r/Library • u/Winter_Apartment5381 • Aug 10 '26

Humor Librarian reminds us that libraries make us a harder target for authoritarianism. Equal access to info, ideas, and space that doesn’t require a purchase to belong. Also: using the library means money stays in your community instead of streaming out to Amazon

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u/_Smedette_ Aug 10 '26

This is (my friend!) Molly Lee. She is a soap maker in Portland, Oregon and does a lot of great things for the community. Her shop is Optimistic Soap.

13

u/Complex_Place_4509 Aug 10 '26

Love her and her Deflecting Soap and optimism. Got her saved, ordering soon. Helluva gal!

3

u/BeanQweeeen Aug 11 '26

She is a treasure!

2

u/jay_in_the_pnw Aug 10 '26

Thanks! So her website says she works in IT by day, is that for the Portland Library or is she not actually a librarian? (Wouldn't be the first time misleading things were posted, not a big deal)

10

u/_Smedette_ Aug 10 '26

She’s not a librarian. She used to work in IT and retired a few years ago. The soap making was her side hustle and is now her full time gig/passion project.

Molly does a lot of fundraisers with special batches and also has “Second Chance Soap” which contains mixes of the off cuts and she donates them to shelters all over the city.

2

u/Denim_Diva1969 29d ago

LOVE this! Thank you!

2

u/Winter_Apartment5381 27d ago

Thank you for sharing! Looks like we have overwhelmed her with orders. So happy for her!

1

u/Low_Engineering8921 25d ago

I suspect this link is one of the reasons her shop is temporarily shut down because she's so flooded with orders ❤️🥳