Week 16 Prompt

When I was in elementary school reading was not really encouraged. When we had "Reading" as a subject, we only ever read out of our textbook, which contained short stories of age-appropriate reading level. Usually they were way below my reading level and of no interest to me. Plus, they were very contrived because they had to use oi/oy words, or whatever this week's unit covered. While we were reading the teacher would ask questions over the story. Then we had to fill out workbook pages over the phonetic element of the week. I was always in a hurry to be done so I could read a little in my book before we had to start the next subject. If my teacher had said it was time to find a comfortable spot in the classroom and read our library books for 30 minutes, I wouldn't have known what to think. It would have been too good to be true! I was always getting in trouble because I was reading instead of following along in our social studies book. I couldn't wait for school to be out every day so I could go home and finish my book.

From Kindergarten to 4th grade, the only books I had access to in school were in the very small classroom libraries my teachers had, which we had access to but I don't remember ever having "library time" where we were encouraged to browse for reading material. It was only expected that we have a book to read at our desks so we had something to do if we finished our work and others were still working.  I had the public library and a big collection of books at home, but the schools I went to in two small towns did not have libraries. So I would say reading has definitely changed a lot since I was a girl. Now schools put a great deal of emphasis on reading books, not just the reading textbook. I haven't always agreed with the methods used to encouraged reading, but I believe the best way to learn to love reading is by being read to as early as possible, and by lots of practice reading real books.

It seems that reading has increased in popularity with adults as well, although my life is full of people who love reading now, instead of being full of other kids who do not. So my view on this may be a little askew.

Ereaders may have a part to play in this, as well as audiobooks. The new technologies may make reading more accessible to busy people, and may make it more appealing to technophiles. I don't think the advent of ebooks will make books obsolete, anymore than the popularity of television made going to movie theaters obsolete. It's just another medium to give people choices. You could argue that television made radio obsolete, but only in some ways. TV did replace radio shows like "The Jack Benny Show" and "The Lone Ranger", but we still have radio. The programming just took a different form. So maybe Kindle, Nook, etc. will have a similar effect somehow on books and the publishing world.

I have really enjoyed this class and reading everybody's blogs! Good luck in the future!

Prompt: Promoting Fiction in the Library

The library I work at, while awesome on many ways, is sadly deficient in encouraging browsing. It is an open plan so there is not a lot of wall space for posters and things like that. We have a couple of display areas but not near the fiction. It could definitely be made more welcoming to browsers in general, and I would like to implement some of the ideas I have learned in this course to appeal to readers. These three ideas I think would have the most impact.

1. Signs-  I think a simple sign like suggested in the Saricks chapter, "Looking for a Good Read? Ask here for Help" or something would at least let people know that librarians do that. I think a lot of people are intimidated by approaching us for assistance in finding a good book. A sign welcoming their inquiries would help break the ice. In fact, we could do with a lot more signs through the whole library. The nonfiction collection is awesome, but the ends of the shelves are labeled with only the Dewey number range they contain. Adding signs like "Cookbooks", "DIY", "Gardening", etc. would make it much more appealing and easier for patrons, who usually don't know that cookbooks are in the 640s, to navigate.

2. Displays- If we could get taller shelves for the fiction, it would give us more shelf space for the collection, as well as give us more space to put those end-of-shelf units we could use to showcase various authors, genres, topics, etc. Since the collection as it is does not inspire browsing, little displays every shelf or two would bring to the attention of patrons something they may have missed. I also like the idea of having a display of reading suggestions near the entrance and at both the reference and circulation desks, even if it is just a book truck with 30 or so selections. Right now the only display we have is the ends of the new book shelves, which are placed not at the entrance where they should be, but clear across the library by the nonfiction. Not conducive to Reader's Advisory efforts.

3.Bookmarks- We have lots of bookmarks for other library advertisement, but I think it would be better if  most of those things were kept to the (few) poster displays we have, and RA bookmarks were added to them. At least half of the bookmarks offered should be RA. Lists of favorite series in order, similar authors/titles, what to read while you wait for, would all be popular with our patrons.The book marks are a favorite with readers of all ages at the circ desk, so I think this is an awesome way to reach our readers and let them know what we can help them with. This would be something that would be quick and easy for patrons to take and peruse at their leisure, and relatively easy for us to keep up with and keep fresh.

Prompt: To Separate or Not to Separate?

The question of whether to separate African-American or GBLTQ fiction from the general fiction section is a question that should be answered based on your particular library and patronage. At my library we have a fairly large readership of African-American books, but we really don't have room to have a separate section for that sub-genre. Other libraries in the system do have a separate section for those books. Patrons travel around the system all the time and so far no one to my knowledge has made a major fuss over either way the books are shelved. What we have done at my library is to designate the African-American books and the Christian fiction with stickers on the spine. That way people looking for those particular fiction books can easily find them. I suppose some people could complain that those books are being stigmatized, but most people are appreciative that they can go right to the shelf to browse and if they are looking for a particular type of book they can be guided to them without wasting time on other stuff.

As regards GBLTQ fiction, it is just mixed in with the fiction without any particular designation. One patron came across a book with homosexual themes and let us know that she wasn't particularly pleased, but she didn't blame it on us or require that certain authors be placed elsewhere. In fact, she didn't even change libraries. I think in spite of all the conflict displayed in the media over things like this, most people are capable of realizing that just because we are not in agreement doesn't mean we are at war, and that not everything that doesn't go their way is done deliberately and with calculation to offend them.

I don't think there is one particular answer to questions like this one, but that the librarian should do what will work for the branch he/she works at. You are always going to have people who are happy to get offended no matter what you do, but most patrons realize that they are not the only people we serve, and that we really are doing our best to be fair and impartial with regards to how library materials are shelved.

Prompt: YA fiction and Graphic Novels

I think that if adults wish to read YA, new adult, or graphic novels they should not only not fear judgment by the library, they should be marketed to by the library. Many of my favorite novels/series are YA, and I know many adults (not new adults, either, people in their 60s) who read this genre almost exclusively. The characters feature teenagers, true, but they have appeal to all ages. I can read YA fantasy and science fiction and really love it, something I can't do with those genres aimed at adult audiences. They usually just get too weird for me. I also appreciate that while there is some romance and sex may be hinted at, it isn't graphic and there is much more to the story line than physical attraction and who likes whom. Also, fantasy aimed at adults doesn't have the same charm and mystery as that written for a younger audience. I read the first book in the Deborah Harkness series,  A Discovery of Witches hoping that it would be an adult Harry Potter, but it wasn't even very interesting to me. So I can totally relate to adult patrons who prefer genres aimed at a younger audience. Also, I noticed when reading fan sites about Harry Potter while waiting for the next books in the series, that many of the younger readers did not "get" the stories in the same way as adults did. If these children re-read the stories as they grow older they will find deep riches that they weren't aware of the first time around.

I don't have a personal stake in graphic novels as I don't read them, but I feel the same way about the issue here. If adults want to read comic books or graphic novels (and many do!) they should be promoted in the adult areas of the library as well as the teen areas. How are you going to reach anyone at all and turn them into a regular patron if you don't meet them where they are and connect with them in supporting their enjoyment of books THEY like, not what you think they should like? Who would want to use a library where they didn't feel comfortable checking out what they want to, or that didn't carry titles that appeal to them?

Young Adult Annotation: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Published: 2015

400 pages

Setting: Fictional future world of Norta, in what used to be part of the United States

In Mare Barrow's world you are either a member of the ordinary, lower class Reds, those with red blood who have no chance of control over their own lives, or Silver, an elite class with silver blood and supernatural abilities which gives them power over the Reds. Mare is born a Red. She bleeds red blood and her only chance to help her family survive is her skill as a thief,  However, Mare is not your ordinary Red. After she is chosen to serve at the palace at the ceremony for choosing a new queen, an accident reveals that she has the power to control electricity and lightning. Her new-found ability gains her admittance to not only the Silver world, but a place as a future princess by betrothal to the younger son, as well as great deal of danger. Not every one is as they seem, and Mare is caught between her new "family", whom she isn't sure are entirely trustworthy,  and her loyalty to the Red revolution, who are counting on her to be the strongest chance they have of finally overthrowing Silver oppression.

Elements of Young Adult books:
Fast-paced- Mare moves quickly from thief in the village, to servant in the castle, to newly "discovered" Princess with previously unknown powers.

Likeable Young Characters- Mare and the other characters are all teenage, and very likeable. There is sympathy with them even though you are not sure who is good and who is evil.

Issues- The characters face tough issues of leadership and  pretending to be someone other than you are for the protection of loved ones, as well as the usual teen love stuff.

Read-Alikes:
The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Personal critique: This was a great book! The story holds together very well, and you are kept guessing until the end as to which side is good and which side is bad. The elements of dystopia were mixed well with the elements of fantasy to produce a highly enjoyable story. I can't wait to read the next one, Glass Sword!

Prompt: Nonfiction Matrix

Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Author: John Berendt

Published: Jan. 13, 1994

Pages: 388

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?
      Highly narrative

2. What is the subject of the book? 
     The book depicts the author's discovery of what life is like in Savannah, Georgia and the trials of Savannah antiques dealer Jim Williams as he is tried for murder.

3. What type of book is it?
     Nonfiction: History (cataloged under History but also could be considered True Crime)

4. Articulate appeal
     What is the pacing?     a quick read with leisurely pacing
     Describe the characters of the book. Quirky, eccentric, and individualistic
     How does the story feel?  funny, gritty, and grim
     What is the intent of the author? To share his personal experiences in discovering life in Savannah and the interesting characters he meets there.
     What is the focus of the story?  One of the people the author meets in Savannah is arrested for murder. The story covers the subsequent trials and details of the crime as well as depicting the many eccentric people living in the city.
     Does language matter? Yes, the elegant, lyrical language is an interesting juxtaposition to the grittiness of the story.
      Is the setting important and well-described? Yes, the setting is important and well-described. The reader can feel like he is actually there.
     Are there details, and if so, of what? There are many details pertaining to the city, the characters, and the crime. Life in the city of Savannah is made very real.
     Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? None.
     Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? Yes, it clearly relates the author's experience of the city of Savannah and its residents.
5. Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
     1. Detail
     2. Language
     3. Learning/experiencing

Western Annotation: Dreams to Dust: A Tale of the Oklahoma Land Rush

Author: Sheldon Russell

Published:2006

296 pages

Setting: Oklahoma Territory. 1889

The future is up for grabs when the Oklahoma territory is opened up for settlement in April 1889. Creed McReynolds, a half-breed Kiowa, returns from the east where he went to law school, to become a lumber baron in the building boom following the settlement of Guthrie Station, first capitol city of Oklahoma. The lives of others intertwine and collide with Creed's on the dusty plains: businessmen, con-men, freedmen, and orphans, all trying to make a new life in a new land that is sometimes harsh and unforgiving, but always bursting with opportunity.

Elements of Westerns:

Strong sense of place: The story is very descriptive of what it feels like to live on the southern plains. The reader feels present in the hot, humid, wind-swept landscape with its odd combination of being barren and unforgiving, yet teeming with life, albeit life you may not want to meet.

Violent: There is a bit of violence in the telling of events in the story. Characters often instigate and are the victims of lawlessness in a newly settled territory where the law is sometimes a little behind but gets its justice in the end.

 

Lone Hero: The lone hero in this tale is Deputy Buck Reed, a freedman who uses a bit of ingenuity to tame the lawlessness of the Territory, and overcome prejudice of those he seeks to help and those he brings to justice ("I ain't never seed a colored deputy before"). He always gets his man, in the end.

Read-Alikes

The mercy seat by Rilla Askew

No man's land by William W. Johnstone

The lawman by Lyle Brandt

Personal Critique

I was surprised that I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was slower than I expected, but not enough to make me bored. The western-ness of it was not like traditional Westerns, which have no appeal to me at all. This book is a good example of the new type of Western that crosses over with Historical Fiction. It was definitely a Western, but the place and time were explicitly part of the story, and there was accurate depiction of historic details and events even though the characters are fictional. Sheldon Russell also has a mystery series that I want to try as well, but I am not against reading another one of his westerns.