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Week 15 Response

Week 15 Discussion Prompt    1)  One of my favorite ways to market our library’s fiction collection is using physical displays. There are so many fun and creative ways to go about drawing patrons’ attention to new books, but also older titles as well. The more creative a display can be, the better. It’s a way to engage patrons while also helping to circulate lesser-known materials. My public library uses displays at all locations and for a variety of holidays, seasons, and events. When I worked in our Children’s department, creating displays was one of my favorite things to do. It was also a way for me to become more familiar with our juvenile titles. In February, I created a kid’s version of the ‘Blind Date with a Book’ display. With this display I pulled titles from all genres (juvenile, middle reader, picture books, playaways, non-fiction, graphic novel). I made sure to include some of our newer titles, but also titles that patrons may overlook. This was the talk of the library for
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Week 14 Response - To Separate or Not to Separate - Urban Fiction & LGBTQ

This is a difficult question to answer because as a patron , I personally like the idea of libraries creating their own specific genre sections for LGBTQ fiction and Urban Fiction, much like they already do with regular fiction, non-fiction, mystery, western, romance, and other titles. I feel that the materials might have a higher chance of circulating if they are more widely known and able to be seen. My library’s collection is shelved by genre, followed by author, and then call number. Urban Fiction and LGBTQ fiction are lumped together with regular fiction; however, only our Urban Fiction reads currently have their own spine labels. LGBTQ reads do not have designated spine labels which I think is good because in a way, it protects the privacy of the material and the subsequent reader checking them out. The only time LGBTQ reads are really highlighted or put on display and given attention within the library is during PRIDE month. As a library staff member, however, I think separ
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Week 13 Response

Growing up, I never really read much ‘young adult’ literature. I always read 3 to 4 grade levels above my grade, so I started reading adult books by the time I was in middle school. I went from middle readers to adult, and never really gave young adult books much of a thought. I wasn’t into Harry Potter , nor was I into Twilight or The Hunger Games . I will admit that I was one of those people who used to wonder why grown adults would be reading juvenile literature and young adult literature, and I thought it a bit strange. “Why is this grown adult reading books meant for teens?” And then I read the Divergent series. Followed by Twilight . And then The Hunger Games . With each book I started seeing the appeal of YA literature a little bit more. When I started working in the library’s Children department, we were required to read a book from each section to familiarize ourselves with the collection and the materials as a whole. I also made it a personal and professional goal to read
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Week 13: Young Adult Annotation - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

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  *Note: I listened to the audio version of this via Libby* Author: Holly Jackson Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Genre: Young adult Publication Date: January 5 th , 2021 Number of Pages: 400 Geographical Setting: East Coast, small town in Connecticut Time Period: late 2000s Series (If applicable): Yes; Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series Plot Summary: An investigation turns into an obsession… Andie Bell had it all. She was pretty. Popular. The perfect IT girl. Until she was murdered. Everyone knew it was her then boyfriend, Sal. Or so they thought. Right up until the moment he killed himself. Pip knew Sal. He couldn’t be a killer, could he? As part of her final senior project, Pip decides to reopen the investigation, just to see if the facts are true. What she soon stumbles upon is more than she bargained for as each clue leads her down a trail of dark secrets that may prove Sal didn’t murder his girlfriend… or kill himself. The lines between past and
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Week 12 Prompt - I'll Be Gone in the Dark

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  Reader’s Advisory Matrix Title: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark Author: Michelle McNamara Page count: 368 Summary: Where is the book on the narrative continuum? The author combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose. What is the subject of the book? Written by former journalist Michelle McNamara who sadly passed in 2016, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark takes readers on a chilling, atmospheric journey of an elusive serial rapist turned murderer, known as the Golden State Killer, who terrorized residents in California for over a decade. The book also focuses on McNamara herself and her unrelenting pursuit to find the truth and bring justice to the many victims and their families while also sharing their stories. It’s a non-fiction true crime that reads like a great thriller. What type of book is it? Nonfiction, biographical, true crime Articulate appeal a.       What is the pacing of the book? The pacing of the book is fast-paced and intensifying. McN
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Week 11 - Western Annotation - Lonesome Dove

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  Author: Larry McMurtry Title: Lonesome Dove Genre: Western Publication Date: June 15 th , 2010 Number of Pages: 864 Geographical Setting: Texas and Montana wilderness Time Period: late 19 th century Series (If applicable): Yes; Lonesome Dove saga (1 st in the series) Plot Summary: It’s a love story. An adventure. An epic journey on the frontier and a tale of two aging Texas Rangers, Gus and Call, Gus’s woman Lorena, and in the dusty little town of Lonesome Dove in Texas who take to the range on one last adventure, and the cast of characters they meet along the way, including Gus’s woman Lorena and a conniving Indian renegade name Blue Duck. From heroes and outlaws to whores and ladies, Indians and settlers, it’s a dramatic tale of love, heartache, and the beautiful yet harsh Texas wilderness that becomes a character all its own. Subject Headings: Fiction – Westerns – Cowboys – Literary fiction Appeal: -          Richly authentic or detailed – details enrich t
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Week 11 - Historical Fiction Annotation - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

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Author: Kim Michele Richardson Title: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Genre: Historical fiction Publication Date: May 7 th , 2019 Number of Pages: 320 Geographical Setting: Kentucky, Appalachian Mountains, Appalachian Trail Time Period: 1930s, late Great Depression Series (If applicable): Yes; Book woman of troublesome creek (1 st book in the series) Plot Summary: Cussy Mary Carter is Troublesome Creek’s very own traveling librarian. She’s also the very last of her kind, one of the famed and often feared Blue people. Any whiff of trouble and Blues are automatically to blame. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Cussy is able to deliver books to the people living in the most rural of areas in the Appalachians but along the way she’s forced to confront prejudice and racism while holding tight to the belief that knowledge is power and books can take us anywhere while giving readers a powerful story of courage and strength.   Subject Hea
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