"As I am sitting here, watching the sunrise from yet another sleepless night, I find myself deeply moved by this book. The sleeplessness is normal, the resolution... New.

Miss Michiko Aoyama's What you are looking for is in the library, translated wonderfully by Miss Watts, speak to the ennui experienced by many people at any point in their life. It resonated in a way that shook me profoundly to my core and was, at times, a gross reflection of my own projected insecurities and disappointments with myself. Success is not universal - nobody's ideal is everybody's perfect world, a fact that can be hard to perceive with the constant comparison people feel they need to make with their peers. This book is about finding your place in a world so vastly uncertain that it can be scary to venture forth and find happiness. It is about finding solace in the quiet moments of a hectic life and forging a satisfying path for yourself that you can find pride in. It is about the bonds between people that help us understand who we are and what we truly desire.

Structurally the book takes the form of 5 character vignettes, with each character going to the Hatori Community House's titular library in search of something missing from their lives. Sometimes, the answer to the imposing head librarian's question "What are you looking for?" is not what you want or even need, but is the journey of self realization."