Week 16 Prompt

1. Ebooks are going to continue to explode. More publishers are going to get on board to loaning to libraries. Advances will be made in visual mediums so that picture books and graphic novels translate to a digital platform.

2. The print book isn't going anywhere in the near future. In a June 2013 Pew Study titled, Younger Americans' Library Habits and Expectation,  Source, 75% of young adults stated they had read a print book in the past year. That is more than adult readers. If this young tech-savvy generation is still reading print, books will be around for awhile. Additionally, most did not want print books moved out of libraries to make room for technology.

3. Reading may continue to decline due to the availability of information online. According to this article, Source, the percentage of adults who have not read a book in the last year has tripled since 1978. Why? People are busy, Internet. But, reading is correlated with higher education levels, and many young adults are going to college. Additionally, the percentage of people who claim they read for pleasure is NOT declining.

4. The internet and social media will make it continually easier to find book recommendations. Authors are also much more easily accessible now. Authors will increasingly be more responsible for promotion and marketing.

5. Publishing: See this article: Source .  Indicates that print books are holding steady.

While eBook use is continually growing, print books are holding steady. So even though more people are reading on devices, they are continuing to read print.

Week 15 Prompt

I addressed this issue with our midterm paper.  There are many ideas to market a library’s fiction collection.  I loved the creative ideas that I found in blogs and on Pinterest.  I found wonderful ideas from a “Readbox” playing on the video vending machines known as Redbox.  I found a banned book display that featured drawn characters from books that are frequently challenged.  These characters were holding picket type signs.  Just an interesting idea overall.

One of the great ideas I found what was termed an “Awesome Box.”  These are patron input stations, so to speak, that allow for feedback from patrons.  They can be a good tool to receive reader recommendations in which some libraries have even worked into the catalog.  I saw one made to look like the TARDIS from the Dr. Who series.  Clever and fun idea.

I believe that with the rise of social media popularity, a library would miss a potentially large audience if they were not to have a social media presence.  Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, YouTube, etc. all offer ways of marketing towards an audience online.

Week 14 Prompt

For many people with concerns about controversial materials in a book, separating collections is a way to discourage use of items and make them easier to avoid. For this reason, my decision would be to integrate materials into the regular fiction collection.

1. Moving materials to a separate location can discourage use, especially for young people who may be questioning their sexuality. By moving this material to a separate section, the young person may be too embarrassed to look for books in the "special section." In this case, you have effectively made the books off limits and denied information to the people who need it the most. By creating a separate section, you have effectively said "these people in these books are not the norm" and we don't want to send that message to our communities.

2. By putting these things in with the regular collection, patrons may be more likely to stumble upon a book and choose it without knowing exactly what it includes. It removes the bias of choosing a book about someone who is different than you are. And hopefully, patrons may read about these people and learn a little bit about their history and their lifestyle, and perhaps remove some of the stigma these people face.

3. If we create sections about GLBTQ and African American fiction, where to we go next? Where do we draw the line? Should we remove all other nationalities to their own section? Do we create a heterosexual section? Who decides what gets placed in each section? If there's one marginal gay character, is it GLBTQ? This opens up more confusion than what is necessary.

So, say you have a population asking for it, who doesn't want to marginalize it, but instead celebrate it and promote the materials. You can still do this through readers' advisory, book lists, blog posts, and book displays. Make it easier for your patrons to find this materials while still integrating it into the regular collection.

Young Adult Annotation

John Green's Looking For Alaska

Summary: Miles is a sixteen year old who embarks on what he calls the “Great Perhaps,” leaving Florida for a prestigious boarding school in Alabama.  Miles meets and befriends some truly interesting individuals including his roommate Chip and the book’s namesake, Alaska Young.  As Miles, Chip, and Alaska plan pranks to pull on the schools rich and privileged students, the reader discovers the complexity that lies within each and every character.  When a terrible event changes everything, Miles and Chip are left to discover the factors precluding the event. 

Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Appeals:

Pacing – Neither fast nor slow, makes the reader want to continue reading to find out what happens.  Pace picks up leading towards the climax. 

Characterization – Intelligent characters whom are easy to relate to.  The emotions and thoughts felt by Miles, Chip, Alaska, and the other characters are those same emotions felt by many teenagers.

Storyline – A story of teenagers in good and bad times with a reminder of how life can change.  Deals with serious subjects such as death, depression, self-destructive behaviors, drinking, love, friendship, grief, and moving on.  The first half of the book counts down to a surprising event that occurs midway through the book with the remainder of the story from that point forward.

Tone/Mood – The mood varies greatly throughout the book, anywhere from playful to dark, suspenseful to romantic.

Frame/Setting – A boarding school in Birmingham, Alabama and Florida.

Read Alikes:

Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You by Joyce Carol Oats

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

A Certain October by Angela Johnson

Other books from John Green including Paper Towns, Fault in Our Stars, An Abundance of Katherines, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (co-written by David Levithan.

Week 13 Prompt

There seems to be a bit of a stigma related to Graphic Novels and to a lesser extent YA.  The stigma doesn't really seem to come from children or teens, they know what they want to read.  Rather, it comes from parents, teachers, librarians, etc. who believe that for some reason these books have no place in a library.  However, why not? 

 

1. Look at your mission statement. Are you claiming to be purely educational? Or are you wanting to meet the information needs of your community? GNs are showing up everywhere in pop culture (look at The Walking Dead or the upcoming Sandman movie). You won't be meeting their needs when they come in to ask for these materials. Same thing goes for YA literature. Surveys show that a sizeable portion of people reading YA books are adults. If you don't collect YA Lit, you won't be able to provide materials to those coming in and asking for the popular crossover works (The Fault in Our Stats, The Book Thief, Hunger Games, Divergent, etc). And when these titles are inevitably made into movies, your patrons won't be happy. 

2. Look at your collection development policy. What are you trying to do? Do you want a collection of classics/literary fiction that will sit on your shelf? Or do you want to use a more patron-driven collection method, purchasing materials you know your patrons will want to check out and read, books that patrons will want to use? Main point...just as we don't censor books for controversial content, we don't censor books because we don't deem them "quality". Yes, we can't purchase everything, but in order to have a well-balanced collection, librarians must get past that bias and purchase these materials that their patrons are asking for.

3. Not only should we purchase these materials, we need to promote them! Create a booklist on great, well-reviewed GNs to show your patrons they aren't like the old comic books of their youth. Be prepared with some talking points about why GNs are worth a second look. Create a display on crossover YA that appeals to adults, and LET adults check them out!!! Some places put age limits on their YA section, not allowing adults to enter. They want to check these materials out also, so let them!

4. Readers' Advisory: You may not like the genre, but librarians needs to be well-versed in these materials just as they are in more traditional genres. Be able to talk these books with patrons! Or have someone on staff who is an expert and really loves the genre. Don't, by any means, show your disdain for their reading choices, or you've lost a patron. Administration must support reader's advisory training and make sure all staff are capable of answering these questions in a positive and affirming way.

E-book Prompt

I, for one, love e-books.  I've always loved the feel of regular books, so my initial thoughts on the electronic format was that I would not like them nearly as much.  However, the ability to take the book with you anywhere in such an easy manner and nighttime reading has certainly led to enjoyment of the format.  That said, there are some issues with e-books.

Some patrons will always prefer books.  Somewhere I came across a PEW report that stated that even teens prefer print books.  I'll try to find that so that I can provide the source.  Another issue pertains to books that have elements in it such as maps or character charts.  Those who read fantasy that include these elements might find it difficult to go back and forth from map to page instead of having a map beside you.  I believe that some illustrations, at times, can also suffer as with some e-books you lose the original size and format.  Children's authors and illustrators spend a lot of time with the whole package, so to speak, from everything from the cover to the endpapers, the jacket, and the size.  That makes for a tough translation to the e-book format.  Leonardo the Terrible Monster has awesome, large illustrations that span two pages.  You lose some of that electronically.  Additionally, sometimes there are people who are just intimidated by new technology and need assistance with the learning curve of e-books.  For these individuals, it might be a lot easier just to seek out the print.

That said, there are any number of advantages to e-books.  Carrying around a tablet with multiple books on it is obviously easier than carrying around multiple books.  Those who travel or read while out and about would obviously see the advantage.  Changing text size, background color, etc.  can help anyone, but can particularly helpful for those with visual issues.  More books might be published due to self publication (which could be good or bad). 

As for audiobooks, narration is a huge appeal.  I've known some people who won't listen to books from their favorite authors if they do not like the narrator.  But, that can work the other way, too, as some might give certain audiobooks a chance if they like a narrator, even if they have not tried that particular author before.  There are certain aspects of audiobooks that cannot be easily recreated with a print book.  One item that comes to mind is the beautiful music of Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book.  The music that is included in it really adds to the experience, though there is no doubt some people will feel that music can detract from a story.

Overall, I feel the two formats can coexist and that each has a place in the literary world.  I've enjoyed print books, e-books, and audiobooks in different situations through my life.  Personally, I have gravitated where I am mostly reading e-books, though, for the simplicity of having it on a device that I have with me all the time.

Passive Readers' Advisory

True readers’ advisory requires a multi-faceted approach. Traditionally, librarians have referred to in-person recommendations at the reference desk as readers’ advisory. In order to reach more readers, librarians are thinking outside of this box. Passive readers' advisory is a phrase that refers to anything other than one-on-one chatting about books.  Passive readers’ advisory can be provided through any number of tools including read-alike lists, book displays, and social media sites.  While the term implies that this is a passive activity, passive readers’ advisory requires an active approach from librarians.  Almost all tasks that a librarian might do throughout the day could connect readers with books, even without a librarian’s realization. Regardless, these activities must be intentional and librarians should spend time and effort on doing them well. 

There are any number of reasons why libraries should take the task of passive readers’ advisory seriously.  Some patrons are not comfortable asking for suggestions while others might want to browse fun displays. As our population begins to rely more heavily on virtual information and eBooks, patrons may not visit the library as often, instead relying on social media for book suggestions that the patron may checkout through an eBook platform.  Throughout the library, the library website, and all library social media sites, readers’ advisory should be integrated.  Librarians are constantly searching for and finding new ways to share reading recommendations while classic methods are being revisited and revamped.  Book displays, brochures, shelf talkers, integrating community suggestions, and the use of technology are all ways that a library can provide a service of readers’ advisory without even interacting face to face with a patron.   

 A simple yet effective way of providing passive reader’ 'advisory is through the use of book displays.  Patrons browsing for books can use these displays to get ideas of what he or she wants to read.  In a 2013 issue of RA News, Susan Brown listed twenty rules for better book displays (Source).  Many of the “rules” that Brown posted are practical and easy for a librarian to do, yet are beneficial to patrons.  Among the suggestions Brown makes is that displays should reflect not the interest of the librarian creating it, but the patrons’ interests.  While many librarians might not consider certain books high-quality, there still will be patrons who are interested in these books and that should not be discounted.  Displays should be popular with the books being the “star of the display.” Also, displays should not be limited to just books since audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs can also be included.  The goal of the display is to put the materials into the hands of patrons and get items checked out. Additionally, Brown notes that visual signage is very important and that the use of readable and simple fonts should be used, thematic icons or visual elements should be included, and props are useful. Patrons are often worried about taking materials from displays, so it’s important that your signage encourages patrons to feel welcome to take materials.

Additional tips that Brown gives are to cross promote since readers who find displays interesting might also enjoy a library blog or social media account.  Pop culture can influence displays as well as allowing current events and the community to inspire displays.  Instead of having tightly themed displays, Brown suggests using more general displays such as staff and patron picks, people you should meet for biography and character-driven fiction, or good books you might have missed.  Brown also suggests keeping the books out of display cases so that patrons can touch them, grab them, and check them out.  Most importantly, librarians should be flexible and have fun so that patrons might also have fun with the display. 

Displays have tapped into pop culture, technology, and comedy as they have gotten more creative and more artistic.  One library developed a “Readbox” made to look like the DVD dispensing Redbox (Source).  The sign was made to look like the Redbox logo and the shelves that held the books were wrapped entirely in red. The middle of the “Readbox” had signage that looked like a Redbox screen, but used “rent a book” and “return a book.”  The display was filled with books and there has been a lot of interest in the display. With the ability to share information so easily on the internet, including Pinterest, “Readboxes” are showing up in many libraries (Source).

 

 

Another popular book display that had been sweeping libraries across the country due to the help of the internet is the “Blind Date with a Book” phenomenon (Source). For this display, librarians wrap books in opaque paper, possibly putting some genre hints on the outside, and encourage patrons to check out a mystery book. Teens especially love these displays, but it’s also a hit with adults, especially around Valentine’s Day. One benefit of this display is that it encourages circulation of materials, regardless of the book’s cover. If you have a wonderful book with an outdated cover, perhaps it’s more likely to be checked out if the patron can’t “judge a book by its cover!”

 

Humor and pop culture are also wonderful tools to use when creating book displays patrons want to browse. The popular “I Mustache You to Read These Books” display uses a play on words and the mustache trend. Taping paper mustaches to the books’ covers adds a funny element (Source). In 2012, when the song “Call Me Maybe” was popular, book displays popped up at libraries twisting the words of the song to fit the display. One particularly creative one used QR codes to share book trailers with patrons (Source).  Some displays are themed around popular social media sites, such as a Twitter display featuring Tweets from books encouraging patrons to guess which books is tweeting (Source).

 

 

 

 

 

For adults, the blogger at thisisasentence.tumblr.com shares creative, funny, and sometimes subversive displays about pop culture that he creates for his public library. Some good examples include his “Boyz II Wolf-Men” display featuring books on werewolves, “How to Deal with Your In-laws” display featuring books on cocktail mixing, or his “Visit Toronto” display with book about Toronto and a large sign of disgraced mayor, Rob Ford.

 

 

 

One of the most popular displays being done in public libraries are displays on banned books. These displays educate patrons about book banning and encourage them to check out books that have been challenged or banned. These are usually done during Banned Book Week to celebrate our freedom to read. Some of the more common options include wrapping items in caution tape or covering items with censored stickers. Flames are also commonly used to remind people that books have been burned in hopes of silencing an author’s ideas. Librarian Rachel Moani has created a couple of banned book displays that show true artistic talent. Using flames, patriotic imagery, and even classic children’s book characters holding signs to show their transgressions, she encourages patrons to celebrate their right to read.

 

 

 

Another classic way of sharing book recommendations is booklists. Librarians create these based on their own professional recommendations. Many libraries print them and have them available at their reference desks. Libraries are also putting them on their websites to share with patrons. This is beneficial for other librarians as well, since they can access them and share them with their own patrons.

 A twist on the booklist format is Reading Maps. These maps use technology to help readers find other books they may be interested in. One popular format is the cloud-based presentation website, Prezi. By using technology, librarians can imbed images and videos in their recommendations. For these presentations, librarians start with popular books such as “The Night Circus” and walk the patron through recommendations. It’s a fun way to share books and include interesting multi-media information. Pikes Peak Library District has a website sharing their Reading Maps (Source).

Besides one-on-one reader’s advisory, there are other ways for staff to share their own favorite books. Many libraries are using their website or social media sites to share this information. The popular communication tool, Bookletters, let public libraries create and imbed these lists in their website. They also have the ability to share them through email. By creating a “Staff Picks” list every month, patrons can see what staff are enjoying (Source). Many libraries also run a blog, with staff members sharing their favorite books. This can be a great way to connect with patrons in a virtual way. Some library websites have a “What are We Reading” section, sharing an up-to-date list of what staff members are reading.

Information can be shared in the library as well. Shelf-talkers are commonly seen in bookstores, and they’re also popping up in public libraries. To create a shelf-talker, a librarian fills out a card on a particular book or author. On the card, they state what they loved about a book/author and why patrons should read it. These cards are placed in the collection near the books. When a patron is browsing and the stacks are overwhelming, these eye-catching cards give them a great idea of where to start and books they might enjoy.

While community members enjoy librarian recommendations, many librarians agree that people love to read popular materials that other people are enjoying. Many libraries are looking for ways to tap into that and share books loved by their community. One of the most innovative ways of sharing this information has been the Somerville Public Library’s Awesome Box. In a partnership with Harvard Library Innovation Lab, Somerville’s three branches have been placing a new return box in their buildings specifically for things patrons declare to be “awesome” (Source). If a patron loves a book, they place it in the awesome box, where it’s added to a special webpage entitled “Recently Awesome.” (Source). This is a great way to share book recommendations with patrons. Teen librarian Robin Brenner at the Public Library of Brookline has put her own spin on the Awesome Box for teens (Source). She tapped into her own admiration for the popular show, Doctor Who, to create a Tardis-shaped awesome box. This eye-catching box is an engaging way for teens to share their love of books with other readers.

 

 

 

As can be seen in the “Recently Awesome” website, technology makes sharing community recommendations easy. Some public libraries collect reader reviews and post them on a blog on their website. Other companies are integrating these reviews right into the catalog so patrons see them as they look up a book. One option, LibraryThing for Libraries, is an OPAC enhancement tool designed to make your catalog more engaging and encourage the sharing of recommendations. It also allows libraries to create their own virtual book displays right on the catalog homepage. Novelist also has the option of integrating with the catalog and sharing book recommendations from its database as the patron searches for a title.

Sharing patrons’ favorite reads doesn’t have to be technical or space-consuming. A simple wall of post-it notes could do the trick! All that’s needed is a blank wall, a heading such as “Tell Us What You’re Reading”, some post-it notes, and a pen (Source). Patrons fill out their favorite titles or what they’re reading now on a post-it and stick it to the way. Then you have an instant low-cost way to share favorite reads. This is an activity that would work for all ages. Another simple option would be a whiteboard and dry erase markers or a chalkboard and chalk. It’s an engaging but simple way to show your community you are interested in their reading habits.

 

In some cases, librarians don’t even need input from their community. They can simply pull circulation records to see which items are popular in their library. A display on the most-circulated items of the year would be a great way to share this information. An even easier way to do it, would be to create a display on recently returned items. In order to connect it with patrons, it could be called “Books Our Community Enjoys”. This is another idea that could be done for patrons of all ages. One fun example is Abby Johnson’s display at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. Johnson created a display to go along with their 2013 Summer Reading theme “Dig Into Reading” (Source). The display was titled “Books That Your Community Digs” and it was constantly restocked with items that were recently returned. This cuts down on shelving and also lets patrons know what others are checking out.

New technologies are allowing librarians to find new ways to share readers’ advisory ideas. As patrons check out books, why not share recommendations based on the items they checked out? Now libraries can get on board with automated book recommendations often seen online. 3M and Novelist partnered to create a self-checkout machine that would use Novelist to display recommendations to the patron as they check out (Source). Checking out triggers a Novelist search based on items selected for checkout, displaying records owned by that library that the patron may be interested in. Patrons can browse the recommendations, putting items on hold right from the machine, or printing the recommendations on a receipt. For patrons who enjoy the self-checkout experience, this may be a great way to share recommendations virtually. Additionally, this checkout station also has the capability of sharing upcoming program information.

 As mentioned, the library website and social media sites can be a great place to share staff members’ favorite books. It’s also a great place to do basic readers' advisory based on the patrons’ interests. Seattle Public Library has a portion of their website called “Your Next 5 Books” (Source). Through this interface, patrons can get professional recommendations based on their reading choices. Patrons simply fill out the online form, sharing what they love to read (and/or what they hate). It asks for books they recently read that they enjoyed or ones they didn’t care for. It also asks if the patron is interested in children’s, teen, or adult books as well as preferred format (print, eBook, audiobook, large-type, etc.). Based on this form, a librarian will email the patron with a personal list of five books they may enjoy. This is very similar to the traditional method of readers’ advisory, just moved to a virtual format. As our communities become more technology-based and virtual reference services become more popular, it makes sense for virtual readers’ advisory to also be an option.

There’s nothing more frustrating for a patron then rushing in to get the latest best-seller or trendy book being read by all their friends, and finding all copies are checked out and they have to be added to the waiting list. Some libraries are compensating for this by creating recommendations based around hot titles. One example of this is the Seattle Public Library’s "While You’re Waiting” teen blog (Source). Librarians share information for books readers may enjoy while they wait for upcoming popular books. Some of their blog posts include recommendations for the oh-so-popular Divergent series by Veronica Roth and Rick Yancey’s huge hit, The 5^th Wave. This format could easily be applied to adult best-sellers and shared online or printed out for patrons to see within the library building.

 

Regardless of the format or the method of delivery, librarians strive to provide the best readers’ advisory possible. In order to do that, traditional methods must be interwoven with passive options. Book displays, book lists, social media sites, and community recommendations are a great way to do this. Librarians around the county are getting creative about sharing books, and the internet makes sharing these ideas easy. To connect with our community, librarians must think about passive readers’ advisory in an intentional way and make it a priority in their libraries.

 

 

 

Science Fiction Annotation

George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four

 

Summary: Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in a dystopian, future world that is full of poverty and totally controlled by the government where everyone is watched.  Smith works for the controlling Inner Party with the task of re-writing newspaper articles in order to prevent people from knowing any real history, but rather that history always agrees with what the Inner Party says.  Meanwhile, Smith disagrees and despises the part wishing he could rebel against “Big Brother.”  

Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction Classics, Modern Day Classics
Appeals:

Pacing – Neither fast nor slow, makes the reader want to continue reading to find out what happens.  Pace picks up leading towards the climax. 

Characterization – Relatable characters in Winston and Julia while others are the representation of the authority in which a reader might come to despise.

Storyline – A cautionary story of a totalitarian government constantly surveying and controlling all citizens.  The story is driven forward by the characters. 

Tone/Mood – Both thought-provoking and dark, foreboding of the future, depressing.

Frame/Setting – Formerly Great Britain, a province in the superstate of Oceania.

Read Alikes:

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Week Seven Prompt

Asa Earl Carter was a well known segregationist in the early 60’s fighting against civil rights.  Carter was a Ku Klux Klan member and a speech writer for the famous segregationist and Alabama governor, George Wallace. After a failed run for governor, Carter disappeared from public life. In 1976, “The Education of Little Tree: A True Story” by Forrest Carter was published. Little Tree is often credited with the boom of “Native American Lit” and tells the story of an orphan boy named Forrest who learns about life from his Cherokee grandparents. Published to rave reviews, Little Tree became a best-seller, even winning the respected Abby Award from the American Booksellers Association. Teachers assigned it to students to learn about Native American life. And all along, most people didn’t realize that the beloved Little Tree was written by well-known racist Asa Earl Carter, the same man who wrote Wallace’s famous segregation speech, “I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation tomorrow.”

Although Carter’s work has been discredited as untrue, The Education of Little Tree can still be found on out of date booklists or assigned by teachers. When information like this about a book comes out, librarians must reconsider where they have the item shelved. Most libraries originally would have had this work shelved in non-fiction as a biography. When it’s no longer true, should you move it to the fiction section? Most libraries would, and Carter’s work can now predominately be found in the fiction section. However, if a librarian is not paying attention to a controversy, a book like this may remain in non-fiction, continuing to give the wrong impression to patrons.

Additionally, this brings up the question on what do you tell patrons when they request this book? If a student is assigned it or a teacher is requesting it for curriculum or a patron is just telling you they love it, do you mention the controversy and let the public know that the author is not who they thought he was. As a place that disseminates information, it’s our job to remain unbiased but also to give accurate information. I think it’s important to encourage the patron to learn more about the author’s history. By being aware of quality work published on Native Americans, a librarian can be prepared to share some alternate recommendations with patrons interested in the topic.

Gentle Reads Annotation

The Best of Me: A Novel by Nicholas Sparks

 

 

Summary: Two soon-to-be high school seniors, Amanda and Dawson, fall in love in the spring of 1984.  However, people with the stereotypical “small-town” mindset set the odds against them.  Soon, the two go different ways in life.  Years later, the two are reunited when returning to the small town of Oriental for a funeral.  It is discovered that neither the lives of Amanda nor Dawson have turned out as they once predicted.  Their desire for one another is evident, but the two must decide whether their love can exist within their current lives.

Genre:  Mainstream Fiction, Love, Gentle

Appeals:

Pacing – Sparks builds emotion through slow scenes meant to capture the different moments of Amanda and Dawson’s relationship.

Characterization – Realistic characters that are easy to relate to who face realistic challenges that are presented throughout the course of the story. 

Storyline – A heartwarming and heartbreaking journey for two individuals who were told they were wrong for each other but yet truly loved one another. 

Tone/Mood – Sparks book a tone that is realistic and melancholy.

Frame/Setting – Small town North Carolina

Read Alikes:

In A Class By Itself by Sandra Brown

Mike, Mike and Me by Wendy Markham

The Last Time I Saw You I by Elizabeth Berg

Bring Me Home For Christmas by Robyn Carr

A Lady of His Own by Stephanie Laurens

Week Six Prompt

Personally, I don't agree with this statement. I think it's good to have read the book. but, I don't think you have to like it. I don't like certain genres, but if it's a good book, even one I might not personally like, I should be able to see things in it that would appeal to readers who do like that genre. Let's use Twilight for example. Personally, I don't really like it. However, I can see the appeal so I could booktalk the heck out of it. If I had to, I could sell it to a teen audience, because I can see how it would appeal to THEM as opposed to me. It's part of being non-biased and well-versed in different genres and styles.

Week Six Prompt - Book Talk

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgewick

Have you ever had the feeling you’ve lived another life? Or maybe that you know a person from somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it? When journalist, Eric Seven, arrives on Blessed Island to investigate rumors of a population who has discovered the fountain of youth, there’s something vaguely familiar about residents Merle and Tor. It’s like he’s known them before, but something’s not right. And then things start to go horribly wrong.

A long time ago, before recorded history, crops start to fail. Villagers are starving and dying. In order to save his people, a sacrifice must be given and only one will do. King Eirikr the One and his Queen, Melle, fight to save their people and fight to stay together. But this isn’t just any love story. It’s dark, and chilling, and scary.

From prehistory, to Vikings, to World War II, to the year 2073, the award-winning Midwinterblood takes the reader on a roller-coaster through time. In seven, interlocking stories, Marcus Sedgewick weaves the story of two souls and their struggle to find each other. It’s Midwinter and only blood will appease the gods. See how it all comes together in Midwinterblood.

Kirkus Style Review

Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle’s Infinite Moment of Us is written from the perspectives of two protagonists, Wren Gray and Charlie Parker.  Wren is an excellent student who has always gone out of her way to make her parents happy, including not dating while she was in school.  Wren’s original plan (and her parents plan for her) was for her to study at Emory University.  However, Wren, feeling pressure from all around her has decided to not attend Emory straight out of high school, rather she decides to spend a year in Guatemala with a group similar to the Peace Corp.  Charlie, on the other hand, is an intelligent young man who has been in and out of foster homes since childhood.  Charlie’s plan is to attend Georgia Tech where he has received a scholarship.

Infinite Moment of Us is a 3 month-long look at the development of an intense and romantic relationship between Wren and Charlie.  Not forgetting the hectic times, Myracle creates realistic characters who find realistic obstacles in the way of their relationship.  Wren at times can be stubborn while Charlie has to deal with an ex who doesn’t exactly want Charlie to move on without her.  The attraction between Charlie and Wren is clear, and the obstacles only help their relationship grow and for Charlie and Wren to get to know each other better.

Myracle does not shy away from teenage sexuality, as there are several intimate scenes described in detail.  These scenes might be surprising for those who have not read a Myracle story before, but rather than detracting from the story, the scenes enhance it. This book will be popular with mature teen readers who enjoy steamy romance.

Adventure Annotation

The Quest:  A Novel By Nelson DeMille

 

Summary: Set in 1975, The Quest follows two journalists and a photographer Frank Purcell, Henry Mercado, and Vivian Smith who are in Ethiopia covering a Civil War.  They come across an elderly priest who has been sentenced to death.  Just before death, the walls of the priest’s cell explode and he is hurt, but free.  Insisting that he is dying, the priest tells Purcell & Mercado of the Holy Grail.  While the journalists originally escape Ethiopia (after close calls of death from local tribes and government.  The trio decides to go back to Ethiopia.  Feeling that for whatever reason they have been chosen, the trio makes their way through the jungles of Ethiopia searching for a mythical monastery that hides the Holy Grail.  Many obstacles stand in their way, but the draw of the Grail leads them on.

 Genre: Adventure, Suspense

 Appeals:

 Pacing – Quick in action parts but a much slower pace in others.

 Characterization – The characters in the Quest are believable as people even though they seem to be against all odds in their quest to find the holy grail.  What transpires at the monastery at the end is open to different interpretations. 

 Storyline – The Quest combines many genres including adventure, mystery, and suspense.  DeMille includes a lot of actual history within the storyline as well as undertones of faith and religion.

 Tone/Mood – Certainly a dark tone is found in The Quest, due in large part to the actual history of the Ethiopian Civil Wars and the brutality of the fighting.  Purcell, Mercado, and Smith rely on faith to see them through numerous trials that they come across.

 Frame/Setting – Civil War torn Ethiopia in the 1970s.  Much of the novel is set in the jungles.

 Read Alikes:

 Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Shadows of Steel by Dale Brown

Scavenger by David Morrell

Thunderhead by Douglas Preston

The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly

 

Week 5 Prompt

Ebook only books could be quite tricky for collection development.  Are these books published the same way that print books are?  Or are they books that might appeal to a smaller audience, but due to the ebook format, are able to more easily be self-published.  An increase in self-publications would be problematic as it is likely that as quantity increases, quality will decrease.  Additionally, there is no universal way for libraries to lend e-books.  Because of this, many libraries would not even take the time to read reviews for e-books.

 Buying a book like this would depend on a couple of different factors. First, what is your library’s collection development policy? Some libraries do not purchase self-published (or small independent publisher’s) work that is not professionally reviewed. Second, if this is an e-book only work, can a library even purchase it for lending? Ebooks platforms are still limited and due to licensing issues, it’s not as easy as just clicking on the buy now option through amazon.

 Personally, I put little stock into Amazon reviews. Not all reviews need to be professional, but I do want reviews that are unbiased, and you cannot assume that with Amazon reviews. I’ve seen many blog posts from self-published authors asking friends and family to go and give positive reviews on Amazon. Based on the above reasons, I would probably pass on this title in a collection development role. However, if the book was requested by a patron, I would take another look at the reviews and try to add it to the collection if reviews and price are agreeable.

 Blog reviews can also be hit or miss. There are some blogs written by professionals that I would trust as much as I would a review from a print journal. There are others that aren’t written by professionals that are well-researched, smart, and extremely useful. But, everyone can start a blog and review books, even people with an agenda to support their books or books of their friends. Before purchasing a book based on a blog post, I would have to familiarize myself with the blog and the writer and decide if this fit with my library’s collection development policy.

The other document contains some reviews of Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt, an incredibly popular memoir. These reviews are all from professional publications, feel free to find more on your own I just nabbed a few from the Book Review Digest database for you. How do these reviews make you feel about the possibility of adding Angela's Ashes to your collection?

 Based on reviews, Angela’s Ashes is a book most libraries would quickly purchase. While they aren’t all 100% positive, most agree that McCourt is a master storyteller with an interesting story to tell. These are professional reviewers giving their unbiased opinion.

 Additionally, the reviews make it clear that there’s a lot of buzz about this book. When that’s the case, it will draw patron interest. In this case, they’ll turn to their library for copies of the book, and we’ll want to have it on our shelf. When books are reviewed by more popular sources, including People or Newsweek, there’s more chance the public will see them. The first review also states that Angela’s Ashes is a best seller and a Pulitzer Prize winner. If a librarian hadn’t yet bought the book, those two descriptors should result in an automatic purchase.

I don’t believe it is necessarily “fair” for a certain type of book to be reviewed all the time while other types are left out, but I suppose it is what it is.  However, certainly if a librarian purchasing books selected books based only on the reviews, then that library might have a bias toward a certain type of book.  It is far from ideal.  A good collection should choose from any number of book types.

I’d feel fine purchasing books using a review source that won’t print negative reviews, but would likely use it in conjunction with or as a supplement to other review sources.  I think it is appropriate enough to have a review source for those books that have only positive reviews, and this could allow purchasing librarians a decent way to see what books have been receiving positive publicity.  While I don’t purchase for a library, I think the use of review sources is a definite plus and that the majority of my selections would be based on these journals.  However, there are books from authors who have a large following that likely would be purchased regardless of review.  After all, if a Stephen King or James Patterson book receives a poor review, there will still be patrons in wanting the book.  It would not be entirely fair to omit this book from a collection based on bad reviews.  I think a negative review would be more likely to sway me if I were on the fence about a book from the beginning.