Happy National Library Week! April 13-19, 2014, is a time to honor libraries and librarians for all they do to encourage reading and learning for enlightenment and enjoyment. I extend my deep gratitude to all the librarians who have helped and inspire me over the years.

I have many fond memories of visiting my local library as a child. My mother made our visits there a special treat to sort through and select just the right books to read over and over and over again at home for a few weeks. And then it was back to the library before the books’ due date to get more books.

As a grown-up, I enjoy a variety of libraries – public, school, corporate, and private. My husband and I have created an extensive home library with books on art, management, business, food, investing, historical biographies, local history, religion, classic literature, and fiction. We’ve even kept a few of our favorite college textbooks.

I also have my own business library with books that reflect my professional interests in:

• Marketing and branding, especially services marketing
• Employee engagement and HR/talent management
• Nonprofit marketing, management, and leadership
• Facilitation and training.

Among my most favorite office books are the invaluable reference, J. I. Rodale’s The Synonym Finder, and the ever enjoyable, thought-provoking Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon MacKenzie.

What’s in your home/office library? And what are your favorite books?