Several years ago, I read Ali Smith’s collection of short stories, PUBLIC LIBRARY. It was meant, in part, to raise awareness about the UK government’s unfortunate move to close public libraries countrywide, primarily in villages and rural areas. I was reminded of that book, and of the ongoing need for public libraries as both intellectual resource and social safety net, as I picked up Freya Sampson’s THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY.

For as long as she can remember, June Jones’ safe and happy place has been the public library in the quiet village of Chalcot. Her mother once headed it up; now, years after her mother’s death, 28-year-old June still works as a library assistant there, a job that she has had since she was a teenager. Unlike her vivacious mother, though, June mostly keeps to herself, preferring to offer the patrons quiet advice or support rather than leading story times or other programs.

"THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY offers a vivid reminder that libraries serve countless functions beyond just circulating books, and readers may find themselves, like June, inspired to become champions for their local libraries."

So when the villagers learn that Chalcot’s tiny library is one of several area libraries under threat of closure, June feels stuck. She desperately wants to join with the more vocal patrons to sponsor petitions and stage protests to try to save the only job she’s ever known --- not to mention the place that feels more like home than the carefully preserved house she once shared with her mother. But she’s terrified to put herself out there so publicly. At first, she hides behind the threats that any library employees who participate in the protests will be fired. But eventually, she can’t sit on her hands any longer and finds ways to offer support, as usual, behind the scenes.

Like any English village novel worth its salt, THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY is populated with memorable, charming and, in some cases, larger-than-life secondary characters. It’s also a bit of a mystery as June and her friends try to figure out who from Chalcot is conspiring with the developers to ensure that the library is closed and redeveloped…as a coffee shop? Finally, it’s a gentle romance, as June awkwardly reignites her feelings for her old classmate Alex Chen, a London lawyer who has returned home temporarily to help in the family’s restaurant.

As June finds her voice, she also has to confront the fears that have kept her in Chalcot, the regrets that she’s never adequately dealt with, and the faults that she’s never fully acknowledged. The story’s resolution might veer toward fairy tale territory, but it remains believably uplifting --- and certainly not everyone receives the happy ending they may deserve.

THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY offers a vivid reminder that libraries serve countless functions beyond just circulating books, and readers may find themselves, like June, inspired to become champions for their local libraries.