RA for All Roadshow Interviews Brit Bennet, Live on Stage...Tonight and You Can Watch [for free] From Anywhere!

One of my specialties is moderating conversations with authors. I do this frequently. Most of the opportunities are with multiple authors at once, but here in Chicagoland, I have been helping libraries host the authors of their One Book, One Community reads for years. I have done Erin Morgenstern, Luis Alberta Urrea, Emma Donoghue and tonight Brit Bennett.

This event is for Schaumburg Township District Library in the NW suburbs of Chicago. Here is their page with all of the information on their One Book, One Community for The Vanishing Half.

I will be having a conversation with Bennett live on stage tonight at 7pm central, but anyone can watch us virtually via the Live Stream [or the recording] here.

While I will be taking questions for at least the last 15 minutes, but please note, this event is not a chance for patrons to pepper Ms. Bennett with questions, rather our focus is on her work in general and this book specifically. We are going to have a conversation not a Q&A. Participants will be able to learn more about the book, yes, but also about Ms. Bennett as an author. And you better bet I am leaving time for her to suggest books to all of us. 

Any of you who have attended any of my basic RA training events know that I talk about both The Mothers and The Vanishing Half often. You can click here or here to read my reviews on both titles. 

Bennett's work is brilliant, and I focus on it frequently, precisely because she is able to write stories that focus on very specific Black communities, employ provocative issues at their core [abortion and passing] and yet, the overall effect of both is a universal story about human nature. 

It is no surprise to me that this book, which came out early in the pandemic [June 2020] was on every year end bestseller list still for 2021 and all library most checked out titles as well [including my home library.] But, I think the staying power of her novel is worth discussing, especially from her perspective. 

This is a taste of what you can expect tonight. 

I hope you can join us on YouTube.

Details here or below.

AN EVENING WITH BRIT BENNETT, AUTHOR OF THE VANISHING HALF 

Thursday, Feb. 24 6-9 p.m. Al Larson Prairie Center For the Arts  Masks must be worn at all times during this in-person program.

You’ve read The Vanishing Half for our One Book, One Community, now meet the author. New York Times bestseller Brit Bennett will be here for one night only, discussing her life and her books, and answering your questions. After her visit, Bennett’s books will be available for purchase and signing thanks to Read Between the Lynes bookstore. Doors will open at 6 p.m. to allow ample time for seating before Ms. Bennett joins us at 7 p.m.

If the event is full, or if you prefer, you can watch the event live-streamed on SchaumburgLibrary.tv.

RA for All Virtual Roadshow Visits Schaumburg Township District Library with Emma Donoghue

Tonight, at 7pm Central, I will be interviewing Emma Donoghue, author of Room, for the Schaumburg Township [IL] District Library as part of their One Book, One Community.

I have found out that anyone can watch this event on the STDL YouTube Channel. So consider joining us live. We are going to have a great time talking about everything from her favorite authors, her writing process, and the book itself. I am even going to ask her what it was like to go to the Oscars! 

Ms Donoghue is very excited to participate, she is easy to chat with, and quite funny.

Below is the teaser video she made  for  the event. Kudos  to STDL for keeping their community  engaged in this  community wide  reading program during a pandemic. The response has been great and they should be proud. Here is the full slate of what they offered for all ages of patrons.

I hope all of you can join us. 

Tthis is not my first go around doing one of these One Book, One Community author interview events, but in the before times I could only offer this service here in the Chicagoland area. If you are planning a virtual author event and need an experienced interviewer/moderator, contact me. And if you need help connecting with an author in the first place, I can also help.

"See" you  tonight.

RA for All Roadshow Visits Toledo Lucas County [OH] Public Library

Today I am running a train the trainer event for Toledo Lucas County Public Library in Ohio. They have at least one person from each branch coming today. I will train them and then they will go out and spread the work. Our schedule is a mix of basic RA training and book discussion training in advance of their upcoming One Book One Community program.

Today's presentation also marks the beginning of a brand new season for me. Summer is usually heavier on the writing and slower on the appearances, but Fall is when the training ramps up. The good news for you, every program has received an update, so even long time followers will find something new here.

Below is the schedule with links. This information is obviously most useful to those who attended this training, but there is a lot here for anyone interested in improving their service to readers.

We will begin with my signature RA for All training. You can find the description of this program and the 10 Basic Rules of RA Service which frame this program here.

Click here for slide access

After a short break we move into Booktalking Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town featuring a BRAND NEW booktalk of 2018 horror debuts. Click here for slide access

Then it's lunch time followed by 30 minutes of facilitated  booktalking practice. I love when there is time to work this into my full day sessions because it gives people a chance to build off of the skills I introduced in the morning.

Click here for slide access

The day will conclude with two book discussion related programs. First up is Recharge Your Book Club. Click here for slide access.

And after we talk about book discussions in general, we will get specific as I will lead them in a book discussion of their One Book selection, Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing by Wil Haygood. Since this book came out two days ago, I also prepared discussion questions for them to use as they work with this title, present programming, and host the author in the coming weeks.

Storify of ARRT Event

Yesterday ARRT hosted a wonderful event centered around Community Reads programs.

It began with a keynote by Nancy Pearl, she who “invented” the community read as we know of it today.

After a short break, the program continued with 3 libraries discussing how they have created and sustained popular community reads programs. From HUGE [Chicago Public] to Medium [Arlington Heights] to small [Westmont], each had something interesting and unique to share.

Below you can find the beginning of the storified tweets from the event. Click here to read the entire thing.

Click here or the blue button above to keep reading

Prepping for ARRT's Nancy Pearl Community Reads Event

Later today I will be attending the ARRT sponsored event about running successful community reads programs featuring an in person appearance and keynote by Nancy Pearl. I previously posted about the details here.

I will be one of the people live tweeting the event and will post a recap on the blog tomorrow. But, no matter if you will be in attendance or not, following the tweets or not, I thought it would be a good idea to post a few links to some Nancy Pearl things that will help ALL of you to help readers right now.

First, as I have mentioned here on the blog a few times, we are using a modified version of Nancy Pearl's Doorways to run the current ARRT Speculative Fiction Genre Study.  [Click here for our Genre Study page featuring notes and assignments.] But I realize that some of you are newer to RA and may not be as well versed in Nancy’s groundbreaking Doorways concept.  A lot of it seems intuitive now, but back in the 1990s it was revolutionary You can click here for a PW interview with Nancy where she explains the doorways. And here for an explanation of Doorways from a RA Wiki run by my friends in New South Wales.

I really love the work Nancy does on NPR providing book lists for the masses. I especially love that a librarian is the one suggesting books and not an author or general book person because we do it better. Seriously, the way library workers book talk is much better than when book people do it because we know how to entice people to read, So check out the archive of her appearances here. Remember the older lists are just as good as the newer ones.

Finally, you can watch Nancy’s TED talk, “Reading with a Purpose.”

ARRT Updates: Nancy Pearl, Diversity Panel, and How All Can Join In

Today is ARRT planning meeting day and I have a lot of things to update all of you on.

Remember, ARRT tries to make as much of our work and content available to you no matter where you live, but you need to also remember that we are a 100% volunteer RA advocacy and training group that is based out of NE Illinois. There is only so much we can do to serve everyone all over the world. And yes, we do have members from outside the US.

That being said, while some of the following announcements require you be in or near Chicago to fully participate, there is still much we provide that any library worker helping leisure readers, no matter where you live, can use in your work.

Speaking on that topic, we are working hard to do a better job getting as much information out through our website as we can. We have added a tab with our current and past newsletters and original bibliographies to go along with our chocked full of information pages for the Genre Studies and Book Club Study. Click through to our homepage and explore.

While you are there, sign up for our mailing list. Because we are committed to serving as many RA service providers as possible, you DO NOT have to be a member to join the mailing list. It is a great way to stay up to date on the work we are doing- which happens to be the entire point of this post, so let’s get to it. Here is what is going on with ARRT right now.

Click here to register

We are exactly 3 weeks away from our Spring program featuring NANCY PEARL entitled, “On the Same Page: How to Plan a Successful Community Reading Program For Your Library.”

Spaces are limited, so register now if you are interested here. You can even hold your spot and mark that you will pay at the door if that is easier. If you are a member, you get $10 off the entrance fee. If you are not a member, consider joining because membership is $10. You are basically paying it anyway, why not get some of our benefits of membership.

Our members asked for us to offer a program on running community reads, so we went to the source. Besides Nancy we also have some local library workers who will share their knowledge and advice on the topic. So if you are coming, please fill out the evaluation form at the end. We really do look at your ideas and suggestions for future programs.

Many of us will be live Tweeting this event using the hashtag #ARRTreads. We use the same hashtag for every program so that you can always find information about all of our programs. This way, if you cannot make it to Northbrook, IL on 3/23, you can still follow along.

Our next program is almost ready to be advertised and since I am one of the co-organizers I can tease out some of the details right now.  We will be having a Diversity Panel at the Skokie Public Library on the morning of June 16th. It’s at Skokie because they are implementing a library-wide diversity initiative and a representative from the library will be speaking on how they are accomplishing this AND we will be able to offer tours. We will also have 2 other speakers- one author and a well known, collection development librarian from out of state.

This Diversity Panel will have 100% diverse speakers; they are confirmed. We will not shy away from the tough topics or issues. We are not paying lip service here. If you can make it, I promise it will be worth your time.

Again, if you cannot make it, we will be live Tweeting. I will have more specific information very soon.

Those are our upcoming programs, but don’t forget about the regular meetings of the Genre Study and the Book Club Study. Go to those links for details. Only members can attend these discussions; however, the websites house detailed notes to help any and all.

I sincerely hope that the work we do for ARRT can help as many of you out there as possible. It is why I make the time to stay on the Steering Committee [even though I really don’t have this time to give].

If you have an idea that you want to share with us or you want to know how you can participate better from afar, please contact me.

Interview with Ernest Cline for Berwyn Reads!

EDITORS NOTE: At Ernest Cline’s Request, the video has been removed (12/2014)

Hot off the presses, it’s my 56 minute interview with Ernie Cline.  Click here or watch the embedded version below.

Published on Oct 30, 2013

Ernest Cline, author of the novel "Ready Player One," is interviewed by Becky Spratford of the Berwyn Public Library. The City of Berwyn read Ready Player One as their "2013 Berwyn Reads!," a One Book, One Community initiative. Questions were provided by students from J. Sterling Morton West High School.

Berwyn Reads Kick Off This Weekend!

As I hinted here, Berwyn Reads is set to begin! We really go all out every other year to offer this One Community, One Book Event in Berwyn. And for the first time ever, the BPL RA Dream Team was given the task of choosing the book.  We took the entire process very seriously and are now both nervous and excited to begin.

Well, the wait is over.  The Kick Off will happen this Saturday, September 21 at Berwyn's Oktober Fest.

The full 12 page brochure can be seen here, and it has ALL of the details.  It includes programming info, a letter by Ernest Cline, and many readalike options. I think it is fantastic in both look and content.

I also just posted the wonderful reading map  Intern Elizabeth did for us in preparation of Berwyn Reads.  Much of her work can also be see throughout the brochure.  Click here to see more from Elizabeth. Click here for the Ready Player One Reading Map or here for a full archive of the Berwyn Public Library reading maps

Many of us at the BPL are hard at work trying to make this bi-annual event a success, but as for me specifically, I will be leading the book discussion on November 4 as well as participating in running the 80s Prom on November 16th. And, as I mentioned here, in early October I will be interviewing Cline via Skype.  As soon as the video is available I will provide a link to it.

I hope you can join us either in person or virtually at some point over the next 8 weeks.

Fox Valley Reads: Luis Alberto Urrea and Me

Fox Valley Reads is an annual one book, one community collaboration of 5 Illinois libraries in the far Western suburbs of Chicago, including Aurora, IL, the second largest city in the state.

Last year, I was asked to interview Erin Morgenstern when the book was The Night Circus. You can click here for coverage of that event.

This year, the book is Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea.  Last month, Magan, the Popular Services Librarian from the Aurora Public Library, wrote this guest post about the program.

You can click here for all of the scheduled events, but as for me, I will be having a conversation with Urrea on stage at the Copley Theater in Aurora at 7pm on October 24th.  This year, they are doing something a bit different to fit in with the bilingual nature of the book.  On October 23rd, Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz a local author and entrepreneur will be having a conversation with Urrea in Spanish.

We are working very hard to make the evenings as similar as possible, except for the language they are conducted in that is. Fox Valley Reads does request that you register.  You can click here to sign up for the English conversation or here for Jacqueline's Spanish language event.

But why I am posting all of this today, six weeks out from the event. There is a reason others than sheer promotion of my appearance.  Today Mr. Urrea called me so we could have a chance to talk and get to know one and other.  For the Morgenstern interview, I was able to spend 2 hours with her before the event, but due to the back-to-back night appearances this year, that will not be possible.

After our conversation this morning I am happy to report that Mr. Urrea was wonderful. He is personable and interesting.  He took time out of his very busy writing, touring, and teaching schedule to talk to me today and I appreciate that.  Also, I am happy to say he is a big horror fan too.  We traded many a book suggestion for each other.  In fact, as soon as I finish this post, I am taking his advice and reading this book.

To see an interview with Urrea right now, go to his website.  Between watching that and talking to him myself, I feel confident that our event will go very well.

I will have a review of Into the Beautiful North up on the blog in the days leading up to the October 24th event, but in the mean time, check out the events the Fox Valley Reads Committee has planned and sign up to participate.  You do not need to be a member of these communities to read the book and attend events.  The more the merrier.

And, after talking with Mr. Urrea, I am confident that this will be an awesome author event.  I hope to see you there.

RA for All Roadshow: Me Interviewing Erin Morgenstern Tomorrow!

Today I am putting the final touches on my interview questions for Erin Morgenstern.  There is still time to register for this free event at Oswego High School tomorrow night at 7 pm as part of Fox Valley Reads by clicking here.

If you have any questions for Ms Morgenstern, there is still time to get them in to me.  Just leave a comment.

I also wanted to pass on this link to her fabulous website, and this one to a great interview she did with GoodReads.

Finally, below is a re-post of my initial review of The Night Circus, which I wrote last December, way before I was asked to interview her.

I hope to see you there tomorrow night at 7pm.

****************************************************************

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011

What I'm Reading: The Night Circus

It is always refreshing to read a book with heavy hype and find it simply charming.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern fit this bill for me when I read it this fall.  Before I get into the details, I want to say that while I was reading this book I was utterly captivated.  This was by no means the best written book I read this year (it has some first novel issues and could have used cutting in some places and beefing up in others); however, I cannot remember the last time I read a book which sucked me into its world and refused to let me go.  Maybe it was when I read Harry Potter for the first time.

The set up here is simple.  2 aging magicians meet to have another competition; one in a long line of competitions they have engaged in over the years.  They each find a young child to become their protege.  As the two children grow up, they are pitted against one and other in a test of their skills and imagination.  The venue of this battle is an amazing circus, but the two young people (a boy and a girl) do not know each other; they just know they must continue to act upon the circus to keep the battle going.  What the terms of engagement are, and the consequences of losing are not known, but it is clear that they are severe.

That is the plot, but it is not even close to the reason you would read this book.  This is a novel that needs to be discovered.

The Night Circus is all about the details and the characters.  The story bounces around between different character's points of view and even to different years (but the date is clearly marked at the start of each chapter).  We see how the competition affects dozens of people, changing the course of their lives.  These characters drive the narrative.  Their relationship to each other, but more importantly to the circus itself, is a joy to watch unfold.  Some grow and some crumble, but all are both interesting and thought provoking.

So, you need to be okay with a book that jumps between characters and subplots quickly.  All points of view and subplots add depth to the story.  It worked for me because it enhanced the power of the circus. I suggest you simply let Morgenstern take you along on her ride.  For some it may be too confusing, but for me, it was a joy to be so entertained in such an original and intricately built story.

I actually found the relationship that develops between the 2 magicians themselves the least satisfying part of the book, but it didn't really matter to me.  My enjoyment went back to the circus itself and the characters' places within it.

I loved the details of the circus itself.  The two magicians build new attractions and tents trying to up stage each other.  New sections begin with descriptions of these wondrous inventions.  These sections were the best part of the novel.  I read them over and over.  The language was lyrical, the descriptions captivating and enchanting.  I was left begging to go to the actual circus.

There is also a clock, the clock-maker himself,  and those who become groupies of the circus which I also enjoyed following.

Again, I am trying to be vague but still articulate the book's appeal.  I want readers to discover this book on their own.  Giving any of the wonder away would be unfair.  The wonder is why a reader will fall in love with this book.

I do have to say that while this novel is filled with beauty, there is also an underlying darkness that permeates the story from the first page on.  This intense magic has serious consequence for all involved.  Watching the characters come to terms with the price they have paid by being a part of this enchanting world is also a reason I  liked this book.  I did find the ultimate conclusion of the novel only partially satisfying, but to be fair, the book was so captivating that I think no ending would be perfect.  Readers will not want to leave the world Morgenstern created, so as a result, would not be happy with any ending.

If you want a book which will take you away to a magical world that will take a hold of you and threaten to never let you go, read The Night Circus.  It is a great option for a plane ride or vacation. It is not perfect, but it is mesmerizing.  I will put it on my sure bet list for years to come.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  captivating, magical, lyrical.

Readalikes: Neal Wyatt had this great list of Readalikes, Read Arounds, and Watchalikes.  Please use the link to see her suggestions.  I will not repeat any of them here.

If you like The Night Circus, run, do not walk, to the library and check out Steven Millhauser's Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer.  This novel won the Pulitzer in 1997, but has become largely forgotten.  I am telling you now though, fans of the descriptions of the circus itself and those who were caught up in the awe of its beauty need to read Martin Dressler too.

Two other lyrical, magical, and captivating books with interesting characters about whom you come to care deeply are The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier and Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.

Although I do not personally like Lev Grossman's The Magicians series it should be a solid suggestion for most fans of The Night Circus.

For those who liked the more macabre aspects of The Night Circus, a better choice would be Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For people looking for more books about or set in a circus, click here for some suggestions I have made in the past. ("the circus" is one of my personal favorite frames).

Scott Turow Live in Park Ridge

My friend, Maggie over in the Readers' Services Department at the Park Ridge Public Library wanted me to let the readers of RA for All know that everyone is welcome to come see Scott Turow as part of the Park Ridge Reads celebration:

Use this link for all of the details.

On a personal note, I used to work with Scott Turow and since we both graduated from the same college, I have had a few personal conversations with him.  Not only is he a great writer, but he is also truly a good person.  He is a local author who supports the libraries on a regular basis. So, please go out and support him.

If you are free, stop by.  On a side note, if you will already be at the ILA Conference that day (as I will), the Pickwick Theater (and the Park Ridge Library itself)  is less than 5 miles up the street from the Donald E Stephens Convention Center.

I have a Library Board meeting that night, or else I would be there too.

Berwyn Reads: Parrot in the Oven

Click here for the resource guide

Last Saturday I spent a beautiful afternoon manning a table for the kickoff of the second annual Berwyn Reads!  This year's selection is Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida, the 1996 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature.

Here is the Booklist review from when it first came out:

Books for Youth, Older Readers: Gr. 7-10. For Mexican American teen Manuel, the main challenge in life, whether he always realizes it or not, is to find a reason to survive amid the negativity and emptiness that pervade his growing up in a city project. His father, unemployed and often drunk, is a source of tension for the whole family, especially Manuel's mother, whose determination to keep them all together is at times superhuman. The novel, written in a fluid, poetic language, resembles a series of vignettes more than one connected story; and this structure not only leaves the character development of Manuel and his family uneven but also generates a disjointedness that is occasionally confusing. There is also a general lack of basic information, such as the exact setting of the story and the ages of Manuel and his siblings, that may make the characters and their environment difficult for readers to visualize. However, the stories themselves, from Manuel's sister's miscarriage to his initiation into a gang to his grandmother's death, are not easily forgotten, and the book is worth purchasing for its authentic portrayal of a Hispanic teen's experiences. ((Reviewed October 15, 1996)) -- Laura Tillotson

The Berwyn Reads committee picked this books for many reasons.  First, it is a YA book with appeal to adults which means we can get more of the community to read and discuss the book since it is at the reading level of a higher percentage of people.  Second, we have a high spanish speaking population with many people enrolled in our ESL classes, and this book was available in english, spanish and literacy versions.  Third, with our high Mexican immigrant population, this is a high interest title.  And finally, our community partners felt they could work with the novel to create programming.

If you click here you can access the excellent resource guide (thanks to our fearless leader Kathy for the strong RA work here).  Inside you will find information about the author, the book, readalikes, and lists of programming.  We are even hosting what will be a provocative immigration debate.

Many towns do "one city, one book" programs, but what I really like about Berwyn's program is how well we get the entire community involved.  Every single freshman at Morton West High School will be reading this novel, and the 16th Street Theater is doing this:

We want you!

In Fall 2011 16th Street Theater joins the Berwyn Library in leading a community wide artistic exploration of the Berwyn Reads book of the year, Parrot In The Oven by Victor Martinez.Additional community partners include Morton High School, Gallery 16, and the North Berwyn Park District. 

During the fall, community groups from across Berwyn will read and discuss Parrot in the Oven and, with the aid of a professional teaching artist, create a performance piece that brings each chapter of the book to life.

The project will culminate in a community performance at FitzGerald’s on Sat, Nov 5th at 12:00 pm. 

This is just a sampling of what we have planned. It will truly become a community experience.  We have purchased hundreds of copies of the novel and welcome anyone, from anywhere to stop by and check out a copy.  Read it and consider joining us.

One Book One Chicago: Neverwhere

I have no idea what happened, but finally, the One Book, One Chicago pick is cool.  It only took 10 years.  As announced here this week, Chicago will be reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

As I have mentioned here many times before, Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors.  It is a great choice for the One Book, One Chicago program for many reasons.  First, the book is urban.  It is set in London and is all about the hidden world under the busy city streets.  Chicagoans will be able to relate to the urban issues, but also, the idea of a complex system of underground tunnels, an understanding of which is key to the suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy this novel, is not foreign to us.

Second, Gaiman now lives in Wisconsin.  He comes to Chicago frequently, he is very involved with the ALA and comics industry, and will probably be very willing to participate in the program.  Author participation is key to the success of the program.

Third, this selection will draw younger readers into the program willingly.  Yes, younger readers participated with To Kill A Mocking Bird, but that was more because they had to.  Neverwhere, is appropriate for a teen audience, has a young protagonist, and is by an author deemed cool enough for young readers to pick up on their own.  More importantly than attracting teens, Gaiman will attract 20-35 year olds, often the hardest demographic to get into the library (especially if they don't have children who they are bringing in regularly).

Fourth, Neverwhere is a challenging book.  It has grit and realism mixed with fantasy.  It asks tough questions about the choices we make with our lives.  It is a story about a journey, about right vs wrong, and about finding yourself.  Readers will have to take a hard look at their own lives and choices.  I love it.

Fifth, Gaiman has an awesome website where he discusses his own work and larger issues in the world of reading and comics.  I hope the program works with him to create web content.  Gaiman has always been ahead of the curve in terms of a web presence.  I hope the committee uses his expertise to enhance people's virtual experience with the program.

Finally, Neil Gaiman is a great author.  He is one of the only writers out there today who has managed to write solid and entertaining stories for all ages, from picture books to adults.  He has created one of the most imaginative and challenging graphic novel series ever with The Sandman.  American Gods is one of the best "great American novels" I have ever read.  He may be originally from England, but he has become one of our American treasures.

Click here for the One Book, One Chicago website.

Also, in a few months, look for Berwyn to announce our One Book, One City pick.  I am already working on the publicity for it.