Week 16 Prompt

Well, it’s been a little while since I have been a child. Computer were just getting popular and being used good when I was a freshmen or sophomore in high school so you can imagine that there were no Nooks, Kindles, smartphone of any of those thing to read on. There were physical books that we as children at that time really enjoyed reading. Going to the library to get a book was not only rewarding because we were able to check a book but we were able to get read to and see the pictures and just enjoy up close and personal feeling. Children today want to read books on tablets, phones, computers and e-readers. It is difficult to get children to day to get excited about a physical book or even to go to the library unless there is some type of technology is involved. My 12 year old granddaughter will read a physical book because that is what I have read to her and encouraged her to read. She complains when we are on the road or out of town and I tell her to download books so she will have something to read. She enjoys the reading and feel of the physical book even though she has a tablet, smartphone and iPod. Now my grandson on the other hand he five and if is given a choice to use his leap frog reader or a physical book his choice will be the electronic device. I have brain washed him to think that you can only read a physical book at the library so when he and I make our visit to the library that is what we read. It’s not as common to catch a child or an adult with their nose in a book, it more catching them with their nose in an electronic gadget.

With me saying all that what is the future for reading, books or publishing. I still say that they all still have a bright future even 20 years from now. Yes, there will be electronic devices that going to read to use and for us. Yes the more popular thing will be the electronic device.  But reading will be forever, it will never die and the same for books. Physical books will never go away for whatever reason. All people will have some reason why they prefer a physical book over some kind of electronic device. Some will prefer both as I do but books. Depending on my time, place or activity will determine how I read my book. If it will be on a device or a physical copy. Reader will remain readers and produce readers always. No matter what form the book is in reading will be essential to our well-being and still enjoyed by dedicated readers. Publishers might save on a little paper and ink but I think that they will do just as well if not better because their publishing will expand. They will be publishing both electronic/digital and print.   

Week 15 Prompt

Promoting Fiction

Advertisement

Newsletters, social media (Facebook, twitter, blogs etc.) and of course your library website are all way to get the word out about what’s in your fiction collection, rather new or old. Even though this is the age of technology some people such as myself, I still enjoy receiving actual physical mail. I think by sending out newsletters and having a “New Fiction” section, with an annotated title listing along with rating and also brief comments from staff and other patrons.  As I stated we and in the age of technology and several people browse the different social media sites. Libraries all over has accounts on the different sites. Posting and blogging about new fiction titles will possibly bring patrons into the library to check out or browse the fiction section. Allow for comments about the books from staff and others that might have already read the book. Comments from others always help encourage patrons to check out a book. Advertisement on your library website always is a great place to market.

Displays are always good. With that being known I also feel that the placement of the display is very important. I feel that an eye catching front entrance display will really catch the eye of many patrons; with books, posters and other eye catching effects that will draw the patron attention when walking in. Most displays are positioned throughout the library which might be seen by some but not all. With it being right there as soon as patrons walk in, curiosity will cause observation and observation will bring awareness of the books and lead to circulation.

A Monthly Fiction Review—titled—“What’s New in Fiction”—this is a program that I have been trying to convince the adult programmer to try this. A monthly program for the public with refreshments. It would be a casual setting. Staff will have exciting books talks on the different genres. Have a few book displays with book marks and annotated bibliographies.

Week 14 Prompt

This is a topic that I can't give a blanket answer to. I feel that it should be a local decision. What would be best for your library. At our library we have the Urban/Christian Urban Fiction in its own section. This is a highly used section at our library. It actually have the most circs on a monthly basis. With that being so, it is much easier for our patrons to directly to the "Urban/Christian Urban Fiction Section". It is conveniently placed by our reference desk if any assistance is needed. The majority of the assistance is given by one of the reference library assistance. She knows the collection very well and the regular patrons also. Most of the regular patrons will ask for her or only come in when they know she's there. For this reason I can understand the separated section. African American authors such as Walter Mosley, J. California Cooper, Toni Morrison, Mary Monroe and several other African American Fiction  writers, I don't feel that they should be in a separate section. The fact that a black person wrote the book does not make it any different from any other fiction writer. I feel that when separated it limits exposure from that author and its book. Just as some adults may feel intimidated going into the youth section to browse for books non African American people may feel a since of intimidation or embarrassment going into the section browsing for a book. I also feel that it is an insult to the author, to African Americans, and all readers. Most readers like to venture out of their comfort zones and again I will say good literature is good literature. Race, creed or color should not matter only the content and the preference of the patron. I agree with thoughts of many that it is a since segregation if they are in a separate section because they are African American but if the separation is created at the convenience of the patrons and the community, then it is something that would have to be understood by all.

I know I am everywhere with this topic because there are pros and cons to both sides of this and I'm somewhere in the middle. 

Week 13 Prompt

YA fiction has become acceptable to be read by adults in many libraries. Its actually nothing out of the ordinary at the library I work at. In the recent years several adults has shown interest in YA books such as The Twilight series, the Divergent series, Fault in our stars, and most of all graphic novels. Surprisingly enough adult men are coming in for the Marvel graphic novels collection on a regular. There is no shame expressed when they are requesting them.

Personally I don't see a problem with libraries serving adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels. As librarians we don't actually have the right to deny any patrons access to materials of their choice according to intellectual freedom. Everyone has their own reading pleasures. If a child in 5th or 6th grade wanted to read a YA book they would be praised for it. It is thought that it is a great thing that the child is reading above their reading level.

Good literature is good literature and should not be limited to age unless the materials content is inappropriate for the reader.

My granddaughter is 12 years old in the 7th grade. She has read the entire Divergent series. When I took her to see both movies Divergent and Insurgent, there were more adults there to see both movies than young adults. Should adult not be allowed to see the movie or should adults be ashamed.

What's the difference?????

Week 12 Prompt-Reader's Advisory Matrix

Readers’ Advisory Matrix

The Mis-Education of The Negro By Carter G. Woodson

1.            Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

     Highly narrative (read like fiction)

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

 X  Highly fact based (has few or not narrative moments)

2.            What is the subject of the book?

               The book is sociological study of the education of African Americans

3.            What type of book is it?

               Sociological historiography of the education of blacks in America   

4.            Articulate appeal

What is the pacing of the book?                

The book is somewhat difficult to read because of the nature of the material – scholarly.

Describe the characters of the book.        

There are no specific characters in the book. It is a historiography of African American education in America.

How does the story feel? 

The information in the book is extremely important and socially relevant, which provided insight into the educational system.

What is the intent of the author?              

It is the intent of the author to show how an individual’s education determined their world view and personal decision making.

What is the focus of the story?   

The focus of the study was to explain the educational process in the development of black people and what they choose to accept.

Does the language matter?

Yes, it assists in the detailing of factual data.

Is the setting important and well described?

The documentation is very important to the study.

Are there details and, if so, of what?

The book was very well detailed and provided statistical and historical facts to prove the authors point of view.

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

There were sufficient data and other graphic materials that made the study very useful and clear.

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

The book is about extended period of learning, understanding, or experience that detailed the American educational system and its impact upon African American

 

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

               1. It explains the African American psyche.             2. Authoritative                 3. Social relevant

 

Historical Fiction -Wench

 

                                                        Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

 

 

 

 

The story is about four slave women. Three of them have known each other for years, Lizzie, Sweet and Reenie. The other lady, Mawu was a new comer to their group. They all were mistresses to their masters. Every summer they would go to Ohio, which was a free state at the time, and stayed at Tawawa House Resort. Lizzie, Sweet and Reenie had been visiting the resort with their masters for the last four summers and were comfortable with their current situation. This was Mawu first summer and she strongly disliked her extremely mean master and wanted to escape into freedom. It didn’t take Mawu long before she began to talk about escaping to the other ladies. The other ladies were too afraid to even contemplate the idea. They knew that if they were to get caught attempting to escape, there would be extreme consequences that they would have to face like being beaten, sold to horribly mean masters and possibly even killed. They all still had families that they had to consider. When back on the plantation their lives were made just a little easier also. Mawu, yes had the chance to enjoy time at the resort but her master was very mean and life was not as comfortable for her as the other ladies. So, she was very determined to escape and to attempt to convince the other ladies to come with.

On the other side of the resort there was another resort which was for free blacks to stay. Mawu would sneak over there from time to time. During her visits she met some people that were willing to help her get her freedom. They gave her information and a map that lead to different safe houses and abolitionist that would be willing to help her. She tells the other women about the information she received and tried unsuccessfully to convince them to go with her. Lizzie, being naïve thought that she would be helping Mawu by telling her master of Mawu plans to escape. Well, the totally opposite occurred. Mawu was beaten, sodomized, and left bleeding perfidiously and unconscious. Everyone knew that Lizzie had told therefore no one especially Mawu trusted Lizzie anymore.

After Mawu recovered, it was still in her heart to be free. Another summer, and the ladies are back at the resort with their masters, including Mawu. Mawu has now met a white women and her husband which are both abolitionist. She began sneaking off and spending a lot of time with them. Lizzie get a chance to meet Glory and she gives her information so that she could read to the other slaves that could not read. With her doing this she rebuilt all the lost trust they had for her. The ladies began to think about freedom more and more. Sweet, which was pregnant lost her baby and while grieving her baby was also informed that all of her other children died back on the plantation from a cholera outbreak.  She was not strong enough to survive the heart break, she died of depression and heart break. This convinced the other ladies including Lizzie that it was time to escape.  And the story continues …………….Will they actually escape?

The author captured my heart with this story. I have read several stories about slavery fiction and non-fiction but this is a must read. The story made me cry and laugh. It made my heart heavy to read about these ladies and it also fill my heart with joy to know that through it all they had strong determination. That inspired me a great deal.

This book was actually suggested to me by the reference librarian at the library I work at. I told her I wanted to read in a different genre from my norm and I chose Historical Fiction. I thought this would be a challenge to read. It started of slow but became a book I didn’t want to put down.

Week 11 Prompt

The appeal factors can be used to choose a good book to read or can be used as part of an RA interview to assist a patron find a good book. Appeal factors is comprised of pacing, characterization, story line and frame of a book. Basically appeal factors is how well a book is written or is it written in the style and manner a person prefer. Personally I don’t feel that the change in medium affects the appeal factor at all. EBook, audiobook or print, the same book will have the same appeal factors. Now I do feel that there are personal preferences to be considered when deciding which medium is preferred over the other. I will always love a printed copy of a book over all. I can remember walking into a book store with my girlfriend on day and I began sniffing as if I had just walked into a kitchen where some good food was cooking. I stated to her, “oh the wonderful smell of new books”; she just looked at me, laughed and said “you are crazy”. I just laughed. I love curling up in my recliner with my cup of tea or glass of wine, holding a book. I can just be there all day and night. I can do the same with an EBook but the time is limited in which I can actually read because my eyes seem to get watery and tired. I do own a Nook. I think that it was the best think created for traveling purposes. EBook devices allow traveling with three or more books easy now. Everything is compressed on an easy, compact, lightweight devices. EBooks and printed books has its pros and cons. Depending on the situation, occasion, and preference at the time will determine which medium I will choose but print is my overall choice. Audio books has never been my choice. I have always wanted to be the voice on an audio book but never could listen to them. I really wanted to read a book entitled “Soulmate dissipate” by Mary B. Morrison. It is the first book in her series and our library only had it on audiobook. I checked it out and attempted to listen to it on four different occasions and just could not do it. I feel asleep, began doing other things while it was on; it just could not hold my attention. I went and bought the printed copy and finished reading it in two days.

I feel that it is all personal preferences, EBook, print or Audio book.  The medium choice does not affect the appeal factor in my opinion.