tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23935490507517833222024-03-13T11:06:37.178-04:00DeirdresBookBagAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-4998945924970398532017-04-23T17:51:00.002-04:002017-04-23T17:51:54.987-04:00Book Evolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAvmIU8zMULMvFGHb0VpNUItsV1Xzg6L_oOTjfI33-wzYLMPyPeIx6ZNRzTaQGYgD1JBiHQu4hbg-WDz9QShSXigoZ_VPl7_LcrLA6ipvSrB4s3cdwyxf4QNLoT_sQcsYBGl-wHnHhZSP/s1600/the+art+of+change.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAvmIU8zMULMvFGHb0VpNUItsV1Xzg6L_oOTjfI33-wzYLMPyPeIx6ZNRzTaQGYgD1JBiHQu4hbg-WDz9QShSXigoZ_VPl7_LcrLA6ipvSrB4s3cdwyxf4QNLoT_sQcsYBGl-wHnHhZSP/s1600/the+art+of+change.png" /></a></div>
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My earliest memories of books are from age 5 when I carried my favorite book with me to Mrs. Patrones' house after morning kindergarten. I remember sharing it with my friend, Frankie. I had many favorites through the years, but most of the early ones caught my attention with their beautiful colors and pictures. I can see the turtles in the tuttle tuttle tree, and the melting tiger as he turned into buttery syrupy pancakes and the especially perfect colors of the Popples, which looked like they'd be soft when I touched the page but never where (that mismatch totally mesmerized me). Other than the Dr. Seuss one, I can't remember the stories very well, but I can see some of the pictures and feel the magic still. <br />
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As I got older, the books got fewer pictures, of course, but richer detail that made pictures in my own mind. I can "see" Louis the trumpeter swan and his chalkboard, Charlotte in her web, princess Sara Crewe in her dreary attic with Becky, and Rose and all of her rowdy cousins. The stories grew in imagery, but the pictures were drawn with words. They morphed from small, thin hardcovers or board books to paperback chapter books and thick hardcovers that made me feel so grown up.<br />
<a href="http://seminariodeantropologia.org/images/thumb/1/1a/Wordle-1.jpg/300px-Wordle-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://seminariodeantropologia.org/images/thumb/1/1a/Wordle-1.jpg/300px-Wordle-1.jpg" /></a><br />
Now my books are thin again. In fact, they mostly have no physical substance at all! They exist on my kindle. Of course, I still read a lot of print books, but if I can get them on my kindle I do so. I read a lot more nonfiction than I did as a child - some because I need the information and some just because I connect with them more now as I think about more esoteric ideas and enjoy making connections. <br />
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What will my books look like 20 years from now? Will we still have any print books? Will storytelling take an entirely new form? <br />
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It would be easy to go along with the crowds and talk about the rise of digital media and how all books will be on the computer. Or how nobody reads anymore and there will be hardly any new books by then. Or how we've been slowly dumbing down and in 20 years all the new books will be inane and empty. I agree with Ursula Le Guin that TV shows and movies have become "brain-numbing... remakes of remakes". (Staying Awake, 2008) Those writers are obviously out of ideas and originality. But - and this is a big but - I think humanity is just as intelligent and creati<br />
<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/47/77/cc/4777cccba0b47af90b9b7344958941dc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/47/77/cc/4777cccba0b47af90b9b7344958941dc.jpg" width="200" /></a>ve as ever. The problem is one of overload. We have so many stories, so much access, so easily, that we can't find anything of value among the fluff. In addition, I believe that our educational system is part of the problem, rather than the solution. That's a different topic, but one I encourage you to explore. <br />
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In my humble opinion, I think the recent interest in all things retro will include reading as a pastime. I think people are tired of emptiness and are looking for depth and meaning. Memoirs are on the rise, everyone can publish, and people want connection. I predict those things will coalesce into the greatest boom in book publishing that the world has ever seen. They'll need librarians even more to separate the grain from the chaff and help people find the stories that inspire their lives. I look forward to reading them whether they're on an ereader or paper!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-51980084524428310852017-04-23T11:02:00.003-04:002017-04-23T11:02:52.803-04:00Let Me Tell Ya... <div style="text-align: right;">
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<a href="https://megalytic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/blog-image-events-online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://megalytic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/blog-image-events-online.jpg" width="320" /></a>...'bout the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees...<br />
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Nah, you know all about that. I want to tell ya 'bout the thrillers and the horror and the romance and the sci fi... <br />
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Ok, it doesn't rhyme but I still want to tell you about all the awesome books we have for you at the library. But how? <br />
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Here are a few ideas that have worked for me and my heroic librarian friends and I hope you'll share some fabulous ideas with me, so together we'll be like Library SuperTwins:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Displays (kind of useful, but not super duper)</li>
<li>Bundling with the Movie (lots of checkouts, but I think people only watch the movie)</li>
<li>Displayed during a Program (pretty effective since people are already excited)</li>
<li>BookTalks (Best. Thing. Ever. Like a superpower for librarians)</li>
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So, seriously, what kinds of activities can we do at the library to help people find books that they want to read? There are many ideas that've been promulgated by various libraries, groups, authors, and "experts", but the absolute best, most effective method I've seen is personal recommendation. This can come in the form of booktalks or readers' advisory.<br />
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For those of you who don't know, booktalks are exactly like what you do when you're telling your best friend about the great book you just finished: <br />
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"it was so..." "and then..." "and you just want to..." <span style="text-align: center;">"You HAVE to read this!"</span><br />
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<a href="https://youthserviceslibrarianship.wikispaces.com/file/view/booktalk_logoWEB.jpg/472092684/515x236/booktalk_logoWEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://youthserviceslibrarianship.wikispaces.com/file/view/booktalk_logoWEB.jpg/472092684/515x236/booktalk_logoWEB.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The only difference is that you're talking to a group instead of one friend. One major rule: READ THE BOOK. This seems like a no-brainer, and yet I know people who think they can just tell you what the reviews say and not give a personal reaction or insight. NO! Just like in this class, you have to read, or at least skim, the book yourself in order to have a truly good grasp on the appeal factors of the story and be able to share it in an authentic and genuine way. If you don't read it, please be honest about that to people. You can still do readers' advisory with it, but you can't effectively booktalk it.<br />
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BTW, don't just booktalk in the library. GO OUT! Booktalk at events, schools, clubs, everywhere. <br />
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<a href="http://organiksoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/internet-marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://organiksoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/internet-marketing.jpg" height="97" width="200" /></a>Turn your <i>mouth</i> into a <i>mouse </i>and booktalk online - Facebook, Twitter, and the library blog are all great places to booktalk. The reviews we've been doing in this class are formal - take them to a more informal, casual, personal level and BLAM, you've got a booktalk! Post it! <br />
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Book displays can be creative, imaginative, eye-catching, and fun. You can do a Pinterest search and find a tremendous amount of wonderful ideas like these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIO4xSLGPje1THougR-acVD9sgTV4BgGDnnQ_9Q7Vl1iCw1Kgnjxrqon2ez-W61tmoRkduRMeORIQp2y6ESki0VcLH-fLrEF_J5a31pgEPrQ-p-pLgcx_TpfSqw4BHlUxvcz5gtHKq_Ij/s1600/pinterest+screen+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIO4xSLGPje1THougR-acVD9sgTV4BgGDnnQ_9Q7Vl1iCw1Kgnjxrqon2ez-W61tmoRkduRMeORIQp2y6ESki0VcLH-fLrEF_J5a31pgEPrQ-p-pLgcx_TpfSqw4BHlUxvcz5gtHKq_Ij/s320/pinterest+screen+shot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some displays are more effective than others, and I've personally found that many people are hesitant to take a book that's part of a display because they don't want to mess up the great tableau. I think complicated book displays are best as part of a library marketing tool to show how fun the library is, but I'm not convinced that they lead to those featured books being checked out more. The types of displays that work the best, in my opinion, are those that are simple and highlight the books rather than the creativity of the librarians. <br />
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<a href="http://www.staffdevjnkie.net/uploads/1/8/3/7/18379919/6998068_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.staffdevjnkie.net/uploads/1/8/3/7/18379919/6998068_orig.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>Bundling the books with the movies has been extremely popular in my library. We created a READ BOX and put it right next to the checkout desk. <br />
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Ours is similar to this one, and it gets a lot of attention, but in chatting with the patrons we're pretty sure they just watch the movie and don't read the book. Sad, but true. The movie is the pretty, popular kid while the book is the poor, ugly, neglected stepchild. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books promoted during garden program.</td></tr>
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ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS gather books that are related to your program or event and display them near the entrance during the program. People coming to a library program are already interested in that topic and are much more likely to be interested in those books. It's kind of like passive RA - you know something about what they like and you're offering suggestions. Also, part of the reason for holding programs, workshops, classes, and events at the library is to offer avenues to information, so keep going and show people the resources we have that they can checkout and take home - duh! It's a no-brainer, but it's surprising how often it doesn't happen. <br />
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These are my "best practices" for sharing and promoting books. What are yours? I really, really want to know so share in the comments! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-22406118899244045242017-04-15T22:04:00.000-04:002017-04-16T16:09:10.576-04:00Where'd They Go?So... where'd the gay and black folks books go?<br />
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The question is whether LGBT and/or African American books should be shelved separately from other library materials or not. <br />
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First off, what IS an LGTB book or an African American book? Is it a book <i>about</i> being gay or black? Is it a book <i>by</i> a gay person or black person? Is it history, contemporary? And if we shelve them separately, is that "celebrating" or "segregating"? Is it helping folks find stuff, or just another way of pointing out someone's "different-ness"?<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />"...and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings." (ALA, 2017)</span><div>
<br />I decided to look at this through the LGBT experience and interviewed two people about their viewpoint. Z explained that she had been to bookstores many years ago that had a separate LGBT section, and she felt very exposed and uncomfortable just browsing there. Both X and Z said they appreciated being able to find gay books easily, and that having access to books which feature gay people or address gay concerns is important to them, but they would prefer to not feel singled out. Z suggested that libraries should try using metadata tags, which made me go "aarrgh!", and I explained that we DO. They both said that with the availability of searchable catalogs that include LGBT metadata tags and subject headings, they can find materials without having to go to the "gay" shelf. X said that a book about gay parenting should be in the parenting section so that she can browse all kinds of parenting books. "We're interested in the same things as everyone else, so the books should be integrated". <br />
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Does this mean that if we segregate these books (make them "special") we somehow abridge the ability of both gay and straight patrons to choose from a variety? My friends suggest that this is so, and causes pigeonholing. Pigeonholing = bad. <br />
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They suggested that having a display during pride month (June) if a library wants to showcase its LGBT collection and show support for that group of minority people. <br />
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X disagreed with marking or labeling books in any way. At first it seemed like a good idea for browsing, but then they both said people might feel uncomfortable bringing a marked book to the checkout counter or having it visible in their home if they're not "out" yet, so they decided that they really feel that for most gay people the best solution is to use the catalog search filters. This provides accessibility, while still protecting privacy. The American Library Association (ALA) states:<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept with any book the prejudgment of a label characterizing the book or author as subversive or dangerous. </i>Would a label denoting a book as LGBT be perceived by that community as helpful or judgemental? According to my friends, it <i>could </i>be the latter, and that would against the ethical and professional standards of the ALA. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.carrmclean.ca/UploadedImages/GroupMidsize/80-187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://www.carrmclean.ca/UploadedImages/GroupMidsize/80-187.jpg" width="320" /></a>I think these ideas apply to African American books as well. If I go to the "black" section, I feel very conspicuous, like I shouldn't be there, or I'm only there to prove how non-racist I am. Makes me feel like a poser. On the other hand, if I'm browsing the fiction and run across The Help, I just feel like I found a great book - not a black book. Yes, it certainly sheds light on a black issue, but those issues are important for all of humanity. And for crying out loud, I'm guessing that black people have had enough of being separated. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer: This does not apply to special centers or museums dedicated to preserving a unique history or voice, or an academic library supporting specialized research. </span><br />
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Let's just stick together, people!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-26689915102237584642017-04-15T17:13:00.001-04:002017-04-15T17:14:37.435-04:00African American Genre Annotation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hidden Figures</span></h2>
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<i><b>by Margot Lee Shetterley</b></i></div>
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William Morrow Pub. (2016)</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISBN: 978-0062363596</span></div>
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Available formats: <a href="https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/20806566?query=hidden%20figures;qtype=title;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=5%2C4%2C3%2C1%2C2%2C6">Hardcover</a>, <a href="https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/20835246?query=hidden%20figures;qtype=title;fi%3Asearch_format=book;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=6%2C2%2C3%2C5%2C1%2C4">Paperback</a>, </div>
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<a href="https://cidc.overdrive.com/search?query=hidden+figures">Overdrive eBook</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Figures-American-Untold-Mathematicians-ebook/dp/B0166JFFD0/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1492273784&sr=1-1">Kindle</a>, <a href="https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/20850994?query=hidden%20figures;qtype=title;fi%3Asearch_format=cdaudiobook;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=4%2C5%2C6">MP3 audiobook</a></div>
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<i>"Just as islands...have relevance for the ecosystems everywhere, so does studying...overlooked people and events from the past turn up unexpected connections and insights to modern life. The idea that black women had been recruited to work as mathematicians at the NASA installation in the South during the days of segregation defies our expectations and challenges much of what we think we know about American history. It's a great story, and that alone makes it worth telling."</i> (p. xv)<br />
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This is an account of an extraordinary moment in history when a door opened and African American women walked through it to join white men at the forefront of the Space Race. It revolves around 4 particular women, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden, describing their lives, their families, their hopes, and their greatest challenges. It's almost like a 4-part biography wrapped in a historical event. Each woman is introduced, along with her family and educational background and her own personal dreams and needs. She's then woven into the narrative of the Langley Laboratory and the amazing story of how this group of black women became a force for positive social change in one of the most prestigious and leading industry's in the country at that time. The story is about this change and the tremendous impact it had on the women (of all colors, though especially black) who followed. </div>
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<b>Story:</b> Historical documentary. If you like history, particularly history regarding race relations and how they've evolved, then you'll like this book. It's not like a novel, but more like a treatise or exposition; we learn about the characters and the things that happened to them, or that they did, but we don't get into their minds very much. </div>
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<b>Pacing:</b> Very slow and studious, densely written.</div>
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<b>Setting:</b> The story is set in Hampton, Virginia from the early '40s to the late '60s, mostly in the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory. It's a setting that combines the racial issues of a smallish, southern college town with a highly educated and technological government research facility. </div>
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<b>Tone:</b> Thoughtful and insightful, explanations and facts are presented without being overly emotional, but with a sense of strength and admiration. There's a sense of optimism and pragmatism laced throughout the book. </div>
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<b>Style:</b> Informative. Understated and elegant writing. You get a real sense of the time and place with the use of common local terminology such as calling the women "computers" and referring to the Langley facility as "Mother Langley". </div>
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<b>Characterization:</b> The women in the book are described as real people with varying attributes, standards, goals, ethics, and personalities. Although we don't enter their heads like we do with most fiction, we do get a very full sense of who they are based on personal and family interviews, letters, and other memorabilia. It makes you want to meet them in person! </div>
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If you pick up this book expecting it to be similar in feel or scope to the movie, as I did (although I haven't seen the movie, only the trailers), you'll be in for a big surprise. This is a historical documentary. Although it's centered loosely around the 4 women, it's really a very thorough treatise of the cultural and racial issues faced by black American working women of the time.<br />
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It's a little confusing and hard to follow since the author jumps around frequently; one paragraph she's describing Dorothy's marital difficulties because of her new job, and then suddenly we're into an anecdote about peeking at German POWs, then the neighbor's daughter and her education and marriage, and then we're on the bus with Dorothy on the way to begin the job that would later cause the marital difficulties we started the chapter with. The book doesn't flow well, making it hard to really get "into", but close reading reveals wonderfully insightful gems such as "<i>Who would have thought that such a mélange of black and white, male and female, blue-collar and white-collar workers, those who worked with their hands and those who worked with numbers, was actually possible? And who would guess that the southern city of Hampton, Virginia, was the place to find it?" </i>Unfortunately, you have to be willing to slog through a lot of other minutiae to get to the good stuff. It worth it, though, because most other African American works I've seen are either about slavery prior to the Civil War, black experience during Reconstruction, black soldiers, or the 60's Civil Rights Movement. The book fills in a gap in both time period and gender stories, on the brink of what the author justly calls America's "great transformations". <br />
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I ultimately found it ok, but couldn't get into it - too jumpy.</div>
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Movie! Yay! Of course this book has been made into a movie which just came out this year in January. I haven't seen it yet since I had wanted to read the book first. There's a great interview with the author <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdbPkCGUq9k">here</a>, where she talks about the differences between the book and the movie, saying that the movie only focuses on one particular event, where the book gives a much deeper and broader account (she still likes the movie, though). </div>
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Official Book Trailer</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/uploaded_images/ImmortalLifeofHenriettaLacks-749798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/uploaded_images/ImmortalLifeofHenriettaLacks-749798.JPG" height="200" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Life-Henrietta-Lacks/dp/1400052173/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=">Another overlooked<br />African American<br /> woman who lives on.<br />TV movie starring Oprah <br />comes out April 22nd.</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><u></u></a><span id="goog_140417657"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://mistycopeland.com/store/"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71PaLgJVCzL.jpg" width="134" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mistycopeland.com/store/">Another great story of a <br />black woman <br />breaking through barriers <br />and stereotypes</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_140417655"><img border="0" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/bakertaylor/covers/r/rise-of-the-rocket-girls/9780316338929_custom-15c6963fcdfab3022ae25df730b76051a2779f72-s400-c85.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Rocket-Girls-Propelled-Missiles-ebook/dp/B013CATQPY/ref=pd_sim_351_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QZ2KC6W8DCFYQ644N78Q">More about the <br />women computers<br />and the Space Race</a></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-91783887780577242982017-04-07T17:47:00.004-04:002017-04-07T17:48:28.026-04:00Yours, Mine, and OursThis is an interesting issue, and one which, although it's not a problem for my library now, will be next year. Right now the Teen Area at both our branches is open to the rest of the library. The items are shelved separately from the Adult sections, but nearby. Anyone can come and go easily. But...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehw4tVLetPVDa_olPI8UvgiO9egp45ycwB8kcPHqqFZglT4WoZzoO1VrwThq2B9ealJ3U6dmAYy1vUe5twLG_KL5L2LGpl8D1nixEn-m6j4p0l5kZsG3cFqwJqXqdnHxWrO6KXAJevgjF/s1600/meme+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehw4tVLetPVDa_olPI8UvgiO9egp45ycwB8kcPHqqFZglT4WoZzoO1VrwThq2B9ealJ3U6dmAYy1vUe5twLG_KL5L2LGpl8D1nixEn-m6j4p0l5kZsG3cFqwJqXqdnHxWrO6KXAJevgjF/s200/meme+1.jpg" width="200" /></a>We're in the process of adding on to our Main Branch and the plans call for a new Teen Room (yay!). Until now, I hadn't thought about the impact this will have on adults who like to read YA books. This new room will be on a completely different floor than the adult area and will be closed with a glass wall and doors - great for teens hanging out and for doing loud programs, but not so great for adults who want to browse the YA shelves. I'm not comfortable with adults hanging out in the teen room, but they should be able to come in and get books if they want. Ergh, now I'm feeling a little concerned... <br />
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An article on WebJunction reflects most YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) advice:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You need to establish this basic rule early on, and have support at all levels. No policy exists in a vacuum, and your administration must back you up. No teen will feel welcome in the space if the area is filled with adults, nor will a shy 13- year-old ask an adult to please leave the teen area. While teens seem invincible in groups, they are in fact quite vulnerable. Just like a patron of any other age, library policy must reflect a teen’s right to use the library free of impediments, including aggressive adults.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>(Mary McCarthy, Boulder Public Library, 2004)</span></blockquote>
<a href="https://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i-w600/beware-of-teenager-keep-calm-move-on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i-w600/beware-of-teenager-keep-calm-move-on.jpg" width="274" /></a>I think this is good advice, but I think we can brainstorm some ways that materials can still feel accessible to adults. Perhaps we can have "open door" times, or start an "Adults Who Love YA" book club? Maybe we could place a shelf outside the door for popular titles? Or find some kind of fun, funky signs to invite adults to choose their items quickly and GET OUT BEFORE THE TEEN ZOMBIES GET YOU!... Or some other idea... I have 1 year to come up with a plan. Yikes.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-85558337142630263392017-04-06T21:56:00.001-04:002017-04-06T22:51:42.207-04:00New Adult Annotation<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sarahjmaas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/77493_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sarahjmaas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/77493_original.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses?from_search=true"><i>A Court of Thorns and Roses</i> </a></span></b></i></h2>
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<i><b>by <a href="http://sarahjmaas.com/">Sarah J. Maas</a></b></i></div>
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Bloomsbury USA Childrens (May 5, 2015)</div>
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ISBN-13: 978-1619634442</div>
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<b>Available formats</b>: <a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/20723221?query=a%20court%20of%20thorns%20and%20roses;qtype=title;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=3%2C5%2C4%2C6%2C1">Hardcover</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Court-Thorns-Roses-Sarah-Maas/dp/1619635186/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1489863242&sr=1-1">Paperback</a>, </div>
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<a href="https://cidc.overdrive.com/media/2145636">Overdrive ebook, Kindle</a>, <a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/20419942?query=a%20court%20of%20thorns%20and%20roses;qtype=title;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel">Audiobook</a>, </div>
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<b><u>Synopsis</u></b></h3>
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A modern day spin-off of The Beauty and The Beast...</div>
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The father's 3 ships were sunk, consigning him and his 3 daughters to poverity. The youngest daughter is compelled to live with a monstrous beast, but discovers the humanity within, falls in love, and must find a way to release him from the horrible curse. </div>
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Feyre (fay-ruh) is a cynical girl who spends her days hunting and striving to provide for her crippled father and her spoiled sisters and keep them all from starving to death. While hunting in the forest, she kills a wolf, though she suspects that he's actually a dangerous faerie in disguise. The Treaty between humans and fae demands a life for a life, but the beastly faerie who shows up at her hovel offers a deal: she can live out the rest of her life in Prythian (faerie land) rather than die. Feyre has no hope of a future, she only wants to protect her family, so she agrees to go with the beast. Once there, she finds that the beast and all his court are under a curse, and the entire country, including the human lands, are endangered by a mysterious High Fae woman. Feyre has to navigate this strange and frightening world, and re-think her own prior perceptions of herself and others, to figure out what to do. </div>
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<b>Story:</b> Novelist calls it action-packed. It drags a little bit in the middle as Feyre is settling into her new life in Tamlin's mansion and becoming attracted to him, but picks up again with lots of tension and action near the end. There's a lot of romance in the story and some parts are pretty harlequin-esque and explicit. </div>
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<b>Pacing: </b> Moderate. There's a fair amount going on in the story, and it keeps the pages turning fairly well, other than a little bit of slow down in the middle with dreamy, lush descriptions of the manor grounds and the fae.<br />
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<b>Setting:</b> The story is set in a fantasy world split into human territory and fae territory. The world-building is fair, but not extensive since the focus is on the romance between Feyre and Tamlin. The fun part of the setting is "Beauty and the Beast" framework which is the basis of the story. There are frequent references which bring the original story to mind, adding to the sense of "otherness" that pervades the fantasy world.</div>
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<b>Tone:</b> The tone is an interesting mashup of dark fairy tale and sexy romance, ending up with what Novelist calls "steamy".<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “We moved together, unending and wild and burning, and when I went over the edge the next time, he roared and went with me.” (quote) Definitely steamy! “I love you," I said, and stabbed him. (quote) Definitely dark! </span></div>
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<b>Style:</b> The writing is complex and descriptive, and sometime poetic: <span style="font-family: inherit;"> “I was as unburdened as a piece of dandelion fluff, and he was the wind that stirred me about the world.” (quote) Many parts are reminiscent of a cheesy romance novel, but still vivid and lush and dreamy. </span></div>
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<b>Characterization: </b> Feyre starts out like another Katniss: angry, desperately poor, anxious to save her family, and unrealistically skilled at hunting. She then morphs into a romantic artist. Then, finally, she comes to some deep realizations, and comes together as a complex and interesting person. She has the fortitude to do hard things and make hard choices with clear eyes. Rhysand turns into a complex and mysterious character, but the rest stay within their narrow caricatures, but this works perfectly for the fairy tale. </div>
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<b>Appeal terms:</b> fantasy, dark, sexy, adventurous, fairy tale retelling</div>
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<b><u><b><u>Young Adult or New Adult? That is the question...</u></b></u></b></div>
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It can sometimes be tricky to tell whether a book should be categorized as YA/teen or New Adult. Common criteria according to New Adult Alley (www.naalley.com) is:</div>
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In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre is 19 yrs. old and must leave home to make a new life in a strange land. She's had a casual boyfriend before, but now falls in love for the first time. The book contains a number of references to casual sex, and includes some very hot, steamy episodes: <span style="font-family: inherit;"> "...his kiss deepened as his fingers slid between my legs, coaxing and teasing. I ground against his hand, yielding completely to the writhing wildness that had roared alive inside me..." (quote). </span></div>
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This is not the kind of writing that is normal in YA! Whew! </div>
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Other reviewers have said:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though A Court of Thorns and Roses is a young adult novel, the book was written with a <span style="color: red;">slightly older reader in mind <i>(my note: this indicates readers older than teens)</i></span> compared to Maas's Throne of Glass series. "When I write, I usually just let the story take me where it needs to go," she says. "In this case that was into a dark, sensual, often violent world, with characters that were a direct product of it." (</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Valerie Tejeda, 12/9/<span style="font-family: inherit;">2014, </span><a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/court-of-thorns-and-roses-sarah-maas-excerpt-exclusive" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.teenvogue.com/story/court-of-thorns-and-roses-sarah-maas-excerpt-exclusive</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> )</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Court of Thorns and Roses is not a YA novel. This New Adult fantasy is passionate, violent, sexy and daring with brief love scenes that, while compelling and tastefully constructed for mature audiences, contain sexual content that should be considered inappropriate for younger readers. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Serena Chase, 4/1</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">4/2015 </span><a href="http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2015/04/14/serena-chase-ya-na-recs-evander-gier-maas/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2015/04/14/serena-chase-ya-na-recs-evander-gier-maas/</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">)</span></blockquote>
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I started this book prepared to dislike it, and in fact, didn't care for it much until near the end. Then it got interesting.... Feyre turned into a character with depth and substance, facing hard choices and being willing to admit her mistaken ideas about family, love, and her own nature. <br />
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Parts of the earlier story that I liked were the parallels to the original Beauty and the Beast story (not the Disney one) and the descriptive writing. What I disliked were the cheesy romance-novel bits; "He flexed his bandaged hand, studying the white bindings, stark and clean against his sun-kissed skin." "But he shook his head, and his golden hair caught and held the morning light as if it were spun from the sun itself." Barf. <br />
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Once Feyre and Tamlin got together, a little over midway, the story became less romance and more fantasy/adventure, which is much more my thing. There is nice little plot twist near the end, nothing terribly dramatic, but enough to perk things up a little and be entertaining. In the end... I liked it, and yes, I would recommend it to a friend looking for a light fantasy/sexy <br />
romance. </div>
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Coloring book available <a href="http://sarahjmaas.com/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-coloring-book/">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371657763l/12711662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371657763l/12711662.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://stumblesoverbooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/a_court_of_mist_and_fury_-_uk_cover.jpg?w=376&h=577" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://stumblesoverbooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/a_court_of_mist_and_fury_-_uk_cover.jpg?w=376&h=577" width="130" /></a><a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485528243l/23766634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485528243l/23766634.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/images/Cruel_Beauty_Cover_EpicReads.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/images/Cruel_Beauty_Cover_EpicReads.jpeg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-80974576354470197972017-04-06T15:27:00.001-04:002017-04-06T20:29:10.590-04:00Enter the Matrix... the RA Matrix!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://naturedocumentaries.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/GunsGerms01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://naturedocumentaries.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/GunsGerms01.jpg" height="174" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jared Diamond's "matrix" of the spread (or not) of inventions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<h4>
<b><i>Guns, Germs, and
Steel: The Fates of Human Societies</i> </b></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
by Jared Diamond<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Published July 17, 2005<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
528 pages<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Setting:
World <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Time Period: Human
origins to modern, concentrated from 13,000 B.C. to 1900 A.D.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Subject Headings: Social
evolution, Civilization – History, Ethnology<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Type: Science</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Series notes: n/a<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Book summary: The
author dismantles racially based theories of human history by revealing the
environmental factors he feels are responsible for history's broadest patterns. (Worldcat, 2017)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Reading elements: Thought-provoking,
informative, detailed, sweeping scope, well-researched and documented, documentary-like<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Annotation: A
thought-provoking look at the ultimate (not proximal, he really harps on this distinction) causes of human civilization patterns throughout
history, arguing that more highly developed societies resulted from geographic,
environmental, and political factors rather than genetic or racial factors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Similar works: <i>Salt</i> by Mark Kurlansky; 1491: <i>New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
by Charles C. Mann<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Where is the book on the narrative continuum?</b> Highly fact-based<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>What is the subject of the book?</b> Exploring the reasons why some cultures/societies
have developed and/or been more dominant than others<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>What type of book is it?</b> Anthropological exposition - Science<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Articulate appeal.</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Pacing</b>:
Highly detailed, slow reading as explanations build to conclusions, in-depth
thinking <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Describe the characters of the book</b>: No particular characters, this book is
idea-based<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>How does the story feel?</b> Philosophical, like an exploration of
ideas, documentary <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>What is the intent of the author?</b> To persuade the reader of the validity of
his hypothesis <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>What is the focus of the story?</b> To explain ultimate causes of why particular
societies have thrived more than others <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->f.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Does the language matter?</b> Yes <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->g.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Is the setting important and
well-described?</b> Yes. Geographical considerations play a very large
role in this essay and these factors are described in detail <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->h.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Are there details, and if so, what?</b> Yes, lots.
About geographic, political, and other factors that either contributed
or hindered human development <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->i.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Are there sufficient charts and other graphic
materials? Are they useful and
clear?</b> Not many, but they are clear<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->j.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Does the book stress moments of learning,
understanding, or experience?</b> Yes,
understanding is stressed throughout the book.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Why would a reader enjoy this book?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Explores big ideas<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Thought-provoking about the haves and have-nots</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">c.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Clear, in-depth explanations which are
well-supported and well-argued</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-44708052457018526972017-03-25T22:00:00.000-04:002017-03-25T22:00:51.640-04:00How Appealing is Your Medium?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zPekMJ6MiqVJj6KmAp15FLABJIwx0JiPuTEVaxLO6XpfKYIYqSZLD28AOAYctYBSyzCQzmPCeY1iSy4phbKgrqPhwFZAYCv0c2L5ppa1Rf9g_5lAJy2bDSBv5R9EizOCI_P8L6WEJ9Cp/s1600/medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zPekMJ6MiqVJj6KmAp15FLABJIwx0JiPuTEVaxLO6XpfKYIYqSZLD28AOAYctYBSyzCQzmPCeY1iSy4phbKgrqPhwFZAYCv0c2L5ppa1Rf9g_5lAJy2bDSBv5R9EizOCI_P8L6WEJ9Cp/s320/medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the book cover of Reluctant Medium by G.G. Collins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to confess: I've been prejudiced against certain mediums. Not people mediums, story mediums. I was a die hard print reader until my daughter dragged me into the world of the Kindle. Then I still thought this was just modern print, and refused any other mediums like audio, graphics, video game stories, and so on. I was also prejudiced against any tablet-style medium - only plain old e-ink for TRUE READERS. Ha! Now I eat crow... and have learned the value of all the various story mediums for various patron needs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the last couple of years, we’ve seen an increase in ebook
reading and audiobook listening at my library.
This has a huge impact on the reader, but I had never really thought of
it as Reader’s Advisory before. I
thought of it more as technology advisory, but it is absolutely true that it
has a major impact on the experience of reading a book. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://goodereader.com/blog/uploads/images/audiobooks-display.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://goodereader.com/blog/uploads/images/audiobooks-display.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy goodereader.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a lot of trouble with recommending audiobooks. As Kaite Mediatore says in Reading With Your
Ears, “The most significant element of appeal for a recorded book [is] audible
presentation…” The narrator is the key
here, and I didn’t know where to turn for that kind of information. Amazon, Baker & Taylor, and publishers
will tell who the narrator is, but more details aren’t listed. For example, I tried to listen to Bloody Jack
by L.A. Me<o:p></o:p></div>
yer, but found that the heavy British accent made it impossible to
decipher. Ergh! So frustrating! In writing, this is a wonderful story and I
can “hear” the accent in my head, but as an audio it will never circulate in my
library because no one can tell what it’s saying. Of course, now Amazon offers a preview
feature and that’s invaluable when we’re purchasing for the library, but what
about the patron browsing the shelf? How
will he or she know if the audiobook is something they’ll enjoy? I think they’ll need librarian “picks” to
help them get started, and then if they find a favorite narrator, author,
genre, or creator they’ll be good to go for a while. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Format, I think, is becoming more and more important in
audiobooks as it is for ebooks. I found
that circulation of our YA audiobook collection had decreased dramatically, and
on investigating, discovered that local teens use Chromebooks for school, which
don’t have a disk drive. They don’t use
Walkman’s (so old school), they don’t drive until 17 or older, so they simply
don’t have a device on which to play an audio CD. They will, however, happily listen to books
on Playaway devices, or, more frequently, download them onto their phones. This last option requires some training, but
once they have the apps and their library login, they seem to really like
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn784x5GZno8uUo8ue0gK20bqGJoFpuVJe89H1Y643qp_4mJwiT-mwZcS3UQVeayyYpNeUelIFSyqN5-PNILESerJxhS5VtBPPw_oLhQhX1kwliNazjf53_5h7It2b3Uc54Z_cuwsLzvu/s1600/ereader+what+to+buy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn784x5GZno8uUo8ue0gK20bqGJoFpuVJe89H1Y643qp_4mJwiT-mwZcS3UQVeayyYpNeUelIFSyqN5-PNILESerJxhS5VtBPPw_oLhQhX1kwliNazjf53_5h7It2b3Uc54Z_cuwsLzvu/s320/ereader+what+to+buy.jpg" width="320" /></a>Ebooks is a whole ‘nother issue. Any books that are heavy on graphics, whether
actual graphic novels or non-fiction full of charts and maps, will NOT play
well with a regular Kindle or other plain ereader. If your patron reads that kind of stuff, they’ll
need a Kindle Fire, IPad, or tablet if they want the ebook instead of the print
book. I got an exercise book a couple of
years ago on my Kindle and the photos are small and the charts are completely
useless. I had to get on the laptop and
download them there, then print them out for use in workouts. Fortunately, I got lazy and quit working out
so <o:p></o:p></div>
that’s not an issue anymore, lol. The
other major factor for ebooks is ease of accessing the books and ease of using
the reader. Kindle is a hands-down
winner here, but for teens, who are unlikely to have their own Amazon account,
the Kindle app on their phone will work as will Adobe Reader, which lets them
read epub and pdf formats as well.
Maximum versatility. Also,
students who are required to read classics may be able to find them for free
download if they’re in the public domain, but the formats will be not be
supported by Amazon. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a couple other interesting intangibles that people
like about ebooks. One new feature that
has recently come up was when a mom at our library decided to get her daughter
an ereader so that as she goes off to college, the mom can instantly send any
books to help her get through the homesickness, or other issues, and they can
stay connected. Isn’t that nice? Also, I have learned through my
brother-in-law, who works for a textbook distributor, that more and more
college books are becoming available through Kindle so students don’t have to
carry those gigantic textbooks. With
newer ereaders that have bookmarking and comment features, this is a nice
perk. We have one family in my library
who particularly likes to borrow ebooks because they automatically return and
the poor mom constantly was trying to wrangle books and worry about late
fines. Ebooks to the rescue!<o:p></o:p></div>
I think the only issue they have now is the
lack of enough titles to check out, so the libraries need to rise to that
challenge. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My new motto: Right story, right format, right equipment for ALL!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>References</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-23.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-58080143258705009962017-03-18T14:48:00.000-04:002017-03-19T12:24:38.604-04:00Non-fiction Annotation<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ4kjoJNt6TEU3yTFNPLeX9VQTAMr_0Sg3XG2wstyYAiFUvnUoIju1MxQe-ddyB7Yu_sUhNfqXr_XHgycqwRdGfaddylq7F3HFgmC_6QvTOdw1xCSxiqV5aDMATDj8g1CKiV5tXrsKfzn/s1600/51ojsCXnvDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ4kjoJNt6TEU3yTFNPLeX9VQTAMr_0Sg3XG2wstyYAiFUvnUoIju1MxQe-ddyB7Yu_sUhNfqXr_XHgycqwRdGfaddylq7F3HFgmC_6QvTOdw1xCSxiqV5aDMATDj8g1CKiV5tXrsKfzn/s1600/51ojsCXnvDL.jpg" width="253" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16213.The_Hot_Zone">The Hot Zone: </a></i></span></b></i></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3>
<i><b>The Terrifying True Story </b></i><i><b>of the Origins of the Ebola Virus</b></i></h3>
<br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>by Richard Preston</b></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9996.Richard_Preston">Dark Biology series</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Anchor Books (1999)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISBN: 978-0385495226</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Available formats: <a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and&qtype=keyword&contains=contains&query=&bool=and&qtype=title&contains=contains&query=the+hot+zone&bool=and&qtype=author&contains=contains&query=richard+preston&_adv=1&detail_record_view=0&locg=1&pubdate=is&date1=&date2=&sort=poprel">Hardcover, Paperback</a>, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cidc.overdrive.com/media/785990">Overdrive ebook/Kindle</a>, <a href="http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/hot-zone/150771">CD/MP3 audiobook</a>, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and a <a href="http://projectavalon.net/THE_HOT_ZONE_Richard_Preston.pdf">free PDF abridged edition</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Synopsis</u></b></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<br />
Charles Monet returned to his job at the pump house at the sugar factory. He walked to work each day across the burned cane fields, no doubt admiring the view of Mount Elgon, and when the mountain was buried in clouds, perhaps he could still feel its pull, like the gravity of an invisible planet. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Meanwhile, something was making copies of itself inside Monet. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>A life form had acquired Charles Monet as a host, and it was replicating</i></b>. </div>
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...Charles Monet is sitting on a bench in casualty, and he does not look very much different from someone else in the room, except for his bruised, expressionless face and his red eyes. A sign on the wall warns patients to watch out for purse thieves, and another sign says: <span style="font-size: x-small;">PLEASE MAINTAIN SILENCE YOUR COOPERATION WILL BE APPRECIATED. NOTE: THIS IS A CASUALTY DEPARTMENT. EMERGENCY CASES WILL BE TAKEN IN PRIORITY. YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO WAIT FOR SUCH CASES BEFORE RECEIVING ATTENTION</span> </div>
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Monet maintains silence, waiting to receive attention. Suddenly he goes into the last phase. The human virus bomb explodes. Military biohazard specialists have ways of describing this occurrence. They say that the victim has "crashed and bled out". Or more politely they say that the victim has "gone down".</div>
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Pools of blood spread out around him, enlarging rapidly. <b><i>Having destroyed its host, the agent is now coming out of every orifice, and is "trying" to find a new host.</i></b> (excerpts from the book, emphasis mine)</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Hot Zone is an
alarming and incredible account of the emergence of the highly lethal virus, Ebola,
in the world. Scientists have to track
down this invisible invader, figure out where it came from, and determine how
it travels and how to fight it. Ebola
has up to a 90% fatality rate within days of infection, and no cure, so the
fight is especially urgent. It arrives
in the U.S. through monkeys shipped here for research and breaks out, prompting
the secret mobilization of the military and top level scientists in a desperate
attempt to isolate and destroy it before it can spread and kill. The team will have to wade into the blood and
face this terrifying life-form directly in order to keep the rest of us
safe. Would you be willing to handle it
with only a pair of rubber gloves for protection? “Shocking, frightening, and impossible to
ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction.” (book
jacket)</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"In the opinion of General Russell, this was a job for soldiers operating under a chain of command. There would be a need for people trained in biohazard work. They would have to be young, without families, willing to risk their lives. They would have to know each other and be able to work in teams. They had to be ready to die." (excerpted from the book)</span></span></div>
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<b><u>Appeal Characteristics in this Book</u></b></h3>
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<b>Story:</b> Novelist calls this an issue-oriented story. This is a well-researched and documented exploration of the origins of the ebola virus and its social and political implications for humankind. It's also a warning to pay attention to ethical issues in medical research.</div>
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<b>Pacing:</b> The pace of this story is somewhat of a roller coaster. Parts of it are edge-of-your-seat thriller, and other parts are leisurely background description of the main players, and in-between we're caught up in a moderate to fast-paced tale that's part science and part detective story. </div>
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<b>Setting:</b> The Hot Zone ranges around the contemporary world from the caves, jungles, and cities of Africa to the highly modern and technological setting of urban research and military centers in the United States and Europe. </div>
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<b>Tone:</b> This is a thought-provoking and suspenseful story. The story is mostly optimistic, but is also a warning and the tone is serious and, as Novelist says, sobering. </div>
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<b>Style:</b> The structure of the book is complex, jumping around in time and place, and highly detailed with a lot of technical terms. The unfamiliar terms are explained well and give the reader a true sense of the world of the scientists. The government and military are inordinately fond of acronyms and these are scattered liberally throughout the book. </div>
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<b>Characterization:</b> The central “character” in the book is the ebola virus itself, which is treated as an intelligent monster purposely hunting and attacking human hosts. The other "characters" are the real scientists, doctors, healthcare professionals, military specialists, politicians, and victims surrounding the virus. </div>
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<b>Appeal terms:</b> true story, compelling, intense, suspenseful, fast-paced, medical thriller</div>
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<b><u>Personal Note</u></b></h3>
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This is the scariest, most mesmerizing, intense book I have ever read, hands down! It seems like science fiction, blended with horror, but it's ALL TRUE making it absolutely freaky. I'm so glad I don't live anywhere near any research facilities. One of the most awful parts of book is when one of the researchers, Tom Geisbert, is doing what he thinks is routine work when he discovers that what he's been handling is Ebola - with no protection, he and his boss even <i>smelled it</i>! He's on edge for a week, wondering if he's going to die, and has no idea what to do. Oy! Just thinking about it again makes my blood run cold.<br />
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This is one of the best books I have EVER read. There simply aren't words to explain.... This is a MUST READ!! It even scared Stephen King, who called it, "One of the most horrifying things I've ever read...remarkable." <br />
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Wow. Just, wow. I have to read it again. Now. So do you.<br />
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<b><u>Extras<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Quotes:<br />
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No one around the Institute wanted to get involved with his Ebola project. Ebola, the slate wiper, did things to people that you did not want to think about. The organism was too frightening to handle, even for those who were comfortable and adept in space suits. They did not care to do research on Ebola because they did not want Ebola to do research on them. </div>
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Ebola Zaire is the most feared agent at the Institute. The general feeling around USAMRIID has always been "Those people who work with Ebola are crazy." To mess around with Ebola is an easy way to die. Better to work with something safer, such as anthrax.</div>
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Movie rights have been purchased and an attempt was made which was not particularly successful. It came across as a cheesy sci fi film, unfortunately. Talk is going around the Web that another movie or TV series will be made which will hold more true to the book, but so far there are no definite plans. </div>
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The outbreak of 2014-2015 affected countries around the world, including the U.S. with 4 cases diagnosed here. It took a concerted effort from all major health agencies and military branches to isolate, contain, and finally defeat this outbreak. Updates from this and any new outbreaks can be found at the Centers for Disease Control <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/index.html">here</a>. </div>
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<b>Did you know?:</b> December 24, 2014 - <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/24/health/ebola-cdc-exposure/index.html?hpt=hp_t2"></a><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/24/health/ebola-cdc-exposure/index.html?hpt=hp_t2">The CDC announces that a technician will be monitored for three weeks after possibly being exposed to the Ebola virus</a> at one of the agency's Atlanta labs. The agency reports a small amount of material which may have contained the live virus had been mistakenly transferred from one lab to another. (http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/11/health/ebola-fast-facts/) <b>Major oops!</b><br />
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Book Trailers</h3>
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Very well done trailer.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4vHFVoNvIw8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4vHFVoNvIw8?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Hilarious student trailer.</div>
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I love the plush monkey autopsy!</div>
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Note the styrofoam cup face mask...</div>
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Great sound effect, lol...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNz0A0zE6lE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wNz0A0zE6lE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<u>Readalikes</u></h3>
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Most of these are written by the same author, Richard Preston. <i>Micro </i>was mostly written by Michael Crichton, but was finished by Preston. Both <i>Micro</i> and <i>The Cobra Event</i> are fiction, while <i>The Demon in the Freezer</i> and <i>Panic in Level 4</i> are non-fiction. <i>Jurassic Park</i> is Michael Crichton's most well-known and popular work, <i>Spillover</i> is a highly acclaimed science non-fiction. </div>
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All are considered "bio-thrillers". </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/376613.The_Cobra_Event" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388251409l/376613.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198505.The_Demon_in_the_Freezer" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gE3KspQJL._SX300_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gE3KspQJL._SX300_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11660590-micro?ac=1&from_search=true"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780060873059-us-300.jpg" width="131" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2529777.Panic_in_Level_4?from_search=true" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51L6Jfj2fkL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="129" /></a><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/Jurassicpark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/Jurassicpark.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41g7jA6FgaL._UY250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41g7jA6FgaL._UY250_.jpg" width="133" /></a> </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-12136898985866070822017-03-18T09:02:00.001-04:002017-03-19T11:04:13.117-04:00Historical Fiction Annotation<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1223643548l/153875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1223643548l/153875.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and;bool=and;bool=and;qtype=keyword;qtype=title;qtype=author;contains=contains;contains=contains;contains=contains;query=;query=queen%20margot;query=dumas;_adv=1;detail_record_view=0;locg=1;pubdate=is;sort=poprel"><i>Queen Margot</i> </a></span></b></i></h2>
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<i><b>by Alexandre Dumas</b></i></div>
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Miramax Books (1994)<br />
originally published in 1845</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISBN: 978-0786880829</span></div>
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Available formats: Hardcover, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Margot-Marguerite-Valois-Illustrations/dp/1447479823/ref=sr_1_7_twi_pap_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489778990&sr=1-7&keywords=queen+margot+alexandre+dumas">Paperback</a>, </div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/QUEEN-MARGOT-Unabridged-Historical-Intrigues-ebook/dp/B01CD4UWEY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489778481&sr=1-1&keywords=queen+margot+alexandre+dumas">Kindle</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Margot-Alexandre-Dumas/dp/1441781404/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">CD audiobook</a> </div>
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<b><u>Synopsis</u></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Queen
Margot</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">
is a sweeping historical novel of political intrigue in the palaces of France
during religious wars of the mid-16<sup>th</sup> century. It’s based on real people and the real events
of the time, climaxing with the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of the
protestant Huguenots. Margot (Marguerite
de Valois) is a Catholic who is being forced to marry the protestant King Henri
of Navarre in order to try to bring peace to the various factions. Margot and Henri forge a friendship and
alliance, and in true French fashion, agree to pursue their own romantic
liaisons after the wedding, as long as they’re discreet. Margot is passionate and desperately in love
with La Molé, a French soldier and a protestant Huguenot, and ends up trying to
navigate the treachery of her own mother, Catherine de Medici, while keeping
her lover safe. <i>Queen Margot</i> is an opulent and adventurous novel of French royalty,
traitors, lovers, alliances, and passion, against a backdrop of social upheaval
leading up to the French religious civil war.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a classic book, originally published in French in 1845 as La Reine Margot. and has since been translated into multiple languages. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Characteristics of Historical Fiction in this Book</u></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Story:</b> This story has lots of royal court intrigue and the fabulous, dramatic, romances for which the French are famous. Secrets, assassinations, greed, power, lust, love, and political manipulation are the main themes. <i style="font-weight: normal;">"In other Historical novels, characters take center stage, and the lives of the protagonists are more important than individual events...Although historical details frame these novels, the narrative emphasizes the characters and their stories within these times."</i> (Saricks, 2009, p. 295) This is the case in this novel, which focuses on Margot, Henri, La Molé, and Catherine and their various schemes and personal motivations, against the violent social upheaval of the times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pacing:</b> This is a fast-paced narrative, with lots of action. There are some pauses for descriptive paragraphs with fancy French names, which may slow some readers down, but only for a moment and the action picks right back up. The characters are constantly on the brink of either disaster or success, and the reader is caught up in the race. Immediacy, as described by Saricks (RA Guide to Genre Fiction, p. 297) is a good term for the pace of this book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Setting:</b> The story is set in 16th century France, during a very turbulent time in history, among the royalty and high court. This world is sweepingly wealthy, privileged, and formal with rigid behavioral norms which transport the reader. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tone:</b> The tone of this book is adventurous and suspenseful as danger is ever-present, but also moody and dramatic since Margot is desperate, lonely, passionate, and anxious. Heavy, epic, orchestra music would be the perfect companion to this novel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Style: </b> Because the story was written in the 1800's, and originally in French, the writing is vivid, old-fashioned, and comparatively formal. Dumas is known for his rich descriptions and this is true here as well, with complex and beautiful sentences: "A farce, Réné, a farce! I know not why but everyone is seeking to deceive me. My daughter Marguerite is leagued against me; perhaps she, too, is looking forward to the death of her brothers; perhaps she, too, hopes to be Queen of France." Note that the writing structure and vocabulary are advanced and may be a challenge for some readers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Characterization:</b> <i style="font-weight: normal;">"Actual historical figures need to act in ways that are consistent with known facts... and act in ways that could have actually happened."</i> (Saricks, 2009, p. 296) In this case, Dumas plays with the characters, inventing personalities, quirks, and motivations, but they do stay generally consistent with historical facts, marriages and known alliances or major actions. This works because personal, intimate details about these people are mostly unknown to history and Dumas keeps his versions of them believable and true-to-time/place. They're a little bit stereotypical and caricatured, but that helps to keep them light and fun, rather than deeply complex which would end up dragging the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Appeal terms:</b> dramatic, adventurous, passionate, suspenseful, vividly historical, fast-paced, lush writing, complex plot and structure</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Personal Note</span></u></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">I read this book mostly because my daughter read it first and recommended it. Word-of-mouth is, of course, the best readers' advisory ever. I found it lush, intriguing, and full of wonderfully deceitful characters. It was so rich and detailed that I could picture everything perfectly. I couldn't really relate to the characters since I'm not the kind of person that could just go around having lovers and affairs and secrets and doing all that manuevering - I'm way too straightforward, so I would've lost my head, literally, very quickly. My favorite aspect of the book was the historical background since my ancestors came from this very time period, fleeing eventually to the fledgling New World colonies, changing their name from the French "Bruneau" to "Bronaugh" which was my great-grandparent's name. Reading about the Huguenots this way made my family history much more alive for me.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Extras</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Queen_Margot_DVD_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Queen_Margot_DVD_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The story was made into a French film in 1994<br />
and then re-made in an English version.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xr/641450718.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=3&d=77BFBA49EF87892102A727B1636DE2E60FE1316B5D1EEA4B0FCF93911A3FDE5DE04DF346184AD0C8A55A1E4F32AD3138" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xr/641450718.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=3&d=77BFBA49EF87892102A727B1636DE2E60FE1316B5D1EEA4B0FCF93911A3FDE5DE04DF346184AD0C8A55A1E4F32AD3138" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of Marguerite de Valois<br />
by Francois Clouet (1515-1572) <br />
courtesy Getty Images</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Read-A-Likes</span></u></b></div>
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<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Count of Monte Cristo</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Three Musketeers</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> are by the same author and written in similar style with similar settings.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Huguenots</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is a non-fiction account of the same events depicted in </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Queen Margot</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> so some readers may be intrigued and want to read more about the real history.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Vatican Princess</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is also lush, historical, and full of intrigue and courtly deception.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Confessions of Catherine de Medici</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is fun to read since it turns the story on its head with the point of view of the villainess.</span></li>
<li><i style="font-family: inherit;">Medicis Daughter</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is a re-telling of a younger Margot giving us another view of the same character.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The photo links below will take you to the Evergreen Indiana library catalog so you can borrow and read these great books, except for <i>The Huguenots</i> which will take you to Goodreads.</span></div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and&qtype=keyword&contains=contains&query=&bool=and&qtype=title&contains=contains&query=three+musketeers&bool=and&qtype=author&contains=contains&query=dumas&_adv=1&detail_record_view=0&locg=1&pubdate=is&date1=&date2=&sort=poprel" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51NQBEJ218L.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjXXi8H1fwwyHeky1amcwn81mH7aDo0tdyANYNE4NKpUuVgSATwbp1VCuDYDTT5cpILu723GSqwdiWtGqEgy4Pds5unaeHOaX6ZbxUrNN4DAk-Jj-KkHbNLQzaHS-qT7SoiELZvwQ8K0ChXJeSKz5grwRq_xDzHKZ2Z9WA5czuypZ0tAPYmRhs2GXVWo0rAr8GPe1KJZxGwkO-7eFAQbdAmpTLgvMZTV1jakFiMvNxjh3E=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://aspiritedmind.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/alexandre-dumas-the-count-of-monte-cristo-1405396754k4ng8.jpg" height="200" width="125" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18289372-the-huguenots"><img border="0" src="http://newyorkhistoryblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Book-Cover-The-Huguenots.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and&qtype=keyword&contains=contains&query=&bool=and&qtype=title&contains=contains&query=medicis+daughter&bool=and&qtype=author&contains=contains&query=&_adv=1&detail_record_view=0&locg=1&pubdate=is&date1=&date2=&sort=poprel" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3b/70/6f/3b706f67623b99fc302b7d90d3327424.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="130" /></a><a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and&qtype=keyword&contains=contains&query=&bool=and&qtype=title&contains=contains&query=the+vatican+princess&bool=and&qtype=author&contains=contains&query=&_adv=1&detail_record_view=0&locg=1&pubdate=is&date1=&date2=&sort=poprel" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51P6rvBNOEL.SX316.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/results?bool=and&qtype=keyword&contains=contains&query=&bool=and&qtype=title&contains=contains&query=confessions+of+catherine+de+medici&bool=and&qtype=author&contains=contains&query=&_adv=1&detail_record_view=0&locg=1&pubdate=is&date1=&date2=&sort=poprel"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51B%2B8cbOoxL.__BG0,0,0,0_FMpng_AC_UL320_SR208,320_.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<u>References:</u></div>
Saricks, J. G. (2009). <i>The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction</i>. Chicago: American Library Association.</div>
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It turned out just as fabulous as I had hoped. We met for coffee Saturday morning, enjoyed a lovely hot drink, stimulating conversation, and live guitar music. Heavenly… <br />
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Eight of us, 7 ladies and 1 brave guy, met on a bright morning, pulled up tables and chairs, loaded up with our favorite coffee shop drinks, and brought out our books. The guy and I were new to the group while the rest had been meeting and discussing together for several years. They were very welcoming, and us newbies felt right at home. I was the only one who read the book on an ereader – everyone else had regular print copies and they were loaded up with little colored sticky note flags marking the passages they wanted to discuss. All the regulars had taken notes as they read and were ready to jump right in. <br />
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This month’s book was <i>Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations</i> by Thomas L. Friedman, which was published this past November. This book club reads new releases, bestsellers, and books about current hot topics. They read 1 nonfiction book each quarter and 2 fiction books, chosen by the librarian who is in charge of the group. She also provides copies to everyone. Next month’s book is <i>A Book of American Martyrs</i> by Joyce Carol Oates (whew, heavy reading). <br />
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One of the first things I noticed was that there didn’t appear to be any leader. One older lady started us off with a comment and a question and conversation ensued. This was like hanging out with your friends and discussing a topic. Everyone was respectful of the others, and when a bit of cross-talking happened (which was twice), the older lady gently reminded us to “listen when others are talking”. I thought she was the leader, and only found out at the end that the actual leader from the library was the unassuming young woman 2 seats down from me. Ha ha, fooled me! <br />
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Everyone took turns jumping in and either responding to comments, or pointing out a new take on a related idea. They referenced passages in the book, and thoughts that they had noted as they were reading. Wow! This is a very experienced book club! There was one lady who sometimes went off on a tangent, but the club listened politely, responded kindly, and got back to the book. Very smoothly done – just exactly how a smooth, sophisticated, sexy, coffee-shop club should be! I felt so cool and smart to be part of it, lol! I also liked the Saturday morning time frame just like I thought I would – not at the end of a long work day (with loads of school work to do before bed, ha ha). <br />
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“They used their own life experience to make sense of texts and conversely used texts to make sense of life …” (Ross, 1999)<br />
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This quote struck me when I was reading the article, <i>Finding Without Seeking</i> by C. Ross. This was EXACTLY how this discussion went. The book was about making sense of the increasing acceleration of change in today’s highly technological, globally connected, environmentally sensitive world. The author was attempting to make sense of how The Machine, which is what he calls his worldview, works with all of these changes. As we discussed the ideas in the book, we used our life experiences to help understand it, as well as referring back to the book to explain some of the phenomena we’ve each observed around us. It was the same circle Ross mentions in the article and it fits perfectly with what happens within each of us as we read. <br />
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My only disappointment was that the date ended all too soon – only just over an hour. It was long enough for a great discussion without dragging, but I would’ve enjoyed perhaps another 10 or 15 minutes. Several people did hang around for a few minutes to welcome me again and get their books for next month. I noticed on the <u>Structuring Your Meeting</u> page of <a href="http://www.ilovelibraries.org/">www.ilovelibraries.org</a>, that they recommend 2 to 2 ½ hours, but that’s total time – not just discussion time. We were at the coffee shop for about 1½ hours total and that was ok. <br />
<a href="http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/3/0/3/highres_435128963.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/3/0/3/highres_435128963.jpeg" height="103" width="200" /></a><br />
Can’t wait for my next Book Club Date! <br />
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<u>References</u><br />
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LitLovers.com. (2015). Structuring your meeting | I love libraries. Retrieved from http://www.ilovelibraries.org/booklovers/bookclub/structure-meeting<br />
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Ross, C. S. (1999). Finding without seeking: what readers say about the role of pleasure reading as a source of information. Exploring the contexts of information behavior, 343-355.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-50193830936722702872017-03-08T01:10:00.001-05:002017-03-08T01:11:50.485-05:00Special Topic Paper<i>I got this idea when I found a Goodreads group called Readers Advisory For All which is experimenting with the premise: "we are going to try this out here to see if a social networking site can be useful for future RA work." I was thinking I would join the group and check it all out as well as searching other social networking sites and blogs, and see how that seems to be working? Perhaps some types of networking work better than others? Or maybe it takes too long to get responses, making it useless in real-time? Maybe it's mostly just a good way to find new and better databases or resource-sharing? Or maybe it works super well, like Batman's computer: just ask a question and BLAM there's the answer! Is it just for pros, or just for readers, or both?</i><br />
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Gina Sheridan and Anna Huckeby, in their Tumblr article “Readers’ Advisory in a Mobile, Social World”, exemplify this very issue, asking, “Traditional RA gathers information from in-person interviews, when we hear reader likes/dislikes, interpret body language, and listen for appeal factors. It sets the foundation for a relationship based on trust. How does an online experience compare?” (Tumblr, Readers’ Advisory in a Mobile, Social World, Sheridan & Huckeby, March 13, 2014)<br />
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Using social media platforms for RA is not a new idea, librarians and readers have been sharing lists, reviews, databases, and book suggestions online for a long while now. Many libraries offer lists of popular genre titles, read-a-likes, annotated bibliographies, awards and “best” lists, and other RA tools on their social media sites as well as on their own websites. The real question is whether or not it can emulate or replace an in-real-life interaction. <br />
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I found a lot of evidence that many people are finding creative ways to use social media platforms as a real place of conversations about books and a truly amazing way to connect readers with exactly the book they're seeking. Goodreads, in particular, is a great way to do this. I joined the group, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/43519-readers-advisory-for-all">Readers' Advisory For All</a>, and it's turning out to be a super way to get book recommendations, although a teensy bit slow and some people may reply to your post months or years later. Not good for you at the moment, but possibly helpful to others in the future. <br />
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I found <a href="http://bklynlibrary.tumblr.com/">Brooklyn Bookmatch</a> on Tumblr, which is another crowdsourced RA conversation, and a real time RA board on Pinterest, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/darienlibrary/real-time-book-recommendations/">Real Time Book Recommendations,</a> and was referred to a number of Facebook RA events (couldn't locate those, but the idea is super). <br />
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I found a number of unique and interesting ways that libraries and readers themselves are attempting to use social media platforms to offer readers’ advisory services. Some are more successful than others in emulating the contact and interaction of real life RA, but all of them are offering at least something to try to reach out to readers. Every single one of them was positive, enthusiastic, and striving to be helpful (unlike my real life librarian scenario). I think that the future of online RA conversations depending a great deal on technology and our ability to adapt it to our needs. “George, McGraw, and Nagle identified two key steps for providing a successful RA service, beginning with understanding the importance of the service to the library patrons. Their next step involves providing training and support for staff so they can provide the best RA service possible.” (Anwyll & Chawner, 2013) This statement was in regards to traditional RA service, but it applies even more to moving to an online platform. Understanding the importance is the underpinning without which the library won’t commit the resources to full implementation, they won’t go all-in, and of course the staff will require training and support to learn how to use these platforms and how to think outside the box in inventing unique solutions for connecting with readers and providing the right book at the right time. <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-69403779241887705052017-02-26T21:22:00.000-05:002017-02-26T21:31:32.416-05:00Everything in Books is True! The Librarian Recommended It!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i3.cpcache.com/product/1283760131/keep_calm_and_trust_your_librarian_mousepad.jpg?height=460&width=460&qv=90" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i3.cpcache.com/product/1283760131/keep_calm_and_trust_your_librarian_mousepad.jpg?height=460&width=460&qv=90" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If it's printed in a book, then it must be true, right? <br /><br />In my opinion, I don't mind celebrity book clubs - if someone likes the way Oprah thinks, and generally agrees with her ideas, then getting a book recommendation from her might lead to just the kind of book that person will enjoy. To that I say, "Hurray!" Anything that leads to books being part of the national culture is great. In addition, a celebrity places his or her own reputation on the line when they endorse a particular book. The trouble for all of us comes when those books turn out to something other than what they advertised themselves as. <br /><br /><br /> As a case in point, Oprah invited author James Frey and his publisher, Nan Talese, onto her show after evidence surfaced that his book, which she had very highly touted, was at least a partial falsehood. (Time.com, Dec. 2008) Oprah had her own reputation to defend after she had given the book high praise based on the belief that it documented a true story. To her embarrassment, this was not the only time one of her book picks turned out to be false. (Time.com, 2008)<br /><br /><br /> The problem for us librarians is that, like Oprah, our reputations, and the reputations of our libraries, are tarnished when authors turn out to be tricksters who just want to make a buck. Libraries, even in an age when some say their usefulness is declining, are still among the most respected and trusted community assets. David Vinjamuri in Publishers Weekly says: <br /><br /><br /><i>"They’re the most trusted institution in America. Compared to the findings of a Gallup poll on “confidence in public institutions,” a 2012 Pew survey found that libraries are more trusted than any other institution, including the military, churches, and the police." (Vinjamuri, 2015) </i><br /><br /><br /> Wow. Humbling. One reason that libraries enjoy such a good reputation, I believe, is that books themselves are seen as true. Print is sacrosanct and people have a great deal of respect for it. Unlike speaking, print has staying power. Traditionally it has been difficult and time-consuming to get a book published, involving a lot of vetting, copy editing, and so on. By the time a book hits the shelf, people feel that it has had authoritative, professional, ethical, review. In this age of tweets and "fake news" and online trolling, there is less confidence in online information, but published books are still held in high regard. Authors and publishers that engage in fakery and other shenanigans in order to get their books sold seriously undermine that confidence for all of us related to the book industry. <br /><br /><br /> As John Horrigan from Pew Research points out, many people turn to libraries to help them discern between "good" and "bad" information. <br /><br /><br /><i>"...a majority reporting that libraries have the resources they need and play at least some role in helping them decide what information they can trust." (Horrigan, 2016)</i><br /><br /><br /> What happens when we recommend books based on our trust in their veracity, and then that turns out to be false. We'll be just as embarrassed as Oprah, but without her resources to call an author up on the carpet. Our patrons will begin to lose confidence in our ability to vet sources, and we'll lose our good standing in the community. Worst of all, people will stop trusting books. Sad. <br /><br /><br /> If your memoir isn't dramatic enough or interesting enough to sell, too bad. Sorry. Write fiction. Don't lie just to sell books or sell a point. Thank goodness for the journalists who took the time to find the truth. <br /><br /><br /> And BTW, I have no problem with authors who make minor adjustments for flow or art or to protect someone's identity, although I think a little statement or disclaimer would be the best option. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Resources</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Horrigan, J. (2016, September 9). Libraries 2016 | Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/09/09/libraries-2016/<br /><br /><br />Vinjamuri, D. (2015, April 3). The case for libraries. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/66106-the-case-for-libraries.html</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-55987290163600262992017-02-22T15:01:00.000-05:002017-02-22T15:15:53.668-05:00Science Fiction Annotation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="http://2cd99n2gman39x57e1j2ryndg9.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hugh-Howey-WOOL-COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2cd99n2gman39x57e1j2ryndg9.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hugh-Howey-WOOL-COVER.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a><i></i></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Wool</i> </span></b></i></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>by Hugh Howey</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/books/wool/"><span style="font-size: large;">Silo series</span></a></div>
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Simon & Schuster (2013)</div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ISBN: 978-1476733951</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Available formats: <a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/19998636?query=hugh%20howey;qtype=author;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=1%2C6%2C5%2C1%2C6%2C5">Hardcover</a>,
<a href="http://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/19998636?query=hugh%20howey;qtype=author;locg=1;detail_record_view=0;sort=poprel;badges=1%2C6%2C5%2C1%2C6%2C5">Paperback</a>, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cidc.overdrive.com/media/5001626D-686B-4325-B507-54E6C3C6D34E">Overdrive
ePub</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wool-Omnibus-Kindle-Motion-Silo-ebook/dp/B0071XO8RA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1487594860&sr=1-1">Kindle</a>,
<a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Wool-Audiobook/B00C7R2NQ8?source_code=SCLGB9019WS052313">MP3
audiobook</a>, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and <a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/books/wool-the-graphic-novel/">graphic novel
adaptation</a></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Synopsis</u></b></h3>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
In a ruined and toxic future, a community exists in a giant
silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a
society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Sheriff
Holston, who has unwaveringly upheld the silo’s rules for years, unexpectedly
breaks the greatest taboo of all: He asks to go outside.</div>
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<br /></div>
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His fateful decision unleashes a drastic series of events. An unlikely
candidate is appointed to replace him: Juliette, a mechanic with no training in
law, whose special knack is fixing machines. Now Juliette is about to be
entrusted with fixing her silo, and she will soon learn just how badly her
world is broken. The silo is about to confront what its history has only hinted
about and its inhabitants have never dared to whisper. Uprising. (Amazon, 2017)</div>
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<b><u>Characteristics of
Sci Fi in this Book</u></b></h3>
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Story: Wool is highly
speculative. The characters have been
placed in an untenable situation, living deep underground in a highly
controlled society which is increasingly suspected to be based on false
assumptions and manipulation.</div>
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Pacing: Novelist
calls this fast-paced, but I disagree.
The characters are deeply introspective and their internal struggle to
understand their world and how it came to be what it is slows the pace to a
more moderate level. It moves along
enough to keep readers hooked, but not as fast as regular thrillers or
adventures.</div>
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Setting: The story is
set hundreds of years in the future, in a post-apocalyptic world where humans
are striving to survive in underground silos.
It’s very detailed and technical, explaining how the communications and
manipulations have been able to occur and how the technology is ultimately used
in exposing the truth. The world-building
is very realistic.</div>
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Tone: The tone of
this book is rather dark and very compelling.
It’s almost oppressive as we read about all the ways in which the
protagonists are struggling. It has a
very gray, cold feel, but with a ray of humanity and hope. </div>
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Style: The writing is
very descriptive and strong. Jonathan
Hayes (author of A Hard Death) describes it as “muscular”. </div>
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Characterization:
Sheriff Holston and Juliette each face a very real moral crisis. The central “character” in the story is the
challenge of an underground society and the ethical issues of centralized
management and thought control.</div>
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Appeal terms:
compelling, intense, adventurous, suspenseful, realistic, moderately
paced</div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Personal Note</u></b></h3>
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My husband is a huge sci fi fan and he discovered Wool very
shortly after its initial publication as an omnibus edition. He insisted that I read it, and we were both
hooked. We read the entire series,
which, kind of like Ender’s Game, became more and more existential as the
series progressed. Some of the
characters are completely unlikable, and that makes it even more realistic. I’ve seen a number of book trailers, posters,
and art work by some of the numerous fans of this fabulous book, and I can’t
wait for the movie to be made! </div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<b><u>Extras<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Movie rights were purchased by 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox
and an adaptation is in the works with Ridley Scott (Alien) producing.</div>
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The book was originally <i>self-published</i>
in separate short stories/novellas as Kindle shorts; popularity spurred its development
into an omnibus collection of the first 5 original shorts into a novel which,
in turn, became the first in the Silo series.
It then got picked up by a major publishing house (Random House UK) and
was recently re-released by Simon and Schuster. </div>
</div>
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<h3>
Official Book Trailer</h3>
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<h3>
<u>Readalikes</u></h3>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51NGRyEDjEL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhVN-vVoPPRPXgW7K_4Pa1cs0Ptc3Ww_TXqWDE2iBvjvg8ubAWHowuWAL66-VWXd01Q0gnQlNPWSYhp6r2s48x5TgTm2HKoiozGLVfJd-NMTdloMQtyw9SmOT7oOz2VU9GMfSz0dMa5FRib1Wg9BMqW_y6vOyYmFOFAgA=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1368072412l/17674870.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhAJioxMLHiQHWwYndFjRNoLRXSNWicDwo8vzFIh5Y8HETkwZVQ9_6u3JEuLdiNbD5XHFGW8cjfUAD9fIQMDW5voaLkjEalKP3bYmx3gsxb5e-CSQO6iDwvkZ-s8XxHRalLpx8O-9R69M7ahY9cPTrcW6egzO79rIgccQ=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1334469925l/13516287.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51NGRyEDjEL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51NGRyEDjEL.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="128" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: #eefff9; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">…<i>think of an innovative way to promote romance, gentle reads<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>or</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>horror at your local library (pick
one, just one!). What would be most effective? A catchy display? Some passive
programming? In what ways could you incorporate integrated advisory?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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At first, I wasn’t sure which genre to pick. Romance is a given for February, of course, (overdone
maybe?) and we spend all of October promoting horror, so I was considering
Gentle Reads, but I initially wasn’t sure.
Then I read the week’s assignments and the relevant chapter in the textbook
and the lights went on. Yes! I have also
sometimes found myself in the mood for some “warm milk” and at my library we’ve
spent the past year and half focusing on books and programs that celebrate the
activities that used to bring women together in a community. The references to quilting reminded me of an
event we did last spring that fits the description of integrated advisory for
Gentle Reads. </div>
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We held a Quilt Show and invited all quilters in our county
and the immediate surrounding counties to submit and display a quilt. We invited a speaker to present a program on
historical quilts, especially Indiana quilt designs, and then created displays
with items we thought might appeal to quilters.
One key theme was the fact that quilting groups were a traditional way
that women bonded and supported each other in times past, so we displayed
books, magazines, movies, and audiobooks that featured Gentle Reads authors,
stories, and inspired crafts. In
addition, quilts were used as a method of secret communication on the
Underground Railroad, and many of the women in Gentle Reads books are just as
clever at using feminine activities to solve problems/mysteries/etc. </div>
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The monthly book club
book was a quilting novel; I think it was one of Jennifer Chiaverini’s but I
don’t remember for sure. There are other
similar books such as the Amish Quilt Shop mysteries which are popular in my
library among those who like all the Amish romances. We also featured children’s books including <i>The Keeping Quilt</i> by Patricia Polacco, and
<i>Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt</i> by
Deborah Hopkinson. We put up a whole
display of them. </div>
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Our book displays included many of the books and authors
mentioned in our textbook: Debbie
Macomber, the Big Stone Gap series, Richard Paul Evans, and Jan Karon. We also included the full set of the Foxfire
books, <i>The Laundry Book</i> by Cheryl
Mendelson, and <i>She Got Up Off the Couch</i>
by Haven Kimmel. Movies included in the
displays ranged from <i>The Help</i>, to <i>Fried Green Tomatoes</i>, and <i>Gilmore Girls</i> seasons. </div>
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Audiobooks were promoted as a great way to listen to your
favorite heartwarming stories while still doing your sewing, gardening,
cooking, and chores. Playaways are
especially growing in popularity among our patrons who like to garden. </div>
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Pinterest crafts each month always reflect what the ladies
of the library are currently reading, which is usually a Gentle Read. These are crafts that are practical,
beautiful, and feminine. This month they’re
making car air fresheners: clay medallions
with essential oil. During the Quilt
Show month, the Pinterest Club made a needle-felting craft. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJogEVMx0-aaqr0-U8cRBjhZb-eCixRXp-klJQIqKgeIiF-Ap-OMlgR2Pxc6CdkWU5w7hDyN8AvFfVnn6mfTTJX45mfBuFqk2xjG4Byza70t4ws05NNVI5cQHFGGrBgPzdGzHR3A4JAW4/s322/Sidebar+Header-330.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJogEVMx0-aaqr0-U8cRBjhZb-eCixRXp-klJQIqKgeIiF-Ap-OMlgR2Pxc6CdkWU5w7hDyN8AvFfVnn6mfTTJX45mfBuFqk2xjG4Byza70t4ws05NNVI5cQHFGGrBgPzdGzHR3A4JAW4/s322/Sidebar+Header-330.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://janasbooklist.blogspot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I love the whole “warm milk” thing. I really think that could be made into a
wonderful display with a nice variety of books and movies, perhaps with a
red-checked cloth and pictures of cookies-n-milk? Fun teas?
Sprinkle some cookie cookbooks and cute seasonal craft books in as well
for some cross-genre selections… Maybe
a poster or bookmark with similar blogs or websites could be created – ideas
include PioneerWoman, MaryJanesFarm, and LittleHouseLiving. Another fun idea would be book playlists for
some of the really popular Gentle Reads authors and then put out CDs by some of
the artists from the playlists (remember to put Spotify or other music site on
the bookmarks and encourage women to make their own playlists!). Depending on the setting of the book, the
playlists could really be fun – like southern style folk music or historical
tunes. I’m thinking of the styles of
music on Andy Griffith, or 50’s/60’s pop music.
Wouldn’t that be a blast? Likely
it would also boost interest and circulation in our audio music
collection. </div>
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Now that we’ve talked about Gentle Reads, I’m SO totally in
the mood for Lake Wobegon! My husband
says I’m burly and strong, while he’s good-lookin’! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-47928063608840956392017-02-19T10:25:00.000-05:002017-02-19T10:25:23.847-05:00Ah, the All-Powerful and Omniscient Book Reviews…<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Different publications review different types
of books and they allow different types of conversations. For example, Booklist
will not publish negative reviews, while, as you have all seen, Kirkus has no
problems with it. Ebook only books, which are increasingly popular (especially
in the romance genre) see little to no reviews in professional publications
unless they have a big name author, and then still it's usually only RT Reviews
(formally Romantic Times) or other genre heavy publications. How does this
affect collection development?</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">In my library we subscribe only to
Kirkus. When I first began my current
position I had no library education, so I only knew what I was shown. Because of this, I only bought books that
were reviewed by Kirkus, mistakenly believing this to be the “best” of what’s
out there. After all, if there were
other good reviews and sources, wouldn’t my library be subscribing to them and
encouraging me to use them? Wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">As I visited other libraries at roundtables,
read YALSA, ALA, and other library journals and blogs, I discovered a whole
wealth of reviews and collection development tools. Without those we were a “Kirkus outlet”, not
a library! Now we’re much more diverse
and are continually looking for quality sources to help find the great
books/ebooks/movies/audios that our patrons (our neighbors) want. (I really like VOYA and EpicReads as well as
some off the wall teen blogs.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">BTW, I noticed a year or so ago, that Kirkus
knocked points off reviews for lack of “diversity”. What?!
Could they please just review the merits of the story and not add
political correctness? I (and my
patrons) want to know if it’s a great story – I, as a librarian extraordinaire,
can find additional materials to ensure that we have a diverse and inclusive
collection. If they’re knocking a book
for lack of whatever group is currently “in”, I have a much harder time
determining if the story itself is a good fit for my patrons. As an example, High School Runner by Bill
Kenley is a book about a freshman boy on a track team in small town
Indiana. Since my library is in a
similar small Indiana town where high school sports are vitally important to
the community, this book is likely to resonate with my teen users even though
it has no “diverse” characters. Instead,
it reflects its setting, which is very realistic – most small farm towns are
fairly homogenous in demographic. Of
course, I balance the collection out with authors like David Levithan, Matt de
la Pena, Rainbow Rowell, Libba Bray, and Jandy Nelson and many others. C’mon, Kirkus, give me a straight up review!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<i><span style="background: #EEFFF9;">I have posted two more documents in the week five files. One
is two reviews of an ebook only romantic suspense novel, one from a blog and
one from amazon. Look over the reviews - do you feel they are both reliable?
How likely would you be to buy this book for your library? Is this ebook even
romantic suspense?</span><br />
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Ebooks and Me: A love/hate story<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I must confess. I’m completely in love with my Kindle. If I could only rescue 1 thing from my
burning house, it would be my Kindle.
(Ok, after all my sentimental stuff, but you get what I mean.) I’ve gotten so spoiled, I had to read a
regular book not long ago and holding the pages open was annoying, lol. And when it was time to go to sleep, I had
to, ergh, find a bookmark! I dog-eared,
sshh… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">But – so many ebooks are self-published, full
of errors, and poorly written. They’re
awful. It seems that anyone with a
computer can throw a book out there, get a few friends/family to write nice
comments on Amazon, and poof, they’re authors.
I have frequently purchased books for myself that turned out to be
boring, typo-riddled, mistakes. Ebook
only reviews to the rescue! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Ebook reviews are super helpful in winnowing
out the best books that our patrons can actually read and enjoy. A helpful
feature is the note regarding formats so we don’t end up with a collection that
is heavily weighted toward only Adobe readers and leaves out mp3 and Kindle
readers and vice versa. In addition,
some books are very graphics heavy and won’t read well on a regular ereader,
but will look great on a tablet or laptop.
Those technical issues are not addressed in a normal review, but are
generally noted in ebook reviews. As an
example, most manga, graphic novels, children’s picture books, or books with a
lot of charts and graphs, are very difficult (if not impossible) to view
correctly on a plain Kindle. A reader
needs a tablet to view these. Knowing
which books are worth purchasing, and what technological constraints to be
aware of, make ebook reviews absolutely essential for me, whether the book is
available in print format or is ebook only.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<i><span style="background: #EEFFF9;">The other document contains some reviews of Angela's Ashes,
by Frank McCourt, an incredibly popular memoir. These reviews are all from
professional publications, feel free to find more on your own I just nabbed a
few from the Book Review Digest database for you. How do these reviews make you
feel about the possibility of adding Angela's Ashes to your collection?</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">We actually have Angela’s Ashes at my library
already, but honestly I had never looked at it because of the depressing
title. I thought it would be another
horribly depressing story of hardship-survival-hope which is deeply moving, but
emotionally draining. After reading these reviews, I have a different
perspective and find myself intrigued.
The Booklist and SLJ reviews, in particular, drew me in with their focus
on the humor and love in the story, rather than focusing on the misery. They made me feel a bit of the Irish humor
and the spirit of the author. It sounds
a little like a man in my community who tells of his upbringing by a
grandfather during the Depression; his parents were either AWOL or jailed, and
he often had nothing to eat but lard sandwiches and hickory nuts that he and
his friends scavenged for in the local woods.
He tells these stories with great humor and doesn’t feel sorry for
himself in the least, but instead says that’s just the way it was in those
days. He, like McCourt, is a man of
great love, humor, and storytelling.
Dang it, I think I just added another book to my “must-read-soon” list…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Reading these various reviews back-to-back was
really telling. Kirkus focused on the
misery, only mentioning love and humor in the very last sentence. It seems the reviewer really wanted to focus
on the profound, deep, meaning underlying the story. Library Journal read almost like an
encyclopedia entry; like Kirkus it focused on “the burdens of grief and
starvation”. Booklist, in contrast,
gives us a glimpse of the spirit of the family with Italy upstairs and Ireland
downstairs – what a fun way to make a bad situation manageable. It doesn’t overlook the poverty and neglect,
but focuses instead on the humor and love, and gives us a glimpse of the
writing. School Library Journal really
brings out the humor aspect, describing the book as “funny and uplifting” with
a story about trying on the parents’ false teeth. If I read only the Kirkus review, I would be
expecting something like A Child Called It, but the SLJ review makes me think
more of A Girl Named Zippy only deeper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you think it's fair that one type of book
is reviewed to death and other types of books get little to no coverage? How
does this affect a library's collection? And how do you feel about review
sources that won't print negative content? Do you think that's appropriate? If
you buy for your library, how often do you use reviews to make your decisions?
If not, how do you feel about reviews for personal reading, and what are some
of your favorite review sources?</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I think that as ebooks become more and more popular, they’ll
get more coverage and enter the mainstream.
They’ll also get more coverage as they become more professional, with
copy editing, layouts, and so on (technology development is helping with new
home publishing software and templates).
Along with audio books, many are superbly created productions with full
sound and video effects. These are
beginning to get more attention. We, as
librarians, can help push the demand for good reviewing as we seek to find the
gems for our collections and our patrons by sharing our blogs and tips with
each other. </div>
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I appreciate reviews that include negative content, since
that helps me focus in on the strengths and weaknesses of a book. We all know that a particular reviewer may
find something offensive that is a non-issue for someone else, but I find it
very helpful to know when a book has stereotyped characters, confusing or
contrived plots, and so on. That may not
mean that I won’t buy it, but will help me in steering it toward readers that
like similar books. For example, I have
a whole group of teen girls that totally love shallow, paranormal love stories. They want that certain type of heroine and
that certain formula of plot. Think of
Harlequin readers – these books are pretty much all the same, and that’s what
they want (loved ‘em when I was a teen) – not great literature, but you need
these in your collection. A good review,
in my opinion, gives the pros AND cons of a book so that you, the expert on
your collection and your patrons, can make a really informed choice. We don’t have time to read every book out
there (a dream), so we HAVE to rely on reviews.
We don’t need book cheerleaders – we need book reviewers.</div>
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For my personal reading, I like Goodreads and I particularly
love to read the negative reviews. Some
of them are truly creative and funny, and they often intrigue me enough to read
the book that they hated. Sometimes it
seems that the thing a person disliked about a book is that same thing that
draws me to it – weird. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-60280651881837378892017-02-16T10:45:00.000-05:002017-02-16T10:45:14.214-05:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEQnn2ZMR6s-Mx7QX41t2X7EJV-etUMa0HQ9YkcLrSwZeYY2sKOXzDhMEzCpiydBGKwq3Ac8Sr51axe78IG7oiL_qZHundSFSnmXvyTZEX5hWvtGd6BH7Lm7Ey9yDxvM3i7IehQbE4fWB/s1600/high+school+runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEQnn2ZMR6s-Mx7QX41t2X7EJV-etUMa0HQ9YkcLrSwZeYY2sKOXzDhMEzCpiydBGKwq3Ac8Sr51axe78IG7oiL_qZHundSFSnmXvyTZEX5hWvtGd6BH7Lm7Ey9yDxvM3i7IehQbE4fWB/s320/high+school+runner.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>High School Runner:
Freshman</i> by Bill Kenley<o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Paperback:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> 284 pages</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Publisher:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> River's Edge Media, LLC </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">Language:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> English</span><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ISBN-13:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> 978-1940595221</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">May 15, 2015</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenley’s debut work is a funny, gritty, and insightful look
at the world of high school sports and the struggles of growing up, in a
memoir-style novel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
K1 begins high school full of conflicting feelings. He’s excited, but nervous, about joining the
track team following an unexpectedly successful community race earlier in the
summer. He is confronted with his
embarrassing twin brother, Hyter, an emotionally unstable coach, psychopathic
team captain, and the ups and downs of athletic competition, but the biggest
challenge is facing his own failings. K1,
whose real name is Sherman, is from a small Indiana town and has discovered a
hidden talent for running. He hopes to
distinguish himself from his twin brother on the track team and is crushed when
Hyter also joins the team and turns out to be just as talented. The team captain, Slade, is intimidating and
rumored to be violent, cursing at everyone routinely. K1 tries to stay out of his way and out of
trouble, but ultimately is drawn into the drama of the team and betrayed by his
own weakness and ambition. Characters
are multi-dimensional, richly drawn, and sympathetic. They’re very real with both flaws and virtues. There are some references to running lingo
that non-runners may not understand, but they are only minimally
distracting. Dialogue is extremely real,
including some explicit language. Teens,
particularly, will relate to the moral dilemmas and personal insecurities faced
by the main character. Adults who enjoy
reminiscing about high school, or reflecting on youthful escapades will also
find much to savor in this short, memoir-like, novel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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This is a quick read, full of angst, cheating, winning, and
small-town life with a very real feel.
It’s similar to popular TV shows like The Wonder Years and A Christmas
Story and is a sure bet for sports fans and reluctant readers. <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-43131911905090890512017-02-05T22:58:00.002-05:002017-02-05T22:58:42.012-05:00Week 3 Prompt <div class="MsoNormal">
Hey folks, you’ve got to check out Novelist if you can. This is a super, super database for book
lovers but the catch is that your library has to have a subscription to
it. If they do, you’re good to go. If not, make sure and ask them about it next
time you go to the library and let them know you really want this. So…
below you’ll find some examples of questions we get at the library a lot
and how we might be able to find answers, or at least some good leads, on
Novelist. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">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!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><i>The
Lunatic Café </i>is the next book in this series. I did a “series” search, found the correct
series, and then scrolled down the list checking release dates. Easy to use search feature!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->After searching by both title and author, as
well as the advanced search feature, I couldn’t really narrow down the pacing aspect
of this question, but the top read-a-like numerous times was <i>Anthill</i> by Edward Wilson.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">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!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I was able to do some searching around and
utilize the limiting features to narrow down the ideas to historical books set
in Japan with very detailed writing style.
The number one pick is <i>The
Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet,</i> and I see <i>Memoirs of a Geisha</i> listed a bit further down. From this point we’d have to have more
discussion to help the patron decide exactly what she’s interested in. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">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?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->There are 2 ways to approach this question. I did a search for read-a-likes for that
specific title, which returned a nice selection offering titles by Martha
Grimes, Dorothy Sayers, and so on. A
search by author read-a-likes suggested a list of 9 authors (none of whom was
Sandford), so that gives us a direction to explore as well. I thought it was interesting that a book by
Martha Grimes was listed as a read-a-like for the title, but she’s not listed
as an author read-a-like. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">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?</span></div>
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<span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Some ideas might be <i>Mutated</i> by Joe McKinney or <i>The
First Days</i> by Rhiannon Frater. A
search by genre>horror leads to a list called “Creature Feature”. This in turn brings up a nice list of
possibilities, and if the list is changed to the detailed view it offers a
small blurb about each book so that one can easily see which books feature
zombies. It can also be sorted by
popularity which is helpful to discover titles that are currently hot. This patron sounds like somebody who’s into
pop culture since those titles are definitely in demand due to their TV/movie
counterparts, so popularity may strike a note with this guy. The best strategy I found was to search for “World
War Z”, which brings up that book along with a list of read-a-likes, but then
scroll down and use the refiners to limit the search to horror, zombies, and
zombie apocalypse. This returns a very
specific list of books which looks like just what our patron is searching
for. Top suggestions here would be <i>Cell</i> by Stephen King or <i>Day by Day Armageddon</i> by J.L. Bourne.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">I love books that get turned into movies,
especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just
those from the last 5 years or so.</span></div>
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<span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->How about <i>The
Yellow Birds</i> by Kevin Powers or <i>Room</i>
by Emma Donoghue? Both are listed as
literary fiction although <i>Room</i> is
slightly more than 5 years old. I found
these by searching the genre “books to movies” and then refining the search by
literary fiction and sorting by date.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: #EEFFF9; color: #222222; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">I love thrillers but I hate foul language and
sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The sub-genre Christian Thrillers would seem to
fit the bill here. When sorted by
popularity the top choice offered is <i>Unspoken</i>
by Dee Henderson. On the other hand,
Christian doesn’t seem like exactly what this person is asking for, just less
graphic sex, so if a quick browse through the Christian Thrillers doesn’t offer
anything that my patron wants, I’d have to go to the Advanced Search option and
use some limiters such as “thrillers NOT explicit” or similar. This brings back a nice selection of titles
from authors like John Grisham, Newt Gingrich, and David Baldacci. In the menu on the left I noticed a sub-genre
called “adult books for young adults”.
These are adult/teen crossover titles and will likely be cleaner than
regular adult titles. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm5h5RcfS6_AhCrj3vfAGflHnhUA8mAY-uUZOpy0VdUELje6sDa0rcxSvGUwHgz_Rocds4GIAqmZt_eZGxazJROd7_Zbgzw00GU5yPhpJIT3TPodI73KfPvPCaQwBhyphenhyphenBZR32psqZSPwwB/s1600/shelf+reading.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm5h5RcfS6_AhCrj3vfAGflHnhUA8mAY-uUZOpy0VdUELje6sDa0rcxSvGUwHgz_Rocds4GIAqmZt_eZGxazJROd7_Zbgzw00GU5yPhpJIT3TPodI73KfPvPCaQwBhyphenhyphenBZR32psqZSPwwB/s1600/shelf+reading.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" /></a>So
where do<i> I</i> find interesting new books
to read? Well, first of all, I work in a
library. One of the most fun things to
do is: SHELF READING! When possible, I choose to read shelves in
areas that have the types of books I like.
I always find something cool.
Read shelves, folks, and find those hidden treasures. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next, I’m the Teen Librarian which means I have to read
reviews and such to make collection decisions and I generally choose several to
actually read so that I can booktalk them and offer good RA to teens. I’ve discovered that a lot of YA books are
really fun and imaginative and I love reading them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At my quarterly YA roundtable, we each bring book titles to
share and recommend to each other and I’ve found a number of awesome books that
way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the MOST FUN ways to find books to read is when I
visit a school classroom and I have the teens booktalk to me</span> for every title I
booktalk to them. WAY FUN, you’ve GOT to
try it. I pick a couple of their
suggestions to read and report back to them the next time I visit. Double benefit – I get to read something fun,
and they feel valued. </div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These
are all variations of word-of-mouth type discovery, but sometimes I just want a
new book to read and I’m out of ideas.
In that case, I go to either Goodreads or Amazon, depending on my
mood. On Goodreads, I can look and see
books that I’ve put on my want-to-read shelf, but these are generally YA books
and sometimes it feels like working. In that case, I head for Amazon. I put in books that pop into my mind that I
liked, and look for Amazon’s suggestions.
It’s a bit like diving down the rabbit hole, but I nearly always
discover something new and surprising.
The randomness of what other customers who bought my book also liked
leads me to unexpected and interesting directions. Now that I’ve had a chance to try Novelist, I
could see that becoming a core resource for me personally, because of the
ability to search by mood. Love that. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-56124111020868408742017-02-05T21:53:00.002-05:002017-02-05T21:53:29.577-05:00Secret Shopper Library "Field Trip"What an eye-opening experience this was! <br />
<br />
I was a little excited and nervous as I headed for my secret assignment - what if they could tell I'm a librarian? What if I come across sounding weird or unnatural? I reminded myself to just act casual. <br />
<br />
Well, there was no need to be concerned, the librarian certainly wasn't. I went in and there were several people standing in line at the circulation desk while a young high school girl helped them checkout their books. I browsed around waiting for an opportunity to approach someone. A middle-aged woman finally appeared at the desk, so I went up and initiated my question. I explained that I love Mary Roach's books, but I've read them all and wondered if she could suggest a similar author. She replied, "I don't read adult books. I'm a children's librarian." She did look it up on her computer, but I have no idea what database or site she was using. She then said, "I don't see any listings here." She didn't make any eye contact, and was very dismissive in her attitude. I tried to engage her in more of a conversation, but she just started helping someone else, and said (sideways while not looking in my direction) that she'd call if she heard of anything. She didn't even end the conversation, just sort of ignored me. Wow.<br />
She didn't find anything for me and I left feeling very unsatisfied. I've been to that library once before, last year, and the people working that day were very nice, but after I left I remembered hearing from a friend that they were very rude to her. I wonder if it was the same lady. In any case, I've certainly learned how NOT to do Readers Advisory! Even if she was unable to find a good suggestion for me, I think she should have taken the time to ask more about what I liked about Mary Roach's books and at least try more than one quick (30 seconds at most) search in only one place. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLv56ArBwjmCDeHR0oPH4quAWH2RRuE27qZFw7RxYoEgDFf73k30UMuy9y-mDWEXTPZ2ZvGliRUhQsbiBpYtno_v3fhROAiaQ9WZj78T6wfa8gOrmjD0bJO_toUM_r3sGBxFfZ2VIuQEo/s1600/Mary+Roach+Readalikes+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLv56ArBwjmCDeHR0oPH4quAWH2RRuE27qZFw7RxYoEgDFf73k30UMuy9y-mDWEXTPZ2ZvGliRUhQsbiBpYtno_v3fhROAiaQ9WZj78T6wfa8gOrmjD0bJO_toUM_r3sGBxFfZ2VIuQEo/s320/Mary+Roach+Readalikes+%25282%2529.jpg" width="267" /></a>I did a search myself (less than 5 minutes) and found that Mary Roach is not listed on Novelist at all, but when I looked her up on Goodreads, I scrolled through her author page and found titles that she has rated and voted for. One that sounds like fun is "Best. State. Ever." by Dave Barry. I've read some of his other books and his humor is just the kind of wacky that I like. This gave me the idea that if I can't find an exact match for someone, finding out what that patron's favorite authors like to read may inspire them. Another tool for the toolbox. <br />
<br />
A quick Google search also revealed this read-alike graphic by Waukegan Public Library (<a href="http://www.waukeganpl.org/like-mary-roach/">www.waukeganpl.org</a>). I was interested to see the Bill Bryson book listed here as that was one I had in mind. <br />
<br />
I generally expect that other librarians are more knowledgeable than me and have all kinds of secret library wisdom. This was a very enlightening exercise in many ways! <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-29300560529702347802017-01-20T00:33:00.001-05:002017-01-20T18:15:45.379-05:00What Kind of Reader Am I?I would describe myself as an eclectic reader. I read a LOT of young adult/teen fiction and non-fiction since I'm a teen librarian, and I usually really love it. I also get into non-fiction - a variety of topics from Amy Stewart's "Wicked Bugs" to "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner to Charles Mann's "1491", "We Band of Angels" (a WWII book) by Elizabeth Norman, and anything by Suze Orman or Mary Roach (she doesn't know it, but she's my best friend!). When I'm in the mood for something lighthearted, I go for quirky fun mysteries like the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gilman and the Southern Sisters mysteries by Anne George. I grew up an avid fan of Madeleine L'Engle, Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, and my current and forever-all-time favorite fantasy writer is now Robert Jordan (R.I.P) with his Eye of the World series. Ooh, I love David Eddings too - I could read the Belgariad series at least 6 more times! I can't stand many classics (hated "Anna Karenina" and "Little Carrie"), but I love "Little Women", "Eight Cousins", "The Secret Garden", "The Little Princess", "Stuart Little", "The Trumpet of the Swan".... too many awesome books - this lovefest could go on and on... <br />
<br />
I've also recently gotten into audio books. I'm finding the reader is CRITICAL and the book needs to be engaging, but not terribly complex since it's hard to go back and re-read in this format. Young Adult books are super in this format. I just finished "Looking for Alaska" by John Green and my favorite so far is "Kissing in America" by Margo Rabb. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4c/29/32/4c2932cbab4f350838dccd3b8feef2a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4c/29/32/4c2932cbab4f350838dccd3b8feef2a2.jpg" /></a>This was extremely rambling, but I hope it conveys the enthusiasm and fun I have when thinking about, and sharing with you, my favorite books and authors. I've left out so many others (how many favorites can we have?), but I think you get the idea that I have a variety of interests and moods which are<br />
reflected in my reading. I've read, and enjoyed, books from nearly every genre through my life and will try reading almost anything. <br />
<br />
Some of the few book types I dislike/don't connect with are books in verse, very gritty urban realism, most graphic novels, and Star Trek spinoffs. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398029162725659917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2393549050751783322.post-55797392567828336322017-01-12T22:04:00.002-05:002017-03-26T11:51:39.908-04:00Welcome (updated)Welcome to my Book Bag! I'm going to be doing some readin' and some thinkin' and some writin'.... brace yourselves, my friends.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51LVx6UrW5L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51LVx6UrW5L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="209" /></a><br />
Right now I'm trying out a book called Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond<br />
<br />
<br />
Very scholarly and highbrow so far. It'll take me some time to get through this one, so sit tight and check back in a week or so... <br />
<br />
<br />
While you're waiting, go to your local library and check out Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson. It's kind of slow paced (think documentary) but many parts are pretty creepy and it's a true story (which makes it even creepier).<br />
<br />
<br />
UPDATE 3/26/2017: Oh my gosh, I'm STILL trying to get through this. It's fairly interesting, but super-duper detailed and slow-going. There's a lot of bouncing around between times and locations so I've have to keep going back and checking stuff. I will say it's good to read this on a Kindle because I have to look up a lot of terms, lol, and that's much easier to do on an ereader. If you try this in the regular book, keep your laptop handy to look stuff up. Or keep a dictionary and a globe nearby, lol! <br />
<br />
I'm not giving up - I will finish! eventually.... (if you suffer from insomnia, try this book... it's non-addictive...) <br />
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