Week 16 Prompt - The Future of the Book

Fortunately, even before I could read I was read to as a child and saw the adults in my life reading regularly. Once I began to read on my own, I was taken to the bookmobile in the summer and the library year around, and always had something to read even beyond the books I owned and those I borrowed. I read Time magazine at a young age, the newspaper, books my parents had as children, and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on. My best friend's older sister teased my friend and me about spending time together separately reading our own books. We also spent a lot of time outdoors doing other things, but at times we were happy to be in the same room not talking but reading.

Even growing up as an avid reader in a reading climate, I did not have the wealth of reading material at my fingertips that we do today. With the internet just a phone or tablet tap away for many people, there's no shortage of text to consume. Traditional books also are more readily available. My parents owned a few books as children, I had more, and my sons had many more, accumulating them as gifts and at frequent Scholastic school book fairs. No longer limited to dime store paperbacks, books of many types -- trade paperback,  hardcover, children's -- can be purchased along with groceries and other basic necessities at Target or Walmart or similar stores.

Although my sons didn't read a lot of YA fiction, mainly because they aren't big fantasy readers, they did have a variety of fiction options written for teens that weren't available to me as I moved from children's books to adult titles. Similarly, adult fiction genres are becoming more specified -- urban, LGBTQ, YA, NA, and graphics.

While we have more options of formats and genres to read, at times maybe too much to read, I'm not sure our reading experience is improved. My childhood friend and I did spend time together reading separately, but we also spent time talking about the books we read. Access to a wide range of titles increases the possibility of finding "the next great read" for any particular reader, but also decreases the odds that after reading that book, you'll be able to talk about it in an informal way with a friend, family member or co-worker. Even belonging to a book club doesn't guarantee a shared reading experience, as members often seem too busy to read or finish the chosen title.

 Will another J.K. Rowling create a story that captures readers of all ages around the world, creating a global shared reading experience, or as readers will we be increasingly isolated by our plethora of choices? Certainly reading serves many functions, and one book can have a great impact on an individual reader, but much would be lost if our access to a host of niche titles in a variety of formats virtually eliminates the possibility of moving the reading experience from the page to conversation with those around us.

Week 15 Prompt - Marketing Fiction

"I saw your stats and want to know, what are you doing there?" a branch manager asked me recently. Her question startled me since I'd expect her to ask it of my manager, but it was clearly weighing on her mind and I happened to be the staff person from our branch she saw first. Initially, I responded that we were just doing what we always do, but her question did cause me to think more specifically about how we routinely market books to our patrons. 

What does focusing on books look like day-to-day? Small things --  like quickly moving recently returned new materials out of the workroom so they are available to patrons, even if they cannot be re-shelved immediately -- contribute to a focus on getting books into the hands of patrons, but three of the most important efforts are:

Roving - 

Regularly getting out from behind the desk, greeting patrons and asking if they would like help finding a particular book, (or magazine, or DVD) often results in patrons responding that they are just browsing, but sometimes it does elicit a, "well since you asked I heard about a book I'm interested in but can't remember the title." Also I may ask a patron if they'd like some help on several different visits and get the "just browsing" response. Then, one day, they'll approach me and ask for help tracking down a title or for a recommendation. Talking to patrons about books, without disturbing those who like to browse in peace, identifies staff as readers' advisors and not just fixers of machines, collectors of fines, and enforcers of rules.

Displays -

Earlier this week I heard two patrons asking one another, "where did that go?" I asked if I could help  and they asked where the Staff Picks display was. Unfortunately, I had to tell them it had been replaced by a gardening display. They were polite but clearly disappointed, noting that "you are the ones that know what's good."

While we do topical and seasonal displays, over the past year we have increased display space for new materials. We are fortunate to have a large table devoted to new fiction, and another "recent bestsellers" table for popular titles from the past year. Our regulars routinely make these tables their first stop to see what's new and available and even patrons new to our branch can hardly miss this giant display table and often at least glance at its contents. From observation (the table is across from the service desk) and anecdotes, I believe this regular display often results in patrons picking up a couple extra books on their way into or out of the branch. 

Book Group -

Several community book clubs meet in our facility monthly, so instead of creating another book club, we hold a monthly book group centered on a half dozen or so book talks prepared by staff and a listing of other recommendations. Over nearly two years the monthly program has remained popular, averaging about 20 attendees each month year around.  After staff present their titles, patrons are encouraged to share what they've been reading. We talk about new books, upcoming titles from popular authors, older titles that others may be unfamiliar with, books made into movies, and a number of other topics all of which lead to most of them leaving with an armful of books. Although we stress this is a casual (no "assigned" book to read each month) book group, several members routinely keep me updated on their travel plans so I don't think they've become disinterested if they miss a month, and ask me to email the handout and a list of titles recommended by fellow patrons. Clearly they have come to rely on these monthly discussions for ideas of what to read next.

Overall, as with so many library topics, specific services need to be tailored to the particular library's community. For our branch, regular displays, a readers' advisory focused book group, and approachable staff ready and willing to talk about books have proven successful in marketing fiction.

Week 14 Prompt - Separating Genres

How and when to separate genres in library shelving is admittedly a subject of much debate, but the wording of this week's prompt --  "some patrons have requested it, yet many staff are uncomfortable with the idea" -- makes answering the question in this context fairly straightforward for me. I would strongly advocate for honoring the patrons' request. While there are cases in which the wishes of patrons cannot or should not be followed, how to shelve fiction seems to me to be an excellent opportunity to give the patrons what, at least some of them, want.

Creating separate sections of Urban and GBLTQ fiction is a practical response to patron interest, while staff discomfort with such a plan is more theoretical. Are we really marginalizing a group by breaking down the fiction collection into more browsable sections? Or does creating more fiction subgroupings actually highlight and elevate these genres? Designating sections for Urban and GBLTQ fiction also is likely to raise awareness and knowledge of those titles among staff, who can then offer better readers' advisory to patrons.

Our branch focuses on building and maintaining an easily browsable popular collection. Our Urban readership and collection is small but growing. I'm noticing more requests for Urban fiction and those patrons have been happy to be shown a specific location where they can browse books most likely to be of interest to them, even if that collection is not nearly as large as mystery or romance. Similarly, our GBLTQ collection is small but growing. Again, I believe having an identifiable, browsable section is considerate of patrons' time and interests. With good signage, these genres also will be more easily discovered by patrons who don't or won't ask for staff assistance.

Herald supports patrons who ask for genre groupings in the introduction to the 2000 edition of Genreflecting. "... most common readers (who know what they like and don't care about others' opinions of their reading tastes) like the chance to browse a manageable segment of the collection and find a number of books from their favorite genre all in one place." (xviii).

Overall, for the patrons in my current location, I would advocate for designated sections for both Urban and GBLTQ fiction, as ultimately I believe it best serves the needs of patrons, highlights portions of the collection that would be less visible mixed into the large fiction pool, and increases staff awareness of and familiarity with Urban and GBLTQ fiction. Lyttle and Walsh's summary accurately reflects my opinion, "making sure your decision is the right one for your community is ultimately the most important thing" not which books sit next to one another on a particular shelf.

Resources

Herald, D.T. (2000). Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction. Englewood, Colo: Libraries Unlimited.

Lyttle, M.A. & Walsh, S.D. (2015, May 5). Separate or Keep Together? Retrieved April 18, 2016, from http://publiclibraries.org/2015/05/separate-or-keep-together/

Week 13 Prompt - Role of YA and Graphic Novels

While I'm no longer surprised by the things someone will find to complain about in the library, I have not heard criticism of the size or mere existence of our teen or graphic novel collections. As both are on the outer perimeter of our branch, maybe potential protestors just haven't wandered far enough to find them, or were distracted by the X-box (which does generate complaints).

As for whether adults "should" be reading either genre, I honestly haven't heard or sensed that type of judgment either. We have adult patrons who are fans of both genres. From conversations we've shared, I know not all the middle-aged women checking out teen titles are picking up books for their children. Many started reading Harry Potter with their kids, then moved on to Twilight, if they have daughters, or possibly the Divergent trilogy, or The Hunger Games. They then discovered they liked the quick-moving, easy-to-finish even with a busy schedule teen novels. In 2012, Publishers Weekly reported on a survey which found 55% of YA books were being purchased by adults, and of those books, 78% were for the adults' personal use (New Study, 2012).  

Personally I'm extremely grateful to work with an avid YA reader. Not only does she help me keep up with YA authors, series and trends, she loves the dark, dystopian, and fantasy YA titles which would be at the bottom of my personal reading pile. Often she'll ask, "have you read (insert name of teen fantasy title)?" only to quickly add, "of course you wouldn't read that!" We both laugh and I ask her to tell about her latest read. I reciprocate with reviews of literary fiction which she has tried but, in most cases, just does not enjoy. Win-win! We both read what we enjoy and share information to provide better readers' advisory to our patrons.

Just as I appreciate the wide-ranging reading tastes of my co-workers, I respect and do my best to assist adult patrons searching for YA or graphic titles. Not only is it good customer service, but it is the foundation of librarianship and readers' advisory found in Ranganathan's Laws -- "Every reader his (or her) book. And, "the library is a growing organism" hopefully making room for new and growing genres for all our patrons.

Resources:

New Study: 55% of YA Books Bought by Adults. (2012, September 13). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved April 10, 2016, from publishersweekly.com

YA Annotation - Calvin

Calvin

by Martine Leavitt

Genre: Realistic Teen Fiction

Setting: Ontario, Lake Erie, Cleveland

Time Period: 2012

• Hardcover: 192 pages

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (Nov. 17, 2015)

• Age Range: 12 - 18 years

• Grade Level: 7 and up

• Lexile Measure: 680

Synopsis:

At age 17 Calvin begins talking to the cartoon tiger, Hobbes, a distraction that puts high school graduation and college plans in jeopardy.  While Calvin knows he is too old for an imaginary friend, his life is full of connections to the popular comic strip. Born the day the final Calvin and Hobbes cartoon was published, his grandfather gave him a stuffed tiger that became his constant companion through childhood, and his best friend is named Susie.

Eventually even his intellect and determination cannot keep the interloping tiger at bay, resulting in a public breakdown and hospitalization. Real-life Calvin rejects pharmaceutical treatment for his schizophrenia, believing instead that all he needs to regain equilibrium is to convince cartoonist Bill Watterson to draw one more strip depicting a healthy, grown-up Calvin without Hobbes. Soon Calvin, Hobbes, and a real or imagined Susie are trekking across frozen Lake Erie in a hasty quest to meet with the reclusive cartoonist.

Throughout the story, the reader is pulled into Calvin's uneven grasp of reality. Wondering what is imagined and what is real sets a quick pace for this witty but honest portrait of a young man grappling with mental illness on his own terms. 

Appeal:

Realistic Fiction
Ability Diverse (Mental Illness)
Character Driven

Genre Characteristics:

Story Told from Teens' Viewpoint

Fast-Paced Plot

Addresses Issues/Emotions Important to Teens

Read Alikes:

Challenger Deep - Neal Shusterman

Teenage boy struggles with schizophrenia.

Chasing Shadows - Swati Avasthi

Teen friends deal with death and mental illness.

The White Darkness - Geraldine McCaughrean

A teen's fixation on a doomed explorer becomes too real as she fights to survive her own Antarctic trek.

The Battle for Room 314: My Year of Hope and Despair in a New York City High School

The Battle for Room 314: My Year of Hope and Despair in a New York City High School

 by Ed Boland 

Non-fiction: Memoir 

Setting: New York City, 2008

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Feb. 9, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1455560618

Synopsis: Setting aside a successful career as a Yale admissions officer and nonprofit executive, the author decides to answer a mid-life call to teach. Rejecting short-term programs set-up to move degreed professionals quickly into the classroom, he spends two years in a master's program and, after student teaching and consulting veteran teachers, especially his sister, he begins his first assignment teaching ninth grade history in a lower Manhattan high school.

Classroom management is a challenge from Boland's first moments on the job when his attempts to start class are met with a calculator thrown at the blackboard, a fist fight, and an obscene gesture from one of his most challenging female students. All this happens before he meets the student who truly frightens him. His efforts to make lessons more interesting leave him frustrated and the class no more engaged in learning.

Despite assignment to an "autonomous" school, partially funded by the Gates Foundation and given freedom in curriculum and administration, Boland is soon overwhelmed. Exhaustion and discouragement lead him to resent his students, their circumstances, the education bureaucracy, and even his own inability to provide quality instruction in the midst of chaos. The author honestly depicts the trials and challenges of an urban classroom where there are no Hollywood school-year endings of miraculous test scores achieved and relationships built. Rather, Boland is left to contemplate his own failures as a teacher, the ineffectiveness of seemingly progressive reform efforts,  and the circumstances stacked against the most needy students.

Appeal:
Highly Narrative
Detailed Look Inside a Classroom
Personalizes Urban Public Education

Read Alikes:

I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had - Tony Danza
Television actor recounts his year teaching in a Philadelphia high school.

Getting Schooled: The Re-education of an American Teacher - Garret Keizer
Teacher-turned-writer returns to the classroom after 14 years.

Letters to a Young Teacher - Jonathan Kozol
Former teacher and longtime education advocate Kozol shares advice and observations in letters to a new teacher.

The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education - Diane Ravitch
Former assistant secretary of education critiques policies she once supported but now views as detrimental to students.

Week 12 Prompt - Non-Fiction RA Matrix

Reader's Advisory Matrix

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

By Daniel James Brown

Narrative Continuum - Highly narrative overall, with some fact-based sections explaining rowing and the construction of rowing shells.

Subject: The University of Washington's rowing crew in the mid-1930s and their struggle for respect and recognition in their sport, culminating with competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, under the gaze of Hitler and Goebbels.

Type: History of the University of Washington rowing team in the mid-1930s.

Appeal:

• Pacing - falls between leisurely and swift. Chapters and sections move along, but overall the story is told in great detail, including events years before the team comes together.
• Characters - Rower Joe Rantz is the focus of the book. Others include his wife, Joyce; coach Al Ulbrickson; boat builder George Pocock; and Rantz' teammates.
• Feel - Compelling, personal, and detailed.
• Author Intent - To tell the personal story of the rowers, particularly Joe Rantz.
• Focus - Joe Rantz, his rowing teammates, and coaches at the University of Washington as they strive for respect in their sport in the mid-1930s.
• Language - descriptive but not overly sentimental.
• Setting Role and Description - the Pacific Northwest setting reinforces the team's position as an outsider in the sport centered on the East Coast and in Europe. Historical impact of the Great Depression and coming world war are supported by the story's locations.
• Details - heavily researched, with a selection of notes included and the full set accessible online. Brown describes Rantz' life before college in great detail, as well as the history of the sport, and construction of rowing shells.
• Graphic Support - Photos of the story's people and settings appear occasionally throughout the book. A later middle grade edition includes a list of characters, a timeline, and introduction to rowing.
• Learning/Understanding/Experience - All three - learning about competitive rowing; understanding the effects of historical events on individuals; and experiencing the hard work and emotional toll of competitive sport.

Top Appeals - 1. Characters  2. Learning/Understanding/Experience 3. Details

Week 11 Prompt - Ebooks and Audiobooks

This week's readings elaborated on some readers' advisory issues relating to digital formats that I haven't thought about in depth. I recommend ebooks and audiobooks daily and assist patrons with the mechanics of digital material technology, but I don't always stop to consider other elements of a book that may be altered based on the format.

The patrons at my branch already are heavy audiobook users and a number of them have made the move to ebooks as well. Most of my reader's advisory conversations start on a traditional track and only at the point we are considering specific titles does the topic of format come up. Popular titles may have all ink-and-paper copies checked out, but an ebook may be available. Or renewed interest in an author or series may have prompted a reorder of a title now only available in digital format. At that point I ask the patron if they are interested in an ebook and hope the digital format will work for them. Most are either already using or open to digital formats, or are unable or uninterested in exploring the options. "I like the feel of a book in my hand" and "I don't want to mess with technology when I read" are two frequent reasons I hear that patrons want to stick with traditional books.

Personally, unlike many avid readers I know, I don't care about format as long as I can get my hands on the book and find time to read. My first e-reader was the original Nook -- the first gift my sons chose and paid for themselves. They wisely chose a Nook because at that time library ebooks weren't readable on a Kindle. While that technology seems clunky by today's standards, I was thrilled to be able to add a book at any time of the day or night, even if it required physically connecting my Nook to my computer.

Unbelievably, the first library-borrowed book I read on my Nook was Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close -- a title that includes photos, sketches, maps, and text in a variety of sizes and, in some sections, text arranged in unique configurations on a page. The ebook format at that time didn't handle the details of this book cleanly. Some illustrations were cut off or carried over onto the next page. Improved technology now retains the author's intended interaction of text and illustrations. Despite my willingness to "read around" some technical issues, I wouldn't recommend an ebook version of a graphic novel, or cookbook, for example, without asking the patron if they could or would read the book on an adequately sized device in order to best display the content.

Our audiobook users generally fall into two categories -- those who want to multitask, listening to books during another task, usually driving; and those whose eyesight makes reading even large print challenging. A few are loyal to certain narrators, but most look for titles by familiar authors. Several staff members listen to audiobooks also, and compare impressions of presentations. For example, many of us enjoyed David McCullough's nonfiction title, The Wright Brothers, but found the audiobook less desirable than the text. Andy Weir's The Martian was a popular audiobook among patrons and staff. Narrator R.C. Bray really brought the stranded astronaut to life and I personally recommended the audiobook over the text because the presentation was so strong and, with audio, it seems easier for anyone less interested in the scientific details to "listen through" them while concentrating on the storyline. 

Overall, ebook and audiobook formats are a regular part of our readers' advisory process. In addition to the need to determine if patrons have a way and the knowledge to access these formats, this week's readings are a good reminder to consider what effect a particular format will have on a patron's experience with any particular title.

Book Club Observation - Week 9

My book club visit/observation offered a glimpse into a group in transition. This was their first meeting without leadership by a library staff member. As part of a significant and ongoing restructuring process, the library opted to end staff support for a 10-year-old book club. A group of regulars is hoping to keep it going and at this first meeting on their own they spent some time discussing meeting days and times, and other procedural issues.

Six members attended this session - 5 women and one man - with ages ranging from late 30s to late 60s, including some retirees but mostly working adults. They reported about twice as many members, on average, before the library staff involvement ended. They met in a small meeting room of the library, having been displaced from a larger room since the club was no longer led by a librarian. Two members had discussed this policy with library staff and there seemed to be some confusion about it. The room would be quite cramped with any more than 6 attendees. No food or drink was served and there was no plan to do so at the next meeting either.

The oldest member of the group functioned as the administrative leader. She had prepared a list of questions and, while giving others a chance to contribute, focused on working through the entire list of questions, even when comments began to veer off in other directions still related to the book and its themes. It worked well enough for this meeting, but over time a strict adherence to a list of questions prepared each time by one person could make the group seem more like a literature class and less like a book club.

Another member, a semi-retired sociology professor, seems to be the informal leader. She is more likely to let the discussion follow an unscripted path, based on ideas and questions arising from the core questions. The two leaders were very polite in their exchanges, but as an observer it seemed to me that the group will likely need to choose one format - formal, or informal - in order to sustain the group over time. A third member belongs to several book clubs and after the formal and informal leaders, she contributed the most to the discussion.

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks was the chosen title the night I visited. The structured leader first went around the table asking everyone if they had finished the book. Of the six members, three had finished, two were nearly finished and one had not had a chance to read the book but came to the meeting to take part in planning for the future of the club. Overall, enjoyment of the book varied from "not at all" to "interesting but too violent."

The book is a historical fiction examination of David of the Bible, not as the heroic shepherd boy facing off with the giant Goliath, but as the flawed adult who lusted for power and passion. Two of the questions that sparked the most discussion were What is the meaning of the title? and Is David a good leader? The latter brought comparisons to contemporary leaders, deemed good or bad, and inevitably to current presidential candidates. Everyone seemed intrigued by the title, but while interested, the comments didn't really coalesce around any one potential meaning. (I was curious and did some research after the meeting and found an extended interview with the author in which she attributes her inspiration for the title to hearing her son playing Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" on the harp. (McEvoy) The song's first lines are: "I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord.")

The last portion of the meeting centered on choosing titles for the next four months. Everyone contributed ideas and, although I was trying not to intrude in their discussion, several of the members are patrons of both the library where they meet and the branch where I work, which is part of a different system. They are used to talking about books with me and asked for my input on several titles they were considering.

Ultimately they settled on Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, Anne Tyler's A Spool of Blue Thread, and Persuasion by Jane Austen for their next four monthly meetings. The group expressed a desire to mix some non-fiction and classics with popular fiction for their selections.

Overall the now-independent club seems determined to continue and even grow by inviting new members to join and based on one visit, they seem to have a core of dedicated readers who can make that happen.

Source:

 McEvoy, M. (2015, October 3). The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks Shows a Bible Hero's Human Flaws. The Sydney Morning News. Retrieved March 10, 2016, from http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/the-secret-chord-by-geraldine-brooks-shows-a-bible-heros-human-flaws-20150925-gju1cl.html 

Virtual Readers' Advisory - Special Topics Paper

Virtual readers' advisory - providing reading recommendation through some form of digital communication -- is gaining popularity in public libraries. Moving the readers' advisory exchange from the personal to the digital platform raises a number of questions. Can librarians offer quality readers' advisory in a virtual format? Should they even try, or is too much lost if the conversation does not take place in person?

In a 2014 survey of 700 public libraries by the Library Journal, 93 percent reported offering some type of digital readers' advisory, with most providing online book lists and read-likes. A number of libraries have moved beyond providing online resources to offering one-to-one readers' advisory to patrons not physically in the library.

An online form is the most common type of virtual readers' advisory. The Seattle Public Library promises "Your Next 5 Books" to patrons who submit a brief form asking for "a few books and/or authors you've enjoyed and what you liked about them." Others, notably the Peoria Public Library in Illinois, offer extensive virtual readers' advisory forms which attempt to hone in on a particular patron's preferences in a range of appeal factors, genres, and other considerations in reading recommendations.

The Multnomah County Library in Oregon invites patrons to establish a personal relationship with a librarian by requesting readers' advisory recommendations through email, phone, online chat, video chat, or in-person meeting. The Librarians program, funded by grants, provides details about each participating staff members reading interests and hobbies, with the aim of fostering connections between staff and patrons, even if they do not meet in person.

The rise in virtual readers' advisory services presents opportunities for evaluation of the success of this approach to matching readers with books.

My Name is Lucy Barton - Elizabeth Strout

My Name is Lucy Barton

by Elizabeth Strout

Genre: Fiction - Women's Lives and Relationships

Setting: New York City, rural Illinois

Time Period: Mid-1980s, with flashbacks

Publication: Random House; Jan. 12, 2016; 208 pages

Synopsis: When a simple appendectomy results in complications, young wife and mother Lucy Barton's hospital stay stretches to nine weeks. Her husband is too busy managing work and their two young daughters to visit much, but surprisingly her estranged mother leaves her rural Illinois home to sit at Lucy's bedside in New York City for awhile.

Confined to Lucy's hospital room, the two women pass the time with seemingly random news and stories from their small town. Their contentious past hangs in the air between them, leaving what is unspoken most often carrying more weight than the words they share. When the conversation crosses their emotional barriers they briefly withdraw but cannot stay silent for long.

Within this slim novel, Strout reaches back to Lucy's troubled childhood and forward to her post-hospital life. Lucy, a published writer, draws on memories and observations of her family and friends to make sense of her past and more clearly see her present and future. The tautly written, brief chapters, some more poetry than prose, join together to form a detailed portrait of Lucy as a child, young married mother, and eventually as an independent woman.


Appeal:
Character-driven
Leisurely-paced
Lyrical

Genre Characteristics:
Female Protagonist
Focus on family (mother-daughter) relationships
Explores contemporary issues

Read-A-Likes:

The Art of Mending - Elizabeth Berg
Flawed family grappling with the past.

Housekeeping - Marilynne Robinson
Female protagonist struggles with family memories.

Sights Unseen - Kaye Gibbons
Woman searching for mother's approval.

Maine - J. Courtney Sullivan
Three generations of women reveal family secrets.

I See You Everywhere - Julia Glass
Moving, reflective, lyrical domestic fiction.

Week 7 Prompt - Book Controversies

Thinking about book controversies, last summer's publication of Go Set A Watchman comes first to mind. In the five months between the announcement of the discovery of a second Harper Lee manuscript and its publication, the biggest news in publishing became a frequent discussion topic among colleagues and patrons.

Did the author really want this book published, or was she manipulated by associates motivated by greed? Is Atticus really a racist? After doing a bit of my own research, particularly reading a detailed Bloomberg article (Suddath), I felt that publication truly was not the author's decision, and for that reason alone I initially planned to skip this title.

 But the more I heard people saying they would refuse to read it, more often because they didn't want to spoil their reverence for To Kill A Mockingbird than from concern about Lee's state of mind, I decided I needed to read it to form my own opinion. Since reader's advisory is part of my job, skipping the biggest book of the year seemed short-sighted.

So, I listened to the audiobook (since I was able to get it on release day), at first a bit distracted by the very recognizable voice of Reese Witherspoon, but my mind soon stopped "seeing" the actress and began "hearing" Scout as an adult. For me, the flashbacks to Scout's younger years are the best written sections and I can see why Harper Lee's editor urged her to write about Scout as a child. Other sections seemed rushed and disjointed, as you'd expect from an unedited manuscript. I understood some of the character's actions, particularly as viewed through the eyes of an adult Scout, but ultimately I don't think the novel was finished.

As a reader, I'm not sorry I read Watchman, but I will always wonder if the author truly wanted her early, unpolished work shared with the world and how she might have ultimately shaped the characters, particularly Atticus, had she fully prepared the novel for publication.

As a librarian, I'm very glad I set skeptisism aside and read the book. I've had numerous conversations with patrons, many of whom ask me almost under their breath, if I've read the book. When I tell them yes, why I decided to read it, and what I thought, many smile with relief and check it out. Apparently all the controversy made a number of them feel they shouldn't read it. In fact, several have come back to say they're glad they picked it up. I'm sorry so many felt they needed "permission" to do so.


References:

HarperCollins Publishers. (2015, February 3). Recently Discovered Novel From Harper Lee, Author of To Kill A Mockingbird [Press release]. Retrieved from http://corporate.harpercollins.com/us/press-releases/425/RECENTLY DISCOVERED NOVEL FROM HARPER LEE, AUTHOR OF TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

 Suddath, C. (2015, July 9). What Does Harper Lee Want? Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-harper-lee-go-set-a-watchman/ 

Journey to Munich - Jacqueline Winspear

Journey to Munich

by Jacqueline Winspear

Genre: Mystery

Setting: London, Munich

Time Period: 1938

Series: Maisie Dobbs, #12

Publication: HarperCollins; 1st edition, March 29, 2016

Synopsis: Psychologist, investigator, nurse, and spy Maisie Dobbs returns to London in early 1938, after tending to the wounded of the Spanish Civil War. She steels herself to confront memories of happier times before she suffered devastating personal losses. But instead of settling back into her former life, she is swiftly recalled to duty in the British Secret Service for a brief but dangerous mission.

Posing as the daughter of a British businessman and inventor, she sets out to retrieve the man imprisoned in Dachau. Forced to confront Nazi officials who have promised to release her "father," her task is complicated by other intelligence agents, someone who played a role in the death of Maisie's husband, and the urgent need to leave Germany swiftly while she still can.

This twelfth title of the Maisie Dobbs mystery series sets the spunky investigator on the path of further suspenseful adventures with a second world war looming, even as Maisie and her contemporaries are still coping with the fallout of the first.

Appeal:

Suspenseful

Character-driven

Leisurely-paced
Historically detailed

Genre Characteristics:

Series Character

Historical Setting

Puzzle to Solve

Read-A-Likes:

An Unwilling Accomplice - Charles Todd

Character-driven, leisurely-paced mystery set in London during World War I, part of a series featuring Bess Crawford, a battlefield nurse who solves mysteries.

Mr. Churchill's Secretary - Susan Elia MacNeal

Character-driven, leisurely-paced mystery set in London during World War II, first in a series of spy mysteries featuring mathematician and code breaker Maggie Hope.

A Fine Summer's Day - Charles Todd

Character-driven, leisurely-paced mystery set in 1914 London on the eve of World War I, featuring Ian Rutledge, Scotland Yard detective.

The Care and Management of Lies - Jacqueline Winspear
Historical fiction examining the effect of World War I on a young British couple, their friends and family.

Week 6 Prompt - Promoting Romance Titles

Romance Display Proposal

For our next theme display on the smaller table between new fiction and recent best sellers, I propose that we give a little promotional love to the romance genre. A well-chosen romance display could draw our patrons who routinely look for their next reads on our display tables to stop and consider some romance titles. This could be especially effective for our voracious readers who always are looking for something new. At the same time, regular romance readers who typically pass by the display tables and head straight for the romance shelves will likely stop to browse a display of their favorite and familiar genre and may then be enticed to check out the adjacent best seller tables.

Sign: Put a Little Love in Your Life

Titles for Display: Pull recent titles by popular romance authors, including books by some popular authors that fit the romance category but are cataloged under fiction, such as Susan Elizabeth Phillips. To highlight the full range of our collection, the display also should include relevant audiobooks, as this format is very popular with our patrons. Displayed DVDs could include Love, Rosie; The Longest Ride, and Brooklyn, alongside the book versions. Our classic film DVDs also should be scanned for romantic titles appropriate for the display.

Half-sheet flyers featuring some of the newest e-book and e-audio romance titles on Overdrive and directing patrons to Overdrive directions and the availability of tech appointments should be available on the display table, along with Hoopla bookmarks. 

Rather than relegating romance to the first two weeks of February leading up to Valentines Day, this display featuring a popular genre would work well for spring. In addition to the display sign, a few artificial or paper flowers could be scattered among the display items for visual interest.

Kirkus-Style Review - The Astronaut Wives Club

The Astronaut Wives Club
A True Story

by Lily Koppel

Review
Announcing selection of the original astronauts, NASA enlisted not just seven men, but also their spouses and children, in a bold venture to prove American superiority in the face of the Cold War.

America's space race, launched as a competition to beat the Soviets to the moon, was both a technological and public relations project. Public interest in every aspect of the astronaut families' lives, stoked by contracts with Life magazine, meant extreme pressure on the wives to project the model of perfect family life, no matter what the state of their marriage. Whatever was going on at home -- infidelity, serious illness of a child -- the astronaut wives were expected to do their patriotic duty by publicly declaring they were "proud, thrilled and happy."  Realizing only their sisters in the space program could fully understand the chaotic, demanding life they were living, the wives band together to weather the loneliness, fear, and public scrutiny foisted upon them by their husbands' careers. Much like a family, the women do not always agree with one another, but they rally for support when any one is facing extreme challenges, particularly the "death watch" of each mission and the too frequent tragedy of sudden death of a spouse. Just as the country is grappling with societal changes in the 1960s, the rewards and expectations of the astronaut wives evolve with subsequent "generations" as the astronaut corps expands in preparation for Gemini and Apollo flights. With the addition of the New Nine (1962), the Fourteen (1963) and the Nineteen (1966), much of the camaraderie of the original group is lost as all of the wives cannot even recognize, let alone know one another, yet they remain members of a small and unique sisterhood.

The unique experiences of the astronaut wives is a compelling story but this rendition, with no citations beyond a breezy four-page acknowledgment, and the curious-for-non-fiction subtitle "a true story," often feels like a collection of interesting information in search of a more effectively organized narrative.


Pub Date: June 11, 2013
Page Count: 384pp
ISBN: 978-1-4555-0325-4
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Week 5 R.A. Prompt

Based on the provided reviews, A Billionaire's First Christmas is definitely not romantic suspense, as the reviewers refute virtually every characteristic of that genre. In fact, even for romance the reviews make the story sound quite cozy. While the Amazon reviewer reveals her bias toward the holiday subgenre, "I do love a good Christmas romance," her review strikes me as more reliable since her personal comments don't overwhelm her assessment of the book. The blogger's review is all over the place with too much personal detail (her travel plans, two mentions of reading on New Year's Eve) and even incomplete sentences. Overall, the too casual tone makes me discount this review. As for buying this title, holiday fiction circs well at our branch, so if I were buying for this genre, I'd consider how many new titles were available for the season from perennially popular writers such as Debbie Macomber, Nancy Thayer, and Elin Hildebrand. If we had money and room to add a few more, I'd probably buy this title. A lot of our patrons, even those who often read literary fiction, tell me they take a break and only read light titles in December and this would seem to fit perfectly -- the author's name is even Holly!

Turning to the Angela's Ashes reviews, they present a compelling case that this is a "must buy, must read" book. For me, the Kirkus Review paints the most engaging description of the book, introducing the reader to the author and his family members with details of their difficult lives that manage to make delving further into this seemingly sad tale seem like the only logical choice. Who wouldn't want to know more about how the author "magically retrieves love, dignity, and humor from a childhood of hunger, loss, and pain"?  Since I did read this book years ago, it's difficult to set aside my personal opinion that Frank McCourt's incredible ability to write so honestly about his horrific childhood makes Angela's Ashes a classic memoir.

In choosing books for monthly book talks and displays at work, and for my own reading, I skim through reviews on a regular basis. While I know not to expect a critical view from sources like BookPage, positive review publications do provide summaries that are useful in sorting through new titles to develop a list of titles worth looking at more closely. An extended BookPage article about Dean Koontz' Ashley Bell prompted me to put it on my "to read" list and I enjoyed the book but probably would not have read it without that article. The monthly LibraryReads and Indie Next lists understandably include positive comments from the librarians or book sellers who have recommended a particular title. I use sources of positive only reviews as an abstract of new titles,  then seek out more critical reviews for books that I am considering for recommendation to our monthly group as I know participants will want to know more about the book's strengths and weaknesses. It does seem unfortunate that some titles are favorably and prominently reviewed in multiple publications while other worthwhile books go virtually unnoticed, but the ease of accessing online information can mitigate the imbalance a bit. Overall I can almost always find useful information on a title I'm considering.

Reader's Advisory Secret Shopper

I recently visited the main library of a three-location system to "secret shop" the library's reader's advisory service. I had never been to this location before.

The circulation desk sits just inside the entryway. No patrons were at the desk when I entered, I made eye-contact with the staff member at the desk but she did not speak. Moving further into the library I found the adult fiction section, then passing through a casual seating area with a new book display, I saw a "Reference and Information" desk, located between the non-fiction shelves and the patron computer area.

Two staff members were seated at the desk. I approached the nearest work station, was greeted by the librarian and I asked if I was in the right place for assistance with questions about fiction. She said she would try and asked what I was looking for. I told her I was looking for suggestions for a new book to read as I enjoyed the last one so much I didn't want to be disappointed with the next. She asked for the title of that book and I told her A Man Called Ove.

She entered the title in her computer and said, "by Fredrik Backman?" and I said yes. "We have a database to do that," she replied and started searching. Her reference to "a database to do that" led me to suspect she was using Novelist, which was confirmed at the end of our interaction. Copies of the library's three-month calendar of activities were displayed in front of her computer and I picked one up and started leafing through it, mainly for something to do other than stare at the top of her head while she worked away on the computer. I did look up frequently from the brochure in order to facilitate any further discussion of my reading tastes, since the reader's advisory interview had been so brief.

There were no further questions, however. For the next several minutes the librarian typed away on her computer, between answering the phone once and leaving her work station four times to answer questions about and assist with the patron computers and printer. As a patron, if she had said, "please excuse me, I'll be right back," I would not have been bothered by her multi-tasking. As an "undercover" library staff member, I cringed when she repeatedly stepped away without making eye contact or saying anything to me. Our service desk protocol includes briefly acknowledging anyone who comes to the desk while we are helping someone else, but immediately returning our full attention to the initial patron. We also do not answer the phone in the middle of a patron interaction. I recognize other libraries operate differently, but I did start to feel a bit uncomfortable just standing at the desk while she tended to several other requests.

After about five minutes she presented me with a Novelist printout of read alikes for A Man Called Ove. Looking at the list, I discovered the purpose of all the typing. She had looked up each of the nine titles listed and marked them as available, available at another branch, or not owned by the library. She did not ask if any of the books looked interesting, or if I knew where to find adult fiction, or if I had any other questions. She also did not offer to have any of the titles available at other branches sent to this location if I preferred. Based on descriptions of fruitful reader's advisory interviews in our readings, she missed virtually all of the recommended elements, other than using resources (Novelist) rather than relying solely on her own reading experience.

Reviewing the list there are two books I'd explore further, one I've already read and several I'd never consider, based on my knowledge of the authors. Overall I'd describe the interaction as very business-like and, as a patron, I'd likely not return for more reader's advisory assistance, unless I didn't really like a lot of chit-chat and was happy with the Novelist suggestions.

Based on the perfunctory reader's advisory interview and lack of booklists or displays promoting portions of the collection, I'd guess that reader's advisory is not a priority, nor have staff been trained to be knowledgable of and comfortable with making book recommendations. The staff member was polite and business-like, but did not engage in a true reader's advisory experience.

Reader's Advisory Week 3 Prompt

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can't figure out which one comes next!

The Lunatic Cafe , Jan. 1996, is the fourth title in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series (not to be confused with the Anita Blake graphic novels).

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

For this reader’s advisory query, I’d ask the patron if they are interested in another title with an ecology theme. If so, I’d recommend Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, which shares some of the Kingsolver titles attributes, but also is plot-driven. If the patron is more interested in a faster moving, descriptively written work, I’d suggest Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, which also is romantic and descriptive, but also fast-paced.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

The Tea House Fire by Avery Ellis is historical fiction, descriptively written with a strong sense of place. The book is about two women, one Japanese and one American, whose fates become entwined in 19th century Japan. The Japanese tea ceremony is central to the story about an American girl adopted by a tea master and raised as an attendant and surrogate sister to the tea master’s daughter.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

Since the patron loved Well-Schooled Murder, I’d suggest the first two books of George’s Thomas Lynley series - A Great Deliverance and Payment in Blood, or even the prequel, A Suitable Vengenance. If the patron seems happy continuing with this series, I’d let them know there are 19 titles to date, including the prequel, so it could keep them reading for awhile. If the patron is looking for a new author, I’d suggest P.D. James’ Adam Dalgliesh mysteries, which while a bit slower paced  and less violent, share several appeal factors with the George series, including a compelling writing style and a strong sense of place.

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

For the zombie loving husband, I’d recommend The Living Dead by George Romero, with the thought that the director of the classic film Night of the Living Dead ought to be able to put together a solid zombie story. Also, 30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead by Steve Niles for another zombie tale, this one a novel based on a graphics series. Finally, The First Days by Rhiannon Frater is the first book in the As the World Dies trilogy tracing the efforts of a lawyer and a housewife to survive a zombie invasion.

My Reader's Advisory Sources:

My regular print sources for book ideas include: BookPage, Booklist, LibraryReads and especially Indie Next List. Some of BuzzFeed's book lists highlight titles that aren’t typically featured in more general sources. I look back on previous years’ “best of” lists and particularly enjoy NPR’s interactive Book Concierge because it includes a wide-range of titles and you can select a variety of parameters to sort the selections. It also often reminds me of books I noted as “interesting” when they first came out, but I didn’t get around to reading yet.

Each month I’m looking for titles for a book group I lead. We don’t have a chosen book to be read by everyone. Instead, I do about a half dozen book talks on titles relating to a theme. I use Goodreads’ listopia for these theme searches -- sometimes with great results and sometimes not. I also do a general Google search for the theme and sometimes come up with a great list on a library website. Thanks, librarians!

At our monthly gatherings, I not only present the titles I’ve collected for the month’s theme, but I invite everyone to share what they’ve been reading lately (no matter if it fits our theme or not). I get a lot of great suggestions this way, as well as from one-on-one conversations with patrons and my colleagues.

All of this wealth of book information leads to excessively long “to read” lists. As always, so many books, so little time.

Ashley Bell - Dean Koontz

Ashley Bell

by Dean Koontz

Genre: Suspense

Setting: Newport Beach, Calif.

Time Period: Contemporary, with flashbacks

Synopsis: Bibi Blair, at 22 already a published author, experiences troubling physical symptoms one morning, goes to the emergency room and is swiftly diagnosed with fast-growing, soon-to-be fatal brain cancer. When told of her diagnosis she says, “We’ll see.”
The next day, following a real or imagined 4 a.m. visit to her hospital room by a hooded stranger and his dog, Bibi insists that her tests be repeated. The retest results confirm her intuition; no trace of her cancer can be found.
Giddy with relief, her aging surfer parents surprise Bibi with the gift of a visit from a masseuse/mystic who reveals Bibi’s miraculous reprieve from death comes at a cost. She must save the life of Ashley Bell, whoever she is.
In short chapters, jumping back and forth in time and place, plot twists and mysteries are compounded, and past experiences are resurrected, often leaving Bibi and the reader questioning what is real, what is imagined, and to what degree paranormal forces are controlling events.

Appeal:
Intricate Plot
Fast Paced
Strong Female Protagonist
Suspenseful

Genre Characteristics:
Short Chapters
Flashbacks
Sympathetic Protagonist

Read-A-Likes:

All the Birds Singing - Evie Wyld
Strong female lead character; random events come together in a menacing way.

Corrupted - Lisa Scottoline
Female lawyer confronts dark memories to defend someone she failed in the past.

Blue Labyrinth - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Fast-paced, suspenseful, occult fiction set in Calif.

The Guilty - David Baldacci
Fast-paced, plot-driven suspense.

The Stranger - Harlan Coban
Suspenseful, intricately plotted unraveling of family secrets.

Reading Profile

Reading is integral to my childhood memories. I remember the musty aroma of the bookmobile on a humid summer day, the first book I checked out from the school library (How the Camel Got Its Hump), and the fantastic discovery of Michelin travel guides on the shelves on my public library which allowed me to plan all sorts of vicarious trips while still too young to drive. For as long as I can remember I've always had a large stack of books waiting to be read.

Freedom of reading choice disappeared in college, replaced with long reading lists for history and English classes. With 10-week terms cycling by quickly, there are a number of great books that passed before my eyes, but I can't say I truly read and experienced them.

Once freed from college reading lists, I read mostly non-fiction until I became a library staff member a few years ago and realized I needed to get reacquainted with a wide range of fiction very quickly.

The promise of interesting characters often draws me to a book and, if that promise is fulfilled, makes that title memorable. My last-read favorite book is A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. While the plot points are interesting, what drew me to this title, kept me interested throughout, and made me sad to reach the end is the quirky characters and their interactions with one another.

Along with character, I'm also drawn to stories with a strong sense of place, especially if I can couple a book's setting with travel. Recently my son and I listened to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods while driving across the country with a two-day deadline. Although we were heading west in a car rather than north on foot, being on our own trek while listening to the book enhanced our enjoyment and memory of the story. This year we shared The Martian audio book on our cross country drive and arrived home with 20 minutes left on the last disc. If it weren't for welcoming family members literally standing at the door to greet us, we would have, even after 16 hours in the vehicle that day, sat in the garage to finish the book. (Fortunately the others went to bed soon after and we finished listening that night.)

Beyond interesting, fully-drawn characters and strong settings, I tend to look first at realistic and literary fiction, and biographies. Work responsibilities push me toward YA titles, but again I gravitate toward realistic fiction (I loved Eleanor and Park) and am hopelessly out of step in the YA world as I do not enjoy dystopian or vampire tales. I also should read more mysteries and, what I term in my head "popular guy authors" -- James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Stuart Woods -- to be better able to make recommendations to our patrons.

Perhaps I'm still rebelling a bit against the rush to push through so many books in college. I don't set reading goals and only periodically update my Goodreads account to reflect which titles I've read. I do, however, keep lengthy "to read" lists on Goodreads, filled with any title I run across that sounds remotely interesting and separated out in a number of subcategories for reader's advisory reference. I'm looking forward to putting a small dent in my "to read" pile and pushing myself into some new genres through this course.

Welcome

Welcome to Scanning the Stacks, a blog I've created for this semester's Adult Reader's Advisory course. I'm looking forward to talking about genres, authors, readers' preferences, and good reads!