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.