I have known Abraham Schechter since 2010 and from that moment on we have kept in touch through letters, emails, and Facebook messages. You see, Abraham is a writer, but he’s not just that. He’s a typewriter enthusiast, a local historian, a photographer, a preservationist, an expert in book repair, an essayist, and most importantly an amazing human being.

He’s a big reason why I write on this blog. When I started justinthelibrarian.com, my main focus was on writing about libraries. In our chats, Abrahama always reminded me that life was more than just our work. It was the person that did the work and those things that made that person tick. He was one of those people that I’ve needed in my life to remind me that life needs balance and the full picture.

Abraham’s work at the Portland Public Library in Portland ME (where I worked with him between 2010-2013) is simply amazing. In my opinion, he is the heart and soul of The Portland Room and everything local history related at the library. During my time there, I saw Abraham pour hours and hours of hard work and love into the Portland Press Herald Negative Still Film Collection and the Digital Commons Collection. I may not know much about local history and digitization, but I do know quality work and I can say that this is some of the best work in this field that I have ever saw.

Abraham always said that “Literacy and learning are at the heart of the librarian’s mission” and he put that into practice every day. When he repaired books at the library he didn’t do it alone…it always turned into a performance, a mini pop up program of his own. He created an audience around him and educated them on what he was doing. When I brought teens through the library, I always had them meet Abraham. We’d learn about calligraphy, book repair, typewriters, and more. Abraham made these topics fun and amazing for all ages. He still continues to wow me with programs like his Philosophy Forum. This brings new and amazing people into the library and this is what it is all about.

Thanks for being part of my life Abraham and for being an inspiration to the world.

If you’re reading this, you should connect with Abraham on LinkedIn here

Abraham has also been very involved in the Belfast Bound Book Festival, and this year he’s organizing the whole program. Read more about the Belfast Bound Book Festival at the images below or click here: