Book editor Mary Ann Gwinn writes about librarians helping the jobless

Lit life |

Lit Life has a special reverence for librarians, a "fist of steel in a velvet glove" species if there ever was one. Librarians have stared down the feds when they tried to check out what you're checking out; they have battled on behalf of banned books (keeping them, not banning them). They can even keep teenagers in line when they flood the library to do their homework — now that takes some spine.

Now King County librarians have decided to tackle the Unemployment Problem. Now through Friday, 41 of 44 branches of the King County Library System will open an hour early for extra service for those seeking help in their Next Life Phase, as the unemployment counselors like to call losing your job.

For those who want to explore their next life phase at home, the library has also consolidated its resources for dealing with job loss in two very handy Web pages with multiple links.

The first, www.kcls.org/looktoyourlibrary, links to topics such as "Just Laid Off? with subcategories "Adjusting to a Sudden Loss of Income," "Avoiding Foreclosure" and others. Then there's "Searching for a Job"; "Struggling Small Business?"; "Bills Piling Up?" and more.

The second, www.kcls.org/looktoyourlibrary/more_resources.cfm takes the chipper attitude, "Is there an upside to a downturn?" with links on how to spend less, enjoy your time, do something new, helping others ... and if all that doesn't work, coping with crisis.

Some materials take a library card, free to any county resident. Armed with same, I was able to get into the supercool "Résumé Builder" software program, though not without a little help from KCLS spokeswoman Marsha Iverson. So if you wade into this wealth of information and stumble, do what Iverson advises — ask a librarian.

Awards alert

Lit Life is pleased to announce that Seattle author Nisi Shawl, a Seattle Times reviewer of science fiction, has won the 2009 James Tiptree Jr. Literary Award for her short-story collection, "Filter House," published by Seattle-based Aqueduct Press.

The Tiptree award is an authentically big deal in the science-fiction world; it's named in honor of Alice B. Sheldon, a cutting-edge science-fiction writer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who broke into what was then a man's world by writing under the name James Tiptree, Jr.

It goes to "science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender." For more information go to www.tiptree.org.; for a review of "Filter House," go to times.com/">www.seattletimes.com and search Shawl Filter House. The winner says she will use the $1,000 prize money to pay bills, and maybe splurge on a new lipstick.

Reading of the week

Seattle-based Pete Nelson had a hit with his book "Treehouses of the World," which featured pictures and text on some mind-blowing treehouses. More books followed, and now he's published "New Treehouses of the World," and will speak about same at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., Lake Forest Park; free (206-366-3333 or www.thirdplacebooks.com). Yes, he also builds treehouses.