Week 15 Prompt Response

For me, books and reading haven’t changed that much since I was a child. I loved to read then, and I love to read now. Even though there are digital books available now, I still prefer to read physical copies (the only exception is when I am traveling, and then I like the convenience of reading on a Kindle). As an adult, I am more mindful of clutter than I was a child. Having too much stuff bothers me, so I feel like I don’t purchase many new books since I already have plenty on my bookshelves - instead I check a LOT of books out from my local library. 

One difference between the way I read as a child and the way I read now is that I’ve learned you can actually stop a book mid-way if you don’t like it. I used to think you had to keep pushing on until you got to the end, no matter how much you liked or disliked a book. As an adult, I realized that I can abandon a book if I don’t like it, and the world does not turn upside down. I know as a teenager I had to read a lot of books for English class at school that I didn’t particularly love (like Lord of the Flies), and I think my earlier mindset of having to finish something even if I didn’t like it came from there. It’s very freeing to realize you don’t need to finish books you aren’t enjoying. 

Thinking ahead 20 years to the future, I think people will still read physical and digital books. I’ve noticed a trend in publishing with small, independent publishing companies being very selective about what they produce and choosing only a few titles to beautifully publish rather than mass market a ton of books (see Ripple Grove Press as an example). I also think more people will choose to self publish. As the technology becomes easier and easier to work with, writers can easily create the files needed for kindle versions of their books, or figure out how to create the digital files needed to print their title. I think there will always be a demand for good stories, so writing and reading will still be going strong in the future.

As a side note, I wanted to say thanks to the many people in this class who have given me ideas this semester. I’ve added titles to my TBR list, bookmarked websites with various resources, joined Facebook groups about storytimes, and more...all from ideas shared through blog posts or comments on posts. Thanks for letting me walk away from this class with lots of resources in my pocket. I’ve enjoyed learning with all of you this semester!

Week 14 Prompt Response

I really enjoyed our readings this week. I think because many of the ideas presented were ones I came across when I did my Special Topics paper on Passive RA, which is a topic I think is a lot of fun. I think coming up with engaging ways to showcase the collection to patrons is an exciting part of a librarian’s job - one that allows you to stretch your creative muscles and try new things. Here are three ways I would like to market fiction books someday in the future:

1. Displays, in particular ones that group a bunch of books together by theme - like “Read Your Way Across the USA” with books that take place in various states, or “Read ‘Em and Eat” with books that feature foodie stories. I loved the “Good Books You May Have Missed” cart that Sariks (2005) talked about in the article (although, from the sounds of it, the system they had in place to rotate and add books to their cart was a little more work than I was imagining). I also love the funny displays I’m sure many of us have seen online, like this one:
   

   
   
   
   

2. Social Media. Promoting the collection online was always a good marketing idea, but it has become invaluable during this pandemic. I love seeing when libraries post reviews of books by staff members, or simply highlight new books in the collection by posting covers. Social media posts have the advantage of letting patrons interact with the library’s post, so you can track how your post is received. I am a big fan of #bookfacefriday, like the example below from Long Island Children’s Museum (bonus: this book is about Mister Rogers - love him!):
   

   
   
   
   

3. Scavenger Hunts. My local library often has paper scavenger hunts for kids where they have to walk around the library and locate, say, Waldo from Where’s Waldo, in different sections of the library. They are given clues similar to a treasure hunt, and they explore the library and learn where to find non-fiction books, or where series books are located. If they find every Waldo, they get a small prize at the end like a bookmark or a Hershey kiss. Scavenger hunts could easily be set up for patrons of all ages, and modified to fit all kinds of themes - send adults looking for things that relate to Bridgerton, send teens looking for things that relate to Minecraft, set up a Broadway scavenger hunt for patrons to find books (and music and movies!) relating to Broadway shows...the possibilities are endless!

References

Saricks, J. (2005) Promoting and marketing readers’ advisory collections and services. Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library. ALA. 136-160

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17859319253235286/?hl=en

Week 13 Prompt Response

Before doing the readings for this week, I had never heard of Urban/Street Fiction. I think it’s probably because Street Fiction sounds like the exact opposite of what I’m drawn to as a reader. I don’t like things that are too graphic or disturbing, and it sounds like Street Fiction is very heavy on those things. However, as a future librarian, I need to make sure my own personal reading preferences do not influence the books that are available for library patrons. 

I do not think Street Fiction or LGBTQ fiction should be separated from the rest of the collection for the following reasons:

1. When I visit my local library as a patron, I see all adult fiction books arranged by author last name. There is no special section for Historical Fiction, or for Mysteries, or for Science Fiction. Why then should Street Fiction or LGBTQ fiction be separated from the rest of the books? If these books were separated and put in their own section of the library, I think it sends a message to patrons that these books aren’t of the same caliber as the other fiction books. Like the old Grover song from Sesame Street:
   
   

   
   
   
   

2. If Street Fiction and/or LGBTQ fiction are in their own separate sections, it might discourage patrons who wish to look at those books, but are afraid of other people looking at them, making fun of them, judging them, etc… I can especially see this happening in a middle or high school library. In an article in School Library Journal, a librarian said she doesn’t separate LGBTQ books so that she “can do my best to provide a non-judgmental environment for ALL of our students to find a book of their liking, without getting sideways glances from their peers.”
   
   

3. As we’ve seen this semester, many authors write books that can be classified in multiple genres. For example, when I annotated a book for the Adventure category, I noted that it could also be classified as Historical Fiction. Since I’m sure the same is true with Street Fiction and/or LGBTQ fiction, it doesn’t make sense to pigeonhole them into just one genre and put them away from the rest of the books. If libraries did that with all of their books, they would need multiple copies so they could put one book in each section. That doesn’t seem very efficient or affordable. Not to mention, readers may miss out on great books because they were shelved elsewhere.

References

Shelving Debate: To Separate or Integrate? by Kara Yorio and Kathy Ishizuka.

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=shelving-debate-separate-or-integrate

A House Divided? Two Views on Genre Separation by Barry Trott and Vicki Novak.

https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq/article/viewFile/2993/3091;A

Week 12 Prompt Response

I remember that when I was a teenager, my mom (who is a huge reader) could often be found reading YA books. At the time I remember thinking it was something unique to her - that she just enjoyed those books so she read them. As I got older, I realized that lots of adults (myself included) read and enjoy YA books. I personally like them because I find them not to be as graphic as some adult fiction books. I know there are plenty of YA books that deal with heavy topics, but I tend to choose lighter stories because that’s what I like to read. (See my YA annotation below for Tweet Cute as an example.)

I think because I enjoy YA books, I can easily relate to other adults who enjoy this genre. As future librarians, I think we should encourage people to read whatever genre of book they want. Here are three simple ideas to do that:

1. Shelf displays: I came across this idea when I was researching passive readers’ advisory options for our paper a few weeks ago. This simple shelf display shows one version of a book, and then encourages patrons to read it another way. The image below is from a librarian in CA named Heather Gruenthal, who often pairs novels with graphic novels. You could just as easily pair an adult novel with a YA novel, or an adult novel with a graphic novel. Having that clever sign in the middle lets patrons know there is some kind of link between the books, and not just 2 books placed randomly on the shelf.

2. Book Bundles: When my kids were toddlers, I would often grab some of the book bundles my library placed near the check out desk. These had 3-4 books that all revolved around the same theme, and it was super convenient to pick up a book bundle on, say, trucks, if that’s what my son was into at the moment. I think libraries could assemble book bundles that incorporated YA books and graphic novels with adult books. For example, the books below all deal with ramen. One is a graphic novel, one is a cookbook, and one is a memoir:

3. Book Clubs: When I observed a book club for our book club assignment, the club was called Young @ Heart, and it was designed specifically for adults who like to read YA books. Clubs like this are a great way to promote YA literature and show that it’s more than okay if adults want to read these titles.

Annotation #5: Young Adult

Title: Tweet Cute Author: Emma Lord Genre: Young Adult Publication Date: 2019 Number of Pages: 358 Geographical Setting: New York City Time Period: 2020 Series (If applicable): n/a

Plot Summary: Pepper’s parents founded Big League Burger, a national food chain that has exploded onto the scene. Jack’s parents own a tiny New York deli called Girl Cheesing. Both restaurants claim to have created a grilled cheese sandwich called “Grandma’s Special” that has the exact same ingredients. Which company is the original creator? Unbeknownst to each other, Pepper and Jack get involved in a twitter war for their parents’ respective companies trying to figure out which company created the sandwich first. While they are tweeting under the companies’ handles, they are also connecting through an app (where they remain anonymous) that is popular at their school. It’s only a matter of time before they discover who is on the other end of the tweet/text through one social media outlet or another.

 

Subject Headings: Twitter, Grilled Cheese, Baking, High School, Apps

Appeal: Snarky characters, Banter-filled writing style, Character driven

3 terms that best describe this book: Funny, Feel Good, Sweet

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors: (titles link to goodreads pages)

1. The Great Grilled Cheese Book: Grown-Up Recipes for a Childhood Classic by Eric Greenspan. Most of Tweet Cute revolves around the secret recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich, and this book provides lots of variations on the classic sandwich.

2. Getting Paid to Manage Social Media by Don Rauf. An overview for teens on how to create a career out of working with social media. 

3. Build Your First Web App: Learn to Build Web Applications from Scratch by Deborah Levinson, and Todd Belton. Readers can learn to create their own app, just as one of the characters in Tweet Cute did.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:

1. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum. Two teens connect through anonymous texting, as one shares the ins and outs of their elite high school with the other, who is a newcomer. 

2. What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter. This book also deals with teens connecting online before connecting in real life, and it has a baking element, similar to the baking blog Pepper has in Tweet Cute. 

3. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer Smith. A small town girl accidentally receives an email from a teen movie star, and the two begin an online friendship, later meeting in real life.

Note: I know annotations are supposed to be free of our opinions, but I wanted to say how much I loved this book! It was so fun to read - the characters were funny and I really enjoyed all of the food talk between Pepper's baking blog and the grilled cheese sandwich war. My only complaint is that the author didn't include recipes at the end of the book for Pepper's fanciful creations like Monster Cake, or the grilled cheese recipe that started all of the controversy in the book to begin with. If you enjoy YA literature (like I do), check this book out!

Week 11 Prompt Response: Matrix

 

Title: Confessions of an Unlikely Runner

Author: Dana Ayers

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

2. What is the subject of the book? The funny adventures of someone who never considered herself a runner, yet has run in many, many races.

3. What type of book is it? Memoir

4. Articulate appeal

1. What is the pacing of the book? Fast paced.

2. Describe the characters of the book. Author Dana Ayers is very funny and relatable. Reading about her adventures in running truly made me (a non-runner) want to sign up for a race. Although she occasionally mentions other friends who joined her in her running journey, the book is mostly stories she is telling about herself.

3. How does the story feel? The book is made up of a lot of chapters which cover individual running events. Some chapters feel as if they could have been stand-alone blog entries, but when placed in the book, they add to the complete story of Dana’s running journey. It feels very much like a friend sitting down and sharing funny stories of her running mishaps and adventures with you.

4. What is the intent of the author? To share her journey of becoming a runner and to inspire others to try running, even if they don’t consider themselves athletic.

5. What is the focus of the story? Dana’s experiences running in different races and events.

6. Does language matter? Dana is a very funny writer, and her way of describing some of the things that happened to her when participating in these different events had me laughing a lot.

7. Is the setting important and well described? As a non-runner, I didn’t feel lost when reading this book because Dana clearly described shoes, gear, trails, races, etc… that I did not know about before.

8. Are there details and, if so, of what? There are lots of details about different running races.

9. Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? No charts, but there were some images of Dana participating in different events, and it was nice to see those after reading about the events. 

10. Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? As a reader, you definitely learn about different races and group running events, and it’s the kind of book that really makes you want to sign up for a race so you can have the same kind of fun Dana did.

5. Why would a reader enjoy this book? (rank appeal)

1. Tone

2. Language

3. Detail

Annotation #4: Non-fiction

 

Title: Oliver: The True Story of a Stolen Dog and the Humans He Brought Together

Author: Steven Carino

Genre: Nonfiction

Publication Date: 2021

Number of Pages: 251

Geographical Setting: New York

Time Period: 2019

Series (If applicable): n/a

Plot Summary: Steven Carino’s beloved dog - Oliver - was stolen from Steven’s car one day in February 2019. Devastated, Steven sets out to discover what happened to Oliver and to see if he can get him back. Along the way, he crosses paths with people from all walks of life. The search for Oliver grows, attracting the attention of TV news stations and social media outlets. Oliver is the story of how people came together in person and online to assist Steven in his search, and ultimately reunite him with Oliver.

Subject Headings: Dogs, New York, Lost Pets, Hope

Appeal: Feel-good, Heart-warming, Relatable

3 terms that best describe this book: Hopeful, Believable, Sympathetic

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors: (titles link to goodreads pages)

1. Craig & Fred: A Marine, A Stray Dog, and How They Rescued Each Other by Craig Grossi. This true story is about U.S Marine Craig Grossi, the stray dog named Fred he found in Afghanistan, and how the two eventually became inseparable.

2. Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish by Mark R. Levin. A memoir about the Levin family and the rescue dog they adopted - Sprite.

3. Good Dog: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty by David DiBenedetto. An anthology of essays about how people’s lives are enriched due to having a dog. 

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:

1. One Good Dog by Susan Wilson. The story of how a stressed-out executive’s world falls apart. Adam meets a dog named Chance, and the two of them help each other find their way back to what is important.

2. A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. The story of a dog named Bailey and his search for what his purpose is in life. He is reborn multiple times throughout the story, living in a different dog body and with a different family each time, ultimately making it back to his original owner Ethan.

3. Dog by Michelle Herman. The story of a woman who was never expecting to own a dog, and the dog who came into her life and changed it for the better.