Final Project: Providing RA Service

I provided readers’ advisory to five friends and family members who were very patient with all of my questioning.  I learned a lot about trying different sources, using elements of appeal, and evaluating the available choices.  Although I told them all that it was okay if they didn’t love the books I suggested, I just wanted honesty, they all said they enjoyed the books I recommended for them.

Reader Profile: Austin

Austin has traditionally read and enjoyed nonfiction.  Recently he has begun reading science fiction, particularly Star Wars fiction, and some graphic novels.    His favorite authors are Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Timothy Zahn.  He enjoys books that are fast paced, which he said was surprising because he likes movies that are thought provoking, but not all that action packed.  His preferred tone is ultimately hopeful with some bleak moments.  Characterization is very important to him; he must like or at least respect the characters to enjoy the story. 

I asked Austin about the last book he read and loved.  It was Vector Prime (a Star Wars novel).  I asked him what it was that he liked about the book and he mentioned the story and the characters.  He felt that the characters were relatable and the story was “cinema-esque” (his word).  When I asked what he would like to read next, he said he’s really enjoying the Star Wars books, and would probably like another one.  I asked who his favorite Star Wars character was and he said, “Luke Skywalker.”  I also asked him if there was anything he didn’t like and he said he was not a big fan of mysteries.

To find a good book for him, I tried several sources.  I first tried Novelist, but did not find Vector Prime.  Since it wasn’t listed in Novelist, I asked the selector at EPL and looked on Goodreads.  I found some good suggestions on Goodreads, and eventually ended up finding a new source that worked well – Wookiepedia, a Star Wars wiki. 

I suggested three possibilities for him:

1)      Ambush at Corellia (book 1 in the Corellian Trilogy)

This was suggested by the science fiction selector at EPL.  According to Wookiepedia, it is set about 7 years before Vector Prime, so might be a good fit for Austin.

2)      Heir to the Empire (book 1 in the Thrawn Trilogy)

A Goodreads reader who also liked Vector Prime mentioned liking this series, so I looked it up in Wookeipedia.  It features Luke Skywalker, Austin’s favorite character, and is also set in approximately the same time frame, and was written by Timothy Zahn, Austin’s favorite Star Wars author.     

3)      Dark Tide, the next book in New Jedi Order series, of which Vector Prime is the first.

Since this is the next in the series from the book he recently read and enjoyed, I thought it might be a good choice for him. 

Austin did not read Ambush at Corellia, he thought the plot line was a little too political.  He had already read and loved the Thrawn Trilogy.  Dark Tide was a winner.  When I suggested it, he rather sheepishly said he just bought it.  He hasn’t finished the book yet, but it enjoying it so far. 

Reader Profile: Emily

Emily reads science fiction and fantasy, romance, diaries, and loves biographies.  She has also read and enjoyed mysteries by Ted Dekker.  She enjoys the setting and the characters most in books she reads.  She likes stories to have a dark mood with a little bit of happiness thrown in.  She really likes a good story, but it has to have action, so pacing must be a little quick.  The voice and language are not as important to Emily. 

I asked Emily what her last favorite book was and why, and she said she loved Wicked.  She loved that it was a different take on a traditional story, and she liked the characters and the fantasy setting.  I also asked her what she didn’t like.  She said that she likes some romance, but really can’t stand mass market paperback romances.  She is not a huge mystery fan, doesn’t like westerns, and is really over the werewolf-vampire thing.  

I decided to look for something with same elements of appeal as Wicked, which I thought might be challenging.  I checked Novelist first, as it’s my go-to.  There were a few suggestions, but none of them seemed to fit.  I looked on Goodreads next and found a promising title.  Finding a book with the particular items of appeal in Wicked proved to be difficult, but I was reasonably confident in my selection, so just suggested the one title:  The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. 

I learned that suggesting only one title is not a good idea!  Emily loved the book, but she had already read it.  In fact, she loved it so much, she owned a copy.  The good news was, I’d found a great choice for her, but the bad news was, she still didn’t have anything to read.  This story, however, does have a happy ending.  Emily was unaware that The Looking Glass Wars was the first title in a series and that there are more books about this world.  I have promised to get Seeing Redd, the next book in the series for her, and she is very excited about getting it. 

Reader Profile: Sabrina

Sabrina likes character-driven stories about lives and relationships with some romance.

She likes the pacing to be a little bit leisurely and the characters to be likable.  Sabrina likes the mood of the story to be hopeful; while she likes for there to be some conflict, she enjoys an ultimately a happy ending.  She enjoys humor in what she reads.  The setting and the language are not as important to her as the relationships between characters.  She enjoys reading young adult novels. 

I asked Sabrina for her favorite authors, which are Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Meg Cabot.  I asked about books she enjoyed and she mentioned the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares.  I asked her about the last book she read that she really loved and why she loved it.  At first she said, “The Host because it was really different,” but then then she said, “No, since then I read The Story of Us by Deb Caletti and I really loved it for the characters and the story.  I also asked if there was anything she didn’t like and she mentioned the Gossip Girls series.

To find a book for Sabrina, I first checked Novelist and two of the suggestions seemed like a good fit for Sabrina.   After checking Novelist, I checked Goodreads and Amazon, but ultimately ended up choosing two of the books suggested by Novelist.  A third one of their suggestions was a possibility, but I felt that the fourteen year old heroine was too young to appeal to Sabrina, who is now 23.

I suggested just two titles for Sabrina:

1)      How to Build a House by Diana Reinhart

This story, like The Story of Us features a young romance and a setting of family conflict.

2)      This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This is also a character-driven, humorous book featuring a likeable teen heroine and a romance by one of her favorite authors.

Sabrina looked at both books, and decided to read This Lullaby because of the humor.  She told me that they both looked good.  She is not yet finished reading This Lullaby, but said she is really enjoying it so far. 

Reader Profile:  Jerry

Jerry reads mostly nonfiction, although he really enjoyed The Shack. He is a lifelong learner and his favorite books are those he can learn from.  Jerry works out, but would like to lose weight so has read some diet and fitness books.  He enjoys psychology and sociology as well as the Bible and inspirational biographies.  Characters and pacing do not apply to most of the books he likes to read.  He likes an uplifting mood and generally chooses books that are highly fact based as opposed to narrative books that read like fiction. 

I asked Jerry about the last great books he read and he said he really liked Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel Amen because he enjoys studying the human brain and what makes us who we are, plus he wants to learn so he can be healthy for as long as he lives.  I asked him what he doesn’t like and he said doesn’t care for new age philosophy.

Since Novelist in not helpful for nonfiction, I first went to the library catalog and searched for Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.  Once I found it, I used the subject heading, “Brain” to find other books about brain health.  I also looked on Amazon to see what other people who purchased Change Your Brain, Change Your Life were also reading, but only found other books on the brain by the same author.  The library catalog gave me the best choices, so I used choices from the catalog for my recommendations.  I suggested these books for Jerry:

1)      Chicken Soup for the Soul: boost your brain power! By Marie Pasinski with Liz Neporent

This book seemed like a good fit to me because it is about brain health and is also uplifting and inspirational.

2)      The Daniel Plan: 40 days to a healthier life by Richard Warren

This is a faith based guide to improving your brain, your health, and your attitude.

Jerry thought they both sounded good, but decided to read The Daniel Plan.  Because Jerry has mild dyslexia, he prefers audiobooks to print books, so I found this book for him on audio.  He has been listening to it in his car and said that it has been very good.

Reading Profile: Claire

Claire reads fantasy, dystopian fiction, and memoirs.  She likes the tone of her books dark and humorous.  While Claire, like Jerry, enjoys nonfiction, she prefers the story to be highly narrative and read like fiction.  The most important element for Claire is the characterization and the relationships.  Language is important to Claire; she likes books to be well written with spare prose.   

I asked Claire about the last book she read and loved and she told me about Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, which she said was amazing.  I asked her what she liked about it, and she mentioned the dark humor.  Amazon describes it as “a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives.” (Amazon, 2015)  I also asked her what she did not like, and she doesn’t like mysteries or romance.

Because Claire wanted a memoir, I could not use Novelist, so I tried Goodreads and Amazon.  Sometimes Amazon is disappointing and has nothing relevant, but this time, there were a few that were promising and checking them out led me to others.  After looking through quite a few choices, I found three.  My suggestions for Claire were:

1)      You’re Not Pretty Enough by Jennifer Tress

Jennifer Tress writes a darkly humorous memoir.  According to Amazon, “The true stories contained here are smart, uproarious, and utterly relatable.” (Amazon, 2015)

2)      Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

I chose this for the humor, although it is not dark.

3)      Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

I had read Wild and knew Cheryl Strayed writes beautifully, so thought this might appeal to Claire.

Claire decided to read Tiny Beautiful Things.   I saved her for last because after reading it, she said it was the best books she’d read in a long time.  Yes!  Connecting a reader with a book they really enjoy is an amazing feeling.

                Readers’ Advisory is one of my favorite things to do at the library.  That awesome feeling I get when I am able to clue in on the elements of appeal, use the resources available to me, and connect a reader with a book is one of the reasons why I love working in the library.  Finding a great book for a young person who might not think they like to read, but discover how wonderful it can be with the right book is so very rewarding.  I believe readers’ advisory is a very important service, and I intend to continue to improve my readers’ advisory skill. 

References

(2015). Retrieved from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/

Chandler, O. (2015). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/

Ebsco. (2015). Novelist. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/novelist/search/novbasic?sid=f9ffd71e-609d-47c4-ba37-4afab27be055%40sessionmgr198&vid=9&hid=123

Kent District Library. (2015). KDL What's Next. Retrieved from http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp

Saricks, J. G. (2009). The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. Chicago: American Library Association.

Wikia, Inc. (2015). Wookieepedia. Retrieved from http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Wyatt, N. (2007). The Readers' Advisory Guide to Nonfiction. Chicago: American Library Association.

Prompt Response 16: What about the future?

Prompt:  How have reading and books changed since you were a child, for you specifically?  Second, talk a little about what you see in the future for reading, books, or publishing - say 20 years from now.  Will we read more or less, will our reading become more interactive?  What will happen to traditional publishing?

I have loved reading and books for as long as I can remember.  My Mom read to me when I was very young. She took me to storytime when I was three.  My best friends, Lori and Rory had an older sister who could read.  After storytime, she would read to us.  It was awesome!  When I went to first grade, we read about Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot, and Puff.  I have loved reading ever since.  I remember loving visits to the school library.  In second grade, I discovered Marguerite Henry, and read  Brighty of the Grand Canyon, Misty of Chincoteague, and as many horse stories as I could get my hands on.  In third grade, I continued my love of reading about horses with Black Beauty, reading late into the night under the covers with a flashlight.  In fourth grade, I discovered From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and A Wrinkle in Time. I have spent many pleasant hours lost in good books and my life is richer for it.

My taste in literature has changed with my age and circumstances, but in every stage of my life, books have entertained and enlightened me.  From the time that my children could listen, I have read to them.  I discovered that reading to my children was just as enjoyable as reading to myself, and when they were older, we read to each other.  Reading has enriched my life in so many ways.  In addition to changes in my tastes in reading, I have learned to enjoy books in various formats.  While I still love to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea, I also really enjoy listening to books while I am driving or doing mindless household chores.  I have also spent many happy hours reading on my iPad or PC.  Even surfing the web is made possible by reading.  So while the subject and format of my reading may have changed, reading remains a constant in my life.

As far as my vision of the future of reading, books, and publishing - I see reading always being important to society.  Some have published scary futuristic visions of bookless futures, such as aldous Huxley's A Brave New World, but I do not believe reading is going anywhere.  Almost everything we do requires reading.  Checking your Facebook means reading everyone'd posts.  Google, texting, Twitter, Blogger... we're surrounded by words more than ever before.

About the future of books - there have always been those who love to read books and those who don't.  I don't think that will change.  Twenty years from now, there will still be those of us who love to read books, and we will pass our love of books on to future generations.  The format of those books may change and grow.  I tend to agree with Germano when he said, "New media does not have to succeed by defeating our historical media.  We collectively benefit from the diversity."(2010)  I think we will be able to listen to our ebooks.  When you download an ebook, you'll be able to listen to it also.  The iWatch and other wearable digital devices will allow us to answer our phone and to listen to a book whenever we wish.  We may even have holographic technology that allows us to immerse ourselves in the books's world.

I do think there are changes coming for the publishing world.  20 years from now, all (or at least most) books that are published will be available as ebooks.  I think the print book will still be around, but fewer books will be published in print.  As self publishing becomes easier, the big publisher will have to re-invent themselves to keep from becoming obsolete.  Publishing and printing books for authors might not be their primary service - editing, marketing, and other service will become more important to authors.  Publishers need authors, but as authors need publishers less, the publishers will have to provide new services.  Those are my thoughts, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!


Germano, W., Di Leo, J., & Wachtell, D. (2010, October 1). Fate of the book. The Chronicle Review.

Week 15 Prompt Response: Getting the Word Out

Prompt:  What do you think are the best ways to market your library’s fiction collection?  Name and describe three ways you do or would like to market your library or your future library’s fiction.  These can be tools, programs, services, displays – anything that you see as getting the word out.

I thought there were lots of great ideas in this week’s readings.  I think it’s very important to be proactive about readers’ advisory.  While I do sometimes have people ask me what to read next, it’s more common for a patron to browse the stacks.  I think having displays, bookmarks, and programming to promote readers’ advisory services is a good way to let people they can always ask for help in finding a book (or other material) to enjoy.

1) Programming

This Saturday, May 2, is national FREE Comic Book Day.  We are having an all day celebration to promote our graphic novel collection and to let people know we have graphic novels and appreciate graphic novel readers.  We will be giving away 100 free comic books provided by Buy Me Toys, have several comic book characters wandering around the library, have a table set up where people can make super hero cuffs, and have drawing contest.  After the library closes at 1:00, we are showing Marvel’s The Avengers which should be popular as the next Avengers movie opens next week. 

2) Displays and bookmarks

I think book displays are a good way to get great books in to the hands of readers who might not have searched them out.  We choose a subject and gather some books that work with the subject (such as soup books when it’s cold outside).  I really liked Sarick’s (2005) idea for the “great books you may have missed” cart.  This would be an awesome way to display some great books that my otherwise be overlooked.  At EPL we have a display entitled “what you were reading last year” which is very popular.  We also try to keep bookmarks with alternatives for people who enjoyed the current favorite titles and are looking for another book to read. 

3) Social Media

I appreciated Nann Hilyard’s thoughts on using social media for more than just announcing programs.  Static content, such as programming schedules can become boring, but personal items engage the reader.  We regularly post what the staff is reading.  Our blogger asks staff to send titles that they are currently reading.  If possible, we also include short reviews.  For those who read the blog, this helps them connect with staff, and also promotes our collection.  I think it would be a good idea for those who don’t regularly read our blog to have display of “staff reads” with books we have been reading.  This would promote the materials, and also encourage those who may not have discovered it to try reading our blog. 

Marketing our services is SO important.  There are so many wonderful opportunities at the public library that people don't even know about.  Mango Languages is available through our database subscriptions for all library card holders.  Since "Pirate" is one of the languages you can learn, every year on "Dress Like a Pirate Day" in September, we all dress and talk like pirates to promote Mango Languages.  I really do love my job!

Week 14 Prompt Response - Shelving Street Lit and GLBTQ

Prompt:
Consider yourself part of the collection management committee of your local library, or a library at which you world lFiction from the general collection to its own special place.  Some patrons have requested this, yet many staff are uncomfortable with the idea - saying it promotes segregation and disrupts serendipitous discovery of an author who might be different fro the reader.  Do you separate them?  Why or why not?  You must provide at least 2 reasons for or against your decision.  Feel free to use outside sources - this is a weighty question that is answered differently in a lot of different libraries.  

As far as separating African American Fiction - I would not recommend it.  I read several blogs by African American authors.  The authors and those who responded were universally against being shelved in a separate section.  Coe Booth says, "I'm here to tell you, when it comes to books, segregation is alive and well in America." (Booth, 2012)  She also mentioned that while she had reluctantly come to accept the ter, "street lit", and "urban lit" and the fact that her books would be shelved there, she was very frustrated when her books were shelved only there where their intended YA audience might not discover them.  She felt that her books were YA, not urban lit, but were shelved there because there are young black people on the covers.  Fantasy author, Nora K. Jemisin says, "Any bookstore or library which shelves my stuff in AAF has assumed that my work is automatically of interest to black readers - and only black readers - because I'm black" and later pleads,  "booksellers and librarians: Please don't put anything I write in the AAF section."(Jemisin, 2012)  So, I would not recommend an African American fiction section, as that stereotypes both authors and readers, and discourages that serendipitous discovery.

Having said that, however, I would shelve street lit together, as it is a sub-genre, based on specific element of appeal, such as subject matter, language, tone, etc.  "So, what is street lit?  In a nutshell, street lit is a fiction subgenre that spectacularly portrays many issues and situations that people living in an inner city deal with on a daily basis."(Welch, 2010)   According to Megan Honig, "In the past 15 years, the resurgence of gritty, action-packed stories of street life and survival has rocked the literary landscape."(Honig, 2010)  This is popular and should be made available to our patrons..  I work in an inner city library and we have our street lit collection shelved as "Urban Fiction."  There is a definite demand for this genre.  New books usually have several holds before they even hit the shelves.  We also have patrons who read exclusively from this section.  Because we have them shelved together, these patrons know right where to go to get what they're looking for.  Because we have this collection, they are also comfortable asking for new titles.  A problem we've experienced is buying a print title that is the beginning of a series, only to have the remaining books in the series come out in ebook only.  Not every patron who reads urban fiction has (or wants) a device for reading ebooks, and they are not happy when they like a book and we cannot get the remaining titles in the series for them.  This is very frustrating for the selector.

While GLBTQ fiction is also important for the library to collect, I would not recommend shelving it separately.  There are several reasons for this.  "The library can be an amazing resource for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth."(Farrelly, 2007)  However, these youth, particularly those who are questioning, may not be comfortable browsing a GLBTQ section. "Second, for every (GLBTQ) reader seeking a complex literary novel, there is another who wants a sexy beach read, and a third who wants a cozy mystery."(Devon, 2007)  Suzanne Brockman writes romance and romantic suspense novels, many of which feature gay and lesbian characters.  If we have a separate GLBTQ section, do we include these and others like them?  If not, readers might not discover books with strong gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning characters because they are not the main focus of the book.  "That is where we want to see the gay book going.  Readers need to see the gay character as part of the community.  That is getting to be the more realistic place."(Camacho, 2011)  I believe it is important for GLBTQ youths to see themselves in mainstream fiction.  So, instead of creating a separate collection, we need to provide discovery tools that are out where they can be seen - reading lists, bookmarks, and displays.  This opens the door for RA opportunities and lets patrons know we welcome these questions and want to help them find what they're looking for.

References

Booth, C. (2012, September 7). Separate, Not Equal; An It's Compllicated! - Book Covers guest post. Retrieved from CBC Diversity: http://cbcdiversity.blogspot.com/2012/09/separate-not-equal.html

Camacho, H. (2011). Where GLBT Literature is Going and Why it Matters. Voice of Youth Advocates, 138-139.

Devon, T. (2007). A Place on the Shelves. Library Journal, 40-43.

Farrelly, M. G. (2007). More on Serving Gay Youth. Public Libraries, 38-39.

Honig, M. (2010). Introduction. In Urban Grit: A Guide to Street Lit. Libraries Unlimited.

Jemisin, N. K. (2012, May 26). Don't put my Book in the African American Section. Retrieved from N. K. Jemisin: http://nkjemisin.com/2010/05/dont-put-my-book-in-the-african-american-section/

Welch, R. (2010). Everything Street Lit. In Integrated Advisory Service (pp. 259-286). Denver: Libraries Unlimited.

Week 13 Prompt Response YA and NA

Though this week's "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults.  Obviously graphic novels are becoming more acceptable, but I still had to fight to get my progressive library in a liberal college town to purchase a book club kit containing graphic novels.  The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff.  How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who read YA literature or graphic novels.  Or should we?

Maybe the question should be, "Why shouldn't we?"  Why would we, as librarians attempt to decide what our patrons should read?  Much of what we have learned about readers' advisory has been about helping patrons find that next book, the one that they will enjoy because it has the elements of appeal that they have enjoyed in other books, not the next thing they should read.

I believe we can ensure that we are able to serve adults who read graphic novels by making sure our collection contains popular and well written graphic novels.  That might seem simplistic, but with so many graphic novels being made into movies or television series, they are becoming more mainstream, and more adults are reading them.  The graphic novel fan base is growing and we need to serve this group of readers.

The recent Pew Research Center study on Younger Americans and Public Libraries found that "Despite their relatively high use of libraries, younger Americans are less likely to say that libraries are important."(Zichuhr & Rainie, 2014)  We need these younger Americans to see that importance of public libraries.  Serving this population and making sure they understand the importance of public libraries is important to our future.  So, why not give them what they want?

While I understand the importance of Young Adults having their own place in the library, I don't agree with keeping it locked and not letting anyone else in.  We do not prevent young people from checking out "adult" books.  Why would we discriminate against our adult patrons by not allowing them to check out YA books?  I think a display of YA titles on one of the displays that usually houses adult titles would be a great way to attract attention to this collection and market it to adult readers.

There are all kinds of reasons why adult readers might enjoy YA books.  Many are very will written with timeless themes.  All of us who are adults were once younger.  Reading books with younger protagonists takes us back.  Young Adults enjoy different themes at different times in their lives, sometimes reading what our children are reading helps us to understand them better.  I remember when my daughter read Twilight, long before it became popular and absolutely loved it.  We waited at the book store until midnight when the final book in the series came out so she could have it as soon as it was released.  She did not leave the couch for a few days.  When she had finished and I asked her how it was, she sighed, placed her hand over her heart, and said, as only a teenage girl can, "It was perfect!"  It wasn't about the vampire theme, it was because true love conquered time and death. Every young girl wants to believe in that kind of love.  Some adults do, too!

Zickuhr, K., & Rainie, Lee. (2014). Younger Americans and Public Libraries. Pew Research Center.

Week 12 Prompt Response

Readers Advisory Matrix for Wild by Cheryl Strayed

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

•   Highly narrative (reads like fiction)

2. What is the subject of the book?

•  Cheryl's journey after her mother's death, through despair and self-destructive behavior to     self discovery and eventual healing on an incredible 1100 mile hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. 

3. What type of book is it?

•  Memoir and story of healing

4. Articulate Appeal

• What is the pacing of the book?  
• For the most part, the pace of this book is leisurely, following her journey, articulating her thoughts.  Her hike is also an adventure and has times of suspense.
• Describe the characters in this book.  
• This is a character-focused story and Cheryl is the main character, telling her own story. Other characters include her Mom, Step-father, sister, and   brother, and people she meets on the Pacific Crest Trail.
• How does the story feel?  
• The story is vivid, bleak, inspiring, and uplifting as Cheryl moves beyond despair and finds inspiration and healing in her journey.
• What is the intent of the author?  
• To tell the story of her journey, both inward and actual.
• What is the focus of the story?  
• Cheryl's hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, alone, and the profound effect it had on her life
• Does the language matter? 
• Yes, the language is rich and evocative but also straightforward
• Is the setting important and well described?  
• The setting is essential to the book, and the descriptions are vivid
• Are there details, and if so, of what?  
• The book is filled with detail - of her feelings and actions, and the hardships and pleasures she found on the hike. 
• Are there sufficient charts or other graphic material?  Are they useful and clear?
• None
• Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?
• The book stresses all three.  Cheryl describes her journey and the things she learned and understands because of her experiences.

5. Why would a reader enjoy this book?

1.     Reading about Cheryl's emotional journey is heartbreaking and uplifting
2.     The descriptions of the Pacific Crest Trail are breathtaking
3.     Cheryl is an excellent storyteller; her writing is elegant yet incisive

It has been a little while since I read Wild, but I really enjoyed it.  I'm excited about seeing the movie!

Getting Back into the Groove

Did anyone else have a hard time getting back in to the routine after the week off?  I had a great spring break, did some reading and cleaned out a closet.  This week, when I should have been working on classwork, I kept falling asleep. That will teach me to get used to sleeping 7 or 8 hours a night!

Week 11 Prompt Response – E-books and Audiobooks

I love to read books in all formats.  I love snuggling up with a good book and a cup of tea on a cold day or sitting on the beach with a book.  I also love listening to audiobooks; I try to never be without one in the car and currently get most of my “reading” done on my 45 minute commute to work.  I also enjoy eBooks and find them indispensable when traveling or sitting in a waiting room somewhere.  Ebooks and audiobooks provide new challenges in readers’ advisory.  Working the circulation desk, I push all formats! 

When a patron requests a particular book and all our print copies are out, but the audiobook is in, I always mention it.  If they are not interested, I don’t push them to get that particular book, but tell them how much I love audiobooks, and encourage the patron to give them a try at some point.  I always start with my drive and how having an audiobook in the car makes me look forward to my commute instead of dreading it, then mention listening while folding laundry or doing dishes. 

Audiobooks provide specific RA challenges. They, like their print versions include Sarick’s elements of appeal, but also include others specific to the audio format such as narration and sound effects.  Pacing and characterization in particular are affected by the narrator. When I listen to an audiobook, the narrator makes a huge difference.  One of the things I loved most about The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd was the fact that the narrator’s voice sounded like a young girl.  I love Susan Erikson’s voicing of the characters in J.D. Robb’s In Death series, and James Marsters’ voicing of Harry Dresden in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series (although I’ve only listened to two of them so far.)  I really like Robert B. Parker’s Spenser books and have listened to many by several different narrators.  My favorite Spenser narrator by far is Joe Mantegna who voices all the characters fabulously.  I have tried a couple of Spenser novels narrated by different people and, while I still appreciate the story, I never enjoy them quite as much.


I enjoy reading eBooks, but they do read differently than paper copies.  I rely on the amount of pages in my left hand growing while the number in my right hand shrinks to judge the possibilities left for the characters and have felt the pressure to “absolutely finish the book tonight even if it’s 2:00 a.m.” (Dunnebeck, 2011) This affects me much more  with a physical book than the page indicators in an eBook.  While I do not believe that eBooks will completely replace print books, they are definitely here to stay and will continue to grow in popularity.   Portability and storage are major reasons for this.  

I do not have a device that is specifically an e-reader, but can read all kinds of eBooks on my iPad.  One of the things I most enjoy about eBooks is the ability to check them out from anywhere.  When I had to make a flying trip to Chicago because both of my parents were in the hospital, I grabbed some clothes and jumped in the car without thinking about bringing a book.  I spent quite a bit of time in a hospital room just being with my Dad who was not conscious.  Because I had my iPad with me, I went to my library website, checked out a book, and read it without ever having to leave his hospital room.  Wow!  It really helped me pass the time.

I have recently subscribed to BookBub, an awesome service that alerts you to discounted and free eBooks.  I have been building my eBook collection; whenever I get my daily email from BookBub, I use Amazon one-click purchase to send any of the choices that sound interesting to my iPad – especially the free ones!  That way, the next time I’m looking for something to read, I have a selection ready, and I just might discover authors I might not have checked out otherwise. 

References

Dunnebeck, K. (2011). E-books and Readers' Advisory. Reference and User Service's Quarterly, 325-328.

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers Advisory and Audiobooks. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 318-323.

Venjamuri, D. (2012, December 11). The Wrong War Over eBooks: Publishers Vs. Libraries. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidvinjamuri/2012/12/11/the-wrong-war-over-ebooks-publishers-vs-libraries/

Landscape Genres - Westerns

Blue-eyed Devil by Robert B. Parker

Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch cleaned up the town of Appaloosa once, but when they return some time later, a new corrupt chief of police, Amos Callico, has taken over with 12 deputies.  Cole and Hitch are asked to protect some local merchants who are being harassed for protection money from Chief Callico.  Cole and Hitch are true friends who clean up the town and try to figure out women, with considerable more success at the first than the latter. Along the way, Cole is forced to draw on the spoiled son of an influential landowner, defend himself against a hired killer, and keep a party of angry Chiracahua Indians from destroying the town.  Parker’s spare but elegant prose, flawed characters with a strict code of honor, and witty dialogue, along with the fast-paced action make this book hard to put down.

Elements of Appeal:

Setting - Blue-eyed Devil takes place in the Old West of the late 1800s.  The descriptions are vivid and atmospheric.

Storyline – Classic good vs. evil, but in this case, the law is the evil and Cole and Hitch find themselves in the difficult position of fighting for good without the law on their side. 

   

Mood – This story is fast paced, exciting, gritty and a little melancholy, but hopeful. 

Characterization – The main characters, Virgil and Everett, are witty and intelligent with a strong code of ethics that doesn’t always line up with the law.  Virgil loves Allie even though he doesn’t always understand her.  There are cleanly defined good guys and bad guys and a couple who might go either way.

Style/language – The language is spare, but elegant.  Virgil Cole is quiet man who speaks little.  He reads and has a larger vocabulary than he knows how to use.  Everett Hitch is a West Point graduate.  The dialogue is sharp.  Everett and Virgil have a great understanding of each other and communicate easily with a few words and a nod of the head.

Point of view – Everett tells the story in first person. 

 

My opinion:  I chose Blue-eyed Devil as my western because I am a huge fan of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series.  The friendship between Cole and Hitch is much like that between Spenser and Hawk.  Cole, who is not the narrator, but is in truth the main character, has as strong a moral code as Spenser. The dialogue is also sharp and witty, so I enjoyed this very much.  I am not usually a fan of Westerns, but I think I will pick up the other books in this series to spend more time with Hitch and Cole.

If you liked Blue-eyed Devil, you might also like:

Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker

This is the book that introduced Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch.  It has been made into a movie of the same name.

Brimstone by Robert B. Parker

Cole and Hitch track down Cole’s sweetheart, Allie and the three head to Brimstone to start over.  Cole and Hitch have a reputation and hire on as lawmen in the town.  When trouble arises, the two struggle to keep peace.  

The Book of Murdock by Loren D. Estleman

Page Murdock is and honest lawman going undercover as a priest to catch a gang of bandits.  This story of the Old West is also fast-paced, melancholy, and atmospheric with rich dialogue.

The High Rocks by Loren D. Estleman

The High Rocks, another fast-paced Page Murdock tale, also features flawed characters, rich dialogue, and a melancholy, atmospheric tone.

The Big Gundown by Bill Brooks

Doctor Jake Horn is a fugitive from the law for a murder he didn’t commit.  He finds refuge as a lawman in a small town in the Old West where he also serves as doctor and coroner.  

Potshot by Robert b. Parker

Robert B. Parker’s tough guy protagonist, Spenser and his faithful companion Hawk team up with a mix of old friends from both sides of the law to protect Potshot, a small town in Arizona from local thug “The Preacher” and his gang of bad guys.  While not set in the Old West, this book has the friendships, values, and sharp dialogue found in Blue-eyed Devil, and a plot-line very similar to many Western novels.

Landscape Genres - Urban Fantasy

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is a wizard, working out of an office in Chicago, maybe the only openly practicing professional wizard in the country.  His major source of income is consulting for the Special Investigations department of the Chicago Police Department, who investigate any crimes dubbed “unusual”.  The new millennium has brought about a renewal in awareness of the paranormal.  No one in the police department wants to admit it, but supernatural crimes happen.  Solving crimes involving witches, vampires, and demons is dangerous and very often misunderstood.  Harry is a modern wizard with old-fashioned values, and a strict code of honor which causes him some trouble.  He tries to protect the police officer he consults for, but she feels she can take care of herself.  This story is populated with interesting characters, both human and nonhuman.  From the first gruesome crime scene to the ultimate showdown, Storm Front is a wild ride.  Harry will make you laugh, groan, sweat, and sometimes roll your eyes, so buckle up and get ready to be entertained. 

      

Elements of Appeal:

Setting – Harry’s world is not a different place, but rather a different version of the world we know.  Storm Front takes place in Chicago in the present, but the paranormal elements that have always existed, have become more open – vampires run escort services, drugs can help you see the paranormal world, and magic can stop your heart.  The world building is very convincing in its subtlety. 

Story line – Harry is trying very hard to help good triumph over evil, but is conflicted by his worry that something within him is not good.  Good wars against evil in this tale and good triumphs, but not without extreme effort and sacrifice. 

Mood – fast paced, dark, and gritty, but Harry adds his own brand of humor.

Characterization – Harry is definitely battling for good, but sometimes that struggle is internal.  He is not a Knight in shining armor.  He battles evil in human and supernatural form.  John Marcone is a gangster with a merciless soul, but he is at least mortal.  Harry also must overcome acid spitting demons and supernatural scorpions that grow to giant size. 

Style/language – Storm Front is urban fantasy; its language is conversational prose with some jargon, not the more elegant and stylized language of classic fantasy. 

Point of view – Harry tells this story in first person point of view.  We know only what Harry knows, but as he tells the story, he sometimes refers to things he should have seen coming or found out later.

My opinion:  I really enjoyed Storm Front and have since read Fool Moon, which I enjoyed even more.  Storm Front started off a little slow for me, as the author introduced Harry and his world. It took me a few chapters to figure out where it was going. Once the action started, it was non-stop! As I got to know Harry, I discovered he is a complex and likable character.  He's not great at relationships, but always tries to do the right thing, even when no one else understands.   

If you liked Storm Front, you might also like:

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

This second in the Dresden Files series will not disappoint Harry Dresden fans.  Many of the colorful characters from Storm Front are back including Karrin Murphy, Susan Rodriguez, and Bob, the spirit residing in a skull in Harry’s basement who assists him with potions and knowledge.  

 Box Office Poison by Phillipa Bornikova

The tone of the urban fiction novel is not as gritty as Storm Front, but it also features an irreverent protagonist dealing with supernatural villains and solving crimes.

Moon over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

This story is also a first person POV urban fantasy.  Peter Grant, the protagonist is a London Constable and apprentice sorcerer solving a crime too bizarre to have been committed by a mere mortal in a strong urban setting and dealing with police procedure.

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

This is also a Peter Grant tale

Hot Lead, Cold Iron by Ari Marmell

Mick Oberon, private detective in 1930s Chicago and former fae prince, is hired to track down a missing person who was replaced 16 years ago by a changeling.  Mick, like Harry goes after supernatural bad guys in Chicago, while maintaining a sense of humor.

My First Book Club

           My library has a book club on the third Monday of each month.  Since my department organizes the book club, it is moderated by a retired employee who comes back to lead the book club, and I had never been to a meeting; I decided this was the perfect opportunity for me to attend.  I was feeling bad about not doing this sooner, but since my drive to work is about 45 minutes, I leave the house just after 8:00 and don’t get home until 7:00, I guard my time away from work – plus I have to do my classwork sometime!  I discovered the book title just two days before the meeting – entirely the fault of the Alien Space Bats – so was unable to read it ahead.   The members were gracious and let me come anyway.

We met in one of the library’s meeting rooms with cookies and coffee to discuss the book chosen for this month’s meeting, The Lion by Nelson DeMille.  Mary Ann, the moderator passed out a list of discussion questions from LitLovers. (LitLovers, 2015)  This list included questions about the motivations and likability of the characters, their training and skills, strengths and weaknesses, and the believability of certain situations. Mary Ann began the discussion by reading a little bit of background information on the author.  Nelson DeMille was born in 1943 in New York and lives in Long Island.  Mr. DeMille began writing in the mid 1970’s using several pen names – Jack Cannon, Kurt Laudner, and Ellen Kay; knowing he would want to write better novels under his own name someday.  DeMille, a former First Lieutenant in the army saw action in Viet Nam, is a member of American Mensa, has 3 honorary doctorates, and writes in a “compulsively readable style.” (LitLovers, 2015) 

Some of his works include:  By the Rivers of Babylon, Word of Honor, Charm School, Gold Coast, Up Country, and The General’s Daughter.  Word of Honor and The General’s Daughter are now major motion pictures and several others are in the works.  The Lion is the fifth of seven books featuring protagonist, John Corey.  As the discussion began, Mary Ann mentioned that the question sheet was just for suggestions and wasn’t written in stone.  The participants began to discuss the book.  The topics of conversation began with discussion about the main characters – Corey, and Khalil, the antagonist.  Members of the group mentioned that they loved the sense of humor present in the book, that it offset the terrorist violence, and that they liked DeMille’s conversational style of writing. 

They discussed various happenings in the story that surprised them, plot twists they didn’t see coming and some that they did.  I did not see anyone refer to the sheet of questions – they didn’t seem to need them.  As the discussion moved through the book, someone mentioned a parallel to current events, which led to discussion of world politics.  Many felt the book could be taken right out of the headlines.  We moved on to other topics, including the book Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand which has recently been made into a movie.   As I had read and loved Unbroken, I was able to contribute to the discussion and felt like part of the group. 

Towards the end of the scheduled time, Mary Ann passed out the book for the next month’s book club.  The club will be reading Home Again: Essays and Memoirs from Indiana.  I don’t think I will make it next month, but in April, they will read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  This is the One Book One Michiana selection this year, and I have read it, so I think I will try to make it then and see how different the experience is with a book I’ve actually read!

Since EPL is participating in One Book One Michiana, and kicking our month celebration with a circus at the library, I mentioned that to the club.  At our circus we’re having balloons, popcorn, and games.  We discussed this and all the other fun things we’ll be doing that tie-in with the book, including showing movies, a steampunk make and take craft, make your own mask, a silhouette craft, and lots of children’s activities as well.  These wonderful, creative ladies had all kinds of wonderful thoughts and gave me some great ideas!  One of the ladies even found me at the desk and gave me the name of an acrobat troup that might be willing to come to our circus.

This was my first experience with a book club, and I really enjoyed it.  The book club members were all very welcoming and invited me to come back.  I’m looking forward to meeting with them again.  I’ll have to get The Night Circus and brush up on details before April!  I also discovered LitLovers, which I think will be an excellent resource for Readers’ Advisory as well as future book club experiences.  I might even enjoy leading a book club someday, but I’ll want to participate in many more before that happens. 

               

References

DeMille, N. (2015). Retrieved from Nelson Demille: www.nelsondemille.net

DeMille, N. (2010). The Lion. Grand Central Publishing.

LitLovers. (2015, March). Retrieved from LitLovers: http://www.litlovers.com/

                                               

The Future of Readers' Advisory

            Readers’ advisory has been around since the late 19^th century, becoming prevalent in the 1920s and ‘30s.   In the beginning, “the general goal of early readers' advisory services was the self-improvement of patrons.” (May, 2001)  This was a process involving several meetings between the patron and the librarian and a reading plan designed by the librarian for the moral betterment of the patron.  Reading fiction for pleasure was generally looked down upon.  Readers’ advisory services have come a long way in the intervening years, particularly through the work of Joyce Saricks, Nancy Brown, and Nancy Pearl. 

            Current trends in RA owe much to the groundbreaking work of these individuals.  Identifying elements of appeal have made it universally possible to suggest titles that readers will enjoy based on their reading preferences.  During the last 25 years, Readers’ Advisory services have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and have become patron centered, non-judgmental, and aimed at finding the reader a book that he or she will enjoy.  Library staff should be knowledgeable and courteous, and seek to make a connection between the reader and book.  As the world changes and readers change, libraries grow, continuing to serve their users.   

Where will readers’ advisory services take us in the future?  In coming years, as needs change, readers’ advisory services will change to keep pace with innovations in format, methods, and tools.  Newer formats such as audiobooks and e-books provide opportunities and challenges.  The methods that have served readers’ advisors for many years are being seen in new ways, and opportunities for interaction provided by new technologies are providing new tools.

RA has traditionally been about books, but as library collections have grown to embrace many different formats, readers’ advisory services are growing in scope and technique.  Library staff are no longer called on merely to provide the next best book to read, but now supply readers’ advisory for E-books and audiobooks.  Each format provides its own unique challenges and opportunities. 

The appeal factors of print books also appear in audiobooks, including pacing, setting, characters, mood, and language.  However, audiobooks, by their very nature add the additional factor of audible presentation.  “Narration changes and intensifies every element of a book’s appeal.” (Mediatore, 2003)  Does the narrator differentiate between characters and voices?  Do music and sound effects add to the story?   Does the voice of the narrator match the pacing of the story?  Other considerations include where the listener will be while listening (can the narrator be heard over traffic?), and what sort of media format the listener need or wants. (Trott, 2008) 

E-books allow patrons to check out books and read them without ever having to leave their homes, but they, too provide challenges for RA.  One thing readers may miss when reading an e-book is tracking their progress by the number of pages left to read. That feeling of desperation to finish a book when you have only a few pages left is not felt in an e-book; nor is the surety that a clue is a red herring because there are too many pages left for the crime to be solved yet.  This affects how a reader experiences the pacing of the story. 

The goal of RA is to make sure the reader has the best reading experience possible.  With e-books the level of technological understanding of the reader and the format of the book will play a part in the reading experience.  So, along with suggesting a great story, the Readers’ Advisor must be a technological advisor as well, sometimes helping a patron figure out how to download, access, or return an e-book, which format to choose, or how to retrieve a pin number.

In addition to adapting tried and true methods to new formats, readers’ advisors will be exploring new methods to supplement the current methods.  “The concept of appeal is . . . being changed and adapted by those who helped to create it and by a new group of librarians eager to help develop new thinking about how patrons react to, and interact with, what they read.” (Wyatt, 2007)  Current studies suggest that reading holds appeal for the reader that is not only book-driven, but also reader-driven.  “Based on readers’ views, reader-driven appeal consists of a) curiosity; b) personal situation, needs, and mood at the moment; c) advice of friends or specialists; and d) overall popularity of a title/author/series.” (Dali, 2014)  Maybe a reader wants the latest Oprah book, not because she is interested in its pacing, plot, characters, or setting; but because Oprah or a friend recommended it.  Perhaps the reader wants an introspective book because she’s sad, or maybe just wants something different to expand her reading horizons.  “It can be as simple as diffusing boredom in the sluggish afternoon hour or killing time waiting at the doctor’s office.” (Dali, 2014)

Dali also suggests providing a comfortable, informal space for readers’ advisory interviews to take place, encouraging confidences by the reader which help the readers’ advisor to gain insight into his reasons for reading.  “The more information gained from the reader about his tastes and interests the more complex he becomes; ambition, real love of books, anxiety to keep up with friends, vocational difficulties all play a part in the reasons for coming.” (Dali, 2014)

Some libraries are now arranging fiction in genres to make it easier for patrons to find what they are looking for.  In spite of the fact that genres are listed in the library’s catalog, many users wander aimlessly through the stacks looking for something to read.  When books are arranged in genres it creates a more user-friendly atmosphere and encourages browsing. A side benefit to dividing the fiction collection into genres, is that is allows statistics to be kept that can be used in collection development. 

 While this is helpful for readers who like a particular genre, the blurring of genre lines can make for tough choices when selecting the genre in which to place an item. Paranormal romance has exploded in recent years.  Should these books be placed with romance, fantasy, horror?  Keeping up with readers’ interests is complex and challenging, but rewarding.  “The readers’ advisor of the future must have a willingness to venture into these less-known areas of the reading world and to come back not only alive but also with an appreciation for what readers in these areas enjoy.” (Trott, 2008)

New tools will provide additional opportunities for readers’ advisory transactions. Catalogers working together with readers’ advisors can begin to bridge the gap between how readers describe and experience books and how libraries catalog their collections.  “If cataloguers begin to understand the difference between their access points and how readers want to access the collection, they may be able to assist in creating readers’ advisory terms and content to bibliographic records.” (Terulli & Spiteri, 2012) This collaboration is leading the way in creating the next generation of library catalogs. 

Mobile app for virtual visit

“Next generation library catalogs are interactive library catalogs that encourage interaction and contribution by users.” (Terulli & Spiteri, 2012)  In the next generation catalog, users would be able to add tags, ratings and reviews.  Instead of providing information generated exclusively by library professionals, users are invited to add their own content and opinions, creating a “social” library catalog.  This “social” library catalog would provide a space for users to interact with library staff and allow a more intuitive use of the catalog, which in turn makes the interaction easy and enjoyable. 

Next generation catalogs extend relationships of trust between staff and patrons, whether their library visit is physical or virtual, bring patrons together, encourage collaboration, and invite user generated content.  The catalog can become more than just a way to locate library resources; it can be a path to information beyond the walls of the library, available on multiple devices, taking readers’ advisory services to the readers.  In the digital age where most people participate in social networking and some prefer online transactions to face-to-face, interactive catalogs could take readers’ advisory services to readers anywhere. 

            In conclusion, many things are leading to a bright future in readers’ advisory.  From its moralistic beginnings in the early part of the 20^th century to the current trends, readers’ advisory has advanced to become a patron centered, non-judgmental encounter intended to improve the reader’s experience.  Innovators such as Joyce Saricks and Nancy Brown have given us standard elements of appeal: tools for readers’ advisors everywhere to help readers find books to satisfy their appetites for genre fiction.   Librarians, however, never rest in their quest to better serve users. 

Advances in readers’ advisory service will continue.  Books are no longer the only game in town.  Audiobooks and e-books have entered the field, providing challenges and opportunities for growth to which RA has responded.  Studies are discovering new techniques which may augment the tried and true methods, and new tools such as next generation catalogs promise to make readers’ advisory ever more interactive.  Learning from the past, blazing new trails and heading into the future aren’t new things for librarians, it’s just what we do!

References

Dali, K. (2014). From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal: Redefiing the Concept of Appeal in Readers' Advisory. Library Quarterly, 84(1), 22-48.

Dunnebeck, K. (2011). E-books and Readers' Advisory. Reference and User Service's Quarterly, 50(4), 325-328.

May, A. K. (2001). Readers' Advisory Service: Explorations of the Transaction. Readers Advisors Companion, 123-148.

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers Advisory and Audiobooks. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-323.

Pecoskie, J. (2014). OPACs, Users, and Readers’ Advisory: Exploring the Implications of User-Generated Content for Readers’ Advisory in Canadian Public Libraries. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 52(4), 431-453.

Sweeney, S. (2013, Summer). Genrefy Your Library: Improve Readers' Advisory and Data-Driven Decision Making. Young Adult Library Services, 41-45.

Terulli, L., & Spiteri, L. F. (2012). Library Catalogues of the Future: A Social Space and Collaborative Tool? Library Trends, 61(1),107-131.

Trott, B. (2008, Winter). Buillding on a Firm Foundation: Readers’ Advisory over the Next Twenty-Five Years. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 48(2), 132-135.

Williamson, T. B. (2011). Materials Matchmaking Articulating Whole Library Advisory. Reference and User Service's Quarterly, 50(3), 230-234.

Wyatt, N. (2007). An RA Big Think. Library Journal, 132(12), 40-43.