Dorothy Lazard's New Book, Behind the Desk at the Main: A Librarian's Memoir

The Event

In her new book, Behind the Desk at the Main: A Librarian’s Memoir, releasing August 18, 2026, celebrated Oakland librarian and public historian Dorothy Lazard offers an insider’s look at the modern American library. Through personal stories and decades of experience, Lazard demystifies the work of librarians and reveals how libraries serve as vital hubs—and defenders—for knowledge, connection, and civic life.

Over the course of Lazard’s 20-year-tenure at the Oakland Public Library’s flagship branch—known as “the Main”—she built a career helping residents connect with the city’s past and present, eventually becoming the keeper of Oakland’s local history archives. Serving people from every walk of life, she gained a unique vantage point on the concerns and health of her city—helping patrons complete homework and dissertations, trace family histories, research neighborhoods, and explore cultures from around the world.

But the book also highlights the growing challenges libraries face today. As one of the last truly democratic and free municipal services, the public library has become a battleground in cultural and political debates. Efforts to restrict access to books—particularly works by and about people of color and the LGBTQ+ community—have placed librarians on the frontlines of the fight for intellectual freedom.

Signed Books For Sale

Pegasus Books of Berkeley will be on site as the bookseller for this event with Dorothy. They can have her book available for sale and signing at the end of her talk.