About me
Dorothy Lazard worked as a librarian for nearly forty years. In 2000 she joined the staff at the Oakland Main Library where she provided reference services and programming for Oakland's diverse community. From 2009 until her retirement in 2021, she was the head librarian of OPL's Oakland History Center where she encouraged people of all ages and backgrounds to explore local history. Lazard was the Book Club of California's 2023 recipient of the Oscar Lewis Award for outstanding contributions in the field of Western history. Her first book, What You Don't Know Will Make a Whole New World: a memoir, was published by Heyday in 2023 and was shortlisted for a Northern California Book Award and a Foreword Indies Award. Her latest book, Behind the Desk at the Main: a Librarian's Memoir, explores the joys and challenges of being a public librarian.
