Week 16 Prompt

These questions loosely tie-in with a discussion I had with my friend, whom I work with in a school library, that started with, "Am I just OLD?"
Most of the time, I cannot identify with the reading habits of kids today; if it's not a graphic novel, they are not interested, and usually, nothing I can say to the contrary makes a difference. I ask the students what elements they like about a graphic novel and I try to match it with a chapter book or YA in the library. Usually, this is not a successful practice for me. I have literally had a student say to me, "Why would I look at a book that didn't have pictures? That is so boring!" Not only this, but most of the students can read some of our graphic novels in less than a day, so I see them more than once. I will sometimes say, "Since you got through that so quickly, why don't you try a novel that will last longer?" That is met with a resounding "no." But, I think I could stand to heed the advice of Neil Hollands in his article Every Book Its Reader where he says, "Find common ground in your love for a good story, in the empathy that comes with reading, in the emotional needs that you share, or in the ideas found in books that somehow make life a little better." Just because we do not like the same things, does not mean we cannot find a common ground. 
I do not want to be the lady that cannot flow with the times, but it breaks my heart that these kids aren't willing to explore what else is out there. We have tried book talks and author visits, but it only briefly piques their interest. 
I am 36-years-old, and I find myself turning into a crotchety old lady that starts sentences with, "Well, when I was a kid..." It's happening, so I may as well lean into it for this prompt. 
When I was a kid, I read books, chapter books, then longer books, voraciously. Some of the things I read had pictures such as the Great Illustrated Classics (which all know were awesome) and "Archie" comics (I named my first goldfishes Archie and Veronica). Also, my parents read to us every night before bed, usually a chapter from a novel each night, which is one of my happiest memories. The graphic novels we have today were not something I was familiar with in the late 80's or early 90's. 

Obviously, it is not only graphic novels that are being written, but the new YA seems heavier to me now than they used to be, especially with the rise in popularity of dystopian fiction. Also, I think death is a prominent feature in these books. I remember one romance/death author- Lurlene McDaniel! I feel as though reading and books have changed since I was a kid, but the world and what is offered for reading has changed a lot, too. When I was a kid, there was no Internet, no tablets... but there was Sega Genesis and Nintendo, which was often played! Perhaps it was that I enjoyed reading so much that I did it often or, maybe there was less distraction back then. Also, things have personally changed for me by the mere fact that I am an adult now, not a child- I have more responsibilities and more things weighing on my mind that distract me when I try to relax with a book. 

One could say that TV viewing has taken over as entertainment and taken away some of the need for reading- it is no longer needed to fit into society. Ursula Le Guin said that readers aren't viewers, they recognize their pleasure as different from that as being entertained. I think people are still reading quite often. Maybe it is because I work in a school and I see people reading, but local book clubs are booming, and I see many people perusing shelves at my local library branches. I read people talking about book they have read or wanting recommendations on social media. I think that e-readers and tablets will be a part of reading from now on due to the convenience of them, but I think readers will always revel in the feel and smell of a book. Books will still be published, but I do not think it will be like it was before the introduction of tablets. I think the popularity of print will come back around- it's like how I see the style from the 90's coming back. People long for the past and romanticize it. Books will be no different. 

Hollands, N. (2016). Every Book Its Reader. Booklist, 113(7), 27. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Le Guin, U. K. (2008). Staying awake: notes on the alleged decline of reading. Harper's Magazine, 316(1893). [Files - Canvas]

Week 15 Prompt

Nancy Herther's article Goodreads: Social Media Meets Reader's Advisory begins by saying that social media is becoming a standard means of communicating ideas across industries. In our present time there is no way to deny this, and I believe it is the future of marketing a library collection.
First, I would crowdsource publishing and marketing for the library, as Herther discussed in her article; a library would offer reviews online have new, maybe self-published authors be showcased. This is a way to introduce authors to the community that don't yet have a "big name." Self-published author Scott VanKirk states in Goodreads that, "Instead of paying $50 for a book which will last a couple dozen loans, or paying $50 for an ebook they can only loan out a certain number of times," he says, "libraries can get self-published books for cheap or mostly free." This gets works more publicity, which leads to more reviews, which leads to more traffic for a book and for the library. Book reviews hold a lot of weight with readers. 

Next, I would increase the library's presence on social media on platforms such as Twitter. This allows patrons that are social media users to discover new materials that are available at the library. It also allows patrons to interact with each other through comments to potentially see what others are reading and enjoying. Also through re-tweets, a larger audience will see the library's tweets. In her article The Expanding Scope of Reader's Advisory, Nann Hilyard discusses ways to utilize Twitter to the library's advantage. To make it work, the tweets have to be interesting regarding RA such as, "if you liked (this), try (this)." To engage more readers, the library could use interesting hashtags for library events such as #BannedBooksWeek or #NationalLibraryWeek. 

Social media is a great way to market a library, but not everyone prefers to get their information that way. I think a way to introduce patrons to new books and authors is to have a "Book Speed Dating" program at the library; a few new books or authors, maybe descriptions of new e-books would be available at each table. Patrons could take a few minutes at each table perusing what it new before moving on to the next table. This could lead to RA conversations between the patron and whoever is running the program, or between patrons- word of mouth is a great way to recommend books. 

Herther, N. (2013). Good Reads. Online Searcher. 37(4). 38-41. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.

Hilyard, N. (2010). The Expanding Scope of Readers’ Advisory. Public Libraries. 49(1). 10-25. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.

Week 14 Prompt

Forming my thoughts for this prompt proved to be difficult for me, mostly because I was not sure how to align my personal beliefs with the ethics of librarianship. I know that the difficulty I originally felt is a good thing because it made me think outside the box. I read the articles, *re-read* the articles...and read them again! I read excerpts from them to friends (including a librarian friend) and co-workers. From this, I received different opinions and insights. This issue really has really stuck with me this week as I have been reading more about it, because I know there may come a time that I have to shelve my ethics for the ethics of librarianship. Honestly, the articles that were provided to us in this Prompt regarding the LGBTQ materials being shelved in a separate location in the Orange City, IA personally rubbed me the wrong way. A flier regarding this issue written by a local pastor referred to homosexuality as "depraved, detestable, and an abomination." But one of the residents, self-proclaimed Christian Kurt Korver, was quoted as saying, "The people of this town are not censors or homophobes, just simply caring residents." One of these things is not like the other... It is hard to buy into Korver's explanation when a fellow Christian is saying otherwise.  Because of these statements, the petition of these books being shelved elsewhere seems like a witch hunt. Judging by the comments on the articles, others felt the same way. Also, the ALA is clearly pro-LGBTQ inclusion in libraries, judging by a quick search of their site that pulled up 15,000+ articles and mentions- all of which were positive and for inclusion just on the first few pages of hits that I read.

LGBTQ materials should be shelved within the rest of the collection. A justifiable reason to separate them is to use them for a display- perhaps commemorating Pride (these activities -marches, festivals- generally take place in/around June). Displaying these materials would be akin to displaying any others for occurrences such as Black History Month or Women's History Month.  (The ALA dedicates a part of their site recommending this at http://www.ala.org/rt/glbtrt/glbt-book-month)

1) The library is all-inclusive for a community; for absolutely everyone. To shelve certain materials in their own section because it makes certain groups uncomfortable is not a fair practice, because where does that end? Any subject matter that makes anyone uncomfortable would have to be separated from the collection if the library were to operate that way.

2) The example used in the case of the Orange City, IA library was the book Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, which is about a little boy who likes to wear a tangerine-colored dress to school and his classmates don't understand. Regardless of how it personally affects you, issues like this one are happening in society. To hide them, or to not add them to the collection at all, is showing these children that they are "too different" or worse, invisible. (The ALA has a list of books and programs from a list titled, Serving ALL Families in Your Library: Inclusive Library Collections and Programs for LGBTQ Families & Children found here: http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/2016Institute/Serving%20ALL%20Families%20in%20Your%20Library%20Inclusive%20Library%20Collections%20and%20Programs%20for%20LGBTQ%20Families%20%26%20Children.pdf)

3) Children, who are the focus of the issue in Iowa, deserve to see themselves portrayed in the media. An article from the website www.pen.org titled Missing From the Shelf: Book Challenges and Lack of Diversity in Children's Literature speaks of the importance of children seeing themselves and also, seeing the world as it is. "Access to diverse books is not just important for children of color, of course. For all children, a crucial part of education is learning about differences, learning to value other cultures, histories, and experiences, and understanding the breadth of experiences that comprise both our own society in the U.S. and the wider world. Education can also help children to see truths about society. A book collection that misrepresents the world children see around them presents a skewed view of the world and does children a disservice. For children being raised in a majority minority nation and in an increasingly globalized world, navigating diversity will be an essential life skill." (From the Shelf 14)

Pen.org. (2016, August 31). Missing From the Shelf: Book Challenges and Lack of Diversity in Children's Literature. Retrieved from: https://pen.org/sites/default/files/PEN_childrens_lit_report_FINAL_online.pdf

Week 13 Prompt

I work as an assistant to the librarian in an elementary school, and we sometimes discuss the merit of graphic novels, but as it relates to children. Just today, I had a student bring back a graphic novel he had just checked out, saying he read it quite quickly. I said that maybe he could try a novel because it would last longer and he could really get into a story. He said, "I would never do that. It is too boring." I have this conversation often- some kids don't want to read anything that doesn't have graphics, no matter how much I talk up certain novels. Will these be the future adult graphic novel/YA literature-reading adults?
Until I worked in an elementary school (K-5) library, I did not read YA or graphic novels, but I am glad I do now. I like to read books that are geared more toward "adults," but I also like having a quicker read, or something that had a different pace, or relationships I would not find in other kinds of books. I also like being able to recommend books I have actually read to the students. I recently read the YA book Life as We Knew It and I thought the most powerful relationship was between the mother and the teenage daughter, told from the daughter's perspective. I read the graphic novel Real Friends recently as well, and it was a touching story about how hard it can be to make friends in middle school. This is relatable for a current middle schooler, as well as for me, who was in middle school over 20 years ago- I remember those days and feelings. For someone who thought they'd never give YA a chance, I now feel all the feelings when I read some of these stories! Just because they are geared toward young people, doesn't mean they cannot be thought-provoking- that is discounting the feelings of the young. People read books for different reasons, sometimes personal reasons, and it is not up to anyone to decide whether or not they should.
The Bookover article What's New About New Adult? brought up a point with which I agreed- authors like Sarah Dessen and Lauren Myracle are known for YA titles, but are now getting into the New Adult genre. Bookover states that fans of theirs are growing up, being nudged into adulthood by these authors' NA works. (What's New 42) As these older young adults become older adults, why should they be expected to abandon a genre they know they like?
Caitlin Flanagan's encapsulates her feelings about reading YA in her article What Girls Want when she talks about reading Twilight as an adult, "Reading the book, I sometimes experienced what I imagine long-married men must feel when they get an unexpected glimpse at pornography: slingshot back to a world of sensation that, through sheer force of will and dutiful acceptance of life’s fortunes, I thought I had subdued." (What Girls Want) YA can be satisfying for adults for reasons that are totally different from young adults that enjoy YA. Because of this, it is important that librarians do not discount adult readers of the genre. Librarians should keep adult readers of YA and NA in mind, as it is an upcoming trend. NA books discuss many subjects of which older adults can also relate such as "...transitioning to that next stage of life...depression, suicide, drug abuse, identity, sexuality, bullying, incest, fear of failure, independence, and mental illness." (Betwixt and Between 42)
Based on current trends, graphic novels, YA, and NA are genres that are here to stay that appeal to all age levels. Librarians should take note of this when building the collection.

Brookeover, S. (2014). What’s New About New Adult? Horn Book Magazine, 90(1), 41-45. 

Cataldi, Erin. (2015). Betwixt and Between: New Adult Fiction. The Library Journal. Retrieved from http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2015/08/collection-development/betwixt-and-between-new-adult-fiction-collection-development-september-1-2015/

Flanagan, C. (2008). What girls want: A series of vampire novels illuminates the complexities of female adolescent desire. The Atlantic, 108-120. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/12/what-girls-want/307161/

Young Adult Annotation

Synopsis of Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer: 

Miranda is a high school sophomore whose home life has gone through a lot of changes recently; her parents got divorced, her dad is expecting a baby with his new wife, her mom seems listless, her brother, Jon, is focused on being a sports star, and her brother, Matt, is away at college. This book is told from the POV of Miranda writing in her diary.

Although many changes have occurred in Miranda's life, the world has been going along as normal- until a meteor hits the moon, moving it closer to Earth. This is a catastrophic event that causes weather changes and disasters all over the world. 

Miranda is forced to grow up quickly; food becomes sparse, and one by one, important buildings such as schools, hospitals, and the post office begin closing. Once the weather makes it hard to venture out of the house, Miranda and her family are shut off from the outside world, leaving them mostly alone to face hunger, illness, and death. The friends she once held so close begin to fall away when their families desperately search for a safe place to live or when they succumb to the devastation. This is a story about survival of an unimaginable event.

Elements of Young Adult Fiction (science fiction):

Story Line: According to Saricks, science fiction authors, including YA, take an idea and an explore it in a setting outside of our own world or out of everyday contexts. A meteor hitting the moon and devastating our planet is something we do not think about outside of a random, fleeting thought, so it is definitely out of an everyday context. This story is appealing to young people because of the family and friendships dynamic. 

Frame/Setting: This book is visual for the reader in the sense that it paints a picture of the devastation that Miranda and her family endure; vicious snow storms, volcanic eruptions, and what the moon looks like having been pushed closer to Earth. As I read the book, I wasn't sure if the science behind these claims were correct, but I feel if the book had been overly technical it would not be as appealing to young readers (or some older reader, too!). 

Style/Language: This story is written as excerpts from Miranda's diary. The language is easy to follow and it is fraught with worry. There is devastation going on around her, but she still writes about how her personal relationships with friends and family are affecting her life. 

Characterization: The writing of this book sets relatable people in an extraordinary circumstance. Miranda and her family could easily be your next door neighbors. As the book goes on and the reader finds out more about how the moon is wreaking havoc on the Earth, more is learned about Miranda's family dynamic. I am sure more of this is explored in the other books in this series (there are 4).

Pacing: This was a fast-paced story; the meteor hits and it's almost like the reader is down the rabbit hole of tragedies unfolding. As the book goes on, it is amazing that the family is still alive, and you wonder how much more they can endure.

Read-Alikes: 

Each of the following books are about young people surviving a cataclysmic event, with no supernatural elements:

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian

The Living by Matt de la Pena

(Life as We Knew It is the first of 4 books in the series. Book Two is The Dead and the Gone, Book Three is This World We Live In, and Book 4 is The Shade of the Moon)

Non-fiction Annotation (biography)

Synopsis of Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey uses humor to write this endearing work about her life. Below the surface of the fame is woman who lived through tragedy, awkward teenage years, and years of hard work to get to where she is today. She does this with comedy and also earnestness
Tina grew up in a middle class family in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania that included her parents and her older brother. She knew she was interested in comedy from a young age. She was introduced to it by her father, who loved sitcoms and comedies from the 50's and 60's and shared this love with Tina and her older brother. By her account, she had a loving family and a great childhood, although part of her childhood was marred by tragedy. When she was 5 years old, a stranger with a knife slashed her face while she played outside her home. Tina does not disclose much information about this event, only to say that it happened and it greatly affected her and her parents.
Going through high school and college, Tina felt that she had awkward experiences with dating and trying to fit in with the crowd. She recounts dating stories that seem terrible, but she relays them in a way that you laugh with her and not at her.
She graduated from college with a degree in Drama. She moved to Chicago and her first job out of college was working for her local YMCA where she met colorful people. She landed a spot with an improv group called Second City, and this led to a job writing for Saturday Night Live. While writing for the show she became a featured player and host of Weekend Update within SNL. From this, she moved on to writing successful TV shows such as 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as well as movies like Baby Mama. 
While Tina was working for SNL, she met her husband, Jeff Richmond, with whom she has two children. Fey talks candidly about struggling with their decision to have a second child. Besides the discussion of her professional life, she discusses raising two daughters and her hopes for the people they will hopefully become.

Elements of Nonfiction

Appeal: This book would appeal to those that like comedy or gentle reads. Fey's book deals with family relationships, celebrity, women, and identity. Her writing is candid. Knowing this appeal helps to advise potential readers to highlights of the book so they can decide whether or not they want to read it.

Pacing: The book moves quickly through Tina's life but in a way that reader feels as though they are getting a realistic glimpse into her life. Those that are interested in Fey's career might find that the book is an easier read in comparison with those who read it that are not familiar with her work. I agree with Neal Wyatt when she states that a strong narrative hooks the reader and helps them navigate through their reading experience.

Characterization: In this autobiography, of course, Tina is the main focus. Many readers of nonfiction will find that they like reading about real people- as Neal Wyatt says, a sense of reality adds fascination to nonfiction. Since Fey is so candid about her life and experiences, the reader feels as though they know her throughout all the stages of her life. Though she is the main focus of the book, there are secondary people that enrich the story of her life, such as her parents and husband- even those that are part of the not-so-fond memories from childhood and college.

Story Line: Bossypants has a strong narrative. Due to this, Neal Wyatt believes this book would do well for a book club. This book is not fact-based nonfiction and more imaginative, so the book may seem easier to readers. Fey's intent is not to provide facts, but to entertain the reader. This book would be advisable for those who are not looking for something dense or fact-ridden.


Read-alikes:
I Know I Am, but What Are You? by Samantha Bee
Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Yes, Please! by Amy Poehler

“1.” The Readers' Advisory Guide to Nonfiction, by Neal Wyatt, American Library Association, 2007.

Week 12 Prompt

Author: Mary Roach

Title: Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers

Publication Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 304

Geographic Setting: Roach covers practices in Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages, as well as current practices regarding the different uses of cadavers in the United States.

Time Period: Mary Roach researches what happens to cadavers donated to science in the present (present being 2003 when the book was published) and the past going back 2,000 years.

Subject Headings: Human experimentation in medicine. Dead. Human dissection.

Type: Science

Series Notes: This is a stand-alone book.

Book Summary: The subject of human cadavers and archaic medical practices is not usually thought of as humorous, but Mary Roach combines facts and humor in Stiff.
Medicine has made great strides since the days of surgeons performing operations with no anesthesia and low mortality rates.  Presently, those who donate their bodies to science are well-respected by the medical students that hone their surgical skills on cadavers. Not only do cadavers help in the medical field, but in others such as the automotive industry- cadavers were once used as human crash test dummies.
Roach believes that cadavers deserve the utmost respective for advancing humankind's endeavors.
This book is appealing because one does not need to have a vast understanding of science to appreciate it. Roach explains it in a way that is easy to understand. Not only easy to understand, but she uses humorous footnotes to keep the tone informative, yet light.
There is no vulgar language or sex, the only violence would be seen in the archaic medical practices that were used in the past.

Reading Elements: Learning/experiencing: Roach brings to light a subject that is not often discussed in the media. There is a rich history of cadavers that had advanced over time. People may not know the areas that cadavers have helped advance.
Writing style: Informative and humorous
Pacing: Roach begins by discussing the mood and attitude of those working with cadavers in present time. She then flows back into history and propels the reader forward in time with stories and facts.
Tone/mood: The text is informative and the subject matter could be viewed as macabre, but Roach peppers this with humor.

1-3 Annotation: Human cadavers have powered medical advances for centuries. Human bodies have endured post-mortem surgeries, car crashes, and dissection with a respect and gratitude from the living that benefits from what the cadavers teach us.

Similar Works: Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales by William Bass
The Mummy Congress: Science, Obsession, and the Everlasting Dead by Heather Pringle
Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab by Christine Montross

Name of Annotator: Kelly Kindle