Call to Action: Time to Get Serious About Fine Free

Today I would like to talk about going Fine Free. This is an issue I have been passionate about and involved with for many years as a Library Trustee.

Our small community library went fine free in September of 2019, but it was something we were working toward for over 2 years before that. We actively worked to make our budget work without fine money to prove to ourselves we could do it before we took the fine free plunge. And we did it before Chicago Public Library.

But here is the thing, fines have been suspended at just about every library in America at this point. You are all going to get by without fines. Why not use these extraordinary times to finally join me in the fine free plunge?

I travel around the country for my job and everywhere I go ask ask about their fine procedures. I am well educated on this issue and have heard it all. From a library whose city MANDATES that every city department get 5% of their budget from fees [this is horrible but true] to libraries that have no finical recourse to start open other than donations and fines.

I understand how fines actually effect libraries and their budgets. I am not naive. I have been on the finance committee at my library for 19 years. I managed a department budget at a library [less well off than my own community], I work with every type of library you can imagine and their financial situation is something I discuss with leadership as part of my pre-training planning. I am extremely well versed in library budgets.

Now everyone is forced to figure out life without fines. Budgets are going to have to be balanced. You will NOT have an option to charge your tax payers even more. [See when you put it that way, and that way is the truth, it sounds evil-- because it is!]

Also, we are closed to the public and we are going to need to find ways to help our patrons after we reopen. Many will have less disposable income and more need for the library. You want to pile it on even more when they are struggling to feed their families and recoup lost wages because they were too preoccupied to remember to return something? Come on people! This is so wrong and awful. I mean it always was but now you can see it more clearly.

I worked through the 2008 downturn in a low income community. We saw a huge uptick in usage and people were also incurring more fines. I worked for a city that not only encouraged us to fine our patrons but then took the fine money for the city coffers and didn't allow us to reinvest it in the library.

You know what I did during that time, as a Manager? Waived as many fines as I could from the RA Service desk. I even stepped in to circulation and waived fines. I flouted the rules because I cared about my patrons. And you know what? I received zero punishment or write ups. All I did was foster good will at our library.

Side story-- the turning point for me was the day a non-English speaking mom sent her son [bi-lingual] out to the car to get their laundry quarters to pay a fine so he could get items checked out for a school project. I never said no to anyone with fines again. [Items that needed replacement were a different issue, although if something old got damaged, something we weren't going to replace anyway, we waived].

This time, you don't have to do Civil Disobedience to stop fines. They have been suspended for you.

I am urging all of you to reach out to your managers and supervisors, or if you are one, take a stand. Your budgets are going to take a fine hit. Now is the time to redo the budgets and figure out how you will get by without them. And then...

DO NOT RESTART FINES!

We cannot help our patrons by being open right now, but we can help welcome them back. Their taxes are enough to ask from them [and if they are not, work to get your community the support you need for a tax increase; telling them you will suspend fines will go a long way toward winning those extra dollars the correct way]. Extra penalties have never been okay, but even more so now. Let's not make it harder on people.

Every excuse your leadership had as to why they could not stop fines has been proven false. There are no fines now. They have been stopped. And look, you are still functioning. Let's make that the new normal. 

I urge all of you to do what you can to advocate for fine free. Enough libraries have proven you can get by in normal times without fines, so now that you are forced to get by without fine income, you at least have proof it will work over the long term.

For past Call to Action posts, click here.

Library Reads: April 2020

It's 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 through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.
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 upcoming 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 LibraryReads 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 everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

Click here for the April 2020 list

TOP PICK!

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

A Novel by Grady Hendrix 

(Quirk Books)

"Hendrix's latest novel, possibly his darkest yet, addresses racism, sexism, and the mistaken belief that housewives are dull. Patricia and friends, all genteel Southerners, start a true crime book club. They have to apply what they've learned when a vampire moves into town. Patricia grows from a mildly dissatisfied homemaker to a vampire- fighting dynamo who thinks three steps ahead and takes ownership of her life. With perfect pacing, there's never a moment where readers can let their guard down. An excellent choice for horror fans of Joe Hill, David Wong, and Christopher Moore."

—Rosemary Kiladitis, Queens Public Library, Corona, NY 

NoveList read-alike: The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

And the rest of the list....

A Bad Day for Sunshine
A Novel
by Darynda Jones (St. Martin's Press)

“Jones follows up her Charley Davidson series in a spectacular fashion with a new series featuring police chief Sunshine Vicram. A fun, UN-PUT- DOWN-ABLE read with a large cast of lovable, diverse characters, several mysteries to solve, and laugh-out-loud humor. Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich and J.A. Jance. ”

—Pamela Steinke, Mott Public Library, Mott, ND 
NoveList read-alike: The Dime by Kathleen Kent

The Book of Longings
A Novel
by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking)

“Ana is Jesus’s wife and a force in her own right. Monk does not sensationalize her writing about a fictional marriage for Jesus, but rather goes into great historical detail and imagines what it would be like to be a woman in that time. If you have been waiting for a book like The Red Tent for the past 20 years, this is it. Give to fans of Anita Diamant and Marilynne Robinson.“

—Claudia Silk, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT 
NoveList read-alike: The Liars' Gospel by Naomi Alderman

The Book of Lost Friends
A Novel
by Lisa Wingate
(Ballantine Books)

“Another fantastic, hard-to- put-down book by Wingate. The story moves back and forth from the post Civil War era where freed slaves are searching for lost family to the modern day South where a struggling new teacher is trying to engage her students. A must read for those who enjoyed Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi or On Agate Hill by Lee Smith.”

—Cindy Ritter, Hamilton North Public Library, Cicero IN 
NoveList read-alike: Cane River by Lalita Tademy

Chosen Ones
A Novel
by Veronica Roth
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

“Some years back, five teens were picked, after they fulfilled a prophecy, to fight the Dark One. Now, on the tenth anniversary of that battle, they find out that the Dark One is still alive in a parallel universe. Do the young heroes have what it takes to fight him again? Packed with action, suspense, and breath-taking twists and turns. A good choice for fans of Lev Grossman and
N. K. Jemisin.”

—Trisha Perry, Oldham County Public Library, LaGrange, KY 
NoveList read-alike: Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Girl Gone Viral
A Novel
by Alisha Rai (Avon)

“When a random guy sits at Katrina's cafe table, a nearby woman shares the exchange on social media with her own interpretation that soon goes viral. Katrina can't care less because she's been crushing on her bodyguard, Jas, for years. Now to save her from the media blitz, Jas needs to hide her away somewhere--maybe his house in Northern California? For fans of The Right Swipe and Christina Lauren.”

—Jessica C. Williams, Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, Tiffin, OH 
NoveList read-alike: Revealed to Him by Jen Frederick

The Happy Ever After Playlistby Abby Jimenez (Forever)

"Sloan, still recovering from the sudden death of her fiance, finds a stray dog and brings him home. She calls the number on the tag but there is no response. Once she has fallen for the dog, the owner shows up and Sloan gets a second chance at love. For lovers of romantic comedies like Less by Sean Andrew Greer and Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld."

—Theresa Bond, Middlesex Public Library, Middlesex, NJ 
NoveList read-alike: About a Dog by Jenn McKinlay

He Started It
A Novel
by Samantha Downing
(Berkley)

"A funny, twisted, scary story about Beth, Eddie, and Portia, siblings who are required to recreate a fateful road trip in order to claim their inheritance. For readers who enjoyed The Kill Club and Eight Perfect Murders."

—Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Twinsburg, OH 
NoveList read-alike: The Better Liar by Tanen Jones

Little Secrets
A Novel
by Jennifer Hillier
(Minotaur Books)

"This fast-paced thriller opens on the kidnapping of a young boy. More than a year after her son’s disappearance, Marin discovers her husband is having an affair and begins down a path of secrets and betrayal. For readers who enjoyed Lady in the Lake and Lock Every Door."

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL 
NoveList read-alike: Something She's Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell

You Deserve Each Other
by Sarah Hogle
(G.P. Putnam's Sons)

"Naomi realizes she is only 18% in love with Nicholas, but doesn't want to be the one to break it off, so she devises a plan to force him to break up with her. For readers who liked The Wedding Party and Well Met."

—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, Baltimore, MD 
NoveList read-alike: To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters

Find out more at www.LibraryReads.org

What I'm Reading: "Creatures of Charm and Hunger" and "Eden"

The current issue of Booklist Magazine contains two reviews by me. Both are excellent for a wide library audience, and although I did not give either a star, both were as close as you can get.

As always, these posts include my draft review and I have added additional information including, but not limited to further comments on appeal and my "Three Words."

Creatures of Charm and Hunger.

Tanzer, Molly (author).
Apr. 2020. 320p. Houghton/Mariner, $16.99  (9780358065210). 
First published March 15, 2020 (Booklist).

Jane and Miriam are young women on the cusp of adulthood living in a small, British town during the waning days of WWII. Jane, the fashionable daughter of Nancy longs for the life of excitement lived by her Aunt Edith in Paris, while the pensive, Jewish, Miriam is thankful that Nancy is raising her as a daughter while her parents are on the run. But this is not your typical WWII historical tale because all of these women are part of a generations old society of diabolists. The girls are not only about to begin their apprenticeship, but the society is also actively fighting Nazi diabolists. Alternating between the point of view of each girl as they explore their new powers, making choices about how to best employ their special knowledge, choices with very dire consequences for themselves, their families, and the entire world, this is a compelling, fun, and thought provoking story of magical adventure, coming of age, sacrifice, and family. Jane and Miriam are the center of it all, directing the storytelling with their actions, choices, and most importantly, their secrets, secrets which add a lingering darkness to the entire tale. This, the third in Tanzer’s Diabolist’s Library series of connected novels, provides a different frame and complimentary details from the previous two, all which serve to deepen the world building but never feel repetitive. For example, here readers are treated to extensive details about how the magical society employs their skills, communicates with one and other, and trains new members. The entire series can be read in any order and is an excellent choice for fans of Seanan McGuire, Alma Katsu, and Erin Morgenstern.

YA Statement: With its headstrong, young protagonists trying to find themselves as adults, and exploring their place within the diabolical world amidst the tumult of war, this is a perfect choice for teens, especially those who enjoy dark fantasy with strong world building details.

Further Appeal: This series of linked books should become a go-to sure bet suggestion for all readers who enjoy dark fantasy with strong female characters who refuse to fit into the stereotypes of their world. Those three readalike writers in the review above also exemplify that. And all four of these female writers are not afraid to make their women characters complicated. They are not all good or all bad. They have a nuance that is honest and refreshing.

Also bonus: because the series does NOT have to be read in order, you can confidently suggest any of the three titles at any time. This is so helpful as we work with readers.

This novel has a sense of menace that comes from the dark magic and the Nazi elements equally, but it is not violent. This is a story full of dread and fear which is appropriate to the plot and setting. There are uncomfortable moments for sure, but it is light on the terror and blood scale [unlike the review coming next].

Three Words That Describe This Book: atmospheric, strong world building, character centered

Readalikes: The three authors above are perfect readalikes for the entire series. I have also reviewed the other two books in the series and provided more readalike authors here and here.

Eden.

Lebbon, Tim (author).
Apr. 2020. 368p. Titan, $14.95 (9781789092936); e-book (9781789092943). 
First published March 15, 2020 (Booklist).

The eco-thriller takes a deadly turn in this action packed, unsettling, and violent tale of nature out for revenge by British horror author, Lebbon [The Silence]. In a future world where climate change has reached a tipping point, world powers unite to create “Virgin Zones,” areas across the globe that are given back to nature, a final attempt to save the planet. Into the largest and oldest of these zones sneaks a veteran adventure team, comprised of people with diverse backgrounds, attempting to be the first humans to cross the zone. As dangerous as it is to enter this guarded, people free zone, once they are inside, the team encounters a landscape unlike any they have ever seen before. Not only has nature reclaimed the land in obvious ways, but it also seems to be actively trying to stop humanity from being there at all, at any cost! Told mostly through the eyes of leader Dylan and his daughter Jenn, readers are introduced to the team members, learn the differing motivations which drive them to a life of extreme, endurance adventures, and watch as what should have been just another trip, quickly transform from eerie to threatening to mortally dangerous. With each chapter prefaced by “found” documents from the wider conversation about the “Virgin Zones” adding both context and dread in equal measure, this is an unsettling story from its first lines, punctuated with a sense of doom that intensifies both the pacing and the anxiety level with each turn of the page. Readers looking for a horror-thriller hybrid will love every minute. Mix the weird, unsettling frame of Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach Trilogy, with the international, horror-adventure of Christopher Golden’s Ben Walker Series, and add the terror of nature hell bent on revenge in Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians and you will understand the wide audience who will be drawn to this terrifying tale.

Further Appeal: This is definitely a violent, bloody, and intense tale, but it needs to be. The situation is extreme and the team is experienced in high stakes adventure racing. They would not ever give up unless they would be killed while attempting to do it, and even then.....

The world building is excellent. The found documents that preface each chapter allow the pacing to stay unrelentingly fast while still giving us all of the background information we need to understand this near future world. Also these quotes enhance the seriousness and dread.

The characters are fine here. Because of the pacing and the adventure aspects, they are drawn fairly quickly.  There are good details into their motivations and relationships, but this is NOT a character centered tale. It is the plot and the frame that drives everything. But even me, a character centered reader, very much enjoyed this novel.

What I do love about the characters is that they are from a cross section of the world. They realistically come from different backgrounds and experiences, as one would expect from an international team of experts. If everyone was white, able bodied, and heterosexual it would have been weird.

Finally, the VanderMeer comparisons above are very accurate. The monster[s] and how they manifest and attack are very different from the Southern Reach series but definitely influenced by the idea of that novel. Expect a weird and disorienting menace and the detailed descriptions of the blood and gore that results.

Three Words That Describe This Book: violent, intense, fast paced

Readalikes: The three options above accurately explain what you will get, but if I had to pick only one book to compare this novel to it would be The Ruins by Scott Smith. I did not put it in the review because I try not to recommend titles more than 5 years old; however, it is no secret that The Ruins is one of my all time favorite horror titles. That title is 100% horror, Eden, is a horror-thriller. That distinction matters because it gives readers a clue as how it will end. [Hint: thrillers will never end in complete despair and defeat; horror could.]

Using Awards Lists As a RA Tool: Lambda Literary Awards Edition

This is part of my ongoing series on using Awards Lists as a RA tool. Click here for all posts in the series in reverse chronological order. Click here for the first post which outlines the details how to use awards lists as a RA tool.

The Lambda Literary Foundation has announced their 2020 finalists. You can use this link to see the full list. 

Of course, use the links in the first paragraph of this post to see all of the specific ways in which you can use this list to help you help readers in a variety of ways, but in particular I have always been a big fan of the Lambda Literary lists because they break everything up into specific LGBTQ categories.

The categories, based on not only the focus being Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered, etc... but also by genres and formats. There are 24 categories! And every single on of them can be used to help readers, build collections, and most importantly, make displays-- especially displays on critically acclaimed, for example, mysteries, to make sure you're displays are inclusive and. include the LGTBQ perspective within the genre.

I have long been a fan of this award because it was the best way for me to know what is considered the top of LGBTQ literature, in all of its facets. I have learned much from the award and from reading the finalists. These titles have been a window for me, a heterosexual, cis woman, into the lives of my friends, family, and community who identify along the LGTBQ spectrum.

That reminds me, don't forget to use the backlist of finalists to help fill out your collections, displays, and suggestions to patrons. They have a very easy to use database of previous winners here.

Finally, I hate to have to say this, but I know from experience that it needs to be said: LGTBQ is NOT a genre it is a frame for the story and/or an identity of the creators. Saying LGBTQ is a genre would be like saying every book set in Illinois is a genre. That sounds stupid, right? Of course it does. LGBTQ is the same. Both are an element that frames the work, but has nothing to do with its genre. This frame might be a huge appeal factor for the reader in question, but you still have to consider the other ways in which the story is told.

The Ripped Bodice's 4th Annual Report: The State of Racial Diversity in Romance

The Ripped Bodice, the only exclusive Romance book store in the United States released their 4th annual "Diversity in Publishing Report."

Click here to see the report. That link leads to the page where you can access the older reports too.

Also, click here for some analysis of the report in comparison to years' past via Book Riot.

There is not much more to say except "Thank You" to the Ripped Bodice for doing the work. Now in year 4 we can see data that is helpful. That's the thing with data collection, we need to start collecting it, but then wait to draw conclusions.

Not only do we now have enough to start seeing incremental change, but also, we are seeing enough slow change to stand up and demand more wholesale change. The ball has reached the top of the hill and it needs to get that final push so it can rush down to catch up the years of neglect, racism, and inequality.

The time is ripe to go at this issue hard, from every angle. The Ripped Bodice and Lee and Low are giving us the data to start. Let's get more people involved. More loud people.

Take a few moments out of your day to take a look at the report. And, then take a few more moments to think about your own collections, suggestions, readalikes, etc..... Are you making sure EDI concerns are part of everything you do. You can be a voice for change. Every single one of you.

Click here to see my most recent presentation on the topic of how we incorporate EDI values in our RA Service. I have updated it since the date on the title slide. The slides contain links to more information on how YOU, every single one of you, can help improve the situation.

Stop waiting for someone else to make the changes you can start making at your library and with your patrons today.

Virtual Library Services in the time of Coronavirus

Today I just wanted to do a quick post to remind people that now is an excellent time to promote your wonderful virtual services available with a library card to your patrons.

We all have ebooks, streaming audio and video services, databases for learning, and more. 

Help calm people's fears with reminders of the good things we can offer them from the comfort of their homes.

Besides simply promoting the services on your websites, in e-newsletters, and in the building, I would also see if you can make few videos or step by step instructions on how to use the services. For many patrons, this will be their first time accessing materials and services in this manner and we want to make sure that we are still there to help them.

For videos, you just need an iPhone. Screen capture software is better, but an iPhone works too, you would just need someone to film you. All you would have to do is demonstrate how to use the services on different devices. Let people see it in real time. And then upload to YouTube. 

But, don't underestimate the power of the good old fashioned written out step-by-step instructions. And you can include screen shots.

These are things that we should have anyway, but I know many libraries have put making tutorials and instruction sheets on the back burner. Well, it's time to move them from and center. 

Now, I know many of you have very real concerns about working with the public during this Covid-19 outbreak, and I unfortunately cannot help there. As a Trustee, I am involved with my specific library's policies and procedures [which are being created right now], but I cannot begin to give advice to each library and its workers out there beyond saying that these are local decisions that need to be made carefully and with input from all parties involved.

But, something every single one of us can do to help all of our patrons is to focus on promoting our virtual services and flexing our bibliographic instruction muscles. Think of it as both services to patrons and a CE opportunity for yourself.

These are anxious times, and having something to do that can be helpful when so much is out of our control, is a good thing. 

Let's remind people [and ourselves] that whether we are open or closed, there is still much the library can do to help its community. It's not the same and our status as a safe space is one I take very seriously, but even without the physical place, there is still good we can do. Let's not lose sight of that.

Resource Alert: Book Marks and the Positives of Aggregation

I love resources that aggregate other resources. Not only do these types of resources save all of us time, meaning we can go to one place for lots of similar information, but also, this aggregation means we get a broader picture, with representation from multiple resources in one place.

Book Marks is one of those favorites of mine. From their "About" page:

How It Works 

Every day, the Book Marks staff scours the most important and active outlets of literary journalism in the US—from established national broadsheets to regional weeklies and alternative litblogs—and logs their book reviews. When a book is reviewed by at least three outlets, each of those reviews is assigned an individual rating (Rave, Positive, Mixed or Pan). These ratings are then averaged into a result and the book becomes part of our Book Marks database. 

Each book’s cumulative rating functions as both a general critical assessment, and, more significantly, as an introduction to the range of voices and opinions that make up the world of American literary criticism. These opinions are accompanied by pull quotes representative of the overall stance of each individual review, and readers can click through to the full review at its source. 

Readers can express their own opinions alongside those of the critics in each book page’s What Did You Think Of… comments section.  

Book Marks exists to serve as a consolidated information resource for the reading public and a link between the worlds of literary creation, criticism and consumption. We hope it will bring more attention to great books and great criticism. 

The writing community benefits from a multiplicity of voices. We’re eager to hear yours.

Now full disclosure before I move on, my reviews for Booklist and Library Journal are included in this resource with my name attached. However, I honestly use it for every genre EXCEPT horror, so I can stay up to speed on the titles I need to know about.

I like that they classify reviews as "Rave," Postive," "Mixed" or "Pan" to give an overall view of the book's critical status before you even click through. Also, you need serious "Rave" reviews to get more than a positive.

Too often, one review, be it positive or negative, from an influential source can define the book for the majority of readers. Yet, with Book Marks, you can easily get a full picture of the professional book reviewers' opinions on a title in one place. And even if everyone loved it, the one of two who did not, will get their voice on equal footing.

Here is a great example, the much anticipated new Hilary Mantel. Notice here it has mostly "rave" and "positive" but there is "mixed" and "pan" in there too:

Also a plus with Book Marks, genre titles are placed on an equal footing. Click here to see all of the categories they have created including all genres, formats [poetry and Graphic Novels, for ex], and multiple categories of nonfiction.

You can use the site to help readers, by providing them with multiple viewpoints on a specific title without reading the book for yourself or being forced to share your personal opinion], for collection development [you can search newest titles and they make lots of best lists], and for displays [the categories and lists are there for the taking].

I personally like the "Best Reviewed" carousel, on the homepage. There are often find titles that I have missed. Maybe they didn't get the biggest buzz or publisher support, and yet, critics are still noticing them. Here is an example that I found in that list today, a book I really had not heard about at all. But because of Book Marks, I may be able to suggest it to a reader for whom it would be a good choice.

Finally, in at the end of each title entry there is a list of "similar books." Click here for the entry for a book I gave a star review as an example. I am not sure how they make those lists, but you can click through into the titles to see more information at least.

In general, I advocate for aggregated resources. I love crowd sourcing too. Check out Book Marks, yes, but also think about the resources you are using, how they are created, and if they give you everything you want or need. 

ARRT Book Club Study: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in A Silicon Valley Startup

Last month I participated in the ARRT Book Club Study Discussion of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou. Here is the Goodreads summary:

The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end in the face of pressure and threats from the CEO and her lawyers. 

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood tests significantly faster and easier. Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work. 

For years, Holmes had been misleading investors, FDA officials, and her own employees. When Carreyrou, working at The Wall Street Journal, got a tip from a former Theranos employee and started asking questions, both Carreyrou and the Journal were threatened with lawsuits. Undaunted, the newspaper ran the first of dozens of Theranos articles in late 2015. By early 2017, the company's value was zero and Holmes faced potential legal action from the government and her investors. Here is the riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a disturbing cautionary tale set amid the bold promises and gold-rush frenzy of Silicon Valley.

Below are the links from the ARRT Book Club Study Archive page which will lead you to the notes of both the discussion and the leadership topic:

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

• Discussion 
• Leadership Training on discussing Non-Fiction

Here are my three words to describe this book: Fast Paced, Engrossing, Terrifying

We had a great and lively discussion. I would highly recommend this book for all book clubs. Again, click here to read the notes from our conversation.

If you do host a book club and are looking for ideas of proven winners, please make sure to visit the ARRT Book Club Study homepage and especially the "Archive" where ARRT offers the notes from their past discussions to any and all. You have to be a member to attend the live discussion meeting, but ARRT shares the notes after the fact, freely, as a resource for you, the book discussion leader, to "test drive" an actual discussion of the title.

Click here for a full alphabetical list of the titles for which we have notes.

Our next discussion is The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller on Wednesday, May 20th, 2-4 p.m. Downers Grove Public Library. I plan to be there.

What I'm Reading: Boy in the Box

The latest issue of Booklist contains a review by me of the title below. As always, here on the blog, I post my draft version of the review with more information to make it easier for you to hand-sell the book to your patrons.

Boy in the Box.

Fitch, Marc E. (author).
Apr. 2020. 240p. Flame Tree, $24.95 (9781787583849); paper, $14.95 (9781787583825). 
First published March 1, 2020 (Booklist).

Ten years ago, four friends, Jonathan, Gene, and brothers Conner and Michael went deep into the Adirondacks on a hunting trip, during which a seemingly impossible and utterly tragic event took place. Somehow, in those deserted woods, it wasn’t a deer that came out of the trees when they took their shot, it was a young boy. The four conspired to bury the body and their secret, but none of them were ever the same. Now, Gene has killed himself and the remaining three men are left with guilt and a very real threat that their secret will be found out as redevelopment is coming to the place where it all happened. They decide to go back and try to make things right, but there is more than their past mistakes working against them; something unnatural has been patiently waiting to collect its final payment. Narrated mostly by Jonathan, the novel is a slow burn, but a compelling one, where every dread inducing detail matters, and the tension and fear compound. By the time the three friends make it to the hunting grounds, readers will feel just how unstoppable the horror is and yet, they will not be able to look away. This is a harrowing and intense psychological horror novel sure to be enjoyed by fans of Peter Straub, Jac Jemc, and Ania Ahlborn.

Further Appeal: This is a psychological horror story that becomes disorienting and violent as the story moves into its third act.

I will stress the slow burn too. There is a lot of backstory and character development that needs to happen before we move into the part of the story where they are in the woods, returning to that fateful spot. Some of the character development is a bit weak and stereotypical for Conner and Michael, but Jonathan is a well drawn character and we get to see his nuances well. He is definitely an unreliable narrator but still very sympathetic.

This story does contain a plot with children in mortal peril. So if that is a thing you cannot do, read one of the readalike authors instead.

This will be EXTREMELY popular with a wide, library, horror audience and further proves to me that Flame Tree Press knows what they are doing creating a nice array of solid pulp horror; books we should be buying in droves. It is also extremely reminiscent of classic Straub.

Three Words That Describe This Book: psychological, secrets from the past, disorienting

Readalikes: The three listed in the review above make a nice mix. Also those who enjoyed a book I reviewed last month, The Return, might also like this one. Although, here we have an all male cast of friends and there it was all women. The men here are about 10 years older too.

Library Journal's 2020 Materials Survey

Annually, Library Journal has done a Materials Survey where they ask public libraries about their highest circulating materials. However, this year, they did things a bit differently, and as a result, the results are a bit different, and I would argue, more useful as a result.

As you can see here and below, instead of solely relying on reported survey results and circulation statistics, the study used purchases and BISAC codes to get a more nuanced look at the specifics.

Read it all for yourself here, but I was very intrigued by the differences. I was also impressed at how the data was explained in the article and the follow up questions that were pursued in order to get more detailed and useful information from the data. For example, libraries were asked in what areas they would buy more if more were available. One of the most popular answers was "Urban Fiction," an answer my travels support too.

I do have one concern about the use of BISAC codes in order to break down the genres though. Horror is not a BISAC code which is used appropriately by publishers. I learn this the hard way every year when I try to narrow down upcoming horror for my Library Journal genre spotlight article. Very few titles get labelled with the code of horror, even titles that are 100% horror. It is a "dirty" word in publishing still, and I cannot rely on it to identify horror at all. Every year I have to rely on using "horror" as a keyword search and then spend hours shifting through the results in order to find most of what I need.

Therefore, I am not surprised that there is no mention of horror in the Materials Survey at all, even though we know that interest and sales in the genre are up. Even though we know that libraries are buying more of it for all age levels. Even though we know that some of the "psychological thriller" growth that is noted in the article can be attributed to horror.

This is not the survey's fault, however. I am not insinuating that even a little. I just wanted to point out that when you read the Material Survey, to keep that in mind. And not just about horror; there are many reading areas which might not be accurately represented here. This article is great guide to what is most popular among public library patrons right now, but it is only a guide, not the final statement on what is most popular in every library in America.

Please take some time to read the Materials Survey and then think about the results with your specific population in mind. There are many collection development and RA Service implications that can be drawn from the Materials Survey, but those implications will take on a different form depending on the specifics of your library.

Click here for the entire article or read the introduction below before moving on:

As LJ’s materials survey grew too complex, we turned to vendor data for a granular look at what’s selling to libraries. 

When it launched in 1998, LJ’s annual materials survey of U.S. public libraries focused almost exclusively on the purchase and circulation of books. Over time, in response to readers’ needs, it expanded to include audiobooks, videos, downloadable and streaming media, music, electronic products, and ebooks. With that level of complexity, the survey was eventually streamlined to address circulation only. Even with the new focus, the proliferation of formats seems to have made participation too time-consuming for busy librarians, and this year saw an unusually small number of survey returns, rendering the results unrepresentative. As a result, we’re changing pace again and consulting with major vendors in the library market to provide a portrait of materials in U.S. public libraries. 

To discover what subjects are sparking interest in the public library today, we turned to Baker & Taylor (B&T) for sales in the print arena. (The statistics cited here reflect unit rather than dollar sales.) While LJ has relied on a select group of public libraries nationwide to complete its survey, B&T’s statistics represent more than 9,000 institutions and are hence broader. They are also more specific, as they are divided by BISAC code into more than 200 fiction and nearly 3,000 nonfiction genres, subgenres, and subsubgenres. 

According to B&T, mystery, thriller, romance, literary fiction, and women’s fiction were the top five print fiction subjects purchased by U.S. public libraries last year, in that order. That’s a somewhat different story from the one revealed over the last many iterations of LJ’s survey, where mystery, thriller, and romance have dominated but general fiction ranked among the top two or three hot subjects. It’s ninth on B&T’s list, likely because the richly variegated BISAC codes allow many books to sift out into more specific subgenres. 

Literary fiction has typically ranked toward the bottom of LJ’s print fiction list. But as suggested by B&T’s statistics, it has been rising in recent years, likely reflecting a fruitful crossover between the literary and pop genres that has produced many language-rich yet plot-driven titles, including those now termed upmarket.

Click here to continue reading....