Week 6 Prompt

Week 6 Prompt:

For this week's prompt, I would like you to think of an innovative way to promote romance, gentle reads or horror at your local library (pick one, just one!). What would be most effective? A catchy display? Some passive programming? In what ways could you incorporate integrated advisory? Pretend you're pitching an idea to your boss and write at least a paragraph in your prompt response. 

When I was a teacher, I stumbled across a lesson that I always wanted to try out in my classroom but never had the chance. Speed-Booking--Just like "Speed Dating" but for books.  I intend to target Romance Novels (although this could be used for any genre or theme such as a holiday event).  Patrons are instructed to bring a Romance Novel of their choice.  This can be their favorite  book, or one that they have read recently and want to recommend.  

Speed Booking is set up just like speed dating.  The group of patrons will be divided in half--one half will remain at their seat/table while the other half rotates around the event area.  A handout will be provided for each participant so that they may record the title, author, and area for notes.  A rating system could also be devised, and patrons circle the corresponding words or symbols to record their thoughts on the book. For example: 5 Hearts- I really want to read this; 3 Hearts-Maybe/I might want to read this; 1 Heart--this doesn't interest me.  A timer will be set for 3-5 minutes--at the discretion of the facilitator.  For each "stop", the patron will quickly explain their book and why they recommend it.  This allows for an advisory activity directly from peers interested in the genre. Displays leading up to the event will incorporate images and phrases related to Speed Dating for Books.  Currently, my library has an offsite bookclub at a local winery.   Holding an event such as this at a similar location would be a great tie-in for girls-night-out.  

Personally, I love recommendations from friends and family on what to read next.  An event such as this would produce a "to-read" list that is actually helpful and targeted directly at those interested in a particular genre. 

Horror Annotation:  The Ruins

By Scott Smith

Publication Date:  2006

Number of Pages:  319

Setting:  Cancun, Mexico

Time Period:  Contemporary (Present Day 2006)

Synopsis:

Two couples are celebrating their last summer of freedom following their college graduation.  Cancun, Mexico is the perfect setting for lazy beach days, drinking at night, and partying while hanging out with fellow tourists.  It is one of these new friends, Mathias, who suggests they take a trip to find his brother.  He followed a girl to an archeological sight nearby—a fun day trip!  Pablo, a Greek speaking, easygoing follow tourists joins in on the fun. 

As they venture to the site in the jungle, warnings are coming at them from every direction suggesting they turn back.  Yet they continue on believing it to be a part of the strange adventure.  

As they reach the archeological site, a man from the local Mayan village pleads with them to stop and turn back.  Amy, an amateur photographer wants to capture the interaction and steps into a patch of vines for a better view of the scene…that’s when everything changes.  Resigned to their fate, the villager now forces them up the hill at gunpoint, further into the vines.  The six friends slowly begin to realize the danger they are in.  They cannot leave, yet they will not live if they stay. The vines are not just vegetation, they are something much more sinister. 

Characteristics That Fit into Horror:

•        Foreboding tone pervades—After the characters reach “the ruins”, the situation is dire-as they wait to see what new horror the vines will produce.
•       Monster—the vines
•       Pace—fairly fast paced.  However, there are no chapter breaks.  This adds to the      prolonged sense of dread and never-ending situation for the characters.
•       Protagonists are deeply flawed—Each of the four Americans (the couples) alternate as narrators.  This allows you to see different perspectives on the same situation.  It also allows you to see how others feel and think about his or her actions.
•       Graphic violence—very descriptive concerning injuries and dismemberment.
•       Ending Unresolved

Read-Alikes:

•       Castaways by Brian Keene
•       The Beach by Alex Garland
•       Sparrow Rock by Nate Kenyon
•       Getaway by Lisa Brackmann
•       The Ritual by Adam L.G. Nevill

My Thoughts:

This is a very creepy book.  I don’t know that I’ll ever look at plants the same way again…This was not a book that had monsters or ghosts, but it is very unsettling and horrific events happen to the characters.  I liked that the narrative alternated between the four American’s.  It was interesting to see their reactions to each other.  However, I did not enjoy the lack of chapter breaks.  While it added to the pacing of the book—kept drawing out the horror with no stopping—it also made me feel like it was dragging the story in a negative way.  This is a book where you want to know the ending/fates of the characters, so in that sense you will keep reading.  But reading continuously without any breaks can be tedious at times. 

It is also important to be aware that there really isn’t a definitive ending.  Yes, you know the fates of the six people that visit the archeological site.  How the site came into being, how it functions, where the vines came from, etc. is not explained.  If you have a patron that has to have an ending, this is not the book for them.  Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.  On a side note, there is a movie version.  I am very curious to watch it and see if how much is altered. 

Kirkus Style Review--Unwind by Neal Shusterman

America’s Second Civil War, fought over reproductive rights, produced a solution—Unwinding.  Parents can choose to “Unwind” teens (ages 13-18); all organs are harvested and transplanted into different donors and therefore their life will not technically “end”, but what are the implications for the teens that are slated for this “solution”?

Unwind follows the fates of three teens: Connor, a difficult teen whose parents no longer want to deal with him; Risa, a ward of the state who is not special enough for the government to support her as a “living” person; and Lev, a tithe raised as a religious sacrifice to God.  Connor’s escape during his transport to the Harvest Camp brings these three characters together and entwines their lives.  While unwinding is the central conflict within the novel, the characters are confronted with dangers at every turn in the form of Parts Pirates, Juvenile Authority Police, and fellow teens slated for unwinding that have found solace in anger and violence.  Can they stay alive while saving each other?

Neal Shusterman creates a dystopian world that is an incredibly realistic and believable future.  The complicated characters are so carefully constructed they lead the reader to question the validity of life. This fast paced and thought-provoking novel will stay with readers long after they have reached the final page. 

Week Five Prompt

I have posted two more documents in the week five folder. 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?

Between the two reviews, I believe the blog review to be more reliable.  The first review seemed too complimentary, and did not take into consideration any negative aspects.  The second review pointed out aspects that the reader may question or find too “cheesy”. 

The first review also contains a major flaw for a book review—the ending is revealed.  Romance novels tend to have happy endings, so it would be safe to assume that this one will as well.  However, it is disappointing that the reviewer didn’t allow readers to discover this ending for themselves. 

Based upon the reviews, this book would not fall into the category of romantic suspense.  The plot seems to be light and happy with the only suspense being if the two love interests will end up together.  To determine if I would include this title in my collection, I would examine several factors.  I would review circulation statistics for similar books in this genre—Christmas themed romance.  If this genre has high circulation numbers and popularity among my patrons I would consider adding this title to my library’s eBook collection.  I would also examine circulation statistics for romance titles in general.  If these are titles that are circulated on a regular basis, I would be more likely to add this to the collection. 

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?

I would consider adding this book to my library collection based upon the reviews.  Each one points out while McCourt writes about his impoverished, tragic childhood; the book is able to remain an uplifting tale of love and triumph.  I do believe that School Library Journal Review makes the strongest case by stating, “Young people will recognize the truth in these compelling tales; the emotions expressed; the descriptions of teachers, relatives, neighbors; and the casual cruelty adults show toward children.” Readers are drawn into a story that is relatable to their own experiences, and these reviews of Frank McCourt’s memoir promise a story that everyone can connect to regardless of their own experiences. 

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?

Some books are presented with an unfair advantage due to the marketing resources of their publisher.  Unfortunately, this is a problem in all aspects of business—those that have money are more able to promote their product.  I do believe that it can affect a library’s collection.  Recently, The Girl on the Train was published and advertised as the next Gone Girl.  My library has approximately 40 “Best-Seller Express” and eight regular copies of this title.  I recently read this book and I did enjoy it.  However, I do believe that it has received more hype than it deserved.  Is this truly a good book, or one that is heavily reviewed and advertised and therefore more patrons are interested due to its “presence”?   

Personally, I am not a fan of negative reviews.  I appreciate reviews that will point out what aspects are included in a book in matter-of-fact nature.  Negative comments can be intrusive and do not always present a fair representation.  Everyone has an opinion, and negative opinions are not always constructive. 

I do not have any input into my local library’s collection, and I’m unaware of how much reviews influence purchases.  In my personal life, I do utilize reviews for book selections.  I use Book Page, School Library Journal, and Amazon reviews and ratings.  However, I rely more on word-of-mouth suggestions from friends than published reviews. 

Secret Shopper Assignment

In her article, “From book appeal to reading appeal: Redefining the concept of appeal in readers’ advisory,” Dali states, “The advisory process, by definition, is complex and involved.  It entails an ongoing back-and-forth interaction, negotiation, consultation, and opinion exchange between the librarian and the reader (2014, p. 24).  My Secret Shopper experience was extremely pleasant and followed this type of process.  I entered the library branch and began by looking for a staff member at one of the Information Desks.  I approached Kyle and stated that I was looking for a book to read.  I decided to use this opportunity to find a book for the horror genre. 

Kyle’s initial question was, “What were the last four books that I read.”  I mentioned that I recently finished The Girl on the Train, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t great and I had preferred Gone Girl’s plot twists.  He followed-up by asking me what elements I liked about Gone Girl.  I mentioned that I liked the unexpected nature. He wasn’t asking me specifically about horror, so I volunteered the information myself.  I mentioned that the only horror book that had ever scared me was The Shining.  He asked what I liked about that book.  I shared that I tend to like horror that has elements that are believable—not necessarily supernatural or creature-driven.  I then mentioned that one of the few horror movies to really scare me was Paranormal Activity, and I liked the realistic nature of the plot. 

As he was asking questions, he was typing the information, but I wasn’t able to see his computer screen.  I asked what he uses when someone is looking for a book to read.  He mentioned that he uses NoveList, and asked if I had ever used it.  I was trying to hide the fact that I am an employee and a student, so I fibbed and said that I hadn’t.  He elaborated and said that the likes to base his recommendations off of what I am telling him, not just the top of his head.  What he has enjoyed is not important.  He said that if he is desperate, he will use Amazon because the patron wants a recommendation quickly.  However, he doesn’t like this resource as it is based on “purchases” and not necessarily recommendations.  Wesley states, “Learning and utilizing electronic resources as well as taking advantage of the wealth of professional reading available to help make reader's advisory fun and easy should become an integral part of a librarian's job” (2006, p. 8).

He said that he also has a form that he will have someone complete if they seem totally lost, and he is looking for more information to base his advisory recommendations.  Filling out the form takes extra time, so he only uses it when he knows the person won’t mind spending the time on finding a book to read. 

He found four recommendations for me to start with by walking with me through the stacks, pulling each book, and providing a brief description for each one.

·      The Breaker by Walters

·      In the Blood by Unger

·      House of Leaves by Danielewski

·      Starter House by Condit

I found a table to sit at and examine the recommendations.  I used my iPad to connect to NoveList and see how each one was categorized in relation to the horror genre, their rating, and their descriptions.  As I was looking through the books, he brought several more for me to look over, providing a description for those as well.

·      The Silent Wife by Harrison

·      The Ruins by Smith

·      And three books by Simmons

o   The Abominable

o   The Terror

o   Drood

He let me know that he was available if I still needed more assistance, and not to worry about placing the books back on the shelf because he would take care of that later. 

            After examining the selections, I decided to check out three of the recommendations that caught my interest.

·      House of Leaves by Danielewski

·      Starter House by Condit

·      The Ruins by Smith

When I had time later, I tried to recreate the same type of search Kyle performed to see what types of results I would find.  I used NoveList and started with The Shining.  The read-alikes list did provide many of his recommendations.  However, he either also had to search specific elements to find the other titles, or he pulled them from his own knowledge and experience.  Dali states, “A face-to-face RA interaction will also introduce a much needed conversational element and flexibility into the process, whereas a static web-based form will always convey a feel of formal questioning” (2014, p. 45).  I could easily use the same website that he used to find books to read, yet his personal conversation allowed me to have more of a direction and personal connection to my choices.  I work at the main branch of my library system, and I asked one of the Reader Advisors for the form that they use to perform extended advisory recommendations.  She let me know that Kyle created his own form, but they do not use it system-wide.  I realized that I was very fortunate to work with Kyle for this assignment (with no hindsight that he would do a good job).  He definitely made an effort to ensure that I was happy with his choices, and made me feel that he was available if he needed to explore further. 

Works Cited

Dali, K. k. (2014). From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal: Redefining the Concept of Appeal in Readers' Advisory. Library Quarterly, 84(1), 22-48.

Wesley, H. (2006). Reader's Advisory: A Continuing Education. Alabama Librarian, 56(1), 7-8.