What I'm Reading: Goodreads Updates [second 2019 installment]

Today I have another installment of my catch up reviews; 9 to be exact. This post should serves as a reminder that I do periodic updates of all of the books I read for "fun" on Goodreads and then compile them here so that the titles are searchable on the blog too. See below for the authors and titles as well as my three words. Use the links [click on titles] to read the full review on Goodreads.

This should also tide you all over while I am on vacation beginning tomorrow 7/26 and not returning to until 8/5.

And beware, when I get back the August issue of Booklist will have just gone live, and it is the best issue of the year-- the spotlight on Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. Not only do I have 3 reviews in that issue, but I have also helped with some of the supplemental coverage. So I will be in full on Speculative Fiction mode upon my return.

Stay out of trouble, read my reviews, use the blog backlist as a resource, and keep helping those patrons. I'll be back before you know it.

Audio

• The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar [novel of place, character centered, slightly askew]
• The Dreamers by Karen Walker Thompson [eerie, thought provoking, multiple povs]

Print

• Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield [novel of place, captivating, character centered]
• The Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss [Gothic, character centered, novel of place]
• We Cast A Shadow by Maurice Carlos Ruffin [Dark Humor, Intense Satire, Thought Provoking]
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams [candid, compelling, strong first person]
• Clyde Fans, Book 1 by Seth [interesting frame, character centered, introspective]
• One for the Road by Wesley Southard [fast paced, strong narrative voice, creative monsters]
• Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell [weird, unsettling, captivating]

Call to Action: You Are Not Done Working Until Every Single One of Your Books Is Checked Out At Once

Today's Call to Action post is from a note I have had in my draft folder for a while and it something I often say during my in person appearances--

Your work is not done until every single one of your books is check out all at once.

Obviously this comment is meant to be provocative and spur conversation. It has way more nuance than it seems upon first glance; however, it does quickly sum up the entirety of our main mission in RA Service. Our job is to get the books out into the world, off our shelves, and into potential readers' hands. It is not to collect them, possess them, and be the gatekeepers, limiting access.

I know you all know this in theory but too often I see library workers getting possessive about "their books" or "their collection." The books are not yours. They belong to your community because they paid for them. You simply chose what to fill the shelves with. They trusted you with the funds to make their collective collection. We are there to figure out the most efficient and effective ways to get the right item in the right person's hand when they want or need it. Period. No buts.

I don't care if the book is one that has a tendency to disappear. Replace it. I don't care how you feel about the title at hand. If it is what that reader wants, give it to them.

I have literally had to tell library workers [both co-workers and clients] to stop limiting access, to stop thinking they are your books, to stop closing the gate. So that is why I developed this soundbite:

Your work is not done until every single one of your books is check out all at once.

It is an easy way to start this conversation. But let me break down a few deeper levels of meaning here.

First, this statement reminds us that we are matchmakers between the books languishing on the shelf and that perfect reader who would love said title if only they knew of its existence. Matchmaking is an active verb. This reminds us that we aren't supposed to sit back and wait for people to ask us for help. We need to always be working toward improving book discovery for our patrons. Whether we are actively book talking or making displays, posting lists, doing staff picks, whatever it is. Our job as Readers' Advisors is about us making the effort to match people with titles.

Second, this statement brings up key collection development issues. If your work is not done until every single title is checked out at once, then you need to ask yourself, why isn't every title checked out. This question is one we should always be asking ourselves. And the answer is two fold.

1. Are we buying the correct books for our community? All of us who do purchasing should always be assessing if the books we are choosing are what our community wants. I don't care what you want. Are your choices diverse and inclusive in every way, so that all members of the community can read about all human experiences? 
2. Are we weeding enough? Sometimes books that should be going out aren't because they are surrounded by too much junk. Weeding is essential to having a healthy collection

These are both huge topics that I, as well as many others, have discussed at length in other places, so of course, I am not doing them justice here, but I would also be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that these issues belong in this post, at least as a mention.

Third, in the your work is not done until....discussion is that this statement should also remind you about pushing those backlist titles. Books you know are a good read but which haven't  circulated in a while. I talk about the backlist and it's potential as a treasure trove of "new to you" options for readers often here on the blog, but today I am adding a brand new backlist tip:

I suggest having your team work together each month to identify some way back titles that you should all be book talking that month. Get 10 titles together, print out some quick info from NoveList or Goodreads, put it all together in one document and encourage staff to prioritize hand selling those titles that month.  You made the list by working together, so you are getting a wide variety of options and your patrons will love hearing about so many "new to them" titles. When we give them title suggestions they never would have found on their own, without us, they are happier with us and more willing to ask for help again, even if they didn't love the title. And by working together, you all do a little work, but together you make a huge impact. 

This leads to the fourth and final point: Try to suggest titles you haven't before. The backlist tip above is one way to do this. But another way is to simply roam your shelves and look for titles you have never heard of. Grab a few. Bring them back to the desk. Look them up in your favorite resource. Read some reviews- professional or reader comments. And then try suggesting the best sounding ones to a reader who may enjoy them. And if the book you pulled out randomly seems like a bad fit for your collection and you can't think of anyone to suggest it to, then weed it. You just tried point 4 but accomplished point 2. Winners all around there.

One of the benefits to living the mantra- Your work is not done until every single one of your books is check out all at once- is that along the way you will also be identifying new ideas of what to suggest to your patrons, leading them to finding new books that might even be in a different genre than they normally read, which will in turn lead to them trying more of what you have, which will in turn mean more of your titles get checked out. See where this is heading? In other words, living by this motto means you are also modeling it as a behavior and that will encourage your patrons, actively or subliminally, to try something hiding in the stacks too.

Obviously, you will never have all of your books checked out at once, but that's why it is a vision, not a mission. Mission statements help you to define what you are doing, but vision statements are the ideal of where you hope to get to in a perfect world, but realistically never will.

Have vision in your RA Service. Attempting to have all of your books checked out at once is a great way to keep that vision of ideal RA Service in front of you, on the horizon, not behind you in the review mirror.

For past Call to Action posts, click here.

Library Journal Takes A Deep Dive Into Generational Reading Habits: Part 1

We all know our patrons and their habits because we serve them day in and day out. We have anecdotal evidence of how certain segments of our patrons behave and use the library. We even go so far as to gather specific data about our populations, their library usage, and their habits especially when we are doing strategic planning. This information helps us to craft our collections, plan programming, and line up our service priorities.

However, none of us, even me, someone who travels the entire country visiting libraries, have a good sense of what readers are like across the country, especially when we talk about behaviors based on their ages.  We have a little data that was collected by the Pew Foundation, but those specific studies were too long ago at this point to be useful today.

But now, here comes Library Journal to the rescue. They have begun a series of deep dives into generational reading behavior, with a particular focus on library usage. I am very excited to pass on this first report here and below. I have also started a new tag, "generational reading behavior," in order to make pulling up the entire series easier in the future.

Yes, knowing out local populations is key to the best public library service, but understanding broader trends and looking at a larger picture is also important. This report is fascinating and the charts are very useful. This is a series that every single one of my readers can and will use.

It all begins with this report on Millennials.

Click here to access the full report,
includes useful charts

Crash Course in Romance Webinar

Last week I attended the NoveList-LibraryReads Crash Course in Romance webinar.

Below I have the info and the recording access link for you. Also don't forget, this webinar is the 4th in a 5 part series of FREE webinars. The information in these training sessions is helpful independent of whether or not you subscribe to NoveList. They are an excellent resource about the state of these genres right now.

Click here to access the list of genre "crash course" webinars with links to the recordings [if they have already happened] and to the signup if they haven't.

Finally, please remember to watch the webinars on the genres you love as closely as the ones you are less comfortable with. Why? Because your version of your favorite genre, is specific to you. You need to understand the full range of why people like the genres they enjoy. When we like something, our brains automatically default to our version; even if you are careful, it is hard not to. Whereas, when we watch the webinars on the genres we are less comfortable with, we are more willing to listen and take it in without bias simply because we know so much less.

Okay, that's enough from me. See below for the Romance details and/or click here to access the full series. 

Webinar: Crash Course in Romance

Are you intimidated at the thought of helping romance readers? Whether your readers are fans of category romances or paranormal romances, let NoveList and LibraryReads break down the best romance has to offer your readers — from best friend’s sibling to secret babies.

Join as they cover:

• Why romance is so popular and ways libraries can destigmatize the genre
• How romance developed including classics, newcomers, and awards to know
• Subgenres and crossovers
• NoveList insider information on genre headings, themes, appeal terms, and more

The webinar is now archived. 

Click below to watch the recording or skip ahead to the training session that took place after the webinar.

Click here to recording access now

Resources: 

• Attendance certificate
• Presentation slides
• Article: Romance Starter Pack
• Romance webinar chat transcript

Panelists

       

Polli Kenn is the Readers’ Services Coordinator at the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, KS and she is fairly certain that leisure reading and a nice cuppa will save humanity. In early 2015 she launched the BookSquad readers’ advisory team and has written and presented on how to start a readers’ advisory revolt at your library on a dime. She is a member of the Booklist Advisory Board, the LibraryReads Board, and a co-host of the BookSquad Podcast. In her spare time, she made three nifty humans entirely from scratch.   

Stephanie Anderson is the Assistant Director of Selection for BookOps, the shared technical services organization of the New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library. (That means that she leads the amazing team of librarians who select and order all materials for 150 branches and two digital collections - in 21 languages!) She is a founding member and current chair of the LibraryReads Board of Directors. Outside of work, when she's not ignoring her email to read on the couch, she's reviewing books (for People, Kirkus Reviews, or Shelf Awareness), coaching basketball, or working on yet another slide deck about readers' advisory. You can learn more about her love of RA education at bookavore.net.

Halle Eisenman leads the Editorial Content Team which oversees the creation of the lists, articles, book discussion guides, and all the other amazing and informative content you can find in NoveList. Prior to working at NoveList, she spent a dozen years working for a public library system in a variety of roles, but no matter what her job title, her favorite part of any day was suggesting books to patrons. When not at work, Halle can often be found walking her dog (he gets lots of exercise when she’s listening to a particularly riveting audiobook), binge-watching TV shows aimed at teenagers, baking, or sitting on her back porch with a book. She is currently serving on the RUSA CODES Reading List Council.

Need a New Resource for Suggestions or Displays? Ask Another Library

My Ten Rules of Basic RA Service includes this important but often forgotten rule:

Click here for all 10 rules

Notice the bulleted point....working together also includes working with other libraries.

When you are feeling in a rut either with your display ideas or the suggestions you are giving out to people, when you feel like you need to shake things up, the best place to go for inspiration is...another library!

One of the easiest ways to identify what other libraries are doing is to search the #BookDisplay hashtag on Twitter. Again, for my non Twitter using readers, you can just use this link to see the Tweets without logging in. But if you want a specific person who does a great job promoting simple and frequent display ideas, use St Pete, FL librarian Lila's feed, @vantine, here. She has enough ideas in a month to keep you stocked all year long.

In terms of finding libraries with excellent book lists online, one of my favorites is here near my house, the Indian Prairie Public Library. Click here to see their extensive book lists, and side note, they love to share them with others. I like their lists not only because the website is easy to navigate and has thousands of lists, but also because I know for a fact that they have their lists of a rotated schedule to make sure they get updated, adding new titles on a regular schedule. Also, they have a commitment to making sure their lists are equitable, diverse, and inclusive. So you cannot go wrong.

Those are but 2 suggestions. There are thousands of libraries all over this country, big and small. Any or all of them could provide a spark for a new suggestion or display, one you could never have come up with on your own. And, hey, isn't that what libraries are here to do...help people access information they couldn't find on their own. It's just in this case the patron is another library.

No matter where you get your ideas, the over all point I wanted to make today is that we all need to work together more. In this case, by looking to other libraries virtually, especially those you wouldn't interact with physically, you will get new ideas, from different perspectives. And while there are definitely regional differences in what is most popular at any given moment, take it from me, someone who travels to libraries all over the country for a living, library patrons are way more similar than they are different. Something that works in FL, will also work in IL.

And conversely, if you have ideas for book lists and displays, share them on your websites and social media so that other libraries can learn from you. Working together is a two way street.

Broaden your access to ideas and resources by working together.

A Q&A with Me Courtesy of Celadon Books

Today I will be spending most of the day at ALA HQ in downtown Chicago getting into mischief, I mean working on a project, with my Booklist editor, Susan Maguire. You will get to be privy to the result of said mischief/work in a few weeks, but for now, that's al you get. [cue evil laughter...which in and of itself a clue].

I will also be popping in to say hi to a few other people that I work with/know because, well I'm there  so I might as well.

While I am busy, I thought today was a good day to run an interview I recently did with Celadon Books. This is an excellent intro to the basics of RA, but also a behind the scenes into how I train library workers. Come for my soundbite reviews of some great titles, my tips and tricks on being a better book suggester, and some of my favorite book stores, but stay to find out what book most influenced me as a child. Trust me, it explains a lot.

Click here to access the original interview

Readers’ advisory expert Becky Spratford sounds off on independent bookstores, a parallel-universe Nobel laureate, and how librarians learn to connect you with the books you love. 

By Stephen Lovely 

You specialize in training library workers to help readers find their next great read. What’s that process like? How do you connect with libraries, and what form does the training take? 

The field is known as readers’ advisory, which is a terrible and wonky term for what you said in better natural language: helping library workers help leisure readers find the best book for them. 

My company is called “RA for All” because I believe that every staff member who works in a library — whether they are a degree-holding librarian, a clerk, the director, a page, or a maintenance staff member — can and should participate in RA in some way.
We used to teach RA by telling library staff they had to forget what they like to read. We told them that it had to be only about the patron and what they wanted. And we said only the professionally trained staff could handle this. None of this is true. 

My trainings are very different. I use my Ten Rules of Basic RA Service to introduce the concept of RA service and to allow staff members to reconnect with a book they love as a reader, not a library worker. I have everyone think of a book that they love and go through its “appeal factors” — like pacing, story, and setting. Then I ask them to give a two-minute book talk to a neighbor about why they like the book — not what happens in it. 

And that’s just the start of my training sessions, which range from 60-minute webinars to 7-hour interactive classes. 

What sort of things should librarians be considering in their book recommendations to readers? 

Number one, the backlist is your best friend! Those of us in the book world are obsessed with new titles. We think we can’t suggest that hot book from last year. But we know way more about all of the books than the average patron does. You think everyone has read Gone Girl? Think again! Seriously, your best suggestions are those books that everyone was talking about one to four years ago. More people haven’t read them yet than have. 

Number two, our recommendations should be titles that patrons wouldn’t find on their own. I talk a lot about the need to suggest books that are diverse and inclusive. Reading helps open us up to new perspectives, but people tend to stick with what’s comfortable. Patrons need a nudge to try something new. 

Finally, we should convince people to take more than one title home. They might like one or all of them. I remind people that we don’t take it personally if they don’t like the books, because we didn’t write them! 

What does the world get wrong about librarians? 

How much time do you have? Seriously, like many professions, there are a lot of stereotypes. I think the biggest misconception is that we read all day and hate people.
The type of librarianship I work on — service to patrons at a public desk — is much more of a customer service-oriented job than a book-oriented one. It is all about talking to people and seeing how I can help them. If you don’t like people and just want to read all day, you will not enjoy this line of work. 

What book has made the greatest impact on you? 

The poetry of Shel Silverstein, particularly Where the Sidewalk Ends. I read that book over 100 times as a kid and many more times with my kids as an adult. I would spend entire days memorizing and reciting the poems. I had a cassette with Mr. Silverstein reading some of the poems that I played and rewound and played again. 

I think what captivated me about these poems was the slightly askew worldview, the focus on outsiders, the lyrical language that often veered into the nonsensical, and the hint of darkness under it all. All of those features are still things I love in every book I read now. 

What book do you recommend most, and why? 

This is a great question, because it changes all of the time. What I look for in a book I can suggest often is a universality in the themes, great characters, a solid pace, a unique twist, and a “sound bite” hook.  Here are five titles I have most recently been suggesting everywhere I go, along with my one-sentence sound bite hook. 

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones: Imagine your dad had a secret family, and you had a sister you didn’t know about — but she knew about you! 

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead: What if the Underground Railroad was an actual train?

There There by Tommy Orange: A mosaically told story of the modern urban Native American experience, with many voices telling their stories as the characters and reader head toward a high powwow at the Oakland Coliseum. 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: A 20th-century historical family saga, set mostly in Japan, with a family of Korean immigrants. 

In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson: The most subtle vampire tale you have ever read hidden inside of a thought provoking, modern western a la Cormac McCarthy.

The book I have suggested the most all-time is probably The Known World by Edward P. Jones. It’s a lyrical historical fiction tale based on the fact that there were black slave owners. 

Every single one of these books has won or was nominated for a major award. I bet that there is no one reading this other than me who has read all six. Feel free to use any and all of these suggestions — in a few weeks I will probably have swapped a few out already. 

What’s the last great book you read? 

I read at least a book a week, if not more. The last book I loved that I read for my own enjoyment was Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn. [Read Becky’s review here.] 

I also listen to a lot of audio books. A recent one I absolutely loved was The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar. 

What’s your favorite literary genre? 

Well, I am the library world’s horror expert. I have literally written the book on it twice, and I am about to start the third edition. I also really enjoy psychological suspense (which is really horror without the supernatural) and literary fiction. I also love novels of place, where the setting is key, no matter the genre. 

In fact, this is part of my training programs: I have people think deeper than genre. Most readers are like me in that they don’t only read one genre. So it’s better to think about what the books you enjoy the most have in common beyond genre categories. 

What’s your favorite bookstore? 

My local bookstore is a branch of Illinois independent bookstore chain Anderson’s Bookshops, but I am also one of those people that frequents the local independent bookstore in just about every town they visit. 

Recently, my family stopped at Page & Palette in Fairhope, Alabama. My parents live in Waterbury, Vermont, and I love Bridgeside Books there — and, in nearby Montpelier, Bear Pond Books. When I was in Paris, I made it to Shakespeare and Company, and I once drove through Oxford, Mississippi just to go to Square Books. 

Wherever I go, I find the independent bookstore. I chat up the employees. I talk to them about the books I have reviewed for Booklist and try to get them to hand sell my favorites to others. I never stop pushing good books. 

What’s the most unique or memorable book request you’ve gotten? 

This one is easy, because I use it in just about every training I provide. Once, I was asked by a patron to get her the book for which James Patterson won the Nobel Prize. Now, I could have laughed in her face and told her that James Patterson was never going to win the Nobel Prize, or lectured her on the fact that the Nobel Prize is given for a body of work, not a single title. Instead I blinked hard a few times, took a breath, and dove into her request. 

I told her I was pretty sure he didn’t win that award. I then had to figure out if she wanted a Nobel Prize-winning book or a book for which Patterson won a prize. Turns out it was the latter. 

And, wouldn’t you know, James Patterson did win a major prize for a book: the Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1977 for The Thomas Berryman Number. That story always shocks the audience, but it also serves as a reminder that Readers’ Advisory is a nonjudgmental service. We don’t make our patrons feel bad about what they want to read. We help them find a title that they will enjoy. 

What big book trends have you seen in the libraries you’ve visited in the past six months? 

For a while, I had to convince people that books were our brand, and we should double down on them. Everyone wanted to talk about makerspaces and the like. 

I used to have to sell the need for RA training to the bosses. Administrators weren’t convinced that they needed to spend an entire day on RA. Now, they’re finding me and begging me to come. 

Libraries are also getting more serious about making interactive and interesting book displays and putting up staff book recommendation shelves. This is a huge shift from two years ago when barely any did.

Resource Alert: The Millions' Second Half of 2019 Book Preview

Click here to accessthe full annotated list

Just as I brought you the Second Half of 2019 Horror Preview last week, The Millions is here with their much larger and broader in scope The Great Second-Half 2019 Preview

Now, many of you are thinking right now-- Becky what have you just done to my personal TBR pile? All of these titles are going to make my head explode. I will never get to them all.

But that is not why I am passing the list on. Promise. [And just in case you don't believe me, here is a post I did in 2017 About how to manage your TBR anxiety.]

The Millions puts out these 6 month, usefully annotated with appeal and readalike information, lists twice a year and they are a treasure trove of information for us-- both the current list and the previous lists too.

First the current list [which you can access here]. Of course this is a wonderful resource for those of you who do collection development. Make sure you have these titles ordered, yes, but also find ways to make this list available to your patrons so they know now, in the summer when we are busiest and when many adults are rediscovering their love of reading, what books to be excited about in the coming months.

Put links to this list on your social media, websites, catalogs [if you can], and also in your buildings as a print out. When you are making these lists available to patrons make sure you are clear that these are books you can get for people. Use the excitement of greatly anticipated titles to spur interest and holds in these books and others while they wait.

Look, we think it is obvious that if we link to a list of upcoming books that our patrons understand that means we will have them. Well it is not. Trust me. I still encounter people that don't know they can place a hold on a title before it is released. We are used to our processes because we live and breathe them every day. Our patrons are not us. Please be explicit when posting lists of upcoming books, especially such well produced ones like this list. The annotation are extremely useful here. Make it clear that we want to help get the titles that interest each patron into their hands.

Second, speaking of the annotations, both in the current list and the previous lists, these annotations are ready made book talks. Seriously, you don't have to do anything more than read the annotation to a patron to hand sell the title. Again, you do not have to have read these books to suggest them. [See I promised you I am not trying to sabotage your teetering TBR.]

Take the first book in the list, a title I know every library will purchase, as an example:

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead: Fresh off a Pulitzer for The Underground Railroad, Whitehead returns to the subject of America’s racist history with this tale of a college-bound black man who runs afoul of the law in Jim Crow Florida and ends up in the hellish Nickel Academy, where boys are beaten and sexually abused by the staff. In an early review, Publishers Weekly calls The Nickel Boys “a stunning novel of impeccable language and startling insight.” (Michael)

Every single one of you, whether you will read this book or not, will have someone ask you about it and/or you will have the opportunity to talk it up to a potential reader at some point, I mean the author was on the cover of Time for goodness sake. You have everything you need to help that patron, right here on the screen. Now multiple that a lot of times [I didn't count every title, sorry] for this list and then multiply it again for every backlist [because they do this 2x a year, every year], and you have a never ending book suggestion engine with your talking points all set out for you.

And third [not that you need a third], a point to which I have already alluded to, the backlist of all of their "Book Preview" pieces are where you should be going to book talk those titles you already have on the shelf right now. If they were hotly anticipated a year ago, there is a good chance that they are a great read right now, and one your patron doesn't have to wait for.

And hey, spoiler, I looked and yep, I was right. That list from the beginning of 2018 has some amazing titles you can confidently hand out right now. And remember, you don't have to have read them yourself because of that awesome annotations that you can use as your book talk.

RA for All Virtual Roadshow Visits Massachusetts Library System for Genre Training

This morning I am returning to Massachusetts Library System for my Demystifying Genre webinar. This one was completely overhauled in April and has been tweaked 4 times since then. It is my second most popular webinar and my third most requested program that I present in person or online.

I am very proud of this one and I put a lot of work on keeping it fresh and accurate, but I also want to remind everyone out there that it is an overview of all the genres. The only complaint I get about this program is it doesn't go deep enough, only touching the surface of each genre. However, that is the point.

This program is mean to get your feet wet in the entire concept of genre and how to use it as a tool to help readers. As a result of me doing this one more often, all over the country, I want to then remind you that I can do a full 60 minute webinar on any genre or groups of genres if you need more than this overview.

Unfortunately for all the library workers and their patrons, but I guess fortunately for me and my business, most people still need the overview. And, because the genres are fluid, as I see very clearly in my need to update these slides frequently, people might always need this overview. And that's just fine. I enjoy giving it. I love the enthusiasm for all genres that it stirs up in me; not just the ones I personally enjoy.

So, if you were at the webinar today, the live slides are here and below. And, if you weren't, well guess what? The live slides are still here and below.

Use them to help you get to know a genre you are less comfortable with right now. It's not as hard as you think once you understand the current state of the genre at this moment in time. That's what each slide does-- orient you and point you in the right direction.

Now stop reading this and click through to learn and have fun. Because don't you want your job to actually be about books and reading and not all the other BS you have to deal with? Well it can be at least for a few moments, thanks to me.

Click here for slide access

Library Reads: August 2019

Today is Library Reads day and that means four things here on RA for All:

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles  before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

Also, the Library Reads Board has also started another great book discovery and suggestion tool for you, a monthly What We're Reading column. This means there are even more library worker approved titles, new and old, for you to choose from. 

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Also, please remember to click here for my Library Reads 101 recap for everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

August 2019 LibraryReads

Don’t miss the August 2019 Hall of Fame Winners! Scroll down or visit the Hall of Fame page.

The Right Swipe: A Novel

by Alisha Rai

Published: 8/6/2019 by Avon
ISBN: 9780062878090

“An intelligent, multicultural contemporary romance. Rhi, CEO of the Crush dating app, and Samson, NFL star, embark on a joint project that turns into more than just talk. Issues of #MeToo in the tech industry and the NFL’s concussion problem are woven in. For readers of the Forbidden Heart series, Elle Wright, and Alyssa Cole.”

Jessica Werner, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA 
NoveList Read-alike: Fumbled by Alexa Martin

Ellie and the Harpmaker

by Hazel Prior

Published: 8/6/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9781984803788

“When Ellie walks into the Harp Barn, her life is bound to change. Dan the harpmaker is a sensitive soul who gives Ellie a harp. Ellie’s husband Clive thinks the gift is inappropriate and doesn’t support her desire to play, so she takes lessons behind his back. An engaging and tender book for fans of Fredrik Backman and Graeme Simsion.”

Kathleen Harriott, Punta Gorda Public Library, Punta Gorda, FL 
Novelist Read-alike: The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce

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Inland: A Novel

by Téa Obreht

Published: 8/13/2019 by Random House
ISBN: 9780812992861

“Obreht lays a mythical voice over an already dreamlike landscape of drought in Arizona. A mother and half-grown sons generate a powerful dynamic not often explored, and the youngest, who knows about scary beasts, brings magic and intuition. A journey into a barren world, inside and out. For fans of Larry Watson and Alice Hoffman.”

Katherine Phenix, Rangeview Library District, Adams County, CO 
NoveList Read-alike: The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami

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The Last Widow: A Novel

by Karin Slaughter

Published: 8/20/2019 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780062858085

“A fast-paced thriller in the Will Trent series has Will and Sara trying to prevent a deadly epidemic. The book tells the story of what is happening to three different people during the same short time periods, as they are unaware of the actions of the others. For readers who enjoy Tana French and John Sanford.”

Susanne Guide, Union County Public Library, Liberty, IN
NoveList Read-alike: The Helen Grace series by M.J. Arlidge

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Life and Other Inconveniences

by Kristan Higgins

Published: 8/6/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780451489425

“Explores the complex relationships between caregivers and their children, as four generations of one family reflect on their past, and the failing health of the family matriarch looms large. For readers who like fully developed characters with real-world problems, and fans of Jennifer Weiner and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.”

Amanda Kowalcze, Green Hills Public Library District, Palos Hills, IL
NoveList Read-alike: The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos

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Sapphire Flames: A Hidden Legacy Novel

by Ilona Andrews

Published: 8/27/2019 by Avon
ISBN: 9780062878342

“The fifth Hidden Legacy paranormal adventure requires middle sister Catalina, now head of House Baylor, to use all her skills and poise to make the right decisions for herself and her family. For fans of Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series and Patricia Briggs’ Moon Called.”

Lynne Welch, Herrick Memorial Library, Wellington, OH 
NoveList Read-alike: The Lily Bound series by Yasmine Galenorn

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The Swallows: A Novel

by Lisa Lutz

Published: 8/13/2019 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9781984818232

“A dark, satirical book that centers around a school and the revenge that we seek in times of humiliation. It’s a twisty read that will have you following an investigation filled with secrets, lies, and threats. For readers who liked Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and Small Admissionsby Amy Poeppel.”

Kathryn Neal, Skiatook Library, Skiatook, OK 
NoveList Read-alike: The Red Word by Sarah Henstra

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Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel

by Katherine Center

Published: 8/13/2019 by St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 9781250047328

“A traumatic event as a young woman has left firefighter Cassie with a hard shell which breaks apart as she learns about forgiveness, love, and friendship. With gripping firefighting scenes and a love story, this is perfect for fans of Jo Jo Moyes or Marissa de los Santos.

Alissa Williams, Morton Public Library, Morton, IL
NoveList Read-alike: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

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The Warehouse: A Novel

by Rob Hart

Published: 8/20/2019 by Crown
ISBN: 9781984823793

“Paxton and Zinnia are new employees at Cloud where they work, live, and have their productivity and location tracked through their smartwatches. Gibson is the dying industrialist who created the Cloud company and is touring the country visiting his facilities. This near-future dystopian sci-fi thriller made me leery of ever shopping online again. For fans of The Circle by Dave Eggers and Notes from the Internet Apocalypse by Wayne Gladstone.”

Dan Brooks, Wake County Public Library, Raleigh, NC
NoveList Read-alike: 1984 by George Orwell

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The Whisper Man: A Novel

by Alex North

Published: 8/20/2019 by Celadon Books
ISBN: 9781250317995

“Tom and his son Jake move to Featherbank to rebuild their life after the death of Tom’s wife; unknown to them, the town has a dark history and another little boy has gone missing and Jake begins to hear whispers in his new house. For fans of Joe Hill and Paul Tremblay.”

Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ 
NoveList Read-alike: The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

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The Perfect Wife: A Novel

by JP Delaney

Published: 8/6/2019 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9781524796747

“Abbie wakes up with no memory of how she ended up in the hospital. Her tech wizard husband tells her that after a horrific accident, he spent five years trying to bring her back. But is Abby’s return a miracle of science, or a nightmare? Delaney’s latest psychological thriller keeps you guessing.”

Joan Meis Wilson, Needles Public Library, Needles, CA

Read-alikes:

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
How to Be A Good Wife by Emma Chapman
The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch

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The Turn of the Key

by Ruth Ware

Published: 8/6/2019 by Gallery/Scout Press
ISBN: 9781501188770

“Rowan travels to northern Scotland to nanny for a rich, eccentric family; a seemingly perfect job until everything unravels. The isolated location, creepy gothic vibe, unreliable narrator, and brilliant twists keep readers on edge from start to finish in a pulse-pounding read.”

Cyndi Larsen, Avon Free Public Library, Avon, CT 

Read-alikes:

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt
The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman

Booklist's First Annual Graphic Novels in Libraries Month

For years I have been saying that the time to get yourself up to speed on the world surrounding the popular format of Graphic Novels is July.

Yes, I said format. Please let's remember that graphic novels are not a genre. Graphic novels are a format, a way to tell a story, any story, in many genres. 

Take myself for instance. If you asked me if I liked graphic novels, I would emphatically proclaim, "YES!" But, does that mean I like every type of graphic novel. No, I enjoy graphic novels in the same  genres that I like my books [horror, sf, nonfiction, literary fiction, for example], and conversely I also do NOT like graphic novels in the genres I do not enjoy-- specifically comics of superheroes. I do not like the genre of superheroes at all. I don't enjoy them in movies or TV either.

The world of graphic novels is vast and figuring it all out can be a daunting task. We have to consider the type of stories people enjoy AND how the art interacts with that. Plus, graphic novels cover everything. This means there is a lot to sift through, but it also means that there is a choice available for every reader.

July is the best time to get up to speed on the entire landscape of graphic novels because it is the month of Comic-Con International and the most prestigious and comprehensive awards in the format, the Eisner Awards. 

Click here to see every nominee in a wide range of categories for all age levels. I think just looking at the sheer number of categories and what they are for helps you to understand the multiple layers of appeal and the scope of storytelling. It gives you a glimpse into the format's contraction by deconstructing the process.

But even then, that list is overwhelming because it only shows you what the industry considers as the cream of that year's crop. How do you help yourself to be better at helping readers? Well, as the title of this post says, Booklist, one of the best places to fine useful and hands-on RA and collection development resources, resources you can use in the your work with readers immediately, has gone all in on July as Graphic Novels in Libraries month.

There are the regular spotlight issue lists like:

• Top 10 Graphic Novels for Adults 
• Top 10 Graphic Novels for Youth
• Graphic Novels on Audio [yes, audio; that is not a typo]

But the staff took it one step further this month by creating a full supplemental Guide to Graphic Novels in Libraries, which you can access here. Below is a list of the feature article with links but go to the landing page for the introduction by Booklist's Sarah Hunter too.

Features

• Access-ior: Cataloging and Shelving Graphic Novels and Comics, by Susan Maguire
• Collecting Manga 101, by Eva Volin
• Healthcare for the Masses: Graphic Medicine, by Matthew Noe
• You Con Do It! Library Mini-cons, by Susan Maguire
• What Can the Graphic Novels and Comics Roundtable Do for Me? by Carla Reimer and Rachel Fryd
• The Final Word (in Pictures)
• Comic Interludes
• Megg, Mogg, & Owl in Sensible, Reserved, Comical Follies. For Adults. by Simon Hanselmann
• It Starts at the Library, by Steenz
• Notes from the Field
• Weeding Graphic Novels, by Susan Maguire
• Durham County Library’s Graphic Book Club, by Susan Maguire
• Brittany Netherton Makes a Case for a New Collection, by Sarah Hunter
• Jesse Karp on Comics for Kids, by Sarah Hunter
• San José Public Library’s Graphic Novel Making Contest, by Susan Maguire

There is even more if you login or go to Booklist Reader all month long. Now get out there and get up to speed in graphic novels, refresh your collections, and work with readers with confidence.