Opening the Library Door

When I was a child, visiting the library was a thrilling experience. The tall shelves of books, the sunlight streaming in long windows onto wooden tables, and that smell of paper secrets buried between covers. The childrens’ reading room with its round braided rug and stacks and stacks of colorful books held a distinct fascination.

As I grew up, high school libraries provided a social venue—notes were passed and friendships were sealed, all at whisper volume. In college, the library became a haven, a dark vast space lit by pools of lamplight, a refuge from crowded lecture halls and noisy dorm rooms. There was something captivating about combing the dusty rows of books looking for English translations of those indecipherable French Lit novels.

But that was then. Today, my fascination with libraries continues, but my public library card is lucky to be used a few times a year. There just isn’t enough time to spend a day browsing the shelves for that perfect novel or travel guide. That’s why going online makes much more sense.

So with this in mind, let’s open the curtains on InsuranceJournal.com’s latest and greatest feature: The Library.

Picture everything you have ever wanted to learn about in the insurance industry, and that is what we hope to provide for you within these cyberwalls. The Library will include books, white papers, research studies, exclusive interviews, surveys and more, all accessible online in downloadable format. This store of information is located at www.InsuranceJournal.com—just click on the Library book icon at the top of the homepage.

The Library opens with the fundamental topics of “Reinsurance” and “Agent-Owned Captives,” enclosed in a set of white papers by reinsurance expert Andy Barile. Future topics include alternative risk transfer, cat bonds, securitization, cyberliability, agency management—the list is unlimited.

Is there something you want to learn more about? Perhaps you’ve always had a fascination with weather derivatives but never had an opportunity to explore the topic.

Or maybe you’re an expert on cross-selling life and health to p/c clients and you’ve been secretly compiling a “how-to” guide for agents—in that case, you might be a contributor to the Library. We are currently accepting submissions; just send me an e-mail with a description of your product, price and table of contents.

It’s all about learning more about this industry we work in. The Library is open—come on in and browse around.