Everyone in the book world is excited this week, and rightfully so, aboout the National Book Awards Long List announcements.
But, I want to use your attention on the awards to remind you that the National Book Foundation itself, is a wonderful year round resource.
Yes, the awards section of the site is a treasure trove of information. The long lists, the backlist archives, and the breadth of categories-- young people’s literature, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and now best translated books, the 5 under 35, and more are all a wonderful tool, just as all awards lists are.
[By the way, pro-tip: for easy access to the awards info at any time of year, scroll to the bottom of any page. There are quick links by category.]
However, I bet many of you didn’t know about the other, non-award based resources you can find on the National Book Foundation site. I am guessing that the majority of you only visit the site around awards time. That’s fine, but there is so much more the Foundation can offer all library workers.
I like the reading lists they create. Click here to see their Recommended Reading Lists. More are coming all of the time.
The foundation also gives out an “Innovations in Reading Prize” each year. Click here to see past winners with details of the programs they created. These prize winners and honorable mention programs are a great way for any library to generate ideas about reading centered programming they could do at their library. Sure not everyone can win the prize, but anyone can get inspiration from a prize winner. Looking to add poetry programming, get middle grade boys excited about reading, improve your community outreach? Just a quick click here, and you can read about successful programs like these. You might get some innovative ideas for your library.
The point isn’t that you replicate someone else’s award winning program, rather, you look at some of the best programs out there, all gathered in one database, and see if something there strikes a cord with you. Maybe you could do something similar. Reach out to one of those past winners and have a chat about your situation, resources, time frames, etc.. It’s a database of experts. Use their knowledge to help you help your community of readers.
And finally, the foundation is filled with statistics and links to resources that advocate for the importance of reading. Do you need quotes, stats, graphics, or the like to advocate for your services in your community? The National Book Foundation is the place where you need to start looking for those. It is a trusted resource. They have already paid for and conducted the studies for you.
My point is, the awards are great. The Foundation has an excellent database of all the nominees and winners, but don’t forget about the Foundation after the awards cycle is over. They are one of the largest organizations out there working hard for the same values and services we are promoting.
Use the National Book Foundation site all year long.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Reminder: Give Them What They Want: Reader Focused Collection Development Program September 25th
Today I am headed to the Archer Heights Branch of the Chicago Public Library to do a tech check with Robin Bradford for our upcoming program where we really delve into the place where RA and Collection Development meet. Robin is a national expert on this general theory of CD and we are so excited that she was available to provide the context before our 3 speakers give some locally specific examples.
I am doing my part as program organizer to make sure her virtual appearance works. But now it is time for you to do your part. Sign up! Come join us.
If you are on the fence between following our live tweets or coming in person, I want to remind you of the wonderful networking opportunities you will get by coming. At this event besides the chance to talk to me and our panelists, we are expecting Susan Maguire from Booklist [the editor who writes the Cover Shelf newsletter which is centered around this topic] and 1 or 2 members of the Library Reads team. And Robin said she wants to stay on the line to see the rest of the program herself.
In other words, 5 of the top people in RA will be there in person, and we all want to meet you. That networking opportunity is totally worth $25 even without the program. And there is FREE PARKING! Oh, and snacks. I can guarantee snacks because I am in charge of buying them. Well, I can guarantee snacks for everyone but Robin. Sorry Robin. We can’t teleport them yet. It's not a SF panel.
But don’t wait, we already have a good number of attendees and there is a limit. See below for the original announcement with all the details and links. You can pay with a credit card online through EventBrite or with cash or check at the door. Up to you.
I hope to see you there. If you come, introduce yourself.
Almost exactly a year ago I moderated a live event for Booklist and NoveList at the Chicago Public Library [click here for those details and slides or go here to see the recording]. Before we went live, Karen Toonen [from Naperville Public Library, also on ARRT SC and a panelist that day] and Stephen Sposato [see below] and I were chatting about ideas for the 2018 slate of ARRT programs. I threw out the idea of building a program off of CPL’s success with Patron Driven Acquisitions and between the three of us we brainstormed an awesome idea for a program.
Flash forward to today and I can finally announce that program. Karen and I are organizing it [along with ARRT SC members Mike and Nicole; click here to see the full list of all SC members] and we have recruited Stephen to be on the panel. We are also very thankful for the Chicago Public Library and specifically the Archer Heights branch for allowing us to use their space for free.
All of this volunteer effort means we can offer you an amazing program [with snacks!] for only $25 or $15 if you are already an ARRT member.
You can find all of the details below including the link to register [you can prepay with credit card, send a check, or pay at the door, whatever is easiest for your library or you if you have to pay for yourself]. As one of the organizers, I have also added a bit more detail on the content of each panelist’s talk in order to give you even more reason to attend.
Since I am one of the organizers of this event, I can give you a little more detail on exactly what each speaker will be focusing on.
Robin, will be appearing virtually and she will set the stage by explaining the philosophy behind reader driven collection development and give concrete examples of how she puts this phliophy into action across a region.
Stephen and Nicole are going to present together about the very specific process of instituting Patron Driven Acquisitions [PDA] through your catalog, but the interesting thing here is that Stephen implemented PDA at Chicago Public while Nicole does it at a small more rural library. They are going to show us all how size doesn’t matter when you put the patron first.
And then Rebecca will round out the program with information about the La Grange Public Library’s Lucky Day program. While many libraries have a program similar to theirs, very few crunch the data and cross reference it with strategic plan goals as closely. Also, the Lucky Day program at LGPL puts all formats and age levels of lucky day materials together, right as you enter the library. Also a unique decision. Rebecca will give both the nitty gritty details of how to craft a “Luck Day” collection and why how you display that collection matters. [Hint LGPL uses it to make the library more welcoming to all. Seriously how many libraries have you been to where James Patterson's and Jason Reynolds’ latest books are the first thing you see...on the same shelf...next to each other!]
If you cannot join us, all of the slides and handouts will be available on the ARRT Programs page [go there to see past programs’ slides and handouts] and many of us will be Live Tweeting the event.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer this event virtually. There are many reasons but the biggest one is that ARRT is powered 100% by volunteers. We have no paid Executive Director. Our individual employers are already very gracious about giving us each time to fulfill our ARRT duties including time off to help plan and stage events. We put on 3-4 programs a year [this year the 4th is at the ILA Annual Conference], an every other year, all day RA conference, 4 Book Club Study meetings, and 6 Genre Study meetings each year. In 2018 will also have a presence at 2 local library conferences. We really want to offer our programs virtually, but we have decided that we are not willing to sacrifice the high level of our in person programming to provide virtual too.
But, I am already exploring how I can get this program or something similar presented in other locations in the coming year. That’s the ideal situation; helping other regional RA groups to offer programming to their area with advice from their local practitioners. It is not only cheaper, but it is also going to be able to be offered more often and the information will be tied to the needs of that area. But that is something I am taking on, not ARRT.
As always, if you stay tuned to the blog you will know about it as soon as there is something to announce.
I am doing my part as program organizer to make sure her virtual appearance works. But now it is time for you to do your part. Sign up! Come join us.
If you are on the fence between following our live tweets or coming in person, I want to remind you of the wonderful networking opportunities you will get by coming. At this event besides the chance to talk to me and our panelists, we are expecting Susan Maguire from Booklist [the editor who writes the Cover Shelf newsletter which is centered around this topic] and 1 or 2 members of the Library Reads team. And Robin said she wants to stay on the line to see the rest of the program herself.
In other words, 5 of the top people in RA will be there in person, and we all want to meet you. That networking opportunity is totally worth $25 even without the program. And there is FREE PARKING! Oh, and snacks. I can guarantee snacks because I am in charge of buying them. Well, I can guarantee snacks for everyone but Robin. Sorry Robin. We can’t teleport them yet. It's not a SF panel.
But don’t wait, we already have a good number of attendees and there is a limit. See below for the original announcement with all the details and links. You can pay with a credit card online through EventBrite or with cash or check at the door. Up to you.
I hope to see you there. If you come, introduce yourself.
Give Them What They Want: Reader Focused Collection Development
Almost exactly a year ago I moderated a live event for Booklist and NoveList at the Chicago Public Library [click here for those details and slides or go here to see the recording]. Before we went live, Karen Toonen [from Naperville Public Library, also on ARRT SC and a panelist that day] and Stephen Sposato [see below] and I were chatting about ideas for the 2018 slate of ARRT programs. I threw out the idea of building a program off of CPL’s success with Patron Driven Acquisitions and between the three of us we brainstormed an awesome idea for a program.
Flash forward to today and I can finally announce that program. Karen and I are organizing it [along with ARRT SC members Mike and Nicole; click here to see the full list of all SC members] and we have recruited Stephen to be on the panel. We are also very thankful for the Chicago Public Library and specifically the Archer Heights branch for allowing us to use their space for free.
All of this volunteer effort means we can offer you an amazing program [with snacks!] for only $25 or $15 if you are already an ARRT member.
You can find all of the details below including the link to register [you can prepay with credit card, send a check, or pay at the door, whatever is easiest for your library or you if you have to pay for yourself]. As one of the organizers, I have also added a bit more detail on the content of each panelist’s talk in order to give you even more reason to attend.
Click here to register right now!
Readers are flocking to library’s leisure collections. To make smart collection choices, we must look further than circulation statistics and learn what our entire community desires. Our presenters are using methods suitable at libraries of any size to incorporate patron wishes into collection development, making readers integral to the whole process. From complex patron-driven acquisitions plans at large library systems, to bite-size surveys at the smallest libraries, to prioritizing patron requests, to canny materials displays, all of these librarians are finding innovative ways to put what readers want front and center, and to ferret out even the hardest-to-discover reading desires.
Join us Tuesday, September 25, 2:00- 4:00 PM, at the Archer Heights branch of the Chicago Public Library, for “Give Them What They Want: Reader-Focused Collection Development.”
Presenters:
- Robin Bradford, Collection Development Librarian, Timberland Regional Library (WA)
- Stephen Sposato, Content Curation Manager, Chicago Public Library
- Nicole Steeves, Director, Fox River Grove Memorial Library
- Rebecca Bartlett, Collection Services Manager, La Grange Public Library
$15 for ARRT members, $20 for non-members
Register here
Since I am one of the organizers of this event, I can give you a little more detail on exactly what each speaker will be focusing on.
Robin, will be appearing virtually and she will set the stage by explaining the philosophy behind reader driven collection development and give concrete examples of how she puts this phliophy into action across a region.
Stephen and Nicole are going to present together about the very specific process of instituting Patron Driven Acquisitions [PDA] through your catalog, but the interesting thing here is that Stephen implemented PDA at Chicago Public while Nicole does it at a small more rural library. They are going to show us all how size doesn’t matter when you put the patron first.
And then Rebecca will round out the program with information about the La Grange Public Library’s Lucky Day program. While many libraries have a program similar to theirs, very few crunch the data and cross reference it with strategic plan goals as closely. Also, the Lucky Day program at LGPL puts all formats and age levels of lucky day materials together, right as you enter the library. Also a unique decision. Rebecca will give both the nitty gritty details of how to craft a “Luck Day” collection and why how you display that collection matters. [Hint LGPL uses it to make the library more welcoming to all. Seriously how many libraries have you been to where James Patterson's and Jason Reynolds’ latest books are the first thing you see...on the same shelf...next to each other!]
If you cannot join us, all of the slides and handouts will be available on the ARRT Programs page [go there to see past programs’ slides and handouts] and many of us will be Live Tweeting the event.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer this event virtually. There are many reasons but the biggest one is that ARRT is powered 100% by volunteers. We have no paid Executive Director. Our individual employers are already very gracious about giving us each time to fulfill our ARRT duties including time off to help plan and stage events. We put on 3-4 programs a year [this year the 4th is at the ILA Annual Conference], an every other year, all day RA conference, 4 Book Club Study meetings, and 6 Genre Study meetings each year. In 2018 will also have a presence at 2 local library conferences. We really want to offer our programs virtually, but we have decided that we are not willing to sacrifice the high level of our in person programming to provide virtual too.
But, I am already exploring how I can get this program or something similar presented in other locations in the coming year. That’s the ideal situation; helping other regional RA groups to offer programming to their area with advice from their local practitioners. It is not only cheaper, but it is also going to be able to be offered more often and the information will be tied to the needs of that area. But that is something I am taking on, not ARRT.
As always, if you stay tuned to the blog you will know about it as soon as there is something to announce.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Call to Action: Try a Completely New Resource
Today’s Call to Action is in honor of the Jewish New Year which I am celebrating today.
I have always enjoyed celebrating the New Year in Fall. I have so many good memories of the new beginnings, contemplative hours in temple being asked to think about the year that was and the year that will be [from a very young age, that time taught me so much about self reflection], and momentum events in my life that were tied to Rosh Hashanah. I even met my non-Jewish husband because of a series of events that began with how I celebrated my first Rosh Hashanah away from home and I made life long connections those first weeks of the first year of college because of the High Holidays.
Honestly, to me, Fall is always the start of the New Year and I have especially loved the excuse to be able to take time during a busy part of the year to step back and appreciate the beauty of life. This year I am especially focusing on the positive for this 1 day.
I am also using the Jewish New Year as an inspiration for all of you to try something NEW. We all get in a rut and use the same resources as we help reader after reader. And honestly, sometimes we can go weeks without switching it up beyond our tried and true personal favorites. We know how they work, we can manipulate them to get the answers we need quickly, we are conformable using them. But...
...there is also something to be said for changing it up a little. You don’t know what is out there and how it could help your patrons if you don’t give new things a try. Specifically using a different resource not only allows you to find new suggestions for your patrons, ones your tried and true resources might not pull up, but some of them will also inspire you to broaden the type of questions you ask your patrons, thus leading to entirely new avenues of conversation.
You can pick ANY resource that is new to you [if you use my tag “resources," it will pull up the ones I have talked about in reverse chronological order], but in true Becky fashion, I cannot give you Call to Action marching orders without at least giving you one example.
I have talked about the wonderful Largehearted Boy site before, mostly for its comprehensive year end lists. But first, from the about statement:
Why I love using these music-book hybrid essays is precisely because they are slightly outside the box. I have found that if there is a book or author a patron has really enjoyed for which Largehearted Boy has one of these Book Notes, it is the perfect RA conversation starter. Each essay is written by the book's author, and they talk about each song they have chosen and why it fits the specific book. Looking at these essays with a patron opens up entirely different avenues of conversation about the book and/or author in question than just talking about the book itself. Even reading an interview with the author isn’t as good because asking an author to pick a playlist for their book is so much more specific than most interviews. They get more personal and bring up interesting tangents relating to the appeal of the story, ones that the patron might not have considered before, ones that you can then use for new avenues of searching, ones that will lead to an outside the box suggestion. You may even surprise yourself where this resource takes you; I know this because it has happened to me, both as I helped patrons and myself.
Just using this resource to shake us out of asking the same old appeal based questions to a patron about their favorite books, is worth your time, even if you then go to a tried and true resource to finish up the interaction. I also love using these book-music hybrid essays to inspire me. Forcing your brain to think a little differently about the same type of questions is invigorating and often sparks new ideas.
So there is my suggestions, but honestly, any new to you resource will give you the same type of invigoration and inspiration. Also, don’t only do this once a year. I know I am posting this Call to Action because of the holiday, but I do try to go out of my way to answer a routine question with a totally different and/or new resource about once a month, if only to keep me fresh and continuously excited to help the next person.
Happy New Year to those celebrating with me.
For past Call to Action posts, click here.
I have always enjoyed celebrating the New Year in Fall. I have so many good memories of the new beginnings, contemplative hours in temple being asked to think about the year that was and the year that will be [from a very young age, that time taught me so much about self reflection], and momentum events in my life that were tied to Rosh Hashanah. I even met my non-Jewish husband because of a series of events that began with how I celebrated my first Rosh Hashanah away from home and I made life long connections those first weeks of the first year of college because of the High Holidays.
Honestly, to me, Fall is always the start of the New Year and I have especially loved the excuse to be able to take time during a busy part of the year to step back and appreciate the beauty of life. This year I am especially focusing on the positive for this 1 day.
I am also using the Jewish New Year as an inspiration for all of you to try something NEW. We all get in a rut and use the same resources as we help reader after reader. And honestly, sometimes we can go weeks without switching it up beyond our tried and true personal favorites. We know how they work, we can manipulate them to get the answers we need quickly, we are conformable using them. But...
...there is also something to be said for changing it up a little. You don’t know what is out there and how it could help your patrons if you don’t give new things a try. Specifically using a different resource not only allows you to find new suggestions for your patrons, ones your tried and true resources might not pull up, but some of them will also inspire you to broaden the type of questions you ask your patrons, thus leading to entirely new avenues of conversation.
You can pick ANY resource that is new to you [if you use my tag “resources," it will pull up the ones I have talked about in reverse chronological order], but in true Becky fashion, I cannot give you Call to Action marching orders without at least giving you one example.
I have talked about the wonderful Largehearted Boy site before, mostly for its comprehensive year end lists. But first, from the about statement:
Today, I want to advocate for using the Book Notes series specifically to help patrons. Again, from the site:
- largehearted boy is a literature and music website that explores that spot in the venn diagram where the two arts overlap.
In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Previous contributors include Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Heidi Julavits, Hari Kunzru, and many others.And, the lists go back to 2005! There are links to the archives everywhere on the site-- left gutter, end of each post, and through a keyword search by author or title of a book.
Why I love using these music-book hybrid essays is precisely because they are slightly outside the box. I have found that if there is a book or author a patron has really enjoyed for which Largehearted Boy has one of these Book Notes, it is the perfect RA conversation starter. Each essay is written by the book's author, and they talk about each song they have chosen and why it fits the specific book. Looking at these essays with a patron opens up entirely different avenues of conversation about the book and/or author in question than just talking about the book itself. Even reading an interview with the author isn’t as good because asking an author to pick a playlist for their book is so much more specific than most interviews. They get more personal and bring up interesting tangents relating to the appeal of the story, ones that the patron might not have considered before, ones that you can then use for new avenues of searching, ones that will lead to an outside the box suggestion. You may even surprise yourself where this resource takes you; I know this because it has happened to me, both as I helped patrons and myself.
Just using this resource to shake us out of asking the same old appeal based questions to a patron about their favorite books, is worth your time, even if you then go to a tried and true resource to finish up the interaction. I also love using these book-music hybrid essays to inspire me. Forcing your brain to think a little differently about the same type of questions is invigorating and often sparks new ideas.
So there is my suggestions, but honestly, any new to you resource will give you the same type of invigoration and inspiration. Also, don’t only do this once a year. I know I am posting this Call to Action because of the holiday, but I do try to go out of my way to answer a routine question with a totally different and/or new resource about once a month, if only to keep me fresh and continuously excited to help the next person.
Happy New Year to those celebrating with me.
For past Call to Action posts, click here.
Friday, September 7, 2018
What I’m Reading: Killers of the Flower Moon and a Flashback Review of Lost City of Z
Today, I had lunch with a friend and member of my old book club. She mentioned they read and discussed The Lost City of Z last month. It was a great discussion and many of the attendees had recently read Grann’s more recent book Killers of the Flower Moon and loved comparing the two.
This got me thinking. I realized that I have a review of Killers of the Flower Moon, here on Goodreads that I was waiting to make it part of a larger post here on the blog with a bunch of reviews, but talking about both titles at lunch today got me thinking, I should just post it here today.
But first, I also want to make a plea for you to also try The Lost City of Z. You can click here to read my review of that title from back in 2010 when I first read it. My still vivid memory of it AND the fact that a group I know just had a great discussion of it makes it a great backlist suggestion option not only for people who liked Grann’s new, critically acclaimed, and much talked about book, but also for anyone looking for a good read that will probably be on the shelf.
Side note: I listened to both books, so the reviews have info about the narration.
So click here for my Lost City of Z review and here or see below for my Killers of the Flower Moon review on Goodreads. Please note, my Goodreads reviews are a little more casual than blog specific reviews.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
by David Grann, Ann Marie Lee Will Patton Danny Campbell
This got me thinking. I realized that I have a review of Killers of the Flower Moon, here on Goodreads that I was waiting to make it part of a larger post here on the blog with a bunch of reviews, but talking about both titles at lunch today got me thinking, I should just post it here today.
But first, I also want to make a plea for you to also try The Lost City of Z. You can click here to read my review of that title from back in 2010 when I first read it. My still vivid memory of it AND the fact that a group I know just had a great discussion of it makes it a great backlist suggestion option not only for people who liked Grann’s new, critically acclaimed, and much talked about book, but also for anyone looking for a good read that will probably be on the shelf.
Side note: I listened to both books, so the reviews have info about the narration.
So click here for my Lost City of Z review and here or see below for my Killers of the Flower Moon review on Goodreads. Please note, my Goodreads reviews are a little more casual than blog specific reviews.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann, Ann Marie Lee Will Patton Danny Campbell
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Using Awards Lists As A RA Tool: Anthony Awards [Mystery]
Bucheron the World Mystery Convention is meeting in St. Pete, FL right now. One of my librarian friends is there and tweeting about it here. You can follow what Lila is sharing even if you do not have a Twitter account. It is all useful for any library worker as we all get at least 1 crime fiction related query a day.
Bucheron is also the conference that hands out the Anthony Award, one of the best in the crime fiction world. While the winners won’t be announced until Saturday, readers of this blog know that I feel very strongly that the official nominee list is more important to our work than who wins.
If you don’t know what I am referring to, no worries, simply click here for the original post about Using Awards Lists As A RA Tool [2011] or here for every single time I have mentioned it since. But the gist is that the short lists give us a great suggestion tool for “good reads” in a specific reading interest area. Also there are collection development, readalike, and display uses too.
The very best literary awards websites also give us easy access to the full back list of all nominees and winners, and here the Anthony Awards site also shines. Here is the easy to use page for all Anthony Award winners and nominees going back to the 1980s.
Mystery reads are among our most voracious readers at the library, and are often the ones who tell us they have already “read everything” we have. We have to work harder to help them and can use all of the resources we can get.
Speaking of, besides having a wide range of fiction and nonfiction nominees, the Anthony Awards also honor “Online Content.” At the very least, take a look at the last few years of nominees in this category to add to your repertoire as you help crime fiction readers.
Below, I have reposted the current nominees for this year. Winners will be announced on Saturday, but you can start suggesting any of these titles [or past year’s nominees] right now. Seriously...your next patron could benefit from your suggestion from this post.
Bucheron is also the conference that hands out the Anthony Award, one of the best in the crime fiction world. While the winners won’t be announced until Saturday, readers of this blog know that I feel very strongly that the official nominee list is more important to our work than who wins.
If you don’t know what I am referring to, no worries, simply click here for the original post about Using Awards Lists As A RA Tool [2011] or here for every single time I have mentioned it since. But the gist is that the short lists give us a great suggestion tool for “good reads” in a specific reading interest area. Also there are collection development, readalike, and display uses too.
The very best literary awards websites also give us easy access to the full back list of all nominees and winners, and here the Anthony Awards site also shines. Here is the easy to use page for all Anthony Award winners and nominees going back to the 1980s.
Mystery reads are among our most voracious readers at the library, and are often the ones who tell us they have already “read everything” we have. We have to work harder to help them and can use all of the resources we can get.
Speaking of, besides having a wide range of fiction and nonfiction nominees, the Anthony Awards also honor “Online Content.” At the very least, take a look at the last few years of nominees in this category to add to your repertoire as you help crime fiction readers.
Below, I have reposted the current nominees for this year. Winners will be announced on Saturday, but you can start suggesting any of these titles [or past year’s nominees] right now. Seriously...your next patron could benefit from your suggestion from this post.
Anthony Awards
The Anthony Awards are among the most prestigious awards in crime fiction.
Winners will be announced at the Anthony Awards ceremony on Saturday, September 8, 2018. Everyone who is registered for Bouchercon is encouraged to vote on the Anthonys (voting happens on-site), and is welcome and encouraged to attend the award ceremony!
Nominees for the 2018 Anthony Awards are:
BEST NOVEL
- The Late Show by Michael Connelly [Little, Brown and Company]
- Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz [HarperCollins]
- Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke [Mulholland]
- Glass Houses by Louise Penny [Minotaur Books]
- The Force by Don Winslow [William Morrow]
BEST FIRST NOVEL
- Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett [Midnight Ink]
- She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper [Ecco]
- The Dry by Jane Harper [Flatiron Books]
- Ragged; or, The Loveliest Lies of All by Christopher Irvin [Cutlass Press]
- The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka [Minotaur Books]
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
- Uncorking a Lie by Nadine Nettmann [Midnight Ink]
- Bad Boy Boogie by Thomas Pluck [Down & Out Books]
- What We Reckon by Eryk Pruitt [Polis Books]
- The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day [William Morrow]
- Cast the First Stone by James W. Ziskin [Seventh Street Books]
BILL CRIDER AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL IN A SERIES
- Give Up the Dead (Jay Porter #3) by Joe Clifford [Oceanview Publishing]
- Two Kinds of Truth (Harry Bosch #20) by Michael Connelly [Little, Brown and Company]
- Y is for Yesterday (Kinsey Millhone #25) by Sue Grafton [A Marian Wood Book]
- Glass Houses (Armand Gamache #13) by Louise Penny [Minotaur Books]
- Dangerous Ends (Pete Fernandez #3) by Alex Segura [Polis Books]
BEST SHORT STORY
- The Trial of Madame Pelletier by Susanna Calkins from Malice Domestic 12: Mystery Most Historical [Wildside Press]
- God’s Gonna Cut You Down by Jen Conley from Just to Watch Them Die: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Johnny Cash [Gutter Books LLC]
- My Side of the Matter by Hilary Davidson from Killing Malmon [Down & Out Books]
- Whose Wine Is It Anyway by Barb Goffman from 50 Shades of Cabernet [Koehler Books]
- The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place by Debra H. Goldstein from Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, May/June 2017 [Dell]
- A Necessary Ingredient by Art Taylor from Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea [Down & Out Books]
BEST ANTHOLOGY
- Just to Watch Them Die: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Johnny Cash, Joe Clifford, editor [Gutter Books LLC]
- Killing Malmon, Dan & Kate Malmon, editors [Down & Out Books]
- Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea, Andrew McAleer & Paul D. Marks, editors [Down & Out Books]
- Passport to Murder, Bouchercon Anthology 2017, John McFetridge, editor [Down & Out Books]
- The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir, Gary Phillips, editor [Three Rooms Press]
BEST CRITICAL/NON-FICTION BOOK
- From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon by Mattias Boström [The Mysterious Press]
- The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards [Poisoned Pen Press]
- Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann [Doubleday]
- Chester B. Himes: A Biography by Lawrence P. Jackson [W.W. Norton & Company]
- Rewrite Your Life: Discover Your Truth Through the Healing Power of Fiction by Jessica Lourey [Conari Press]
BEST ONLINE CONTENT
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
What I’m Reading: Horror Anthologies
The current issue of Booklist has two of my reviews. Both are excellent horror anthologies that can be used for displays and are easy to hand sell. The first is Christmas themed and the second is flight themed but also all women! Seriously, these are must buys for public libraries because of both appeal and ease of hand selling, as I will explain in detail below. Also, even if you don’t have much horror in your collections, anthologies are a great way to gather works by a variety of authors with a single purchase. Then your patrons can tell you what they want more of after reading them. Its a very cost effective way to test the horror waters.
It’s an easy way to do collection development, but more importantly, it is one that actually honors what you patrons want. I promise you, order these two collections by a diverse group of today's best horror writers and sit back and watch requests for more horror to come in. You can argue with me all that you want that your readers don’t want horror, but the sales of these authors begs to differ with you. Plus, your argument holds no weight if you don’t even try to offer them horror.
You can’t know unless you try.
Finally my regular disclaimer about these reviews. Here on the blog I post my draft version of the reviews and add extra appeal statements, my three words, and more readalikes. The reviews that appear in print and online from Booklist are shorter and more succinct.
Now, let’s get started with one of the most fun horror anthologies I have ever read.
Oct. 2018. 384p. Anchor, paper, $16.95 (9780525433163); e-book (9780525433170).
First published September 1, 2018 (Booklist).
With that great cover, hybrid holiday hook, and heavy hitter lineup, this anthology could have phoned it in, but it does not. The stories are all new and fun. The terror ranges from mild to all encompassing, so remind people that they don’t have to read every story, but that they also shouldn’t be scared to give it a try. Is one story too scary for you? Stop and move on to the next one.
With the Christmas theme I am sure some readers who have been wanting to give horror try but had no idea where to start, will eagerly start here. Just be ready to get requests for more books by the authors contained in this volume.
Three Words That Describe This Book: holidays, original, bestsellers
Readalikes: Besides directing readers to the dozens more options by the 18 authors who appear in this anthology [click here for the full contributor list], I also want to point you to this post I wrote in 2016 entitled, “A New, Old, Winter Storytelling Tradition with a Display Opportunity.” There I have a few other suggestions for spooky Christmas reads.
Sept. 2018. 232p. Word Horde, paper, $15.99 (9781939905444).
First published September 1, 2018 (Booklist).
Horror novelist, Amber Fallon edits her first collection of 16 previously published tales of terror centered around the theme of flight, featuring only women authors. An all female horror anthology’s time is long overdue, and looking to the skies for inspiration is the perfect place to begin. As Fallon notes in the introduction, flight is a concept filled with promise but also fraught with terror, but women in particular “...have long been associated with flight.” From angles to fairies to Valkyries, not to mention the “bloodthirsty harpies” in many a scary story, Fallon is reclaiming the skies for all women, giving them voice to craft the fear for themselves, rather than sitting by and watching men hijack it. The stories are solid all around and the author list is impressive, from well known names like Gemma Files to critically acclaimed newcomers like Nadia Bulkin, but it is the opening story, an engrossing and timely story, commenting on rape culture by Damien Angelica Walters “The Floating Girls: A Documentary,” which looks back on an evening twelve years prior when 300,000 girls between 11 and 17 simply vanished, all over the world, that will haunt you throughout your reading of this entire anthology. This is a perfect read for fans of popular female driven speculative fiction like Her Body and Other Parties and The Power or Ellen Datlow’s critically acclaimed Black Feathers horror anthology.
Further Appeal: The only reason I did not give this collection a star is because all the stories but 1 were all previously published elsewhere; in fact I had even read a few before. I also realize that I am more well versed in current stories by women in horror than most of you, but I didn’t feel right given a star to a reprint anthology.
However, that being said, these stories are strong. I have read the Walters story I mentioned above three times, and it is a haunting gut punch every time. Bulkin cannot write a bad story either. This collection is all women, which in and of itself will draw many readers, but it is also extremely diverse. These authors come from a range of experiences and write across the breadth of the genre. It is inclusive in every sense.
The flight theme taken from an all female perspective is also intriguing. Fallon’s introduction sets the stage perfectly, pointing out all of the times women and flight have been paired in terrifying ways across human storytelling. The metaphors go together surprisingly well from a horror standpoint. That alone is an intriguing reason to try this book.
Also, it came out YESTERDAY! So go buy it now. Word Horde is a reputable small press, one of my favorites in both the durability of the books to stand up to multiple checkouts and the quality of the words between the covers..
Three Words That Describe This Book: themed collection, inclusive, all women
Readalikes: Like the anthology reviewed above, this collection will draw readers to more books by the authors included. I also suggest a few other readalikes in the review itself and those link to my reviews with even more readalikes. But I would be remiss if I did not remind you that there is another flight themed horror collection out right now-- Flight or Fright-- edited by Bev Vincent and someone named StephenKing. You can read my review, but despite the shared theme [which may be enough of a draw for many readers], they are very different.
It’s an easy way to do collection development, but more importantly, it is one that actually honors what you patrons want. I promise you, order these two collections by a diverse group of today's best horror writers and sit back and watch requests for more horror to come in. You can argue with me all that you want that your readers don’t want horror, but the sales of these authors begs to differ with you. Plus, your argument holds no weight if you don’t even try to offer them horror.
You can’t know unless you try.
Finally my regular disclaimer about these reviews. Here on the blog I post my draft version of the reviews and add extra appeal statements, my three words, and more readalikes. The reviews that appear in print and online from Booklist are shorter and more succinct.
Now, let’s get started with one of the most fun horror anthologies I have ever read.
Hark! The Herald Angels Scream.
Golden, Christopher (editor).Oct. 2018. 384p. Anchor, paper, $16.95 (9780525433163); e-book (9780525433170).
First published September 1, 2018 (Booklist).
Bestselling author Christopher Golden is back, curating another sure bet horror anthology, this time with an ingenious premise as he mines the terror which is always lurking just behind the bright lights of the holiday season. Already placed squarely in the midst of the darkest time of the year, Christmas has a well established connection to horror, such as Dickens’ ghosts, the atrocious over commercialization of the season, and the dread of forced family gatherings. In building this anthology with 18 never before published stories, Golden has considered it all: the obviously terrifying (disappearing children), the macabre (possesed figurines), and the frighteningly probably (the hot holiday toy gets hacked!), with some doses of dark humor sprinkled in for good measure. Many of the authors featured here, such as Seanan McGuire, Josh Malerman, Jonathan Maberry, and Sarah Pinborough, will drive interest in the anthology on their own, but even without the name recognition, this is a stellar collection that will attract a wide range of readers but more importantly, it is a sure bet to liven up your Christmas displays for years to come.Further Appeal: Do you see that cover? Your holiday displays will feature this book for years. to come But also, it lists many of the contributors right there on the cover. These are names a wide variety of patrons will seek out. The book literally sells itself. [You can click here to see the full list of contributors.]
With that great cover, hybrid holiday hook, and heavy hitter lineup, this anthology could have phoned it in, but it does not. The stories are all new and fun. The terror ranges from mild to all encompassing, so remind people that they don’t have to read every story, but that they also shouldn’t be scared to give it a try. Is one story too scary for you? Stop and move on to the next one.
With the Christmas theme I am sure some readers who have been wanting to give horror try but had no idea where to start, will eagerly start here. Just be ready to get requests for more books by the authors contained in this volume.
Three Words That Describe This Book: holidays, original, bestsellers
Readalikes: Besides directing readers to the dozens more options by the 18 authors who appear in this anthology [click here for the full contributor list], I also want to point you to this post I wrote in 2016 entitled, “A New, Old, Winter Storytelling Tradition with a Display Opportunity.” There I have a few other suggestions for spooky Christmas reads.
Fright into Flight.
Fallon, Amber (editor).Sept. 2018. 232p. Word Horde, paper, $15.99 (9781939905444).
First published September 1, 2018 (Booklist).
Horror novelist, Amber Fallon edits her first collection of 16 previously published tales of terror centered around the theme of flight, featuring only women authors. An all female horror anthology’s time is long overdue, and looking to the skies for inspiration is the perfect place to begin. As Fallon notes in the introduction, flight is a concept filled with promise but also fraught with terror, but women in particular “...have long been associated with flight.” From angles to fairies to Valkyries, not to mention the “bloodthirsty harpies” in many a scary story, Fallon is reclaiming the skies for all women, giving them voice to craft the fear for themselves, rather than sitting by and watching men hijack it. The stories are solid all around and the author list is impressive, from well known names like Gemma Files to critically acclaimed newcomers like Nadia Bulkin, but it is the opening story, an engrossing and timely story, commenting on rape culture by Damien Angelica Walters “The Floating Girls: A Documentary,” which looks back on an evening twelve years prior when 300,000 girls between 11 and 17 simply vanished, all over the world, that will haunt you throughout your reading of this entire anthology. This is a perfect read for fans of popular female driven speculative fiction like Her Body and Other Parties and The Power or Ellen Datlow’s critically acclaimed Black Feathers horror anthology.
Further Appeal: The only reason I did not give this collection a star is because all the stories but 1 were all previously published elsewhere; in fact I had even read a few before. I also realize that I am more well versed in current stories by women in horror than most of you, but I didn’t feel right given a star to a reprint anthology.
However, that being said, these stories are strong. I have read the Walters story I mentioned above three times, and it is a haunting gut punch every time. Bulkin cannot write a bad story either. This collection is all women, which in and of itself will draw many readers, but it is also extremely diverse. These authors come from a range of experiences and write across the breadth of the genre. It is inclusive in every sense.
The flight theme taken from an all female perspective is also intriguing. Fallon’s introduction sets the stage perfectly, pointing out all of the times women and flight have been paired in terrifying ways across human storytelling. The metaphors go together surprisingly well from a horror standpoint. That alone is an intriguing reason to try this book.
Also, it came out YESTERDAY! So go buy it now. Word Horde is a reputable small press, one of my favorites in both the durability of the books to stand up to multiple checkouts and the quality of the words between the covers..
Three Words That Describe This Book: themed collection, inclusive, all women
Readalikes: Like the anthology reviewed above, this collection will draw readers to more books by the authors included. I also suggest a few other readalikes in the review itself and those link to my reviews with even more readalikes. But I would be remiss if I did not remind you that there is another flight themed horror collection out right now-- Flight or Fright-- edited by Bev Vincent and someone named StephenKing. You can read my review, but despite the shared theme [which may be enough of a draw for many readers], they are very different.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
New Content by Me Available on NoveList Including Inclusive Lists of Book Discussion Titles
NoveList recently uploaded SIX new pieces by me that are book discussion group related. I wanted to alert all of my readers to them here on the blog whether you subscribe to NoveList or not for a couple of reasons:
If you want to access this article, use the “Especially For” tab at the top, then choose "Readers' Advisory.” If you scroll to the bottom you will see the section for "Book Clubs.” I have included a screen shot of that section and have added an arrow on where you should click, “Book Group Innovators.” Clicking on "Book Discussion First Aid" will only bring up my first piece [which is also good, but not new]. You can scroll through all of the excellent “Book Group Innovators” content but it loaded most recent first, meaning right now, my article is at the top.
If you are not a subscriber, and would like some more information on this article, contact me.
The next 5 pieces are lists of six books each. I proposed the idea of these lists to my editor, Krista. There weren’t really any “Grab and Go” list options for book club leaders. I offered to come up with 5 lists of 6 books to get things going. I came up with a theme for each list and then provided 6 inclusive titles with original annotations.
I demanded of myself that each list was inclusive both from a diversity standpoint, but also a genre and one too. I want these lists to help actual book groups have access to lists of possible titles that are not the ones everyone is doing or suggesting.
I hope to do 5 more lists this month and then we will see how it goes from there.
In terms of finding these lists on NoveList, if you are a subscriber, simply search any of the titles listed below and under the “Lists and Articles” tab in that title’s record you will have access to the full list containing this title. That access will include my annotation. So for example, when you search The Wangs Vs The World, as seen in this screen shot, under “Readers’ Advisory” you will see the list title, “Happy Discussable Books for Adult Book Groups,” and it will pull up the entire list of 6 titles for you.
Here on the blog, below, I have provided the name of the list and my description of what I intended in making that list as well as the titles included. My annotations for each title on NoveList mention specific discussion points and/or reasons why I included the title, but at least those of you without a subscription can see the titles I included.
I am very proud of this new content and know it will help you help readers both those who are in a book group [yours or their own] and simply those who are looking for a good read. If you have an idea for a themed list you would like me to create, contact me and let me know. I will be doing as many of these as I have ideas for in the coming months.
- If you subscribe, I want you to know how to access the info I will be summarizing below.
- If you don’t subscribe, I want you to at least have access to the bare minimum of information that can help you and encourage you to contact me privately for more if you want it.
The first piece was my second in the Book Discussion First Aid series on NoveList. Here is the title of the article and the intro:
Book Discussion First Aid: Try Something New
Book discussion groups are a lot of fun… until they aren't. Anyone who has led a group for more than a few years knows exactly what I mean. After 18 years of facilitating book discussion groups and helping others to improve theirs, I have a few tips to share on how to re-energize your book club.
I have broken up these "new" ideas into four general areas. Determine which gets the best response and keep the others in reserve because you don't want to try everything I mention here at once. Shaking things up a little is good, an earthquake is bad.
If you are not a subscriber, and would like some more information on this article, contact me.
The next 5 pieces are lists of six books each. I proposed the idea of these lists to my editor, Krista. There weren’t really any “Grab and Go” list options for book club leaders. I offered to come up with 5 lists of 6 books to get things going. I came up with a theme for each list and then provided 6 inclusive titles with original annotations.
I demanded of myself that each list was inclusive both from a diversity standpoint, but also a genre and one too. I want these lists to help actual book groups have access to lists of possible titles that are not the ones everyone is doing or suggesting.
I hope to do 5 more lists this month and then we will see how it goes from there.
In terms of finding these lists on NoveList, if you are a subscriber, simply search any of the titles listed below and under the “Lists and Articles” tab in that title’s record you will have access to the full list containing this title. That access will include my annotation. So for example, when you search The Wangs Vs The World, as seen in this screen shot, under “Readers’ Advisory” you will see the list title, “Happy Discussable Books for Adult Book Groups,” and it will pull up the entire list of 6 titles for you.
Here on the blog, below, I have provided the name of the list and my description of what I intended in making that list as well as the titles included. My annotations for each title on NoveList mention specific discussion points and/or reasons why I included the title, but at least those of you without a subscription can see the titles I included.
I am very proud of this new content and know it will help you help readers both those who are in a book group [yours or their own] and simply those who are looking for a good read. If you have an idea for a themed list you would like me to create, contact me and let me know. I will be doing as many of these as I have ideas for in the coming months.
Great Middle Grade Reads for Adult Book Groups
Many adult book discussion group give YA titles a try, but today’s middle grade level is also a great resource for a book club that wants to try something different. This list of six recent titles are award winning, compelling, thought provoking, and fun to read. They will lead toward dynamic and issue driven discussions that will inspire, surprise and delight even the most high-brow groups.
- Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book
- Ryan, Pam Munoz. Echo
- Reynolds, Jason. As Brave As You
- Palacio, R.J. Wonder
- Kelly, Erin Entrada. Hello Universe
- Applegate, Katherine. Wishtree
Happy Discussable Books
You do not have to break down in a weeping pile of despair in order to have things to discuss in book club. While these books do not eschew serious issues, all end in a heartwarming fashion with the characters in a much better place than when the story began.
- Simonson, Helen. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand
- Stuart, Julia. The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise
- Chang, Jade. The Wangs vs. the World
- Hoang, Helen. Kiss Quotient
- Jonasson, Jonas. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
- Ajayi, Luvvie. I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual
Short Discussable Titles
I am not sure when it was decided that a book needed to be able to fill in as a doorstop in order to be considered book club worthy. Here is a list of books, each made up of fewer than 250 pages, but all containing enough ideas to fuel any length discussion from start to finish.
- Jiles, Paulette. News of the World
- Morrison, Toni The Bluest Eye
- Mankell, Henning. Italian Shoes
- Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: The Story of One Name and Two Fates
- Clement, Jennifer. Prayers for the Stolen
- Jackson, Shirley. We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Nonfiction for Fiction Book Clubs
Many groups that focus on fiction want to give nonfiction a try but are wary that they will have to sacrifice a narrative in the process. The following six titles present true occurrences in a style that puts storytelling at the forefront while still dispensing truth.
- Millard, Candice. River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
- Moore, Kate. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
- Gordon-Reed, Annette. Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
- Tolan, Sandy. The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
- Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
- Obmascik, Mark. The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and A Fowl Obsession
Off the Radar Gems
Is your group done with reading all of the new, trendy book club group titles? There are plenty of discussable reads lurking just under the book club radar, that will surprise and inspire, not to mention provide plenty of fodder for the group discussion.
- Lansens, Lori. Rush Home Road
- Jones, Edward P. The Known World
- Dennis-Benn, Nicole. Here Comes the Sun
- Henirquez, Cristina. The Book of Unknown Americans
- Sa'dawi, Ahmad. Frankenstein in Baghdad
- Jones, Stephen Graham. Mongrels
Friday, August 31, 2018
Labor Day Does Not Mean The End of Summer Reading
Today marks the start Labor Day Weekend which is also the unofficial end of summer. Summer reading is a great marketing tool. Publishers, bookstores, and libraries use it to remind busy adults to take time read. It harkens back to our memories of summers off from school, and if you have kids, it’s a great way to stop the summer slide and have the whole family read together. Everyone gets so excited about summer reading, but here’s the thing....
Summer reading is only a construct. The lists, the websites dedicated to it, all the titles can actually be read any time of the year, even though every thing you see might make you think otherwise.
So here’s a reminder, as summer ends, that summer reads are good all year long. I have tagged years worth of summer reading lists and you can pull the up to find a great read. Use this year’s titles, or ones from 5 years ago. But use them all year long as a a suggestion resource.
I am reminding you today because you can use these lists to make a really fun and eye catching display for next week.
That’s right, be crazy and put up a "Summer Reads Are Good Reads Anytime of Year” or “Hang On To Summer A Bit Longer” type display just when everyone is preparing for Fall. People will notice. And, that is the point with displays, we want them to notice, we want them to see that we are trying ti help them find a good read, we want them to know we aren’t just phoning it in.
Not only will the display will be fun to put up and start conversations at the desk for sure, but also, do not forget to use my summer reading tag as one of your go to places to find great reads all year long. Often the titles included in summer reading marketing are a better choice than year end best lists because summer reading marketing allows for genre titles.
You know I love genre titles and think they are just as good as literary fiction, but they rarely make “best lists.” Not so in summer reading lists. Summer reading embraces the joys of genre and provides excellent, compelling, and satisfying titles for readers in all genres. In other words, you can help more readers find high quality titles with the summer reading lists than with the highly literary best lists. And that alone is a great reason to remember summer reading even after the season ends.
Keep Summer Reading in your back pocket as a tool to help readers all year long with this link. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well it works even after Labor Day.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Summer reading is only a construct. The lists, the websites dedicated to it, all the titles can actually be read any time of the year, even though every thing you see might make you think otherwise.
So here’s a reminder, as summer ends, that summer reads are good all year long. I have tagged years worth of summer reading lists and you can pull the up to find a great read. Use this year’s titles, or ones from 5 years ago. But use them all year long as a a suggestion resource.
I am reminding you today because you can use these lists to make a really fun and eye catching display for next week.
That’s right, be crazy and put up a "Summer Reads Are Good Reads Anytime of Year” or “Hang On To Summer A Bit Longer” type display just when everyone is preparing for Fall. People will notice. And, that is the point with displays, we want them to notice, we want them to see that we are trying ti help them find a good read, we want them to know we aren’t just phoning it in.
Not only will the display will be fun to put up and start conversations at the desk for sure, but also, do not forget to use my summer reading tag as one of your go to places to find great reads all year long. Often the titles included in summer reading marketing are a better choice than year end best lists because summer reading marketing allows for genre titles.
You know I love genre titles and think they are just as good as literary fiction, but they rarely make “best lists.” Not so in summer reading lists. Summer reading embraces the joys of genre and provides excellent, compelling, and satisfying titles for readers in all genres. In other words, you can help more readers find high quality titles with the summer reading lists than with the highly literary best lists. And that alone is a great reason to remember summer reading even after the season ends.
Keep Summer Reading in your back pocket as a tool to help readers all year long with this link. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well it works even after Labor Day.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Resource Reminder: Paste Magazine: Helpful Coverage for Just About Everything We Circulate
Today my email box and Twitter feed are full of people sending me the link to the excellent and modernized list from Paste Magazine, “The 50 Best Horror Novels of All Time.” [Although it has nothing by Brian Keene or Stephen Graham Jones- Mongrels is a modern classic for any genre, but otherwise, it is a good list for all libraries to use].
This influx of others linking me to Paste reminds me that Paste is a resource I use regularly but haven’t talked about here on the blog in a while.
Paste Magazine’s books coverage is a wonderful resource for library workers as we work with readers on the desk. Below I have compiled a quick list highlighting the different types of articles they have and how to best use their book coverage as we work with readers at the service desk:
Take some time to poke around and try using Paste to help a reader, gamer, or viewer today.
This influx of others linking me to Paste reminds me that Paste is a resource I use regularly but haven’t talked about here on the blog in a while.
Paste Magazine’s books coverage is a wonderful resource for library workers as we work with readers on the desk. Below I have compiled a quick list highlighting the different types of articles they have and how to best use their book coverage as we work with readers at the service desk:
- Like the list mentioned above, Paste regularly creates lists AND indexes them well. If you use their Books::Lists:: tag, you can pull them all up at once and peruse them, use them for displays, make suggestions to patrons, or just use them to start conversations with readers. Here are three recent lists that would make a great display, for example:
- 10 Must-Listen Audiobooks Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- 10 Young Adult Books The Should Be Made Into TV Shows [this one is great because you can ask patrons to submit their own titles].
- 15 Books You Should Read to Understand Modern Journalism
- They make best lists for each month for both adult and YA separately. And they then tag it all for easy retrieval in their “Best” index. So As 2018 goes on the “Best 2018” tag grows with content. You can help a reader who wants a great, recent read by pulling up a book from the January list, for example. It will probably be on the shelf now. You can even easily access past lists [that link searches "Best of 2017.” You can go to the search box and put in other years to retrieve past year’s best lists too].
- They also make lists of the best covers for each month. I have posted about covers and their importance in the past here, but Cliff’s Notes version of that post is, you should judge a book by its cover.
- For those that want a little bit of a deeper dive, they regularly publish features in the books section using the Books::Features:: tag. These range from reviews to essays about how a book affected the writer to a general look at trends, or anything else that the features writers are interested in pursuing. The range of topics is astounding, but realistic because books can take you anywhere. These features are good information, fun to read, and also a great conversation starter with patrons. They will have you thinking a little more broadly about the newest titles, trends, and overall book world news.
Take some time to poke around and try using Paste to help a reader, gamer, or viewer today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
