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A Holiday Dedicated to Books

Andrew — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 17:40:38 +0000

Librarians, what if I told you that in addition to the popular winter holidays, there is a holiday (for lack of a better term) dedicated to the sale, purchase, and reading of books? I kid you not. The tradition of Jólabókaflóð comes from Iceland, and is pronounced yo-la-bok-a-flot, which translates to Yule Book Flood.[i] Books are bought and gifted to others the day before Christmas. Traditionally, that night, the book/s you were gifted are read while drinking your favorite beverage of choice until you fall asleep. Mine would probably be either a glass of red wine or a cup of hot cocoa.

I first heard of this tradition last year when a friend visited Iceland. In Iceland, books are only published at the end of the year.[ii] Icelandic publishing companies put together a catalog of books, which is perused by shoppers, and is the de facto source of Jólabókaflóð merchandise and gifting inspiration.[iii]

The practice of Jólabókaflóð came into being during WWII. During this time, paper imported from other countries had fewer restrictions than other materials, which led to books becoming a gifting staple.[iv] Jólabókaflóð has since cemented itself in Icelandic culture, and is slowly gaining attention in other countries for its peculiar and awesome message.

The tradition is perfect for those who do not practice a mainstream holiday and can be used for library outreach services. A Jólabókaflóð display featuring recommended end of the year reads, and possibly a historical handout, will surely generate buzz around your library, and inspire others to adopt Jólabókaflóð as a new yearly tradition.

References

[i] https://www.tor.com/2017/11/30/jolabokaflod-iceland-book-flood-christmas-tradition/

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

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Reading Is in Decline: If Not You, Then Who?

Paula Wilson — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 16:55:10 +0000

If you were all fired up over Bob Dylan receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature last fall, you were not alone. Amid congratulatory accolades for Dylan, there arose a sentiment of wonder and woe questioning the Nobel committee for not selecting an author of literary stock. If that wasn’t enough to provoke the ire of librarians, statistics and surveys show a decline in reading:

Results published in August from the National Endowment for the Art’s Annual Arts Basic Survey cited a decline in reading for pleasure.[1]

Pew Survey Shows Adult Reading in Decline: New Pew survey finds small declines in reading across all formats.[2]

Only 51 percent of children said they love or like reading books for fun, compared to 58 percent in 2012 and 60 percent in 2010, and reading enjoyment declines sharply after age eight, according to Scholastic’s The State of Kids & Reading.[3]

Statistical reports are further distributed through secondary sources with pointed headlines like:

As disappointed as librarians might be, we must realize there are opportunities and challenges for us. Opportunities exist because we know there is much good in reading for everyone. Reading has many benefits—many of which are documented in scientific studies: reducing stress, improving sleep, increasing vocabulary, fostering empathy, increasing concentration, improving memory, and engaging the brain.

As public libraries have rebranded themselves as centers of learning and technology, are they still doing the book thing? Storytime, summer reading, book displays, early literacy programs, and book discussions are still offered in libraries. One of the greatest challenges we face, however, is that our relationship with a patron is not as mandatory as it is with school librarians. The job we have in front of us becomes even more difficult when school libraries in our community close or they are not adequately staff by certified, degreed librarians. A child is required to attend school, but they are not required to visit the public library. That is why reaching the child requires us to reach the parent.

To foster a long-lasting love of reading in a child, it is critical to get their parents’ involvement. By taking a two-generation approach, libraries can provide opportunities for meeting the needs of children and their parents.

Programs like Every Child Ready to Read supports parents and caregivers with the early literacy development of their children birth to age five. Librarians should also look out in their community to network with other local literacy efforts. Some may be national organizations with local chapters such as Reach Out and Read, an evidence-based program which builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children. Books for Babies, an initiative with ALA’s United for Libraries, is a great outreach program to new parents who may not know the many benefits of reading to their newborns.

Public librarians must focus their efforts on early child literacy to foster the love of reading in their communities. If you can reach the parent, you can reach the child. There may be many places where your patrons can get free Wi-Fi, but where are they going to learn to be good readers? If not you, then who?

References

[1] “Arts Data Profile #10 (August 2016) – Results from the Annual Arts Basic Survey (AABS): 2013-2015,” National Endowment for the Arts, August 29, 2016.

[2] Jim Milliot, “Pew Survey Shows Adult Reading in Decline,” Publishers Weekly, October 23, 2016.

[3] “Kids & Family Reading Report, 5^th Edition,” Scholastic, 2015.

[4] Christopher Ingraham, “The long, steady decline of literary reading,” Washington Post, September 7, 2016.

[5] Charlotte Alter, “Study: The Number of Teens Reading for Fun Keeps Declining,” Time, May 12, 2014.

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Not Everything with Books is a Library

Feldenstein Calypso — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:55:23 +0000

If you closely follow library stories across the world you may have come across this heartwarming one: A small rural public school’s largely abandoned library in Las Plumas County, California, was so outdated that it was unusable. A local writer, Margaret Garcia, had a dream of reopening this library, so she put out a call on her blog for people to send a book. Her blog post went viral and people sent in 47 million books!

I may not have that exact number correct. Indeed all of my facts here are like unto a crayon rendering of the actual story. But the main point is there were a lot of books donated. So many books that they’re reopening the library and don’t want any more books —just gift cards, money, and shelving.

If you haven’t before heard this story you have heard one like it. It is a man jumps in a flooded river to save a dog story. It is a whole town takes in a refugee story. It is hard to fault the story because it seems to restore faith in destiny, in generosity, and in the kindness of strangers. It says despite the problems out there with proper school library funding this good will can solve problems and make things better. And above all it says that people really care about books and libraries.

I am here to rain on your parade.

But don’t worry, the rain will cool off your heated excitement that might cause you to whisk out to buy an expensive hardcover copy of your favorite book to send to Las Plumas County. You may be able to afford one of those fancy hardcovers, but can you afford 4,000 of them? Because you know in your calm and rain cooled heart that there are surely 3,999 school libraries who could really use that book. Las Plumas is merely today’s lucky winner on the Internet. Everyone else lost.

Novelty news stories, stories of library lottery winners are fine, but they tell a shadow story. They secretly tell a story about that which is normal. School libraries founder and die all the time. They tell an unspoken story about all the lottery losers. And they weave a fantasy solution about books, libraries, and the power of the Internet. It is a cozy notion that libraries are simply books and by each of us donating a few books we can make a library. It is a less cozy notion that a library is good shelving; a viable cataloging system; a pleasant, safe space to be in with decent furniture and good light. And perhaps it is the least cozy notion of all that a library too is probably a person getting paid $56,880 dollars a year to deal with it all. The Las Plumas Library is going to need most of that to be a library. And in the excitement of the moment they may even get a large enough portion for a start. But they will need it next year and the year after that as well. Because in ten years, when their collection is sadly outdated again, and their library is closing from lack of school support, another one-in-a-million shot on the Internet is unlikely to hit again. Remember this: everything you see on the Internet also stands in for a million things no one sees.

I work in a large library in a big city and rarely does a day go by where I am not dealing with book donations. Like the generous donations to the Las Plumas Library they may be intended to save us too. I think we regularly get more donations than they even received in the bonanza in Plumas County. Sadly ours mostly consist of yellowed Ham and Pineapple Cookbooks from the fifties and the early works of Danielle Steele in vintage book club editions that have been fully seasoned by a couple decades of storage in a basement. There’s not much we can do with this stuff other than trying to trick people into buying them or furtively recycling them when that fails. All our donations together provide a rare few items we add to the collection and a small stream of miscellaneous income. If you took all the vast thousands of donated books we receive in a year you would not have a library. You would have a rummage sale. Which we do, twice a year.

But we do have a pretty good tax base here in my city. And a just steady enough commitment to libraries. The people of my county join together as The Friends of the Library to raise money and advocate. And these people also just manage to not elect charlatans who appeal to their flashes of emotion and tell them that we need not pay for anything good as a community. It can be taken care of by trusting to the largess of strangers. Rather they elect people who believe that the kindness of wealthy strangers that will save us is already ours, collectively, and the best way to save ourselves is to make sure that along with roads and water and sewers we first have libraries. This allows us to have a greasy but up to date collection of books and movies. It means we have shelving. We have great windows full of light, places to sit, and proper recessed lighting inside as well. And we have librarians, many of them, some good and some not so much. We have clerks and student workers and volunteers and board members, computer people and computers, and open doors seven days a week. We are a library. I am confident we will be around in five years. I am not so sure about the one in Plumas County. We in no real way rely upon the kindness of strangers. No library should have to, and very few that ever do will thrive, let alone survive.

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Love or Respect – the Collection Development Dilemma

PLA Contributor — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:58:00 +0000

In theory, we are all professionals and whether we like a particular area of the collection or not, we should be able to do our job of adding new materials and withdrawing those that are no longer of use. However, we’re all human. Some things we like better than others. What are some ways to give your section the respect it deserves if you didn’t love it immediately to begin with?

Phone a friend…Do you have a friend, either a professional colleague or someone you know socially, who really likes the genre of books for which you are now responsible? That person will probably be thrilled that you asked. Finding professional colleagues willing to share their subject expertise is always so helpful. We are indebted to professional and social friends who have helped us at different times during our careers when we have needed to champion and grow sections we didn’t know about and love.

Who are you helping…Maybe you aren’t a fan of science fiction or romance novels yourself, but consider the people who love these books in your community. Can you respect your section of books because of who you are reaching? We are all familiar withthe community members who won’t tell us what they would like to have in the library. However, they are happy when things they like arrive. While we would prefer people to tell us what they want instead of us having to guess, seeing new materials checked out does make us feel good.

What professional resources are available…Don’t forget that there are plenty of professional journals that provide reviews of materials. Use them. Some journals and publishers also provide webinars about new materials as well. One of us is very partial to the Booklist webinars, but this is the same person who loves Booklist anyway! Another one of us likes to use different kinds of lists that other people, librarians and genre aficionados, put together.

How can you promote your section…How can you get people interested in your section? This engagement is important because you want people in your community to provide feedback. Are you using social media like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to highlight new items? Does your catalog have any social media typed functions you can use to highlight new items, either by writing reviews, tagging, or putting the books in a list? You want people in your community to tell you what you’ve done right and what they don’t think should be in the section. While you can’t do absolutely everything your patrons suggest, it will give you more guidance and help than practically anything else. However, if you don’t let people know what’s in your section, how can people give you feedback?

Good luck with your sections. Obviously you’re going to do a great job because you’re an information professional, but know that sometimes everyone needs a little help, and we hope we gave you that.

Melanie A. Lyttle is the Head of Public Services Madison Public Library. You can watch her YouTube channel, Crabby Librarian, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rv5GLWsUow. Shawn D. Walsh is the Emerging Services and Technologies Librarian at Madison Public Library.

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Putting Your ENTIRE Fiction Collection into Genres

PLA Contributor — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:13:06 +0000

As our library has moved through the process of putting all of our books from picture books to adult novels into genres, we had questions arise. Did it make sense to use the same genres across multiple audiences? Did it make sense to use the same genre names? What we offer you is the opportunity to think about the choices we made, and then decide if any of them make sense for your library.

Some Words Stay the Same
There are certain genres of books that cross multiple reading levels and ages. Action books are in picture books, tween, and teen books. Humorous books are in learn-to-read, first chapter, chapter, tween, teen, and adult. SciFi and Fantasy start in chapter books then continue through tween, teen, and adult. Even more important than the words being the same is that the notations on the books remains the same. We have certain colors and images that denote particular genres. A young girl reading a SciFi book will know that the image that denotes a tween SciFi book will also be used to denote an adult SciFi book. A young boy can read a humorous Elephant and Piggie book from learn-to-read and a Captain Underpants book from the chapter book section. Then in a few years, he can read a book by Christopher Moore in the adult humorous section.

Some Words Change with Age
For younger children, we use the term “chiller” for scary books, but in teen and adult we use the word “horror.” For young children, “Seen on TV” is the genre where all the books that match television shows and movies reside. For adult books, the genre is “Movies & TV.”

Genres are Different Sizes at Different Reading Levels
We have discovered that not all genres appear to have the same level of popularity across all age groups. In fact, we’re not sure any genre maintains the same level of popularity! Some of that discrepancy has to do with what is popular in the community. For example, the tween section has a very sizable fantasy genre. It takes up a much larger proportion of the overall collection than the adult fantasy genre does when compared to the entire adult collection. In the adult section, mysteries represent a huge portion of the overall collection but in teen materials, it is a much smaller percentage. It doesn’t mean that the same genres shouldn’t be there, but it does mean that we can’t assume that the popularity is the same across the board.

For us, the idea for maintaining as many similar genres as possible was to help patrons of all ages easily browse for books they wanted. It also meant that as their reading abilities improved they could know that the same types of books they had enjoyed would always be there. While it doesn’t work perfectly every time, we have been surprised at how many people, particularly children, have appreciated the thought and effort we put into this.

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To Series or Not to Series…Does it Matter?

PLA Contributor — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 19:47:19 +0000

If you’ve been following our past few entries, you know we have been talking about putting fiction into genres, but in the “genre-fication process” we are going through, we are also labeling our books that are in a series with the series name and number. It’s taken quite a bit of time to put series information on all our chapter, tween, young adult, adult, and large print books. However, the response from the community has been tremendous, and it’s taught us a few things about our collection as well!

How do you decide what’s in a series? There are two really great websites that we have found quite helpful. One is Kent District (MI) Library’s What’s Next Database. It’s really good for figuring out what books belong in a series, especially since the book itself may not always tell you. The other site another library suggested to us was Fantastic Fiction, which allows searches by ISBN. Between the two sites they really cover practically any book we have owned.

How are you keeping track of your series? Just so everyone working on your series project knows what’s going on, you need to keep a list of what series you have. This is especially important if you have separated your fiction into genres. You don’t want part of a series in mystery and part of series in historical fiction if the series is a historical mystery. In our library we started with a spreadsheet and quickly realized that we needed more. So we designed a relational database that holds series information. It has a web interface so staff can input information and search for information. It also holds details about subseries as well.

What are you doing with subseries and series finished by other people? Subseries turned out to be an interesting challenge because things like Star Wars books or Dragonlance books were all related, but they were written by many different authors. For books that were in a series but had a subseries, the series was used for alphabetizing on the shelf and the subseries appeared on the label in the “series spot.” Then there were the series begun by one author (eg., Robert Ludlum, Robert B. Parker, and others) but the remainder of the series was finished by a different author. To keep the series together, the spine label reads the original author’s name, not necessarily the actual author.

How are you handling not having every book in a series? It’s perfectly fine if the answer is you aren’t doing anything. You may have book one of a series but not any subsequent materials. You may have book three and not any other books. We pose this question because inevitably there will be a patron who comes to you and says, “I found book three on the shelf. Do you have books one and two?” If you’re part of a consortium, it’s most likely that you can get the first two books from another library. However, from a collection development perspective you will want to decide to either only have first books and see if people want more, or you may decide to see if anyone cares that you have book three but not the other two, before buying the first two books you don’t currently have. We say this a lot, but every library in every community is different. What works in one place may not be appropriate for another.

How are you telling patrons a book is in a series? Some consortia have online catalogs that allow notes to be put in for individual books. This means a series name and number could be put there. We have seen this more with juvenile books series than adult materials. Sometimes the book’s call number is the series and number only. We are fortunate that our book labels allow us to print the series name and number of the spine of the book. In addition, we are using a field that will display the series as a note in our public catalog display.

Many readers like to find a series and stick with it until the end. Helping them find that series is one of the services that we provide as librarians.

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Authors For Libraries

Marybeth Zeman — Tue, 05 May 2015 20:28:21 +0000

Calling all authors and libraries!

United for Libraries has created Authors for Libraries, giving authors and libraries an opportunity to connect via the Internet. This innovative website gives authors a way to feature their books in a searchable database that can be accessed by libraries nationwide. For the relatively low cost $39 annual membership fee, authors get:

A link to the author’s or book’s personal website where library staff or Friends of Libraries groups can research information and make contact.
A subscription to the “Voice for America’s Libraries” newsletter, with information on how to become a better advocate for libraries.
To add a personal quote about libraries to the Library Quotes database for Friends of Libraries to use in their publicity and marketing materials.

The program not only connects authors and libraries but also informs authors about library issues. United for Libraries could not recruit better advocates.

Barnes and Nobles already knows it, as does any small bookstore. Marketing 101. Getting customers in the door is half the battle. After that, it’s easy to make a sale. United for Libraries, a national network formed in 2009 from The Friends of Library and the Association of Library Trustees and Advocates, shares the same belief: libraries need users. They need people to come in the door. Libraries should be the heart and soul of social and intellectual activities in every community. Past-President Peggy Danhof explains the group’s mission. She urges library advocates to unite citizens’ voices and “strengthen all voices in support of libraries.” And what better way than to host an author talk or presentation? Author talks are a wonderful way to generate interest in visiting the library for all users—children, young adults, and adults. The Authors for Libraries program makes it easy. Authors can easily join online with credit card, via paper form, or by contacting the ALA offices at (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161 between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Here are a few of the “Tips for Contacting Libraries to Present a Program” from the Authors for Libraries site:

1. Join the United for Libraries “Authors and Libraries” listserv that invites authors, librarians, and other interseted individuals to exchange ideas, information, opportunities for author programs, announcements of new books, and more.
2. Use http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/librarysearch/ to find libraries in your touring range or region.
3. Call or email selected library or libraries. Check the library’s website to see to whom you should address your request.
4. Introduce yourself and let them know about your book(s). Include information about your webpage, reviews, special area of expertise, and experience in speaking to audiences.
5. Discuss your idea for a program opportunity with them including all the details.
6. If the library is interested, what would you require in return?

In addition, the site offers “Tips for Booking an Author” to Friends of Libraries groups and librarians as well. Finding an author and then finding one within a library’s budget can be a daunting process. The tips for these groups include:

Joining the “Authors & Libraries” listserv
Plan ahead (they recommend a six month window)
Select author based on this three prong approach—budget, author’s proximity, and subject matter.
Contact via website, email, or publisher.
Provide author with information about the event, the budget, the type of program, schedule, the amount of publicity that will be provided, and whether they will be able to sell books or not.
Prepare for the event by ordering books (if needed), ensure publicity (at least two months in advance), and include notices to the community via library website, newsletter, twitter, and email blasts.
See also United for Libraries Fact Sheet #9: Planning a Book and Author Event for more tips and suggestions.

This, of course, cements the rationale for establishing Authors for Libraries in the first place. By bridging the needs of author and library, United for Libraries can fulfill and envision some of its mission: education, governance, fundraising, promotion, and advocacy of libraries through the formation of Friends of Libraries groups, Library Foundations, or Trustees at the local, state, and national level. Simply put: Authors for Libraries is one more reminder to the community—libraries matter. They are vital to you. They meet your needs. Inviting authors into the library is certainly one way of inviting the community in. It is also certainly one way of building an advocacy base in support of libraries.

Authors for Libraries is a new way for authors and libraries to connect. Whether you are an author or a librarian, this program is well worth exploring.

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Separate or Keep Together?

PLA Contributor — Tue, 05 May 2015 20:04:45 +0000

This is the kind of question librarians like to fight over. Should you separate fiction into genres, or should all fiction be left together? Or do you split the difference and mark different genres in some way but leave everything together on the shelf? There are lots of questions, and very few definitive answers. However, there is one question we can answer for sure. Is there a right way to do things? Absolutely not! This is a decision best left up to individual libraries and what will work best for their communities, but there are some questions to consider as you ponder your decision.

Do you have commonalities between large numbers of books in your collection? There are some major groupings libraries tend to use to divide books into genres. Common ones include mystery, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, inspiration, and romance. Do these groupings represent what you would consider a sizable portion of your collection?

Are there special niche books that are particularly important in your community that should be kept together? Some libraries like to keep local authors together on shelves. Other libraries choose potentially more narrow genres to group together like suspense, horror, historical fiction, or urban fiction. There can also be chick lit, humorous, book and TV, Amish, teen books for adults, sagas, supernatural, and war stories. Some libraries have a large collection of books that are recommended by the staff, and these books are all grouped together. What is really special in your library?

Do you have a defensible reason for changing either to separated genres OR putting together books that were separated before? Some communities, for whatever reason, tend to have more adults who read within a particular genre as opposed to reading a particular author. Would breaking the collection into smaller groupings, like genres, encourage more browsing or help patrons find what they are looking for more quickly? If you have books separated into genres, combining all fiction books together saves shelf space if you need more room. People are going to resist change whatever it is. When they want to talk about the change, you need to have answers for them.

How are you letting the staff and the public know changes are coming? Whether you have a newsletter, Facebook, newspaper articles, or some other way to tell the public, you’ll have to do it more than once. You may even want to get the staff and public’s opinions before you make a final decision about what to do with your fiction collection. Whatever decision you choose, make sure your staff is able to answer questions about why books were moved from “where they’d always been.” Preparing staff makes the change easier for both staff members and patrons.

Whatever you decide to do, someone isn’t going to like it. That’s just the way it goes. However, providing clear signage to help people find what they’re looking for will help quite a bit. However, making sure your decision is the right thing for your community is ultimately the most important thing.

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Seen on TV – A Popular Genre

PLA Contributor — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 19:10:11 +0000

“Seen on TV” is one of the most popular genres at our library. Could you use this tag to bring your patrons to books they might not ordinarily read or is this a tag that appeals most to your emerging readers and their harried parents?

You know the books we’re talking about. Thomas the Tank Engine, Scooby Doo, Spongebob, Spiderman, Martha, and all things Disney related. Originally the idea of grouping together all the books that were related to current television shows, movies, and direct to DVD releases was aimed at children. Bringing this genre to the forefront of some of our collections has been an interesting experience where we learned about circulation and reading development.

In the past few years, our library’s youngest readers have gravitated towards “TV tie-in books.” We’ve struggled with how to best keep this disparate collection together. Each book would be by a different author or have no author at all. On one hand, it would have been easier to not buy these books at all because they were flimsy and out of fashion as soon as the TV show or movie was no longer popular. But we found it was impossible to tell a small boy or girl that we didn’t have a book about their most favorite thing in the whole world: a popular television show on Sprout, PBS, Disney, or Nick Jr. We aren’t even going to mention the near small girl riot that occurred this summer when we had only one Frozen book in the building and three little girls all wanted it at the same time! Thankfully they took other Disney princess books in the short run!

In the end, the practicality of having what our youngest patrons wanted won out. We cataloged the books by their character, so all the John Deere books based on the direct to DVD releases were shelved under John Deere. And no one remembered the Rev. Awdry wrote the original Thomas stories, so the originals and the new television character-based stories all are shelved under Thomas. While some people remember that H.A. Rey wrote Curious George, all the books are shelved under Curious George.

However, a most interesting thing happened about a year ago when we went to genre grouping in all of our fiction collections. Several reading levels got a “Seen on TV” section, which ended up as one of the largest categories in the collection. The picture books have a huge “Seen on TV” section which includes Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, Barbie, Angelina Ballerina, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Iron Man, and all things Disney. But it was the Learn to Read collection where we put about 30% of the total collection into the “Seen on TV” section. Even more interesting, people are taking out huge handfuls of these books at a time.

Our circulation of “Seen on TV” books has gone up over the past year, and our emerging readers are happily taking piles of books that match their favorite movies and shows. It has been especially successful for parents who come in searching for their child “who doesn’t like to read.” Even though we must weed this section more aggressively for condition and popularity, it has definitely been worth the time and money we’ve put into it.

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The ALA 2015 Book Award-Winners – A Reading List

Brendan Dowling — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 15:12:49 +0000

ALA’s Midwinter Meeting, in January 2015, unveiled numerous award-winners as well as longlists for future consideration. Maybe your patrons have already read the nominees and are thirsty for more from these authors, or perhaps the increased attention has contributed to lengthy reserve lists. In either case, now might be the time to shine some light on other books by these acclaimed authors.

Black Swan Green
Longlisted for ALA’s Carnegie Medal, David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks is a rollicking adventure that follows the life of the intrepid Holly Sykes, who comes to understand her role in a war between two societies of body-jumping psychics. While its style has drawn comparisons to Mitchell’s acclaimed Cloud Atlas,The Bone Clocks also has a surprising connection to Mitchell’s deceptively straightforward coming-of-age story, Black Swan Green. While the fate of the world is not in question in Mitchell’s earlier book, the stakes seem similarly high.Our hero, Jason Taylor, endures adolescence in Thatcherite England and must come to terms with first love, destroyed heirlooms, and his parents’ deteriorating marriage. Mitchell’s unerring eye for the small detail brings Jason’s story to life, and readers will find themselves totally immersed in Jason’s struggles. As for the connection to The Bone Clocks? Jason’s silver-tongued cousin–who makes a memorable impression in one story–plays a key role in Holly Sykes’ life as a college-age lothario.

After Tupac and D Foster
Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming was named a Newbery Honor book, one of the many awards this terrific memoir received this past year. Readers will enjoy perusing her past titles, particularly After Tupac and D Foster. Detailing the friendship of three young women in the early 90s, Woodson’s spare but powerful novel captures the power of teenage friendship and the painful transition between childhood and adolescence.

The Gone-Away World
Nick Harkaway’s Tigerman was listed as an ALA Notable Book, but readers will also be interested in visiting his debut, The Gone-Away World. The book’s plot is difficult to describe succinctly, deftly combining screwball comedy amidst apocalyptic war scenes and containing frequent cameo appearances by ninjas. Sci-fi aficionados will love this fast-paced adventure.

The World in Half
Christina Henriquez’ The Book of Unknown Americans was longlisted for ALA’s Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, so now might be the time to catch up on this relatively new author. Her debut, The World in Half, tells the story of Miraflores, who uncovers surprising truths about her parents’ relationship while caring for her sick mother. Bouncing back and forth between suburban Chicago and Panama, The World in Half weaves a haunting love story while exploring the complicated bonds between parent and child.

Shining Girls
RUSA’s Annual Reading List honors the best in genre fiction in eight different categories. This year’s Best Adrenaline (which encompasses suspense, thriller, and action adventure titles) went to Lauren Beukes’ Broken Monsters. Suspense fans will be equally pleased to explore her novel from 2013, Shining Girls. Shining Girls has an alluringly flashy premise: a young woman is in hot pursuit of a time-travelling serial killer. Yet what lingers long after you finish the book are Beukes’ sparse portraits of the different women who fall prey to the killer. Beukes is able to summon up the quiet heartbreak of their lives in just a few pages, which only makes their eventual demise even more haunting.

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Get Ready for Valentine’s Day: Romance for Teens

Katie Boyer — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 22:26:36 +0000

Looking to get in the romantic spirit this Valentine’s Day? Here are some great YA fiction titles that will make you feel the love:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Perkins has written a trilogy of related romantic tales, and it all kicked off with Anna’s story. Anna’s family decides she should spend her senior year attending school in Paris, and she is less than thrilled until she meets St. Clair. Unfortunately, St. Claire already has a girlfriend. This is a sweet and funny story with great characters.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This romance about two misfits is a 2014 Printz honor book. It tells the story of first love between Eleanor and Park through one school year.
Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford. This is American Pie for teens. Carter is a boy just entering high school and this book is all about his hilarious (and often disastrous) adventures in the search for love and sex.
Playing with Matches by Brian Katcher. This is the story of how Leon found his dream girl, except she wasn’t exactly how he pictured her. Melody Hennon was horribly burned as a child, but she fulfills everything Leon wants in a girlfriend. This book focuses on Leon dealing with his emotional connection to Melody, and his purely physical attraction to the gorgeous Amy Green. It’s a great book with realistic romance and humor.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman. This Sci-Fi Romance is about two literal star-crossed lovers. Stuck alone with each other on an abandoned planet, Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Marsden must work together to survive and to find out the secret behind the whispers they hear when no one else is there.

Cover Photo Credit: fly (CC BY 2.0)

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I Was That Little Girl Who Went to the Library Every Single Saturday: A Conversation with Sharon Draper

Christyna Hunter — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 20:17:05 +0000

This past fall, author Sharon Draper’s novel, Out of My Mind, was Loudoun County Public Library’s pick for their 1 Book, 1 Community book. As part of the program, Draper visited the area and did an author chat at a local middle school. The story of a young girl with a severe disability touched a lot of readers, young and old(er). Below is an interview Christyna Hunter did for Public Libraries via e-mail with Draper on December 1, 2014.

Public Libraries: Your book, Out of My Mind, came out in 2010. Have you been surprised by the reaction to it?

Sharon Draper: Out of My Mind has been blessed from the first day it came out. It seems to touch the hearts and minds of people. I received letters from parents and students and grandparents and caregivers and lots of young people who, like Melody, face the world with many challenges. I’ve also received many letters from students in other countries, as the book has been translated into I think ten different languages now. Yes, the book is blessed. It changes the way we as humans look at each other.

PL: You have visited many schools and public libraries, including my own (LCPL) to discuss Out of My Mind. What has been your experience doing this? Have young readers surprised or entertained you with questions during your visits?

SD: I love visiting schools and libraries! I was that little girl who went to the library every single Saturday, who checked out ten books at a time because I just couldn’t get enough. So I always feel at home in any library.

And since I was a teacher I always like returning to schools because I can interact with the students and teachers. I show up at a school in jeans and sneakers. I talk to them. I make jokes. I let them ask questions—zillions and zillions of questions. And I listen to them. I observe them—what they’re wearing, what shoes are cool, what hairstyles are in, what words and phrases and music they like. Then I try to incorporate their essence into each story. I make sure lots of real teenagers read sections of a new novel before I release it to them. Their opinion is essential to the success of the book.

PL: You must be excited for your new book, Stella by Starlight, to come out in January 2015. Please tell us about it. What inspired it?

SD: When I was a little girl, we used to spend summers on my grandmother’s farm in North Carolina, where each night I sat quietly on the front porch and listened to the elders tell outrageous stories. They came to that porch weary from working all day, but left there energized. I loved the rhythm of their voices, the power of their laughter.

My father and grandmother were different people on those evenings—indulgent to me rather than strict—with Grandma sneaking me cookies and Daddy letting me stay up way past my bedtime. They were the early threads of a quilt I didn’t even know I was weaving.

I also found out, many years later, that my grandmother, when she was a little girl, had kept a secret journal of her hopes and dreams–a notebook she wrote outside, after dark, under the stars. I was given that journal many years ago, and I promised to write her story. I had no idea a story of my own would emerge from those summer evenings.

I blended my memories of those glorious tales with the passion of my grandmother’s hidden scribbles into the novel that became Stella by Starlight. Focusing on strength of family, power of community, and interspersed with music, storytelling, social commentary, and history, Stella by Starlight is my gift to young readers.

PL: How is Stella’s story different than Melody’s in Out of My Mind?

SD: Although they are both eleven-year-old girls, Stella is very different from Melody. Stella lives in 1932 in a community filled with lots more love than money, and also quite a bit of danger. She struggles in school with writing and reading, and how to express her thoughts on paper. Her journey of discovery becomes the story—the discovery of evil, the strength of family, and the power of the written word. Like my grandmother did so many years ago when she was a child, Stella writes in a journal as well. Her story brims with courage, compassion, creativity, and resilience.

PL: Are there any lessons you hope readers will get from this newest novel?

SD: I would like for Stella by Starlight to become a starting point for lots of discussions. I’d like for young readers to feel the rhythms of a close community, to understand how the past reflects the present, to think about social injustice through storytelling and song. When they read Stella by Starlight, I want them to learn a larger truth about life and humanity, without ever knowing they have done so.

Thanks so much to Sharon Draper for taking the time to do this interview. Also, learn more about the author and her work at http://sharondraper.com/.

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In Memoriam: Eugie Foster

Kevin Arms — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:22:26 +0000

Fantasy and Science Fiction author Eugie Foster (b. 1971) left us on September 27, 2014 at the age of 42 as a result of respiratory failure. I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Foster at JordanCon in 2012, and her works left a lasting impact on me. You might remember a previous mention of Eugie Foster in my Women of Fantasy Fiction segment where I briefly discussed her work. Today, I dedicate this article to her and to her memory.

Eugie was the 2009 Nebula Award winning author of Best Novelette for the work Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast. She was also the 2011 Drabblecast People’s Choice Award for Best Story winner for The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk. Her work Mortal Clay, Stone Heart won the 2011 Aurora Award for Best English Related Work. She attended many conventions over the years, and was no stranger to JordanCon where she was a frequent panelist who discussed short stories, writing for contents, and of course, Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, a series we shared common ground with.

Few people could write short stories the way that Eugie Foster could. It was a gift; I have always admired the finesse, style and depth of her short stories and frequently wished I could emulate her success. As of this writing, she had published over 100 short stories, which is 100 more than I have ever published, and yet she remains relatively unknown among most of the greater fantasy names of the age. In Returning My Sister’s Face: And Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice Eugie elegantly created characters drawn from Asian folklore and laced it all together with complexity, beautiful thematic elements and touches of humor that shine like starlight; hers is a loss that will be felt in the fantasy community for many years to come. I strongly recommend her works to anyone who enjoys a different point of worldview than their own. She wrote with grace and a certain sense of self-awareness, but it made her works all the more charming and appealing because of it.

Photo of the author from blackgate.com

On Foster’s blog, her husband Matthew wrote that memorial service arrangements would be announced soon, but more importantly:

“We do not need flowers. In lieu of flowers, please buy her books and read them. Buy them for others to read until everyone on the planet knows how amazing she was.”

Thank you, Eugie Foster, for all of your wonderful short stories, your advice on succeeding in the writing business, and for just being yourself. I may have known you only peripherally, but your common sense approach to writing will always be with me. It was an honor to have met you, and I will not forget your many words of wisdom.

To my readers: Please read her books. Celebrate the life of this wonderful, talented, and special person who made a mark on the fantasy community, and so many others, through her words. You can find her works on her website, EugieFoster.com, and through Amazon.com.

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Paddling to the Library

Stacey Nordlund — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 17:12:48 +0000

Imagine a day at the beach: Feel the warm sand slipping between your toes. The pleasure of drowsily napping under the rays of the warm sun. Cooling off in the water, splashing in the waves. Borrowing a book from the library. Wait a second… library? I thought I was at the beach?

I’ve written before about the value of redefining libraries by repurposing them in the outside world. In these instances, inventive librarians have reconsidered the traditional idea of library and instead, brought books and information to the people. Such cases range from bookmobiles of all varieties roaming both urban and rural environments, to library workers setting up shop in various public spaces with the Volunteer Library Brigade. Yet now, librarians have broached a new frontier: libraries on water.

The Floating Library in Cedar Lake, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a lake-based library of artist-made printed matter. It was conceived in 2013 by Sarah Peters, an artist, writer, and art administrator who sought to create an “experimental public art project that introduces the creative genre of artists’ books and printed matter to people recreating on an urban lake.” Peters resurrected the idea in 2014 and the library spent the last two weeks of August floating on Cedar Lake.

The collection encompasses both circulating and reference items, and a diverse selection of books have been submitted by artists, both local and international. Here are a few examples: “Martine Workman’s Prince Food outlines all of the food mentioned in Prince songs; Caitlin Warner’s Untitled (Mirror Book) is made entirely out of reflective Mylar; and Ady Olson’s (quite useful) contribution is a waterproof instructional manual on how to tie sailing knots.”

How it works: The library may be accessed by canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, or other small watercrafts. Simply paddle up to the 8 foot by 8 foot raft, and peruse the collection on shelves that have been built around the periphery of the raft. It’s designed so you can access the collection from the comfort of your boat! Borrowers receive a plastic bag to protect their items, and are given the option of returning borrowed items at one of four designated locations in Minneapolis.

Check out Peters’ Flickr photo set for more images of the Floating Library. And if you think about it, the idea isn’t actually so strange; after all, spending time engrossed in a book at the beach is a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Do you know of any floating or unusual libraries in your community? Please share in the comments.

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Need More Romance? There’s An App for That

Christyna Hunter — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 20:36:57 +0000

In a previous post or two, I have mentioned the popularity of the romance genre. Romance novels continue to be a staple of the bookselling and library worlds. Now, due to the popularity of the genre and the variety of its subgenres, the Romance Writers of America (RWA) has created a unique app.

Novel Engagement (NE) has four basic components: Authors, Books, Events, and Reader Zone. The best part of the app may be the Books section, which not only allows a search for books by title, but also by subgenre and theme. Keywords such as “cowboys” or “vampires” can be entered to narrow down a search. Looking for just a romance novel is often not enough for today’s educated romance reader. Romance novel enthusiasts have their own specific tastes and this app could help a librarian narrow them down.

The application also includes contests and giveaways, both online and live. In addition, readers can sign up to be notified through the app when their favorite author has a new release coming up. An author’s entry in NE often includes a bio as well as a list of titles, website addresses, social media connections, and any awards the author has received.

Allison Kelley, RWA’s executive director, strongly believes this app will be of value to librarians. “The app is a great tool for…romance readers to use to find books they can then go check out via their library or request that their libraries add to their collections. We think this will be a great resource for librarians to use for romance readers advisory.”

The app, which is free, is still in the process of being updated. “We have a website version on the way,” Kelley says.

It’s up to RWA members to apply to be part of NE. Some of the authors currently listed include Sandra Brown, Sylvia Day, Sabrina Jefferies, and Susan Wiggs.

According to a press release, the app lists 1,000 authors and over 5,000 romance novels. With RWA’s membership of 10,000 worldwide, those listings are certain to increase in the future. And with an estimated $1 billion in sales of the genre, this app is sure to help librarians and readers find the perfect romance reading fit.

To learn more about the app and download it, visit www.rwa.org or www.novelengagement.com.

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Outdoors or Indoors – Anywhere is a Good Place to Read

Mark Troknya — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:52:39 +0000

Recently the New York Public Library (NYPL) unveiled a new program that they hoped would encourage more patrons to make use of their wonderful collection. For a limited time, they opened up space on their campus to accommodate tables and chairs, connected it with wi-fi, and invited the public to come and check out a book or make use of their wi-fi while on their laptops. The outdoor program ran from August 5-15, and was quite successful. Many patrons were delighted to enjoy a book and the summer weather at the same time.

This reminded me of one of the public libraries in my town. I live in Toledo, Ohio and the downtown public library has a rooftop terrace complete with wi-fi,tables, and chairs for the patrons to enjoy. This is a little different than a pop-up experience on ground level, but is still a wonderful addition to the public space and a great option for Toledo area patrons. While working there one summer, I spent almost ever lunch break that was not encumbered by rain out on that rooftop reading and eating my lunch.

And then some more good stuff…

Additionally, “The New York Public Library is celebrating the excitement and personal joy of reading with the hashtag #ireadeverywhere. Beginning on Aug. 5, we are asking all of you to join authors, librarians and other readers from all over the world to share your favorite — and unusual — reading spots, along with the hashtag and our handle @nypl, all in an effort to inspire others to pick up a book (or an e-reader) and start their own adventures.” (nypl.org 2014)

Many times when I write about different happenings in the library world, I try to envelop it into my own work environment. This program is an easy way to get patrons to connect with the library and to other patrons. It may also inspire some users to check out new spots to read a book, or check out a title that they see in other patrons’ tweets.

In addition to participating with NYPL’s hashtag event, take these ideas to your local libraries and see what sort of response and inspiration come from them. Getting the community involved via social media is a great way to spread the message about the joys of reading in your town and around the world.

Works Cited

nypl.org. July 20, 2014. http://www.nypl.org/voices/connect-nypl/readeverywhere?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral (accessed August 25, 2014).

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