Literal Volume

Week 16 Prompt

Both of our readings this week talk about the culture of reading and the future of the book. So I have two questions for you as readers, pulling on your own experiences and all of the readings we have done over the semester: 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? This is  a very free-form question, feel free to wildly extrapolate or calmly state facts, as suits your mood!

Thinking back from my childhood to now, lots of things in the reading world has changed. As a kid, I still went to the book store with my mom once a month so we could go get out next book. Now, I feel book stores are becoming more and more scarce. There are still a few in my local area, but there is also a few that are no longer there. Books were on paper and you had to physically go get them from a store or library. Now, they come in many forms such as e-book, audiobook, etc. and they can come straight to your door. I don’t remember books being on tape when I was a kid, doesn’t mean they didn’t exist then because I know they did, but I don’t remember them.  I feel they were not as widely advertised as they are now. Now, I use some of those new formats that I didn’t use as a child. I listen to audiobooks in the car and e-books are great for travel (even though that is the only time I use them). As far as the future goes, its hard to say. Predicting the future is like predicting the weather, sometimes your right, and other times there is a blizzard outside when you said it would be warm and sunny. With that being said, I think the formats of books will stay the same. At this time, I don’t see them advancing more than they already have, however, as far as publishing goes, who knows. Now that people can publish privately, or even over the internet without a formal publisher, there’s going to be more books than ever. Which, honestly, I think it will push for a wider and stronger readers advisory services since there will be such an increase of literal volume (pun intended).

Face the Community

Week 15 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.

Book Displays

                Book displays are something that can grab people’s attention as soon as they walk in the door. Personally speaking, I always make sure to give them a look, even if I am not looking for anything in the genre or subject. You never know what you are going to find there. Book displays really market to the frequent library patrons since the display can only be seen in the library. These displays could easily market different genres or any fiction story that fits the display theme. I like when the displays change because it is something new and exciting most of the time. Other times its relevant to something, news, pop culture, etc., but still easy to find something relatable.  

Social Media

                Social media is a growing way that people market their library. Facebook reaches a lot more people than a typical book display would.  Facebook not only allows you to reach those non-frequent patrons, but it’s a platform to post new and exciting material daily. One could even get patrons to interact or engage in conversations about books, displays, or any other posted material. Facebook is also good for customer feedback about the library and its services.

Community Gatherings

                Many communities have some sort of gathering throughout the year. Whether it be the county fair, trunk or treating for Halloween, or a food festival, a city/town usually has some activities that involve the community in some way. Since the library is community based, it would be beneficial for the library to participate in these activities in some way. For example, for the trunk or treating idea, the library could participate and give out bookmarks to kids along with the candy that gets passed out. It is a small gesture but it gets the library involved and out there, catering to those whom the library was for in the first place.

Spoons make people fat

Week 14 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 Urban 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. 

Answer: Do not separate either.

Reasons 1 (short version)

1.) Promotes segregation, if separated.

2.) Libraries must have materials for all type of people in the community, not “most” of the community.

3.) Allows people to see different views and promotes a more accepting society.

Reasons 2 (long version)

1.) I think this one is pretty obvious. By separating GBLTQ fiction and Urban Fiction, the library is promoting segregation and discrimination. If all other fictions were separated (fantasy, mystery, thriller, etc.) then it wouldn’t be as much of an issue (as difficult as that may be), but that’s typically not the case. Separating a specific type of fiction from ALL OTHER FORMS OF FICTION, shows that it’s “special” in some way, but not in the way they intend it to. People are separating something because they find it “offensive”. Offensive to who? I looked up some articles of people that agree with this type of separation, and they ALWAYS make sure to add “that they do not have anything against those people or their lifestyle”, yet their books can’t be on the same shelf as the rest…hmm…pretty sure someone is full of s***. If you are not offended by the content, why are you assuming others are? Why are you being offended for other people? If it doesn't apply to you, don't speak on behalf of someone whom it does apply to. Another “solution” to this “problem” is patrons asked if the books could be marked/labeled in some way, as to not be accidentally checked out by an unsuspecting patron. I will delve a little deeper into this in my third point, but bottom line is that is promoting segregation. How is this any different from the “separate but equal” mentality? Last time a checked, that didn’t work out so well. In this day and age, that is just not acceptable behavior. It never was, but now we are working towards a more accepting and encompassing society and if we do this, this is a step backwards, not forward.

2.) One of the arguments that I have seen is that the community feels like it should have a say in what the library does or does not add to the collection. That is true to some extent, because that is the library’s job to cater to the community; however, some libraries have gotten to the point where the community feels they have the right to “approve” new addition first. Last time I checked, the library was not your personal book collection. It is the librarian’s job to do or purchase what they think is necessary or useful to a library ON BEHALF of the community. The community should have a say in what the library pursues. I am not arguing against that point, but at the same time, do they get to vote on what makes it in or not in to the library? No. That’s not what a library is. That’s not what a library does. There would be so many books that would not make it into a collection just because “I don’t like fantasy books, we shouldn’t add that.”, or “We have too many books from that author, we shouldn’t add the next book in the series.” Obviously, I am making these up, but can you see how ridiculous that logic is? People complain all the time about things they find inappropriate. I once overheard a patron complaining that a horror movie had too much violence in it and it should be taken off the shelves. It’s a HORROR movie. Were you expecting cupcakes and rainbows? If a person wants to have a say what gets into a library, they should either work in the library or be on the board. Dismissing something just because it is not what you believe in, or what the majority of people believe in, doesn’t make it wrong. The goal of ANY library should be to cater to all people UNBIASEDLY, no matter sex, race, gender, occupation, social status, etc. By leaving out the minority of any kind, you are already breaking that guideline, and that is not what a library is supposed to be.

3.) By having materials that are “out of the norm” allows people to have the opportunity to view something differently than how they see it. Every single person in this world is different. Even twins are different in some way. Therefore, libraries should have content to cater to all those different types of people. It promotes different views, and hopefully acceptance, even though that doesn’t always happen. The arguments that always get my blood boiling is that the books “should be labeled in some way so they exercise discretion for readers and families.” How often are people choosing a book they didn’t look into first? How many people go to the library and just pluck a book off the shelf and take it home with NO IDEA what the book is about? I think it’s safe to say that it’s few. If people, especially parents, are worried about their child being exposed to “lude” content, how is that the library’s fault? It is not the library’s job to screen every book and write all the possible things people could be offended by. There is not enough time in the world to do that, nor is it practical. If a parent is that worried about what a child is reading, why are they not screening the book for them? To blame the library for their child reading a book they find inappropriate and suggesting the book be separated or removed is like trying to say that spoons make people fat so let’s get rid of all the spoons in the kitchen. The “solution” does not fit the cause.

Adults are just overgrown children

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?

I think there is a simple answer to this, keep fighting. As librarians our mission is to reach and help as many people as we can, unbiasedly. The second that we start “banning” books (which I know some people/places/institutions do, but that’s another topic) or telling people what they shouldn’t read, the world becomes a darker place.  I can see why some would say that adults shouldn’t because they are typically made for “children”. Last I checked, it was fun to be a child and we all were at one point. Why can’t adults read graphic novels and young adult books? What do people think will happen? Adults will be dumber? Adults will suddenly start wearing diapers again and screaming for “mommy!”? I honestly don’t see why is matters. To ensure that we can serve adults that like YA or GN, simply help the people looking for those materials. Most libraries will have YA for young adults, so the material is already there, why not use it? It’s slightly different for graphic novels because most libraries don’t have a large collection of them, but they exist. Just because there is less of them doesn’t make graphic novels unworthy. What are graphic novels if not a story with pictures? Isn’t that what your TV is? A device that tells stories with pictures? Should people not be enjoying TV as well? I just find it ridiculous for people to tell people to stop doing something just because they don’t agree with it. As long as it’s not hurting anyone, why does it matter? People are reading and enjoying themselves. Isn’t that the ultimate goal? Why does the material make a difference?

The Huntress and the Beast

Heart-wrenching, Steamy, and Vicious

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: New Adult

Book information: Paperback, 448 pages, published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens, Copyright 2015.

·         ISBN 13: 9781619635180

Trilogy Information: Book #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Book #2 is titled A Court of Mist and Fury.

Book #3 is titled A Court of Wings and Ruin.

Setting: Prythian, a Faerie city. Timeline unknown, but there is a medieval feel to it.

Summary:  Since the treaty that separated the human and fairie worlds, the two worlds have rarely crossed paths. The damage caused prior to that treaty was enough for the humans to not forget how they once suffered. One day, as Feyre is out hunting for food for her starving family, close to the wall that divided their lands, she comes across a wolf that doesn’t seem to be of her world. Desperate to feed her family, she kills the wolf to sell the hide, only to later find out that the creature she killed was not a wolf, but a fairie. Feyre is then swept away to the fairie world of Prythian, to fulfill the demands of the treaty separating their worlds over 500 years ago. Feyre does her best to adapt to the new magical world, but she is worried about the family that gravely counted on her to survive. After finally accepting her fate, Feyre does her best to adjust to her new life, only to find that her new life in Prythian may be short lived. There is a blight on Prythian that seems to be affecting the magic in their lands, possibly leading to utter destruction. If Prythian falls, the human world across the wall may fall with it. Feyre, wanting to save both her old world and the new one she has come to appreciate, finds herself to be the only person in both worlds that might be able to break the curse.

Elements of New Adult

Pace: Intensifying. Typical of books with a fantasy theme, the beginning of the book is largely setting up the world in which the novel is going to take place. However, Maas carefully does that as the story builds, so the more into the story you get, the more details are revealed. This story is also full of action, getting you hooked into those sections were multiple chapters are just mere minutes of the story.

Frame: A Court of Thorns and Roses has more of the frame of a fantasy book than a new adult book. World building is a huge part of the story, but it still has the new adult themes that lie within it. Feyre still must face life altering decisions that transpire no matter what world the novel is set in.

Storyline: Maas’s novel is not your traditional fantasy where there is a clear good and bad. In this novel, the lines are constantly blurred, making the reader unsure on who the character should trust. Since Feyre is already confused about her own life, figuring out who is good and bad is just as confusing to her as trying to figure out herself.

Characterization: Feyre fits in the age group of new adult novels, being 19 at the start of the story. Feyre and a very well-developed character, where she grows as the story grows. Feyre is faced with many difficult decisions for the first time in her life, such as moving away from home, relationships, and her own personal happiness.

Tone: The tone of the book varies as Feyre deals with the new struggles she has encountered. Feyre is mostly trying to find herself, her identity, and who she wants to be in a world where she doesn’t have to be a provider for her family. She finally gets to do the things that she never had the chance to do, like love and paint. She struggles with the depression and guilt of leaving her family behind, as well as the confusion of how she wants to move forward to pursue what brings her joy. A very common theme and tone to new adult novels.   

Style: The book may have many fantasy elements to it, but it reads more like a romance than a fantasy. Romance is not the over arching theme, even though it is heavily present. The style of the book is easy to read and filled with emotional tension. Common in new adult novels.

Appeal: This book has a “Beauty and the Beast” overtone to it, which can strongly appeal to traditional fantasy readers, romance readers, and readers that like strong female leads. However, this novel strongly hits that new adult genre theme of coming to age, discovering oneself, and deciding what kind of future they want to live. Tamlin is a stunningly similar faerie version of the “Beast”, but Feyre doesn’t quite fit the character of beauty, giving it a fun spin on the traditional story. Feyre still has some qualities of the traditional “beauty”, but she is also huntress, so the lure of beauty is not of much importance to her. She relies on more basic instincts to make her decisions, which leads her down a path she can’t return from. She is bold, adventurous, and careful, everything a skilled huntress needs, but also the skills a human needs to survive in a faerie world. Lastly, this book could be a stand alone novel even though it is part of a series. The book ends on a high enough note that you can take it and leave it, or continue in the world of Prythian.    

3 Read-a-likes

1.) Tithe by Holly Black

2.) All that Glows by Ryan Graudin

3.) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (Book #2 in the trilogy)

Paging Dr. Holmes

The Reader’s Advisory Matrix

Book: The Devil in the White City: Murder Magic and Madness as the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

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

A mix (combines highly narrative moment with periods of fact-based prose)

2.) What is the subject of the book?

History - History of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, IL and the famous serial killer Herman W. Mudgett, a.k.a. H. H. Holmes.

3.) What type of book is it?

Biography of H. H. Holmes and narrative nonfiction of the 1893 World’s Fair.

4.) Articulate Appeal

What is the pacing of the book?

Leisurely paced

Describe the characters of the book.

The book is split between two main characters, H. H. Holmes and Daniel Burnham. Holmes is a loveable con man that moved to Chicago to fulfill his desire to secretly be a murderer. Daniel Burnham was one of the leading architects that help create and build the 1893 World’s Fair.

How does the story feel?

Informative, detailed, dark, and troublesome.

That is the intent of the author?

To tie together one of the largest celebrations the United States has ever seen with one of the most notorious serial killers in U.S. history.

Does the language matter?

No

Is the setting important and well described?

Yes.

Are there details and, if so, of what?

Details include the planning of the worlds fair as the architects envisioned it, and how the fair was actually completed. This detail also goes into how Holmes was able to use the fair to his advantage when looking for victims.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear?

There are black and white pictures included in the book. They are more interesting than useful; but they are clear photos.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?

Learning and understanding, yes. Learning through describing the methods and tasks included in creating a fair as large as this. Understanding through the historical context described through the life of Holmes and Burnham.

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

1.) Setting

2.) Detail

3.) Character type

Goodbye Yellow Book Road

Ebooks and audiobooks are a part of our landscape. What does the change in medium mean for appeal factors? If you can't hold a book and feel the physical weight of it in your hands, how does that affect your knowledge of the genre? How about readers being able to change the font, line spacing, and color of text - how does that affect pacing and tone? How about audiobooks? Track length, narrator choice, is there music?  For this week, I want you to think about how ebooks and audiobooks affect appeal factors - also think about appeals that are unique to both mediums. Please feel free to use your own experience and that of your (anonymous of course) patrons. I look forward to reading these!

The appeal factors for ebooks and audiobooks change slightly. They still have the same bones, but they are tweaked a bit. The four main factors are pace, characterization, storyline, and frame. These 4 factors apply to ebooks, but audiobooks have the 5^th factor of audible presentation (Mediatore, 319). I feel that audiobooks are more affected than ebooks are. Ebooks are ALMOST like the physical copy of the book. I feel like the four are unaffected, however format is an added appeal. How and where the ebook can be accessed has a part to play. If I can’t download it on my kindle or iPad, its not worth my time. Audiobooks on the other hand are greatly affected. Pace for a book would be determined by the narrator, as characterization and frame. Some audio platforms give you the option to change the pace of the book, like audible for example. If the narrator is slow, you can turn up the speed, vice versa if they are reading too fast. Secondly, if the narrator does not change their voice when reading a character’s part, how is the listener to know that a character is speaking? Without seeing the quotation marks, it can be difficult for the listener to determine what is happening. Same applies to the frame of the story. How a narrator describes something can change how the listener visualizes it. This all falls into the 5^th factor of audible presentation, but it worth noting that it the previous four are altered as well. Ideally, it shouldn’t affect the first four, but it does. The narrator of a book can make or break it.

I don’t think that ebooks or audiobooks effect the genre at all. The format of the book doesn’t have anything to do with the genre of the story. I can see how one would be displeased by the difference in format, book vs. tablet, but I don’t see how that affects the genre. It shouldn’t at least. I suppose of someone is reading an epic fantasy, they expect a large book with a ton of pages which is something you won’t get with an ebook. It would just be more pages if anything, but again, that doesn’t have anything to do with the genre.  Same goes for the ability to change the font, size, and color. Font could change the pace if it is a script type font. Some people might have a harder time reading with all the wisps and curves, but if one can change the font then why not just make it something easier to read? The pace will be set by the person reading, not the characteristics of it. Reading yellow font on white paper would slow someone down tremendously, but honestly, who is going to set themselves up for that type of failure? As for tone though, tone can be greatly affected by this type of change. It’s like reading something in all caps. PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY THINK YOU ARE SHOUTING. Same could go for large font size. Some could see it as large and intimidating, giving it an overtone that might not apply to the story. Same for color. What emotions people associate with a color would greatly affect the tone. Imagine you read the sentence “Momma, just killed a man…”. If that sentence were red, you might be intimidated and scared, but if it were in blue, you might be more at ease and wonder why he killed him.

Momma, just killed a man…

Momma, just killed a man…

Audiobooks have similar issues. Personally, I don’t like audiobooks that have extra noises. I don’t find them necessary. Its like they are trying to bait me on how to feel about the book rather than making my own distinction. Track length can be daunting to some because a book can be 300 pages long, but the audiobook could be 25 hours long. Its just like when they make a book to a movie. It takes a lot more time to act out the scene then if you are reading it in your head. Same applies to audiobooks. Is it going to take longer to read a sentence or speak it in a manner that another person can understand? Lastly, narrator choice is a HUGE factor in audiobooks. As I stated previously, it can make or break the audiobook. On a trip over spring break I started the second kingkiller chronicle book in the car. Since my husband has already read them, he wanted to listen too. We barely got through a chapter before he told me to turn it off because he couldn’t stand how the narrator pronounced the words. So, I had to turn it off. I’ve only recently started listening to audiobooks. I sometimes listen to them in the car, but mostly its when I’m shopping. I can be in my own little world rather than the grumpy people at the grocery store. I find it EXTREMELY entertaining because people look at you funny. Especially if you laugh because they have no idea what you are laughing at (I have air pods so people don’t always see the headphones). I get some weird stares, more so if I’m listening to music and air guitaring in front of the ketchup, but that’s a story for a different time. Anyway, the few things about audiobooks that bother me are the following:  

1. ·         Rarely is there a distinction between internal and external thoughts. In books, this is typically portrayed via italics. I have yet to meet someone whom can italicize their voice.
2. ·         Voice edits and the flow is interrupted. There are times where there is a section of narration that doesn’t fit with the rest of the chapter. Its like they had to go back and redo the take and there is a distinct interruption of flow because the tone of voice is different.
3. ·         Changing narrators in a series. That drive me BATTY! Its like changing actors in a movie. Why? Don’t do that.
4. ·         Sometimes audiobooks will change that story narrative. I read a book where I was listening to it at home but wasn’t doing anything else. So, I downloaded the ebook just so I could follow along with the written narration and they were different! 95% of the time it was correct. If there was a discrepancy, it was not a major difference. It either left off a word or swapped two sentences around, but on one occasion, they skipped a whole sentence. That bothers me. It feels like they aren’t accurately representing the book. However, I do not know if it was the audiobook that was wrong or the ebook. I didn’t have the hard copy to compare. However, now I’m curious….what if they are both wrong?

Killers & Kings

Compelling, Eloquent, and Lyrical

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Genre: Fantasy

Book information: Paperback, 722 pages, published by DAW Books, Inc., Copyright 2007.

·       

            ISBN 13: 9780756404741

Trilogy Information: Book #1 of the Kingkiller Chronicles.

Book #2 is titled The Wise Man’s Fear.

Book #3 is reportedly titled Doors of Stone. A release date has not been confirmed.

Setting: The Four Corners of Civilization. Mostly taking place in Tarbean (Tar-be-in), Imre (em-ray), Trebon (Tray-ben) and at the University.

Summary: Kvothe is a name in many stories, both positive and negative, for being one of the most legendary wizards of all time. Kvothe, known as Kote to some, has been hiding as an inn keeper in a small town that doesn’t get many travelers. Many do not know the true tale of Kvothe, only the rumors that have been spread from his adventurous life. One day, when familiar trouble reaches the small town he resides in, Kote saves a traveler, later known as Chronicler, whom recognizes his true identity. Chronicler, a well-known autobiographer, begs Kvothe to tell him his story, so he can reveal the truth behind the legends bound to his name. Kvothe agrees on two conditions. One, Chronicler must write the story as he tells it, with no alterations, and two, it will take three days to tell the whole story. The Name of the Wind is day one of that story.

Elements of Fantasy

Pace: Intensifying. The book starts out slow, as many fantasy novels do because they are setting up the world the book will take place in. The Name of the Wind is no different, but after the scene is set, action takes over. By the end of the novel you will be so engrossed into the story that it will be hard to put down. It will be even harder to refrain from picking up the second one and keep going.

Frame: The book is very detailed, but in an effortless sort of way. From the setting to the characters, everything just flows with a sort of grace only experienced fantasy authors can achieve. Magic is also a heavy part of the story, typical of the genre, but it’s not overwhelming or too complex that is becomes distracting to the story.

Storyline: One of the things that I find unique about this book is that it is a story of a story. Kvothe is telling his story to a writer (Chronicler) so he can expand on the rumors that have been spread about him over the years. So, as you are reading it, you are reading it as Kvothe in the first person as if he is living his experiences first hand, but he is really reflecting on his past as he tells it to Chronicler. Therefore, there are small parts where the book jumps from past to present, but for most of the story it is told from Kvothe’s childhood point of view.  

Characterization: Kvothe is the courageous, complex hero of the story, even though he is known by many other names and some of them not so glorious. Also, in The Name of the Wind, there is a large cast of characters that help Kvothe overcome the childhood struggles he faced.

Tone: The tone of this book varies by situation, which is common in most fantasy novels. It ranges from bleak and depressing to joyous and hopeful, even though there is this unknown mysterious overtone that blankets the whole story.

Style: Lyrical has a double meaning for this book. One being that the book is written so elegantly, that it could be perceived as an ode or sonnet. Two being that Kvothe’s father was a bard, therefore Kvothe has some musical talents that layer into the story and his character.

Appeal: The Name of the Wind is not quite like any other fantasy novel I have read before. There are all the elements typical of the fantasy genre, like world building, other languages, magic, and adventure, but there is also something more. The biggest appeal is the effortless writing. Some fantasy authors get too focused on the details that you miss the main points of a story, and some can tend to get bored with it. Details are necessary, but there is a fine line between too much and not enough. Rothfuss hits that sweet spot that gives you enough to get the desired idea of the story, but not too much that you get lost in the details about a rock that will trip someone 30 chapters later.  

4 Read-a-likes

1.) Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb (Trilogy)

2.) The Hobbit or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien (Also adapted into a film titled “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”)

3.) Uprooted by Naomi Novik
4.) The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

So many books, So little time.

The book club I attended was very small. It actually took me a while to find one, but of course I ended up at my local library. The book club normally consisted of 5 people. Two of the branch’s librarians and three patrons. However, when I went, one of the librarians had to be elsewhere in the library at the time, and one of the loyal club goers was away on business. So, there was just three, four including myself. I honestly don’t look at that as a bad thing though. I’m sure some would because it is such a small group, but I find that to be incredibly personal. You are all able to discuss your views on the book in length and not really have to worry about making sure everyone else gets a turn.

When I looked up the book club and where it would be, they typically set up in the meeting room. However, this time, a larger group needed access to the room, so we met in a small conference room in the back. Since the room was changed, there was no coffee readily provided. The leader of the book club did offer, whose name I will leave out because she happened to also be the branch manager, but I didn’t want to trouble her for it. However, when one of the regulars came in, she was disappointed to no see any coffee there. The leader did go get a cup for her and there were also lemon cookies provided. Nothing fancy, for I think they were used to having the small group, so they just had the one snack just in case someone wanted something while they chatted. However, by the end of the book club, the leader did suggest a rotation of people bringing snacks for the club, so they didn’t have the same thing every week. I thought that was a nice gesture.

The leader was very accommodating for having a new person for book club. She gave me a reading list for the year with all of the meeting dates on it. After reviewing the list, she mentioned how they structured the list for the year. Every month was a different genre and they flipped back and forth from fiction to non-fiction. There was also a free for all month that I assume they pick at the meeting prior to give everyone a month to get the book read. So, I asked if she picked the list for the year or is it a communal effort? She said that at the end of the year, everyone brings a list of suggestions and they do their best to accommodate everyone suggestions into the list, but ultimately, it’s a vote. I thought this is nice because not only does it give people a chance to read the books that they want but it’s not just one person picking the books. If it were just one person, there might be some bias when picking the books for the year. It also nice to see a book club that isn’t just reading that month’s bestsellers, or what is popular at the time. That might attract more people to the club, but it doesn’t do much as far as variety goes.

Speaking of attracting people to book club, I think one of the largest flaws for the book club I attended is the timing. They have book club once a month, which I think is perfect, but they have it at 2pm on Tuesdays. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m at work at that time. It makes it very difficult to attend a book club that is in the middle of a work week, in the middle of the afternoon. That might be why the book club is so small to begin with because most people can’t attend unless they have a very flexible schedule or are retired. I had to leave work early to attend this book club. Although, everyone was very welcoming and advocating for me to come back, the timing is just not possible for me to become a more permanent member. I expressed that to them, and they conveyed their disappointment, but nothing more than that.

As for the actual discussion of the book, there were no formal questions asked or ones specific to the content of the book. They were more generalized, leaving the group to discuss the book however they wanted. There weren’t any “yes” or “no” questions, other than the leader asking if they liked the book or characters. Which is funny because one of the ladies commented that “this is the first one in a while that we have all liked.” I asked them how long they have been doing book club to get an idea of how many books they might have read that they didn’t like. Both patrons commented on being a part of book club for about a year. I wanted to ask which book was their least favorite just out of my own curiosity, but I didn’t get the chance.

The leader directed the conversation when there were lulls, but there weren’t many. One lady, Phyllis, was far more chatty than the other two. She seemed to have an opinion on everything and constantly compared the book to her all-time favorite. I think she said the book was titled Hawaii, or something about Hawaii. She mentioned it a lot, as if nothing could compare to it. Regardless, they were all very welcoming. They still tried to include me into the conversation in some way, even though I didn’t read the book they were discussing (The Moon Stone by Wilkie Collins). It kind of worked out though because they started comparing the book to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. There I can comment because I have read those stories, so the conversation may have diverted slightly because of that. Overall, I found the experience to be a pleasant one, even though I doubt I will be returning.

Special Topics Short

Reader’s Advisory and its Future

After the 1930s, readers’ advisory didn’t make a strong comeback until the 1980s. Why it is making a comeback in unknown, but Anderson notes that RA seems to flow in 40-year cycles (2016, pp.208), and we just happen to be in the positive cycle at this time. However, Anderson does not provide any compelling evidence to support that RA services will fall off again in the next 10 years. Even though RA services are currently scattered, some libraries today still offer that separate service with the same methods. However, most of them have wrapped RA services in with reference services, and some have moved to use the internet and social media as an RA service platform. Some might even say that the internet and technology will become the future of RA services. 

However, there are some issues with RA services. The first is that many libraries don’t even have RA services or training to be able to effectively help their patrons. Second, there is no universal standard when it comes to RA training. Leading to the debate on whether RA should be a profession within a profession? Also, if libraries should seek to have that separate service they had nearly 100 years ago? Lastly, librarians can’t seem to agree on how to address these issues so that the world of RA services can grow and develop. Crowley also feels that readers advisory should be similar to what is was in the early stages. Where RA was a separate service conducted by specially trained professionals, separate from the library staff. Smith feels that we should focus less on the who and more on the how (2015, pp.12). Meaning that RA skills can be taught, maintained, and developed within a library and its staff without having a separate person or division to do so.  Both are viable options, however having RA as a separate service can be costly. It can also be costly to train all staff in RA techniques, but there is strength in numbers. It seems more cost-effective to train multiple people, so the job doesn’t fall all onto one person. Most libraries would not be able to afford to have RA as a separate service due to their already tight budgets. It may be timelier, but it seems more economical and logical to train the staff already available, rather than open a separate division.

There is no doubt that readers’ advisory services will intertwine itself with technology. Two studies, one using social media to promote RA services and the other using a electronic form based service, were both successful in integrating RA services with technology. So, which is more effective? At this time, I don’t think that is can be determined. There are too many unknowns, both in success and data, to determine one over the other. Hence why the debate is still raging in the library world. Redefining reader’s advisory services will be no easy task. In its current state, there is no prevailing consensus on how to adapt to that change. Many have suggestions, but the lack of hard evidence makes it difficult to get the change in motion. Many tools have been created to aide in providing readers advisory to patrons, but the path is still unclear.  I believe, with a little more research and data collection, readers’ advisory might become more defined on what people are looking for and what direction the service is going to go in. Regardless of the successes that have been made in recent years, the best approach seems to be engaging with readers. By finding out why they like a book, as opposed to what they liked about it, will not only help you find what it is they are looking for but it will also provide data so a new approach can be formed.


Works Cited (in this short version)

Anderson, S. H., Tarulli, L., & Trott, B. (2016). Trends and Directions in RA Education. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 55(3), 203–209. https://doi-org.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/10.5860/rusq.55n3.203

Smith, D. (2015). Readers’ Advisory. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 54(4), 11–16. https://doi-org.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/10.5860/rusq.54n4.11

I solemnly swear this is 100% a true story.

Talk about a time when a book or author that made headlines affected you personally or your work.

Note: Sorry guys. This one is a long one, but its worth it. 

The book/series that has always affected me personally is the Harry Potter series. My late aunt and I bonded over the series to the point when the new book came out, we had to buy two copies so we wouldn’t fight over it. Once she passed, I kind of lost interest in reading. I lost interest in a lot of things, because I was severely depressed. My aunt was my best friend and when she died it crushed me. Harry Potter was the only thing that seemed to bring me out of the dark hole I found myself in. It was the only thing I was willing to read. So, I have a very personal relationship with the series because it reminds me of my aunt and the fun times we had. However, when I was 17, just about 4 years after she passed, I had just met my now husband. In the beginning of our courtship we spent a lot of time just talking. That was one of the things that drew me to him is that we could talk for hours, sometimes about nothing in particular, and others an array of subjects. In one of those conversations we talked about books, naturally, and he told me that he had never read the Harry Potter series. Pretty sure my jaw literally hit the floor. Those books were my life, my rock, my soul, my comfort. I was speechless. He was a pretty avid reader himself as well, and never thought about touching the books. He said, “they have movies, what do I need to read the book for?”.

So, as a devout Hufflepuff with Slytherin tendencies (I’ve taken may quizzes for my Hogwarts house and I either get Hufflepuff or Slytherin. I’m fine with both, but I feel I fit a little better in the yellow house, but green is my color. It’s almost an even split) I challenged him. If he could read the series faster than I could re-read them then I would give him something. I honestly can’t remember what I offered as a prize at the time, but it didn’t matter because he lost in the end. Since it was a challenge, that is all we did was read for the better part of a week or two. Even when we were together, we were reading. However, even though he lost in the end, he had a severe advantage. I was still in high school and he was in college. He was a tutor at Ivy Tech when he wasn’t in class and he rarely did his homework, so he had a lot of free time. Even more when he didn’t have any students to tutor, but I was determined to win. I did have the advantage of already having read the series, but there was a lot of finer details that I didn’t remember, and if you know my husband, there was going to be a quiz to make sure I didn’t cheat. I read the first book when I was 8, so it had almost been 10 years by the time I read it again.

I did NOTHING in any of my classes for a week, because I HAD to win (Slytherin tendencies). I read all day, every day. I think I finished the whole series in 10 days. We started on a Friday and we were done by the following weekend. I read through every class and didn’t do any homework that week. I was reading every moment I could. The only time I wasn’t reading is if I was at work, driving, or bathing. I pissed off some of my teachers that week. Some of them just let me do it because they knew I could make up whatever I missed. I was a good student for the most part regardless of my inner depression I was battling. School work tended to keep my mind off things, so i really focused on it so I didn't have to cope with the pain I felt. I graduated top 5% of my class, so I was on the good side of most teachers and they kind of let me do what I wanted. Of course, there is always the one exception. One teacher in particular tried to make an example out of me, it backfired. We were already on bad terms prior to this incident, because she was physics teacher but couldn’t do math correctly. If you know anything about physics, it’s very math oriented, and I called her out a lot on her mistakes. She didn’t care for that. I can’t tell you how many tests had to be curved because she didn’t provide the right answer to the question because her math was off. It was bad. I wasn’t doing it maliciously, but I was, and still am, very good at math and wasn’t going to let her teach me wrong. I was also, as most 17-year old’s are, kind of an asshole. So, most days, I didn’t pay attention in class. I was either doing homework for another class, or I was reading, but I definitely wasn’t doing physics. Well, one day, during my week of the Harry Potter marathon, I think she finally got fed up with me “goofing off” on her class and we got into a disagreement. 

I never really paid much attention to her while in class anyway, so I don't really know what tipped her over the edge that day. We ended up arguing on the proper method to solve a problem. I didn't do it the way she did because it didn't make sense to me. My way made sense to me and it was still mathematically correct. She eventually told me that she would meet in the principals office after class and I said something along the lines of, “For what? I did what you asked, therefore I am not being insubordinate. You said I could read if I got them right. I did, no thanks to you. I never said I would stay here to read, and since I am feeling victimized, I thought I would remove myself from the classroom and go read elsewhere. I could go to the principal’s office and read there, but then I would feel inclined to tell them that they hired a teacher that can’t teach a class she claims to have a degree in. So, in the effort of not getting you fired, even though you might deserve it, I will be leaving, and if I were you, I would learn how to do math before you try to teach physics.” I walked out and left after that outburst. I’m pretty sure she was speechless because she didn’t say anything as I left. I ended up a few doors down to my pre-calc and homeroom teacher’s classroom and just sat down on the floor by her desk. She was in mid-class and she stopped to look at me to ask me if I was ok. I told her we could talk after class and I opened my book and kept reading. My physics teacher didn’t say anything to me the rest of the week and I called her Umbridge for the rest of the year.

Needless to say, Harry Potter was/is a huge part of my life. I gave up almost everything for that series just because it brought me a small amount of joy from the one that I had lost. Looking back on this now, the whole situation seems like something out of a movie, and I now realize how much of an asshole I had become in those 4 years after she died. Teenage angst + loss - parental control = one messed up kid. My parents always told me that I tested their patience a lot during that time, but I was so lost that I didn’t care. I hated the world. It wasn’t until I met my husband that I started to find myself again, but that is a different story. However, the part that really tugs home to me is that Rowling wrote these books to cope with the loss of her mother. I read these books to cope with the loss of my aunt. I never knew that as the books were coming out. It wasn't until after the movies were making their debuts that I found out she wrote them for her mother. That really hit home for me and they are a much bigger part of my life now. I even tried to convince my husband to let us have a Harry Potter wedding. He didn't go for it. he did go for Superheros though. 

Fly Me to the Moon

Character Driven, Humorous, and Witty

Artemis by Andy Weir

Genre: Science Fiction

Book information: Hardcover, 305 pages, published by Crown, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, Copyright 2017.

·         ISBN 13: 9780553448122

Setting: The moon, in a small lunar colony known as Artemis.

Summary: Artemis is the first lunar civilization on the moon. Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara has lived on the moon since she was a child. She is clever, resourceful, and a criminal. The only thing Jazz ever wanted in life was to be rich, but on her own with as little effort as possible. Her current job as a porter, a lunar delivery person, barely covers her living expenses, but with a dash of smuggling on the side, she is able to survive, barely. One of her best customers, a wealthy businessman named Trond, offers Jazz a job for more money than she has ever seen. Trond wants Jazz to destroy Sanchez Aluminum's harvesters. Not an impossible task, but if she was caught, she would be sent back to earth, where she might not survive due to being in lunar atmosphere for so long. But for a million slugs? How could she refuse? However, when the job goes south and Trond is mysteriously found dead, Jazz is forced to seek out the truth behind Trond’s intentions and finds herself in the middle of something much larger that could threaten life on the moon. What will Jazz do to save the only home she has ever known?

Elements of Science Fiction

Pace: Intensifying. The story is constantly unfolding with new information that readers sometimes can hardly consider before being swept away by the next piece of action thrown Jazz’s way. As the story goes on, things just can’t seem to go Jazz’s way, but her quick thinking can usually get her out of some pretty sticky situations.

Frame: Weir describes a livable futuristic civilization on the moon, therefore lunar atmosphere laws apply. Weir is able to present the differences in atmosphere through Jazz in an understandable, but technical way so that her actions make sense.

Storyline: Weir writes from a first-person perspective through Jazz, allowing you into her internal thoughts and conflicts she continuously faces difficult situations. Also, since Jazz is on the moon, the outcomes of the actions and decisions she makes are not always the most logical to the reader because things work differently on the moon as they would on earth, giving it a sense of unpredictability     

Characterization: Flawed, but humorous. Jazz has a sarcastic nature and don’t care attitude that gives her a strong female lead, ready to take on whatever people can throw at her.

Tone: Comedic with gritty, sarcastic humor. Jazz has a unique way of explaining things, most of the time taking the formality right out of it. Jazz is also very fluent in curse words.

Style: The book is filled with jargon specific to the story. Some jargon is scientific, relating to the moon and its characteristics. While others describe life on the moon, such as the equipment/technology used, job titles, and how things operate in the lunar atmosphere.

Appeal: Artemis is really the story of Jazz. Jazz is such a unique, but flawed character, you can’t help but love her. Jazz herself even says that her life ran on mostly bad decisions, yet she is borderline genius. The complexity of her character is enough to keep a reader going. Oh, and she lives on the moon. I’m sure that everyone in their lifetime has wondered what it would be like to live on the moon. Weir brings that wonder to life in a sometimes crude, but comical way, along with everything that could go wrong on the moon.  

3 Read-a-likes

1.) The Martian by Andy Weir

2.) Off Rock by Kieran Shea

3.) All Systems Red by Martha Wells (series)

We did the mash, the MONSTER mash.

For this week's prompt, I would like you to think of an innovative way to promote romance, gentle reads or horror at your local library.

In order to promote horror books, I would take a spin on the “blind date with a book” idea, which seems typical with romance novels, and turn it into “blind date with a monster”. It would be a simple, blind date with a book display, but I would make the word “book” look like it was torn by monster claws and have a scarily written in red “monster” sign, either by or underneath where the word “book” was. I think this would be eye-catching and make patrons do a double-take. All the books would be wrapped in either dark paper or the traditional brown, so they do not know the title or author of the book. On the paper, I would just simply write the description of the monster in the book. This may take a little research if no one in the library has read the book, but the description could be as simple, or as detailed as it needs to be. I like the idea of them just having one word written on the paper because it leaves a sense of mystery to it, which is something many horror novels have. For example, if it where a book about a serial killer, it could just say “human” or “killer”, or a ghost story could have “ghost” or “paranormal”. There would be no need to write the genre on the paper because they would all be horror themed. Also, by writing what kind of monster is in the book, it gives the reader an insight to what the story will be about. This would be extremely difficult with books that the monster is a secret, or the monster is supposed to be unknown. I suppose one could either leave it blank or write “surprise” on the paper. That would intrigue me, but I feel that writing too much on the cover, like other annotations, would take away from the “blind date” and fun part of it.