books and librarians; all that's missing from this admirable survey is book selection (and more adult concerns such as budgeting and social issues). Attractive and up-to-the-minute, just the thing to hand a teacher planning a class visit—or a new trustee. Creatively, from Petunia to Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library, the ``Additional Reading'' listed is all fiction. (Nonfiction. 5-10)