Week Sixteen Post

First, 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 gone through a few different phases when it comes to reading.  As a young child, I did not spend much time reading.  We lived out in the country and going to the public library was not an easy option. I preferred to spend my time playing outside with my siblings. As a teenager and young adult, my interest in reading grew.  I think this happened because my parents were avid readers, and during this time began taking us on long road trips where there was not much to do in the car but read.  As a young mother, my time for reading was nonexistent.  There were too many other things requiring my time and attention.  However, now as my children have gotten a little bit older, and more specifically, when I began working in a public library, my love for reading has once again grown.  My list of books to read is impossibly long, and I wish now that I had taken more time to read when my children were babies.

I think that like many others, I didn't feel I would ever like using an e-reader. But as time has passed and e-books have become more prevalent in our society and in my library, I decided to give one a try - and I loved it. Reading with my Kindle has really become a great option for me.  It is lighter and less bulky to travel with than a stack of books, and I have found it to be very easy to use.  That being said, I still read print books on a regular basis as well. I don't think that this will every change.

In my opinion there will be a lot of changes in reading and books in the future.  I think there will always be a need and a place for books.  However, digital and interactive formats will continue to grow over time.  We have already seen a decrease in the number of reference books needed in our library due to the internet and the wide usage of smart phones and other devices.  I also think that libraries will see growth in the number of e-books in their collections, which will effect the number of print books purchased due to budget issues.  But, print books will remain.  I don't see one as a replacement for the other.  I think e-books and print books complement each other and can co-exist.

I would also like to think that we will read as much as we do now, but with the rapid changes in technology it seems like that may not be the case.  There will probably be more options available that benefit those that don't read.  Because of this, I see reading as becoming more interactive and requiring less work on the part of the reader.  I can't imagine a world with out books, and hope I don't ever have to.  
    

Week Fifteen 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.

One of the most effective ways to market the fiction section in my library is through displays.  For example, we often do seasonal displays throughout the year. This seems to really appeal to our patrons.  Christmas fiction during the months of November and December, and summer/beach reads during the months of May through July are very popular. Doing this type of display highlights a collection of books that are appropriate for the season and makes them easily accessible.  Another collection that we currently have on display (along with several nonfiction titles) are fiction books by Indiana authors.  This coincides with Indiana's bicentennial celebration. 

Amish fiction and Inspirational fiction are two very popular collections in our library.  One way that we promote them and highlight them is by providing bookmark style lists of popular authors in these areas.  This allows patrons to discover new authors in genres that they enjoy and read on a regular basis.  On the flip side, we also have many readers of suspense novels and have created lists of authors in this genre as well.

A third thing that we do is to promote our "New" fiction.  Our website provides information on our new titles, and we often highlight a few new fiction titles on our Facebook page each week.  Our local newspaper also provides a small section once each week for the library to write a book review.  In this section we typically promote new titles to our library.

Week Fourteen Prompt

Consider yourself part of the collection management committee of your local library, or a library at which you would like to work. You must decide whether or not to separate GBLTQ fiction and African American Fiction 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 from the reader. Do you separate them? Do you separate one and not the other? Why or why not? You must provide at least 3 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.

If the decision to separate these collections were up to me, I would not choose to do so.  I like the idea of keeping both the African American fiction and the GBLTQ fiction within the general collection.  First of all, I think having these books in the general collection would provide the opportunity for someone to "happen upon" them.  This could lead to the patron discovering a new author, or a great title that they otherwise might not come in contact with.

The second reason that I would keep these books within the general collection goes along with the first.  As the prompt states, I would not want these two collections to seem segregated from the rest.  Having the books separated might keep some from browsing the collections, as they might not be comfortable looking through the separated collection. I live in a very conservative community and having the GBLTQ collection separate from the rest would insure that it would get very little attention.  I think people in our community would think it was separate for the wrong reasons.  Not that the collection is being highlighted or promoted,  but being separate might be seen as a warning - "be careful about the content in these books".

Finally, I would not consider separating them, because they are not a different genre from the general collection.  I believe keeping these collections among the rest is the accurate and correct thing to do.  Once we start separating the collection into various topics, issues, etc. it could be difficult to discern what would remain in the general collection. 

With all this being said, I believe that this is all appropriate for my small conservative community.  If I were considering this issue for a large urban public library, my thoughts might be very different.  The decision being made would need to reflect the relevance to the community in which the library serves.  That is what libraries are all about, serving the community it is a part of and meeting the needs of its patrons. 

   

Week Thirteen Prompt

Though this week's group of "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. 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 enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we?

While I feel like I am still a young adult, my age says otherwise.  I typically read adult fiction, but over the past year and a half have read quite a bit of young adult fiction, and have discovered that I really do enjoy this "genre."  I started reading young adult fiction when I was asked to help in this department of our library.  It has been very helpful to gain knowledge about young adult fiction by simply reading a wide variety of books in this section of our library.  As a mother of a 12 and 13 year old, I have appreciated the opportunity to become familiar with young adult fiction for the simple reason of knowing what my children are reading, or what they might be reading.  Also, it allows for great discussion about the books they have read.  I live in a small, conservative town, and work in a small library. Because we are a small town, I feel like the young adult fiction offers the youth in our community a look at some situations, experiences, or realities that they might have to face when they graduate and possibly leave the area.  This is a reason I feel that young adult fiction is an important part of the library.  I also see reading young adult fiction for adults and parents as a way to gain insight into what their teenage child might be facing in life, or provide a way to share experiences and discuss what they are reading. 

Graphic novels are not something that I read, but I do see the value in them.  Graphic novels offer an option for those that do not like to read a traditional novel, but find this style appealing and fun to read.  I have noticed that some of our patrons that choose graphic novels, typically do not do much reading. In my opinion, if a book of any genre or type is getting a reluctant reader to read, then it has a place in the library.  It is meeting a need.  I have not noticed many adult readers checking out graphic novels, but there are a few, and they typically only read this type of book.  This is reason enough to continue to provide these novels.  Our goal as a library is to provide readers with what they like and enjoy.  Providing graphic novels for those that enjoy them meets the needs of the patrons, and allows the library to serve those members of the community that desire this type of book.   

Young Adult Annotation

Author:  Robert Sharenow

Title:  The Berlin Boxing Club

Genre:  Young Adult / Historical Fiction

Publication Date:  2011

Number of Pages:  416

Geographical Setting:  Berlin, Germany

Time Period:  mid - late 1930's

Plot Summary:  Karl Stern's family does not practice religion,  he has never been in a synagogue, nor does he look Jewish, so he does not think of himself as a Jew.   But he is, in a time when it is becoming dangerous to be known as a Jew in Berlin.  Karl's father owns an art gallery, and Karl is a talented cartoonist so, he has always had a calm artistic nature, but following an attack by classmates, because of his heritage, he starts to see the importance of standing up for himself and his family.  Enter Max Schmeling, a famous German boxer who knows Karl's father from WWI.  Karl begins taking boxing lessons from Schmeling, and as the years pass he gains confidence and finds success in the boxing ring.  However, the atmosphere in Germany is getting more and more dangerous for Jewish families, and the Stern family finds themselves struggling to maintain their anonymity in a country that is against them. 

Subject Headings: 
     Families - Germany
     Schmeling, Max -- 1905-2005
     Nazis -- Juvenile Fiction
     Jews -- Germany -- History -- 1933-1945 --Juvenile Fiction

Appeal:  This book is fast paced, and written with a serious and dramatic tone.  There are a few light hearted moments, but overall, the feeling of unease is noticeable throughout the novel.  The main characters are a Jewish family living in Germany during the years leading up to the beginning of World War 2. 

3 terms to describe this book:  suspenseful, historical, sad

Similar authors & Works:
Non-Fiction -
     Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling and a world on the brink by David Margolick - This   book discusses the legendary fight between Louis and Schmeling and the implications it had on a world facing war.
     Hitler Youth:  growing up in Hitler's shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti - This book tells the story of a generation of German youth who devoted their energy to the Hitler Youth and the youth that resisted the Nazi movement.
    Hitler's last days: the death of the Nazi regime and the world's most notorious dictator by Bill O'Reilly - This book offers photographs and information that is written for both youth and adults.

Fiction -
     The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak - A German girl steals books to help her family and the young Jewish man they are hiding.
     The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by Jon Boyne - Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence - at Auschwitz.
     Somewhere There is Still a Son by Michael Gruenbaum - Twelve-year-old Michael and his family are deported from Prague to the Terezin concentration camp, where his mother's will and ingenuity keep them from being transported to Auschwitz and certain death.

Week 12 Prompt

Reader's Advisory Matrix for Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly

1.  Where is this book on the narrative continuum?
     A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose)

2.  What is the subject of the book?
     Ronald Reagan, United States politics and government, and assassination attempt
  
3.  What type of book is it?
     Nonfiction - History
  
4.  Articulate appeal
What is the pacing of this book?
The pacing is moderate.  It contains a great deal of factual information and background detail.

Describe the characters of the book.
This book centers around Ronald Reagan - his career opportunities, rise in politics, and ultimate death.  The other significant character is John Hinckley Jr.  The book describes his mental issues and the path that led him to attempt to assassinate the president.

How does the story feel?
insightful, straight-forward, dramatic

What is the intent of the author?
The author intends to educate the reader on the story of President Reagans life from his time in Hollywood to the path that lead him to the White House, and the reason behind John Hinckley Jr's assassination attempt on the president.

What is the focus of the author?
The life and death of President Reagan.

Does the language matter?
Yes - the language provides a great deal of description, yet is clear and smooth.

Is the setting important and how is it described?
Yes - the setting provides information about both Reagan's career and historical facts.

Are there details, and if so, of what?
Yes - the story provides numerous dates and location information to chronicle the timeline of Reagan's life.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials?  Are they useful and clear?
None.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding or experience?
Yes, all three are represented within this book.  We discover the things that Reagan learned throughout is career, and the experience he has gained through various work and political positions. 

5.  Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
     1.  Learning/Experience
     2.  Storyline & Subject
     3.  Detail

Non-Fiction Annotation

Author:  Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard

Title:  Killing Reagan

Genre:  Nonfiction

Publication Date:  September 22, 2015

Number of pages:  306

Series:  The Killing of Historical Figures

Setting: California / Washington D.C.

Time Period:  1937 - 2004

Plot Summary: This fascinating story tells about the life and ultimate death of one of Americas beloved Presidents.  Regan started out as an ordinary man and rose to become an extraordinary leader.  The book tells of his rise in fame as a movie star, his growing political career, which began with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and his path to the White House.  The story of Reagan is interspersed with the story of John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate the President.  Killing Reagan provides information on his personal life - marriages, affairs and children, and his great success while in the White House - the end of the Cold War.

Subject Headings:
     Reagan, Ronald -- Assassination attempt, 1981
     United States - Politics and government - 1981 - 1989
     Reagan, Ronald
     Attempted assassination

Appeal:  The pacing of this book is slow and smooth.  The author takes time to tell the story, yet covers a lot of time throughout the book.  The book is written in first person and focuses on Ronald Reagan, yet shares a little bit about those closest to him.  The language in this book is simple and straight forward.  There is not a great deal of description, yet it is factual and informative.  The tone is serious, yet open as you get to see Regan as a whole person, not just a leader and President. 

3 terms to describe book:  Historical, Factual, Fascinating 

3 relevant nonfiction titles:

• Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly - Another title in the same series about the life and death of an American president.
• How Ronald Reagan changed my life by Peter M. Robinson - Written by a White House speechwriter, this book offers an intimate look at the Presidents life and successes while the leader of the United States.
• The Rebellion of Ronald Regan:  a history of the end of the cold war by James Mann - This book offers a deeper look at President Reagan's role in ending the cold war.

Week Eleven Prompt

I think that both e-books and audiobooks offer many appeal factors.  Some people prefer e-books over physical books for specific reasons, and some prefer to have a book be read to them via an audiobook for other specific reasons. Personally, I still prefer to read a physical book, but there are times when reading an e-book has been more convenient.

When looking at factors that make e-books appealing, one of the first things that I have discovered myself, and also have heard from patrons at my library is the convenience factor.  Using an e-reader, be it a Kindle, iPad, etc., is lighter and less bulky to carry when traveling.  An e-reader can also be easier for one some to slip into their purse or bag to take with them when they are going about their day.  I have also had patrons comment that they like that they can put several book titles on their device at one time, which is easier to travel with than carrying around 3, 4 or maybe 5 physical books. 

I personally found this appeal factor to be true on our Spring Break trip last week.  My goal was to read two books during our trip and I also wanted to have an audiobook for the whole family to listen to during the long car ride.  Having all three of these things on my iPad was so convenient, and I didn't have to worry about misplacing the audiobook CD's in the car.

I don't think that changing the font, line spacing or text color affects the tone of the book.  Being able to change the font size is one reason that I have heard several patrons say they like to read e-books.  This allows them to see the words easier and to enjoy the reading experience.  I have noticed that once I get absorbed into a story, I don't really pay attention to the font color or size.   

Audiobooks offer their own appeal factors as well. Many of the audiobook users at my library use them for specific reasons, such as traveling and wanting to enjoy a story on the long drive.  One patron only ever checks out audiobooks.  I recently asked her what she enjoys about them and she told me she likes to listen to them when she cleans, knits or sews.  This way she can do two things at once.  My daughter, who is an avid reader, cannot read in the car with out becoming ill.  Being able to listen to an audiobook on her Kindle has been a great solution to this problem!

I think that track length, narrator choice and music all factor in in the appeal of an audiobook.  Another library patron has commented to me that while she listens to audiobooks much more often than reading a book, she does not like the fact that it is hard to find where she stops in the story if she needs to stop the book before the end of the track.  She has been an audiobook reader for a long time, and misses the books on cassette for this reason.  A narrator can also have an affect on the appeal of an audiobook.  Listening to someone that reads too fast, too slow, or possibly has a voice that you just don't enjoy can make the experience unpleasant.

E-books have continued to gain popularity at our library.  The only concern I see is that while our patron count has gone up, our circulation count, as far as physical library items, has gone down.  This is due to the large number of e-book readers at our library.  It will be interesting to see how this trend affects the look of the library in the years to come.   

 

Book Club Experience

For this book club experience, I had the opportunity to observe a book club that a group of ladies in my town began about five years ago.  This group consists of a group of 10 women that range in ages from mid thirties to retirement age.  I think that it began as a group from church, but has evolved from there to include friends and mothers & daughters.  The group meets monthly and alternately meets at a few of the member's homes.  On the day I visited, one of my friends was hosting, and I was thankful that they allowed me to not only observe, but also participate.

The atmosphere of this book club was very light.  The current group of women have been meeting together for over a year now, and everyone seemed very comfortable with each other.  There were snacks available throughout the evening, and the meeting started off with a time of catching up on each others lives before delving into the book discussion.  On this particular evening, there were seven ladies in attendance plus myself.

There are two women that take turns leading this group.  On this particular evening, Sue lead and did a fabulous job of keeping control of the discussion.  She provided great open ended questions and was able to draw the discussion back in to the topic at hand when needed.  It was obvious that she has done this many times, and has a "leader" personality. Typically, Sue would pose a question and the rest of the group would discuss.  She only added thoughts or insights into the discussion when the conversation lagged.  While they do not read one particular genre, they do limit their book selections to fiction.  In looking over a list of books that they have discussed in the past, it seems as though they tend to lean towards bestsellers.       

The book that was being discussed this month was The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.  All but two of the women finished the book before meeting. Overall, the discussions was steady and everyone was respectful of each others thoughts and opinions.  There were definitely opinions both ways on this book, with some liking the story and others really disliking the characters and the writing.  One member, who is definitely not shy,  expressed strong dislike for the characters and the novel as a whole.  She is a lively lady full of opinions and humor.  I think I would have enjoyed just listening to her thoughts on this book for the full hour!  While this person did have a lot to say, it did not feel like she dominated the discussion.

I really enjoy this book club discussion.  I think that this particular group is a great mix of personalities, and I experienced what an ideal book discussion should look like.  I am a little disappointed that they are not looking to add any new members at this time, because I would really enjoy being a part of this group on a regular basis. 

Special Topics Paper

Below is a few excerpts from my special topics paper on Amish fiction, which is a subgenre of Christian fiction.  This genre is extremely popular at my library.  We have a large community of Amish where I live, and I see both Amish and the non-Amish check out these books daily. 

The interest in Amish fiction can trace its beginnings to 1997 when Beverly Lewis’ The Shunning, was published by Bethany House.  This subgenre of Christian fiction has seen a steady growth in popularity since that time. The Shunning eventually was turned into a movie by Hallmark films, and is still shown today at regular intervals on their channel. (Hamaker, 2011)  Lewis, along with Wanda Brunstetter are among the two most popular Amish fiction writers. They have earned a combined 30 million dollars since the late 1990’s, and in the past 12 months have each sold approximately 200,000 copies worldwide. Beverly Lewis along with several other Amish fiction writers have continued to meet the demands of their readers, and like Lewis’ The Shunning, several other books have also been turned into feature length films, Hallmark movies, and had parts in National Geographic documentaries. (McGrath, 2015)

We know that Amish fiction is extremely popular, but who is reading this subgenre and why? There are many types of readers of Amish Fiction.  The most popular being Evangelical Christian woman age 40 and older.  (Miller, 2010) This subgenre has also seen some readership from men, high school and college age students, as well as readers from foreign countries. (Fisher, 2013)  However, the first group mentioned remains at the top of the list

Those that read this type of fiction see it as a fantasy lifestyle and the perfect environment for raising Christian children.  (Miller, 2010)  According to Hamaker, another appeal to this type of novel is that women love to imagine a life where their main priorities are “their faith, their family and their friends.” (2011)  In the busy, hectic world that many of us live in, it is understandable that this is so appealing to many.  A third reason that these books appeal to so many, is our natural curiosity about self-marginalized groups.  Reading about them allows the reader to learn and be entertained at the same time. (Hamaker, 2011)  Finally, some people feel that these books “function as a devotional text.”  They like the story and the romance aspect of the novel, but they also like the way their faith is strengthened by reading these types of books. (Fisher, 2013)

We know the reasons these novels appeal to so many, but what exactly are the books about?  An article in Publishers Weekly provides a humorous example on how to write an Amish novel:

“Take

One young woman (Sarah, Katie, or Rebecca)

One Young man (Jacob, David, or Samuel)

Add one or more problems:

Someone is 21 and unmarried.

Someone has a family secret.

Someone is tempted by life outside the community.

Someone’s heart has been broken.

Mix together with one Daed, one Mamm, assorted siblings.

Bake together for 352 pages till resolved.

Garnish with Pennsylvania Dutch glossary or recipes or quilt patterns.” (2011)

Having personally read a few Amish fiction novels, I would say that this is a fairly accurate account of what goes into these books.  This is also one of the biggest complaints in Amish novels, “too many similarities in the story lines.” Some questions are too often asked such as, “Is he/she going to leave the community?” or “Are you going to keep your secret.” (McGrath, 2015)

Women's Lives and Relationships Annotation

Title:  Best Friends Forever 

Author:  Jennifer Weiner

Genre:  Women's Lives & Relationship

Publication Date:  2009

Number of Pages:  359

Geographical Setting:  Pleasant Ridge, Illinois

Time Period:  early 2000's

Plot Summary:
Addie Downs was eight years old when Valerie Adler moved across the street. Shortly after they first met, they decided to be best friends forever. But everything changed when a tragedy occurred, and a betrayal in their teen years tore them apart.  Addie has grown accustomed to her simple, yet lonely life of living in the house she inherited from her parents, and painting beautiful watercolors for a greeting card company.  When, 25 years later, Val shows up at Addie's front door with blood on her coat and a look of fear on her face, it is the start of a wild adventure for two women joined by love and history.

Subject Headings:
Female friendship -- Fiction

Appeal: This book offers a female protagonist that we learn about through flash backs of her past, and current relationships with family and her best friend.  The pacing is easy and the story offers a great deal of detail through descriptions and flash backs.  The mood is light and humorous with a little bit of mystery thrown in for interest.  The story line provides a great deal about the characters - their past issues and current problems, and how the two are related. 

3 Terms that describe this book:  predictable, funny, mysterious

Similar Authors & Works:
Fiction-

• Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand -- Like Best Friends Forever, this title offers a story of estranged best friends who find each other again when life throws them a curveball.
• Friends forever by Danielle Steel --  Similar to Best Friends Forever, this story tells a tale of friends who slowly grow apart as they become adults and are thrown back together when tragedy tears through their lives
• Conversations with the fat girl by Liza Palmer -- Both are stories of grown women dealing with changes in themselves and their childhood friends.

Nonfiction-

• The twisted sisterhood:  unraveling the dark legacy of female friendships by Kelly Valen
• Between women: love, envy, and competition in women's friendships by Luise Eichenbaum and Susie Orbach
• Connecting:  the enduring power of female friendship by Sandy Sheehy

Week Seven Prompt

I really enjoyed all of this week's readings.  They each discussed a unique issue dealing with various authors, celebrities and publishers in relation to the books they write or enjoy.  Many of these issues, or controversies, were things I personally have not really taken time to think about.  I have considered the influence that Oprah has on a book's popularity once it made her book club list.  She is a very influential woman, and many people respect her choices and opinions.  It was interesting to see how the article broke down the books on her list, and how the book's popularity changed, or wained over time.  Reading about fake memoirs was also enlightening to me.  Sometimes, I think that I must live under a rock, because I did not realize things like this occurred - to that degree.

For this response, however, I would like to discuss the article, "The James Patterson Business."  I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have not read any books by this author.  However, I am very aware of his popularity.  His books are regularly checked out at my library, and he has a noticeable growing presence in the middle grades section of the youth department.  As someone that also likes to browse book stores, I see his novels taking up a significant amount of shelf space.  Also, he can be seen and heard in many television commercials promoting his books, or perhaps I should say, his brand.

After reading this article, I am more aware of how his name has become a brand.  Patterson does write an amazing amount of books, and it only makes sense that others are helping him accomplish this feat.  While his name is on the book, and the article does allude to the fact that he is involved in the planning and writing of each novel, it is obvious that no one is providing any details as to what extent he is involved in the writing of each book.  I would like to think that he is involved enough that the integrity of the writing matches only his best work.  It would appear that this is the case, since his books continue to fly off the shelves both at the library and at the bookstore.

Patterson has worked hard to accomplish all that he has in the book industry.  This is evident by reading about his life and growth as an author in the article.  He has obviously used his experience and knowledge in marketing to create and develop his brand at a seemingly rapid pace.  Since the writing of this article, he has increased his presence in the middle and younger grades.  I cannot help but think that James Patterson's brand will continue to grow over the next several years. 
 

Mystery Annotation

Author:  Janet Evanovich

Title:  Takedown Twenty

Genre:  Mystery

Publication Date:  2013

Number of Pages:  295

Geographical Setting:  Trenton, New Jersey

Time Period:  Present Day

Series:  Stephanie Plum

Plot Summary:
In Takedown Twenty we find female bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum living and working in Trenton, New Jersey, chasing criminals, trying to decide between two men, and solving the mystery of why a full grown giraffe is running around loose in the city.  All of this is done with a little mystery, a lot of humor and with the help of her sassy friend and partner, Lula.  Stephanie's attempts to find Salvatore "Uncle Sunny" Sunucchi are proving to be more difficult than she anticipated, especially when her boyfriend's grandmother does all she can to throw Stephanie off his trail.  On top of all this, Stephanie finds herself spending many evenings playing Bingo at the senior center, while trying to uncover who is killing little old ladies and throwing them in dumpsters. 

Subject Headings:
Plum, Stephanie--Fictitious Character 
Women bounty hunters--Fiction
Organized crime--New Jersey--Fiction

Appeal:
In this twentieth installment of the Stephanie Plum series, we learn a little more about the main character, and enjoy the funny, yet sassy sidekick's antics as well.  The story is set, once again in Trenton, New Jersey where we learn more about Stephanie's home and the area she lives in.  The mood is both lighthearted and funny, yet at times, serious and suspenseful.  The pacing of the story is quick, yet occasionally descriptive.   

Three terms that describe this book:  Humorous, fast-paced, suspenseful

Similar Authors and Works:
Non-Fiction
Mob - 200 Years of Organized Crime in New York by V. W. Peterson --  This book provides information on the mob, which is a main part of the storyline in Takedown Twenty.

Betrayal, Murder and Greed:  the true story of a bounty hunger and a bail bond agent by Pam Phree and Mike Beakley -- Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter, and much of the story is centered around her line of work.  Those interested in this type of job, might find useful information in this book.

The huntress:  the true saga of Dotti and Brandi Thorson, Modern day bounty hunters by Christopher Keane and Dotti Thorson -- This title offers a look into this area of the criminal justice system, and the inspiring story of two women who have prevailed in a world of men, fighting to the top of a tough and dangerous profession

Fiction
A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (or any book in the Kinsey Millhone series) -- Another mystery book series that includes a female protagonist with her share of problems and fast paced mysteries with plenty of twists and turns.

The Last Word by Lisa Lutz -- This book offers mystery, plot twists, a bit of humor, and drama created by working with family, all things found in Evanovich's book as well.

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond -- Similar to Takedown Twenty, this book provides mystery, suspense and humor. 

Any other book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

Week Six Prompt

A fairly popular genres at my local public library would be gentle reads.  However, I have noticed that many patrons tend to read several books by the same author.  I wanted to come up with an idea to promote not only this genre, but also to promote a variety of authors that write this genre.  This would help our patrons continue to read the genre they enjoy, but also introduce them to new authors.  I would also hope to introduce this genre to patrons that don't usually read gentle reads, as well. 

In order to promote gentle reads, I would create a display.  A few weeks before assembling the display, I would ask some of the library staff to read a book in this genre and to write a short review on the book - a brief synopsis and what they liked about the book.  I would display the book, the review and a few other titles by the same author for each staff's top pick for this genre. 

Kirkus Style Review

Winter Street
by Elin Hilderbrand

The island of Nantucket is looking forward to the annual Christmas party at Winter Street Inn, but plans change when Mitzi, the wife of Inn owner Kelly Quinn, runs off with Santa Claus.

The story centers around Winter Street Inn where owner Kelly Quinn and his family reside.  We meet his three children from a previous marriage to successful journalist Margaret Quinn.  Their daughter Ava is a school teacher with a boyfriend that pays her little attention, but a fellow co-worker, Scott, would love to spend more time getting to know her.  Son, Kevin works as a bartender and is secretly dating Isabelle, the Inn's manager and cook.  And then there is Patrick, who has recently pushed the limits in his investment job and now the feds are involved. Adding to the family drama is Bart, Kelly and Mitzi’s only child, who grew up spoiled and led a carefree life until he surprised everyone by joining the Marines.  He is currently stationed in Afghanistan and lack of communication with him has everyone a little bit on edge.  Christmas Eve starts off with a shock when Mitzi announces that she is in love with the Inn's Santa Claus, with whom she has been secretly having an affair for the past twelve years.  This story offers lots of seasonal sights and sounds, and is quite the page turner, however at times the chapters jump a little too quickly from one person to the next, and not a lot of character development takes place.  You want to root for each member of the family, and hope that they will enjoy a peaceful Christmas together, but the story ends abruptly and your left thinking, "what just happened?" 

This Christmas tale offers a lot of festive holiday spirit and family drama, in a somewhat choppy predictable read.

Week Five Prompt

Ebook only romantic suspense novel
I found it interesting that both reviewers had similar thoughts on the book.  After reading the description and reviews, my first thought was that the novel sounds like a Hallmark Christmas movie.  I don't know that I see an Amazon review as reliable.  It is nearly impossible to know who is writing the review and what their motivation is.  A review on a blog seems a bit more reliable if it is obvious that the blogger is a regular reviewer.  I do not think that The Billionaire's First Christmas is a romantic suspense novel.  It does not appear that the main female character in this story feels threatened, nor did either review mention anything suspenseful.  Based on the description, It is obviously a romance. If the romance genre was popular at my library, I would probably purchase this book.

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
By reading the various reviews of this memoir, you really get a sense of what the book is about. It sounds like a very interesting story.  While the reviews all described the basic storyline, some provide different perspectives, or share different aspects of the book than others.  I feel that by reading the reviews a librarian can get a sense of what a poignant book this is. This book would be added to the collection based on the reviews available.

Reviewed books vs. non-reviewed books
It probably is not fair that some books are reviewed more than others. I think that a library would typically have more reviewed books than non reviewed books simply because the reviewed books are typically more prevalent and available.  At the library where I work, each book selected for purchase must have a review connected with it.  For this reason, I think it would be hard to get a non-reviewed book added to our collection.   I enjoy reading reviews.  I find it very helpful in making collection decisions.  This goes for both negative and positive reviews.  A negative review can be useful, as it can point out the weaker aspects of the book.  Some of my favorite sources are Kirkus, Library Journal, and Horn Book (for young adult). 

Romantic Suspense Annotation

Deadline by Sandra Brown

Author:  Sandra Brown

Title:  Deadline

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Publication Date:  September 2013

Number of Pages:  416

Geographical Setting:  Savannah, Georgia

Time Period:  Current/Present day

Plot Summary:
Journalist, Dawson Scott has recently returned from Afghanistan, where he spent time reporting for a national news magazine. He continues to suffer from battle fatigue which affects every aspect of his life. Dawson gets a call from his godfather, who is an FBI agent, concerning a new development that has come about concerning the disappearance and presumed murder of former Marine Jeremy Wesson, the biological son of a pair of terrorists who remain on the FBI's Most Wanted list.  It could be the big story of Dawson's career. Dawson travels to Savannah, Georgia to begin covering the case and soon finds himself developing feelings for Wesson's ex-wife, Amelia, and her two young sons. The case takes a stunning new turn, when Amelia's nanny is found dead behind a local bar, with Dawson himself becoming a suspect. Haunted by his own demons, Dawson takes up the chase for the notorious outlaws, and discovers the surprising truth about himself.

Subject Headings:
Murder investigation
Family secrets
Women novelists

Appeal:
This book is fast paced, action packed and is written from the main (male) character's point of view.  The tone of the book is uneasy and suspenseful.  The dialogue is quick yet somewhat descriptive and contains some explicit language as well as a few romantic scenes.     

3 Terms that describe book:  Fast paced, suspenseful, emotional

Similar Authors and Works
Non-fiction:
Enemies: a History of the FBI by Tim Weiner -- Enemies is the story of how presidents have used the FBI to conduct political warfare, and how the Bureau became the most powerful intelligence service the United States possesses.  This book might be of interest to those intrigued by the FBI aspect of Sandra Brown's Deadline.

The FBI: a History by Rhodri Jeffreys Jones -- Jeffreys-Jones, a well-known expert on U.S. intelligence agencies, tells the bureaus story in the context of American history.  Another book that offers information and insight on the FBI and it's history.

The PTSD Breakthrough:  The Revolutionary, Science-Based Compass Reset Program by Dr. Frank Lawlis -- Dr. Lawlis' book offers new hope for PTSD sufferers and their families with approaches that can be used at home where the real problems occur and persist.  PTSD was a theme and major factor in Deadline and readers may be interested in this disorder and strategies to help those dealing with PTSD. 

Fiction:
Dangerous refuge by Elizabeth Lowell -- An Environmental conservancy advocate, Shaye, and Tanner, a cop work together to uncover the truth behind his uncle's death. Shaye becomes a killer's target and Tanner realizes he'd give up anything to protect her.  Murder, suspense, romance, and a strong female character - all similarities qualities of Sandra Brown's Deadline.

Risky business by Nora Roberts --  This book offers suspense, romance, and lots of action.  Business owner, Liz Palmer discovers the body of her newest employee, and finds herself the target for murder as well.  Jonas, the dead man's brother involves her in his intent to discover more about the murder and they both are drawn into a dangerous criminal underworld.

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson -- This story involves an FBI agent, criminal investigation, love interest and secrets, all similar themes in Sandra Brown's Deadline.

Secret Shopper

I found myself both nervous and excited to complete this assignment.  I was nervous, because it is totally out of character for me to ask for help at a library (or a store for that matter).  I tend to like to figure things out myself and not bother those working.  I realize this is a little strange, because at the library where I work, I love to help our patrons, and assist them in finding the resources that they want or need.  I was excited because I chose to visit a library in a neighboring county tat I had not had the chance to visit, and had been wanting to explore their facilities.

Once inside the front door, I found myself immediately at the circulation desk. There were two staff members on duty to assist patrons.  Both of the librarians were busy at the time, so I chose to look around the library for a few minutes before seeking assistance from them.     

After spending some time exploring the library, I walked up to the circulation desk and said “hello” to the staff member there.  She was busy on computer, and waited a full 30 seconds to acknowledge me.  I was starting to think this was not a good sign.  When she did look up and acknowledge me, she asked if I needed something.  I asked her if she could help me find a book.  She then asked what I was looking for.  I explained that I enjoy reading historical fiction, but was looking for a new author to read.  She promptly returned to her computer.  I was not sure what she was doing, nor did she ask me any further questions.  I guess at this point I could not stand the quiet so I told her a few authors that I have enjoyed reading – Lauraine Snelling, Tracey Peterson, and Lynn Austin, but that I have already read most of the books by these authors that are currently available at the library.  The librarian continued to do something on her computer, which I assumed involved a search.    Finally, she told me that she looked up historical fiction and “pioneer” on the libraries online catalog and found several books that might be of interest. She still did not ask me any questions, nor did she tell me the names of any of the authors she located while completing her search.  The librarian simply suggested that I go to one of their computers and do the same.  She informed me that she only reads non-fiction, so she doesn’t have much knowledge about historical fiction. 

I asked her what search terms she used to locate historical fiction books for me.  She explained how she completed her search and provided the search terms for me.  I wanted to try and get a little more out of this experience, so I went on to ask her about non-fictions books, since she indicated that she has more experience with reading this genre.  I told her that I enjoy books about World War II and might be interested in reading something about this time in history.  She consulted the online catalog once again, and then offered that they had several books on World War II available and that I should look in the non-fiction section of the library in the 940’s.  This was not the help I was hoping for.   

This pretty much sums up my experience with this librarian.  I would not say that she was overly happy to help me.  She seemed a little nervous throughout the whole experience.  There was no interview, and very few questions were asked concerning my interests in a book.  I do not believe that this staff member has had much readers’ advisory training.  Perhaps she is fairly new to the job and is still learning about this area of librarianship?

I would say that this was very much a learning experience for me.  It helped me realize the importance of asking the right questions, and going through the interview process in order to help the patron and to make the experience a good one for all involved.  I believe as librarians, we want the community to value the library. Having knowledgeable and friendly staff members is an important part of the relationship.  Having this experience as a student, I felt bad for the librarian I encountered.  I wanted to help her, and I guess I did that a little by offering information for which she did not ask.  However, if I was a regular patron coming in with a real need, I don’t think that I would be impressed with simply being told to look up the information myself on the OPAC.

   

Week Three Prompt

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

The next book (#4) in this series is Lunatic Café. I located the title of this book by searching on Goodreads.com. 

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

I would suggest you try If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler. According to Reader's Advisor Online, this book has a "well described setting," which might appeal to you. 

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

If you are looking for a book set in Japan, I would suggest Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland.  This is the first book in the Sano Ichiro series, and one reviewer on Goodreads states that this book has a "description of seventeenth-century Japan that is rich and believable."

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

If you enjoyed Well-Schooled in Murder, I would suggest The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes.  Grimes book provides a complex mystery similar to George, but with a bit of humor.  Another option would be another book in the Inspector Lynley series by George, such as A Suitable Vengeance. 

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

According to Goodreads, a similar book on Zombies would be The Rising by Brian Keene.  This is one of the best selling Zombie novels of all time.  Also, Zombie Fallout by Mark Tufo is listed as a similar read on the Goodreads website. 

Personally, when I want to find a book for myself or a patron, I have a few different ways I locate a new book.  Unfortunately , our library does not have Novelist.  It sounds like a great resource!  When looking for a book for a patron at the library, I first look for options on our OPAC.  Then I go to either Goodreads.com or LibraryThing.com.  I have also used these for myself.  When I am looking for a new book for myself and have lots of time, I like to go to the stacks and browse through the physical books there.  It is nice to have time to spend with the actual book, and maybe read a few pages before picking one to check out. 

Reading Profile

I come from a family of readers and spent much of my free time as a child and teenager reading.  I am glad that I grew up in a house where TV and technology were not as readily available as it is now.  This left more time for exploring the world through the pages of a book!  When I became a mother, I spent hours reading to my children, and continued to enjoy reading as a hobby myself.  Now that my children are a little older,  I am working outside of the home, and am working on a Masters’s degree, it seems my time for reading is pretty much non-existent.  I am thankful for classes, like this one, that require me to read!

Through the years some of my favorite genres have been historical fiction and inspirational fiction.  I have read most everything written by Karen Kingsbury, Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Lori Wick, Rachel Hauck, and Lynn Austin.  It is so inspiring to read about families that traveled to America in the 1800's and created a home and life from virtually nothing.  I also really enjoy reading books set during World War II.  The Book Thief, My Mother’s Secret, and The Nightingale are among my favorite.  I am currently waiting to read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Another genre that I have recently discovered that I enjoy is Woman’s fiction, or “chic Lit.”  Some of my favorite authors are Elin Hilderbrand, Mary Kay Andrews, Liane Moriarty, and Nicholas Sparks. These books are usually light and fun and make for an escape from reality.   Occasionally, I broaden my horizons and read a biography, or a mystery.  Working in a library really helps me see all that is available.  It is a great experience to get engrossed in a book that it unlike what you normally would read.