What are you reading?

The books which moved me the most this year included "The Kite Runner," by Khaled Hosseini, and "The Secret Life of Bees," by Sue Monk Kidd. These authors have the ability to grab readers and immediately pull them into their characters' lives across time and space. This is also true of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," which I re-read, along with "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan. These books were both candidates for Hawai'i's Big Read project. ... A book which I just discovered is "Honolulu Then and Now," by Sheila Sarhangi. It contains side-by-side historical and contemporary photographs of notable buildings in our city.

How do you discover new books?

Some recommendations come from my mom, an avid reader, who introduced me to "The Kite Runner," and Janice Evanovich — an odd combo to be sure. Another book enthusiast in the family is my husband, Mark, a physics and astronomy professor, who has an inquisitive mind, a twisted sense of humor, and a very wide range of interests. Watching Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" usually results in one of us placing an online request via the library catalog for a book by one of the fascinating guests.

How does your personal reading influence your efforts to serve the public and reach new readers — especially at a time when people say no one reads anymore?

I love to read! ... (And) I am very proud of our library staff, and especially our youth services specialists, who select wonderful titles for their collections and promote the joy and love of reading through story times, book talks, and orientations. ... Reading is one of the greatest pleasures in life, and it enriches, informs, and allows anyone to partake in the world's collective wisdom and experience.

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