PW Holiday Gift Guide 2016 and Why Gift Guides in General Make For Great Suggestions

Click here for access

While I have been busy prepping for Halloween, the very first end of the year “best” lists came out on September 30th in the form of Publisher Weekly’s Holiday Gift Guide.

I love two things about this list. First, the range of categories. From the site:

Holiday Gift Guide 2016: FictionHoliday Gift Guide 2016: NonfictionHoliday Gift Guide 2016: Illustrated Gift BooksHoliday Gift Guide 2016: Adult Coloring Books as GiftsHoliday Gift Guide 2016: Don’t Forget the Kids!Holiday Gift Guide 2016: Bestsellers & BlockbustersHoliday Gift Guide 2016: What to Buy for the TV BuffHoliday Gift Guide 2016: Bookseller PicksHoliday Gift Guide 2016: Bring on the CheerHoliday Gift Guide 2016: ’Tis the Season for Devotionals

As advertised by PW, there is something for everyone here, but not just to buy as gifts, there are some gems to recommend to your patrons right now. I particularly like the “Bookseller Picks” which are some more under the radar titles sure to please a wide audience.  Use this list as both a tool to suggest titles AND for collection development. If the titles is good enough to be in this PW Guide than it is at least worth consideration for your shelves.

Second, you know what this year’s Holiday Gift Guide being published means? If you have read this blog for more than five seconds you should know....

It means there are Gift Guides from past years to sort through! Ahhh, the backlist. The library worker's BFF. As I mention in this popular post, you can use any year’s best list to help readers find a good read [click through for details].

Surprisingly, because they normally do such a good job at PW, I was having trouble finding their past year’s Guides. But, I learned from what I wrote above and realized that Holiday Gift Guides may be a better resource than traditional “best” lists precisely because they are the best choices for the widest range of readers. Their sure bet status makes them easier to use to identify suggestions for readers.

So don’t only look at this year’s, brand new, PW Gift Guide, but use this link to a Google search to bring up past year’s Gift Guides. Add a year to the search string if you want more specific results from say last year, 2015. But don’t be afraid to go back more years, like these great lists from 2010.

Oh, that last link had so many great suggestions. I got distracted. I need to stop looking at them all and publish this post.

Start using the "Gift Guide” as a resource all year long [not just for the Holidays] from some great, crowd pleasers. Your patrons will think you are a superhero and you will feel reinvigorated by a new crop of fresh reading suggestions. Everyone wins!

Call to Action: Make a Holiday Gift Guide

Over the holiday week, I received an email from Penguin Random House telling me about their gift hotline and how you can ask them for the perfect book to buy for those on your holiday list.

I am not exaggerating when I tell that you after reading that email I was literally shaking with rage.

WHY ARE THEY OUT THERE PROMOTING THIS BETTER THAN US!

It was a Call to Action moment if I ever saw one. Here's why I am upset at us-- not them-- for not being on top of this and why WE should be the ones making holiday gift guides to help our patrons find the perfect gift for their loved ones.

First of all, let's start with the obvious. Publisher suggestions for the perfect gift are inherently biased. They can only suggest books they have published. At the library, we collect books based on their contents, not based on who published it. We can suggest anything.

Second, BACKLIST. I know I talk about it a lot here on the blog, but the backlist is truly the library's BFF. We know about and have in stock all the older, great titles out there. The ones that are winners year after year. The publishers are mostly suggesting books that are new to hardcover or paperback. So we are talking 1-3 years old for the majority. That is extremely limiting from a gift giving perspective.

Third, last time I checked, library workers help with more than just books. We help patrons with DVDs, audiobooks, downloadables, etc... Many of us also check out items like Roku, GoPro cameras, iPads, etc.... I spent hours each holiday shopping season helping multiple patrons navigate the process of buying [for themselves or others] an eReader or tablet. I was using my advisory skills to ask them questions and help them identify which of these tech products was best for them, gave them pro and con lists, and sample questions to ask the sales people. But in general, all of us who work at the public library can help our patrons find the best gift for those on their lists beyond just books.

Fourth, we know our communities. Back to books now, because it is unfair to fault the book publishers for only knowing about books. The publishers know the national trends. They have entire teams of people looking at these. But we know our communities. We know what books work best with them. We are the local book experts. No matter how many numbers the publisher's trends people crunch, we will always have a better handle on our local readers and their needs-- even if our patrons don't realize it.

Fifth, as I alluded to in number 4, we can use a library created gift guide to promote how awesome we are to our patrons. It will remind them not only that do we care about their needs [finding the perfect gifts for loved ones], but also that we are the best people to ask about the items we check out at the library. We know and understand the products and how our community members use them better than anyone else in the area. Let's shout it from the rooftops with a gift guide people.

Sixth, you as the main RA person do not need to go at this gift guide stuff alone. You have an entire staff, no matter which department they work in, to help you. At the very least, send out an email asking staff to share their favorite book they read this year, no matter the year in which it was published. Also, you can ask people to share which books they are buying for the people in their lives.  All of that information can be used to create a whole library gift guide, AND it is a great team building exercise. Do not underestimate how much people want to help, or how good it makes who don't normally get to field these types of questions.

Seventh, patrons can "test drive" their potential gift by checking it out of the library. This is a perk only library's can provide.

Finally, a holiday gift guide published by the library is a wonderful way to organize your hyper local "best list." Include the most checked out books both new and backlist in all formats and age ranges. Have a recap of genre and major award winners. Use the information you gathered from staff as mentioned above, and include trends and hot topics that came up over the past year- like diverse books. It is a great way to compile all of that "year end" information you are already gathering in one place that is both easy to retrieve when you need to use it and promotes yourself to the community. And find a way to allow for patrons to submit their own items to the gift guide whether it's as a comment to an online guide or a hand written suggestion.

And as a bonus, if you do a gift guide every year, you can use past year's gift guides to help patron's every holiday and all year long. They become library sure bets lists! The library produced gift guide is literally the gift that keeps on giving, to patrons and staff, all the year through.

To inspire you to create your library's holiday gift guide, here are the links to a few examples:

• Skokie [IL] Public Library- 2016 Gift Guide
• Oakland [CA] Public Library- 2016 Gift Guide, 2015 Gift Guide 
• Westerville [OH] Public Library-- 2016 Gift Guide, 2015 Gift Guide
• Readers' Scene Holiday Gift Ideas Live Event from the Kansas City [MO] Public Library. Event is over, but it was like a live library gift guide and the handout is here.

This Call to Action is one any library can do-- big or small. It showcases that you think about all patrons, it shows that you are the community book experts, and it is a extremely useful service. Please leave your library's gift guide in the comments if you have one to share. The more of these we compile, the more readers we will help-- to buy gifts for loved ones and to find their own next good read any time of year.

For the Call to Action Archive click here.

Last Minute Shopping Ideas

So its 59 minutes until Christmas Eve and some of you out there may still need a gift or two.  Books are always a good idea. As I have said many times on this blog, there is a book for everyone.

Book stores are open tomorrow, so you still have time and besides the wonderful resources available here on RA for All, here are a few holiday gift guides to help you out:

January Magazines's Holiday Gift Guide

The New York Times Books Section Holiday Gift Guide 
Amazon's Gift Guide 
NPR Gift Books

Merry Christmas.

Monday Discussion: Gift Books

People love to give and get books for the holidays. My friends and family expect me, the RA extrodinaire, to get them the perfect holiday book.  But I am not the only one out there buying books for the people on my list.

To start off this "Cyber Monday," I thought I would point you to some of the better book holiday guides and share some of my favorite gift books for the hard to buy people on your list:

• The popular New York Times Gift Guide will not be published until 12/5 but you can view it online right now.
• Books on the Nightstand Holiday Gift Guide is also a good place to look since they group books by appeal.
• Cookbooks are also always a popular choice at the holidays.  Here is the NPR Best Cookbooks 2010.
• Amazon has an entire section of holiday gift ideas.

Now on to my secrets.  Books are a great gift for the person who has everything.  One of my favorite books to give out at the holidays is The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford.  It is a moving tribute to a holiday classic. It is short but interesting, and you could reread it every year. Also, many people do not already own it.  Click here (and scroll to the bottom of the post) to see a full report about when I read this book.

I also suggest buying a nice illustrated copy of Dicken's A Christmas Carol or O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.  Both are books that capture the holiday spirit for a general audience.  In fact, this year, I am buying all of my kids' teachers a copy of A Christmas Carol and letting the kids inscribe it. Either they can bring it home, or, if they already own it, they can use it in the classroom. Either way, it is a personalized and meaningful gift.

For kids from 5-16, you cannot go wrong with one of the DK Eyewitness Books.  They have a book on every topic you could imagine.  For example, my daughter is in to weather and mummies right now and my son loves dinosaurs, birds, and Star Wars.  Each link will lead you to a well researched book, with quality photos and text.  They give my kids hours of enjoyment, and adults will enjoy looking through them too.  This is my go-to gift book series for kids.

Now it is your turn.  For today's Monday Discussion: what books are you giving as gifts this year? Is there a favorite book you like to give to people as a gift?  Let me know.

Click here to follow or comment on past Monday Discussions.

Take the Time for Training and Listen to Two Podcast Episodes This Week

Today I wanted to point out 2 recent podcast episodes that everyone who reads this blog should take some time to listen to in the next few days.  One is very specific and the other is broad, and full disclosure, while neither episode features me, I have appeared on past episodes of both.

Let's start broad. Back in June at ALA Annual, I brought together two of my favorite library people, Steve Thomas from the Circulating Ideas podcast and Danielle Borasky, Vice President of NoveList,* and today Steve released their interview here:

Click here or use the embedded audio link below

Steve chats with Danielle Borasky, Vice President of NoveList, about her path to librarianship, the differences between working at a vendor vs. working in a library, the importance of books and reading, and some powerful features in NoveList.

As Vice President of NoveList, Danielle Borasky leads a team working to help readers find their next favorite book. For the last 20 years, NoveList has developed innovative solutions for connecting readers, books, and libraries. Prior to her current role, Danielle was the Director of Sales & Marketing for NoveList. And before NoveList, she worked in several different kinds of libraries including public, academic, and special libraries. Even though she has worked in many different settings, she always feels most at home when browsing the stacks with a pile of books in hand.

Even if your library does not subscribe to NoveList, there is much you can learn about the basics of RA by listening to this podcast.

Now to the more specific episode. Ela Area [IL] Public Library's Three Books podcast:

Episode 14 - Booksgiving 2018! Three Books is Ela Area Public Library’s podcast series where our hosts, Becca and Christen, chat about three popular/favorite books. We have invited staff from all over the Library to share what they are giving this holiday season.

I love a couple of things about this episode:

1. Staff from all over the library were invited on to talk about the books they are gifting to others and why. You get a variety of opinions and also multiple examples of different ways to book talk. In other words, as a training tool, this episode both gives you. some interesting titles you might not find other places AND provides examples of different ways to book talk. As I always say, book talking is an art. There is no correct way to do it, but you have to work to craft your own style.
2. This is NOT a best list of their favorite books. It is specifically about gift giving. I have posted about this before here. Libraries are missing out on an opportunity to make gift guides for our patrons. We should be making lists of great gift books so that patrons can browse our collections, get their hands on the books to look them over, and then go buy them at the store of their choice. Again click here for more details on how and why you should make an annual gift guide. Also see this post where a library took up my Call to Action and made their own, and it was a teeny tiny library.
3. Because this is not a "best" list in the same way all of the other best lists we are being inundated with are, the suggestions here are different. Listening will help you come up with some fresh and satisfying suggestions for your patrons. And your patrons will love that you gave them a suggestion they didn't hear somewhere else. It will enhance your value to your community.
4. And this is the thing I love about every episode of this podcast-- Anytime a book is mentioned on the podcast, they buy a physical copy to add to an actual "THREE BOOKS PODCAST SHELF" in the library. I love this so much. This way patrons who listen to the podcast, which mentions books that are shelved all over their building, can come in to one place and find everything they heard about- shelved together. Talk about patron service. They have children's, teen, adult, fiction, nonfiction, audio, graphic novels, etc..... all in one place. It's a permanent display that showcases the breadth of the library's holdings and bonus, all of the titles were chosen with care by the guests of the podcast. Many voices, representing diverse reading tastes working together to make one display....I love this so much. 

I will be at Ela Area Public Library later this week to do some targeted staff training too. I can't wait to see the shelf for myself. Last time I was there, it was to record the very first episode of the podcast, so they didn't have the collection yet.

So there's your assignment for the week. Give these two episodes a listen. It will take you just over 2 hours in total, and the result will be an excellent continuing education experience. Don't tell me you don't have the time or the money for training [because many of you do this]. This is quick, easy, and 100% free. It is also guaranteed to help you help a patron immediately.

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*More full disclosure, I am a proud contract employee for NoveList and provide content for the database. Currently I am focusing on themed lists of book discussion books.

Romance Glossary from the NYT (Gift Link)

Romance has always been among our most popular genres in terms of library checkouts and enjoying romance publicly has definitely become more socially acceptable since 2020. Think pieces and collage classes about the genre have also proliferated. But nothing says Romance is mainstream more than the New York Times creating a glossary for general readers to understand it better.

I am posting that glossary (from 2/12/26) here with a gift link because I know that while some library workers are Romance super fans, many more are barely literate in the lingo. It is way past time that you get up to speed.

Every single library workers needs to access this glossary so that we can understand the current state of Romance and how its fans interact with this perennially popular genre. But we also need it to help those new to Romance (whether they are coming from Romantasy or Heated Rivalry or Cozies or just because they have always wanted to try it and were embarrassed, but now as it is in the NYT, they see their opening to go for it). Romance writers rely on readers knowing and understanding key terms and themes. The writers build off of this knowledge to enhance the stories they are telling, the frames, and the characters. 

As I teach in my Genre overview program, Romance is all about how the authors deliver on tropes, themes, and characters. Since the basic arc of the plot is predetermined by definition, Romance wins over the hearts of its readers with the details. In fact, as I argue in my genre program, Romance readers not only demand creativity, interesting situations, and well built characters, but they also expect the authors to surprise them within the confines the established rules. Understanding this is the key to helping established Romance readers and shepherding those new to the genre as well.

Get up to speed yourself with the NYT's guide to all things romance in a glossary format. Below I have included the introduction. Click here to read the access glossary via a gift link.

Your A–Z Guide to
All Things Romance

From cinnamon rolls to stern brunch daddies, here are 101 terms you should know to understand the popular literary genre.

By Jennifer Harlan Illustrations by Millie von Platen

Jennifer Harlan spent years reading hundreds of romance novels to prepare for this story. Her favorite trope is black cat/golden retriever.

Apron tugger. Shadow daddy. Wallflower. Fae. Sometimes it can feel as if romance novels come with their own special language — one you must learn in order to achieve maximum swoon. If you’re a dedicated reader, this terminology can help you pinpoint exactly which books will be your speed; if you’re new to the game, they can overwhelm you like so much overdressed word salad. 

Whether you’re a superfan or a casual reader, if you’re genre-curious or you just want to understand why people keep talking about “spice” at the bookstore, here are 101 terms you should know. If you see something that strikes your fancy, we’ve got recommendations for books that show off these terms at their best. With any luck, you’ll find something to fall in love with — which, after all, is the whole point.

Again, click here to access the full glossary. I have also added it to my Free Genre Resources handout in the Romance section and will be adding it to my Genre slides when they are updated for 2026 (coming soon).

Answering the Calls to Action: Now and Anytime-- Featuring Morton [IL] Public Library

As the end of the year approaches, I am going to take a break from the Call to Action posts in favor of focusing more on Year End posts; however I did want to post an update to last week when I had this Call to Action explaining why your library need to make a local holiday gift guide.

In that post I mentioned how you could make one fairly quickly now, and also how you could work to build a better one next year by starting early and soliciting help. I also argued that big or small, any library could do something.

Well my friend Alissa Williams, the Director of Morton [IL] Public Library, a small library in a community of about 15,000 outside of Peoria, IL took the call.  She didn’t overthink it. She simply compiled some titles off the top of her head-- ones that had been popular both on best lists and at her library.

She spent about 90 minutes compiling and then gave the info off to the staff member in charge of making it look good and viola! Here is the link.

They already have it posted on the website too! It’s under the Books and eBooks tab as "Book Giving Guide."

The point of this post is to show you that any one of you can do this. Any one of you can do any of the Calls to Action.

Remember, I don’t expect any library to do them all; that would not be a good idea, you would exhaust yourself. Rather, I post them as a way to inspire and encourage you all to step out of your comfort zones and try something new. I try to post them weekly so that you don’t forget to think outside the shelf about your RA service, not to overwhelm you with how you could be better.

So look through the archive and pick one to try now, or as your goal for 2017.

And, I highlight some of the very best people who take my Calls to remind you that there are real people, at libraries not that different from your own, trying to serve leisure readers better, just like you are. You are not alone, and there are more people than just me there to support you.

We are all in this together.

Thanks to everyone who tried a Call to Action this year. Remember you can try any of them, at any time. You don’t need to follow my schedule [easy archive access here]. In fact, I love hearing about someone trying an older idea. I have analytics on this blog. I know you guys are looking at these posts. So if you have tried something, don’t be shy. Let me know if you have answered a call. I try to share as many as I can here on the blog.

Random Links and Observations

Since I am literally finishing the manuscript of my book today, I do not have the time (or the available brain cells) to put together a post on a single topic.  But as I have been taking short sanity breaks and perusing my Google Reader, I thought I would at least share with all of you some of the things I have found to be both interesting and useful.

• The Daily Beast has this great Holiday Book Gift Guide.  I love how each book has a heading on who it is geared toward.  Such as No. 11 "For the Friend Who Still Wears Fedoras."  Great list for both gift ideas and for ideas on what you should add to your own to-read lists.
• The Book Spy is watching what you are reading on the subway and blogging about it online.  For the record, if you ever see me in an airport, on the beach, on a train or bus, and you are reading, I am totally spying on you too.  I just don't blog about that shady part of my work.  Seriously though, spying on public readers is a great way to find out what books people are actually reading, as opposed to the best seller list which only lists what they are buying.
• I really liked this list of "Books to Rekindle Your Sense of Wonder" from NPR's 3 Books series.
• The New York Times has released their 10 best books for the year.  And yes, they still love Freedom.
• The UK and Ireland are proposing a "World Book Night" in March 2011.  Click through to read about the project and to see a list of the books people will be reading.
• The Grammy nominees for best audiobooks were just announced.
• This week's update to the Best Books of the Year aggregated list on Largehearted Boy.

And finally, one of my favorite authors of all time is Herman Melville.  A new biography of the author came out last month and Ron Charles has this great video review of it.  Also as fan of the author's work, I loved the extra references to Melville that Charles embedded in the review. 

Attack of the Best Lists 2023: LitHub Staff's Best Books They Read in 2023 with an Important Reminder That Best Does Not Have an Expiration Date

This post is part of my year end "Attack of the Best Lists" coverage. To see every post in my "Attack of the Best Lists 2023" coverage [and more backlist best of the year options] you can click here.  

I am going to end the week with a great example of a staff best list, one that you can replicate at your library. It is LitHub's 38 Best Books We Read in 2023. From the page with the list:

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times, but at least the reading was good. Here are the Literary Hub staffers on the best books—both new and old, because why limit ourselves? Time is a flat circle, etc. etc.—that we read in 2023.

What follows is each person who works there taking a turn to pick the best book they read in 2023, full stop. Not the best book they read which came out in 2023. Just simply, the best book they read during this calendar year. Now of course many of them cover the newest books as their job so there are many 2023 titles, but not all, not by a long shot.

One that struck me was a title I read back when it came out in 1999. Again from the full list:

Melissa Banks, The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing (1999)

Does Girls’ Guide really need to be on another Lit Hub list? Sure, fine, if you know you know, but this is for those who don’t: pick up this book immediately, you won’t be sorry. And it’s the perfect time too, for Viking is reissuing the book as a Penguin Classic 25th Anniversary Edition next summer. Twenty-five years since the character of Jane Rosenthal was created, every bit as alive and witty, as convivial and charming company that any reader could hope for. Girls Guide is described as interconnected short stories, though all but one piece is about Jane, growing up and into herself. Jane as a young girl watching her brother fall in love for the first time, Jane moving to New York, working in publishing, Jane having a relationship with a man twice her age, Jane’s parents growing older, Jane growing older. I deeply loved having Jane’s voice in my ear and I missed her as soon as I reached the last page. Melissa Bank passed away this year, a loss for us all, but what a gift she left behind: a girl as droll, and searching, and recognizable and real as Jane, here for you whenever you choose to pick up this amaranthine gem, a truly lasting collection.  –Julia Hass, contributing editor 

I had forgotten Banks died this year, and I had no idea this book was getting a "classic" reprint. I also barely remember if it is a book that still resonates today. Clearly for Haas it did. Well, because Hass included it, because they were allowed to list a book from any publication year as the best book they read this year, now others may turn to it.

This is the magic of "Best" lists in action. When you ask readers what the best book they read in any year was, and don't force them to limit their options to books that also came out in that year, you make the entire "best" process less stressful.

Right now, and over the next few weeks is the time to make your full library conversation starter this question, "What is the best book you read this year?" Or, make it even more inclusive and ask patrons, "What is is the best thing you checked out from the library this year?" Here is the post where I explain how to have these whole library conversations and turn them into displays and lists.

RA Links Round-Up

With my busy day in Naperville all day yesterday, today is going to be spent catching up.  So why not have a links round-up:

• Yes, I know Dan Brown's Inferno came out this week, but my stack of copies will be out on holds for the next 9 months (at least) so while they wait, here is the BPL's If You Like Dan Brown readalike list.
• Just in time, USA Today ran this gift guide for graduates that goes beyond the obvious choices.
• The rise of the one word title from the Barnes and Noble Blog.
• The video of John Green's commencement speech at Butler University.
• Haruki Murakami's new book is doing well in Japan. 
• From Criminal Element a very interesting essay entitled "Who Reads What: Thrillers, Mysteries and Gender Lines." This is really worth your time if you help any readers at the public desk, since a large portion of them ask for crime fiction.
• I have talked in the past about resources for finding some of the best long form journalism here.  To add to that discussion, here is a post from Book Riot, "7 Great Articles That Became Books."
• Teen lit is not all doom and gloom.  Don't believe me?  Check out this list of "Feel Good YA" from YALSA's The Hub.

Before I go, just some scheduling notes, book club meets on Monday and I plan to concentrate on reviews next week as well.  I also have a backlog of horror titles that need reviewing over on the horror blog.  I know reviews are among my most popular posts, so be on the look out for more.

Have a nice weekend.

Happy Halloween: Welcome Clay McLeod Chapman As Summer Scares Spokesperson

 

Please note, the knife has been removed from our logo by request of 
a few schools who use the program with their students 

HWA ANNOUNCES SUMMER SCARES READING PROGRAM 2024 Spokesperson and Timeline

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, Booklist, and NoveList®, a division of EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), is proud to announce the fifth annual Summer Scares Reading Program. Summer Scares is a reading program that provides libraries and schools with an annual list of recommended horror titles for adult, young adult (teen), and middle grade readers. It introduces readers and librarians to new authors and helps start conversations extending beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come.

Summer Scares is proud to announce the 2024 spokesperson, author Clay McLeod Chapman:

"To this day, I still have vivid memories of my grandmother escorting six-year-old me through our local library -- Go, Bon Air! -- and striking a deal: Pick two books, any two books, one for her to read to me and one for me to read to myself. When we both finished our individual reads, we could always come back and pick another pair. I can still list off practically every book I selected -- beginning with "Monsters of North America" by William A. Wise -- returning to the library to replenish our endless reservoir of reading every week of my childhood. Now I feel as if I'm returning to the library all over again, thanks to Summer Scares, where the deal this time is to pick those books that continue to make an impact on me and share them with as many readers as humanly possible."

Chapman is joined by a committee of six library workers who, together, will select three recommended fiction titles in each reading level, totaling nine Summer Scares selections. The goal of the program is to encourage a national conversation about the horror genre, across all age levels, at libraries around the world, and ultimately attract more adults, teens, and children interested in reading. Official Summer Scares designated authors will also make themselves available at public and school libraries.

The committee’s final selections will be announced on February 14, 2024, Library Lover’s Day. Chapman, along with some of the selected authors, will kick off Summer Scares at the 8th Annual HWA Librarians’ Day, Friday, May 31st, during StokerCon® 2024 at the San Diego Mission Bay Marriott.

Additional content, including podcast appearances, free webinar with Booklist, and lists of suggested titles for further reading, will be made available by the committee and its partners between the announcement of the Summer Scares 2024 titles and the kickoff event.

Of special note is the annual Summer Scares Programming Guide, courtesy of HWA Library Committee Co-Chair Konrad Stump and the Springfield-Greene County Library, which provides creative ideas to engage horror readers. Centered around the official Summer Scares titles, the guide offers tips and examples for readers’ advisory, book discussion guides, and sample programs, enabling librarians, even those who don’t read or especially enjoy the horror genre themselves, to connect their communities with Summer Scares. To see past year’s Summer Scares titles, spokespeople, and programming guides, please visit the program archive: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/p/summer-scares-archive.html.

This year, Summer Scares is once again excited to partner with iRead and all ages Summer Reading Program developed by librarians for libraries. iRead is used by libraries across the United States and around the world through their partnership with the US Department of Defense, bringing Summer Scares to our military families deployed all over the world.

2024 also brings NoveList as an official partner after a few years of providing program support.

“The goal of connecting readers with their next favorite book shapes everything we do at NoveList. We know reading can transform and delight, including being delightfully frightened,” said Danielle Borasky, Vice President of NoveList. “The dedication of the Summer Scares program to connecting readers of all ages with horror aligns with our passion for matching every reader with their next book,” she added. “Our team includes devoted genre readers, including die-hard horror fans, so we understand the importance of genre fiction. We're thrilled to support a program that highlights how enriching horror can be for readers.”

“I've been unofficially involved in parts of the Summer Scares program for the last couple of years and have worked to spotlight the selections in the NoveList databases. While collaborating with Summer Scares, I've also become an HWA member and a more active member of the horror community, which has been a wonderful gift,” said Yaika Sabat, MLS, Manager of Reader’s Services for NoveList. “I am fortunate to channel my lifelong love of horror into helping readers discover the genre in my work, both in NoveList and beyond,” she added. “As someone who began reading horror as a child and considers every season the right time to read horror, I'm thrilled to join the Summer Scares selection committee.”

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates coming soon from Booklist, Book Riot, NoveList and United for Libraries, as well as at the HWA’s website: www.horror.org and RA for All Horror: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/p/summer-scares.html.

Questions? Reach out to HWA Library Committee Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump via email: libraries@horror.org.

Summer Scares Committee Members:

Clay McLeod Chapman writes books, comic books, children's books, as well as for film and television. His most recent novels include What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters. You can find him at www.claymcleodchapman.com.

Becky Spratford is a library consultant and the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, third edition. She reviews horror for Booklist Magazine, is the horror columnist for Library Journal and runs the Readers’ Advisory Horror blog, RA for All: Horror. Becky is also a member of United for Libraries and is currently serving as Secretary for the Horror Writers’ Association.

Konrad Stump is a Local History Associate for the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library, where he co-coordinates Springfield-Greene's popular “Oh, the Horror!” series, which attracts hundreds of patrons during October. He created the Donuts & Death horror book discussion group, featured in Book Club Reboot: 71 Creative Twists (ALA), and co-created the Summer Scares Programming Guide. Library workers who are interested in cultivating horror programming can contact him at konrads@thelibrary.org for free assistance.

Carolyn Ciesla is an academic library director in the Chicago suburbs. She has worked as a teen librarian and reference librarian, and reviews horror titles for Booklist Magazine. She’s currently enjoying providing all the scary books to her teen daughter, and revisiting a few along the way. You can find her all over the internet as @papersquared.

Kelly Jensen is an editor at Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America. She covers all things young adult literature and has written about censorship for nearly ten years. She is the author of three critically-acclaimed and award-winning anthologies for young adults on the topics of feminism, mental health, and the body. She was named a person of the year in 2022 by Publishers Weekly and a Chicagoan of the year in 2022 by the Chicago Tribune for her anti-censorship work. She has also earned commendation from the American Association of School Librarians for her censorship coverage. Prior to her work at Book Riot, she was a public librarian for children, teens, and adults in several libraries in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. She is currently enrolled in a clinical mental health counseling master's program to bolster her work with mental health.

Yaika Sabat (MLS) comes from a background in public libraries of various sizes. She nowworks at NoveList as the Manager of Reader Services, where she trains library staff nationwide on readers’ advisory, creates genre-focused content, and works on reader-focused products and services. As a Horror Writers Association’s Library Advisory Council member, she works to help librarians understand and embrace the horror genre. Her other passions include writing, graphic novels, film (the scarier, the better), and folklore.

Julia Smith joined the Books for Youth team at Booklist in 2015, where she is now a senior editor. Her love of middle-grade literature and all things unsettling and strange draws her to creepy children's stories. You can follow her at @JuliaKate32 on Twitter. 

The NYT Gamifies Summer Reading (Gift Link)

I know many of us have worked to gamify our summer reading for many years now. As we have learned, adults love checking off boxes or completing BINGO cards for prizes as much (maybe more) than kids do.

Reading challenges are around all year long, but many people are intimidated by joining the ones that start in January. A year of reading seems like a big commitment to people who haven't read more than a book or two for fun in years. However, when you take the same idea of a challenge and market it as "Summer Reading," many people jump at the chance to give it a try.

Summer is three months. Summer gives people time to be outside and relax-- even if just on a few weekends. Summer holds fun memories of childhood summer reading.

Last week, the New York Times Book Review launched their "Summer Reading Bucket List" (gift link here). They have ten items that are very general and easy to complete. And there is even a box to check for reading a book from the library (with bonus points if you talked to the library worker to get the suggestion).

What I love about this summer reading game is that it easy to complete. They are only challenging you to get to 5 of the 10 options before Fall. It gives some direction, but not too much. Five books seems like a doable number for those who are not regular readers. Pretty much any book is an option. Literally. And they have a way for you to turn in your sheet and be eligible for a prize.

The New York Times has prioritized gathering data from actual readers for a while now. All of those checklists for their "best books" to have people mark if they read a book or want to read a book, etc... This is a grab for user data that I can get behind because they are using it to actively craft their book coverage, to make sure they are covering the books that people actually want to read, not just what the snotty literati think we should read.

This is a huge shift in the NYT Book Review over the last few years and I am here for it. We are in a landscape where most papers have dropped their books coverage, but the NYT is trying to fill that gap. Yes they provide reviews and commentary about the most important literary titles, but as I have been covering here as well, they are also making an effort to cover genre and even backlist titles. They want to help you-- all of you, any kind of reader-- find a book that you will love and get you back into reading. 

And bonus because they always support libraries. Yes they added us to their list, but it is more than that. See this post I had last week (with a gift link) for another example.

But here is another important point I want to make today, many libraries still do not offer a summer reading challenge or program for adults. I don't understand it myself. I made sure my library always had summer reading for adults to match the ones we had for children (going back to 2000). They are important both because when parents read with kids, kids do better with their own reading.

But also, Adults need the chance to have fun reading a book, to complete their checklist, and earn a prize. Life is short, things are awful, why are we not offering adults books with a side of joy.

Don't we want our adults coming back to the library again? Don't we want the people who pay the taxes to fund us and come to the polls or board meetings for us when we need their support to feel like we care about them too? Why do we ignore the recreational needs of our adults? 

So I am sharing this to help all of you who do NOT have a summer reading program already. Go here and use the NYT Summer Reading Bucket List to make your own to hand out for adults. Summer reading starts this weekend at most libraries. They have all been working on it for months, but you...the library that isn't offering an adult program....you can still do something right now.

And for those of you who already have a summer reading program, this is a great resource to enhance what you are already offering. Maybe you don't have a BINGO card yet? Maybe you have a full program with your themes and lists all set up, but you know that it will be too restrictive for some readers. Here you go. 

[Side note, I hate putting restrictions on reading for adults and making them follow our themes. Themes are great to guide those who want to follow, but it should not restrict if people can participate-- adults or kids. We want them to read. We don't want to create more obstacles to stop that. We need to stop being Gate Keepers and start being Gate Openers. Click on this link for more about that.)

And for those of you who are all set and have the perfect, flexible summer reading program set to start for adults in a few days, great, but you can still save this link and use it for Fall Reading or Winter Reading or even next year's planning. It is NOT tied to a specific year or trend or even season. Just change the one that is season specific to whatever season you use this in.

I have posted the graphic from the article below in case you want to just print it out and hand it off to people. If you do this and you have NYT access for your patrons, this bucket list can serve to also advertise your NYT access. I talk to people all the time who have no idea that most of the major newspapers are available at the library, from home even with your card. Make the list available in print and online with a note to remind people of their access available with their library card.

This post is here to get you to think about all the ways you can use this ready made summer reading resource to help your readers have a fun summer-- whether you have it all planned and ready to roll out this weekend or not. 

How will you use this list with your readers? If you have summer reading plans you want me to share with my readers, contact me and we can see about a guest post here on the blog.

Genre Crossover Suggestions and Resources from the Expert

Megan McArdle, author of the new Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends, and force behind the very fun and infinitely useful Gentrify Blender [which I featured perviously here], just had a feature article on genre blending and collection development for Library Journal.  Click here to read the article, but since I think it is so important and don’t trust you to click through on your own, I have also reposted it below.

Before I leave it to Megan’s article though, please understand that genre blending is the biggest trend in all adult fiction. Understanding this and learning how to incorporate this new reality into both your collection development and your work with leisure readers is one of the most important issues in popular materials service today. I cannot stress this enough.

Enough of me though. Here is Megan’s article.

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Perfect Pairings | Collection Development: Genre Crossovers

BY MEGAN M. MCARDLE

LIBRARIANS LOVE TO categorize things. Mentally (and physically) we adore putting things into neat boxes, so that when we need to find them again they are labeled, tagged, and ready to hand over to a patron. But how do we handle books that don’t fit into those neat little boxes? There seems to be an increasing number of books described in reviews as “genre-bending” or “genre-defying.” Sometimes these titles travel so far outside our usual understanding of genre that we have to stop talking about what category to put them in and let them be their own unique reading experience.

Another boom in publishing today is that books fall not simply into one genre but two, three, or more. From popular literary titles that resist genre categorization, such as the works of Haruki Murakami and Nick Harkaway, to quirky experimental mixes that may only attract a niche audience, the blending trend is growing. One reason these books are gaining in popularity is that publishing seems less obsessed by how a book can be marketed to bookstores. In the past, if it wouldn’t be obvious where to shelve and how to promote a book, publishers were less likely to take a chance on it. With online discovery, the problem of where to shelve a genre-blended book is suddenly less of an ­issue. Books can have multiple niches as part of the metadata, providing alternate paths to discovery. Virtually, a book is shelved nowhere and everywhere, a huge boon for the blended.

COLLECTING & PROMOTING BLENDS

When collecting books that merge or cross genre boundaries, think beyond the small annoyances of where your library will shelve the book or what label will go on the cover. Think about the various audiences that this work might bring together. Every genre has certain appeal characteristics that are associated with it: thrillers are fast-paced, romances are emotional stories with an emphasis on character, historical fiction is all about the setting, etc. When you merge genres, you can gain from those multiple appeal points, combining them in one book and potentially gaining new readers who normally wouldn’t pick up that title. If a book features multiple genres and integrates them in a skillful way, you can promote it to a number of potential audiences. If a title is not moving well in one genre, consider displaying it with another, giving it a second chance to move before weeding it from your collections.

In my recent book The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends (ALA Editions; see below, Resources), I walk through the possible combinations and the reasons why they appeal. In this article, I focus on just a few of the most popular blends in publishing right now. No stars () are noted because there is so much to choose from that I’ve selected just a few of the very best books, new and classic, of each blend, plus a few examples of how blends are used in other formats.

Megan M. McArdle has worked in collection development in public libraries for more than ten years and is currently a collection specialist at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Her book The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends was published by ALA Editions in October 2014. She operates a companion website devoted to genre and genre blends at www.genrify.com

MYSTERY & HISTORICAL FICTION

From almost the beginning of mystery as a genre, there were those authors who thought solving crimes must have been more interesting in the past, and historical mysteries remain hugely popular.

Franklin, Ariana & Samantha Norman. Winter Siege. Bantam. 2014. 359p. ISBN 9780593070611. $25.99; pap. ISBN 9780593070628. $19.99.

The author of the marvelous medieval mysteries about Adelia Aguilar died a few years ago, but here is one final gift from her, a novel completed by her daughter. Although this stand-alone gives readers a detailed look at the political world of the 12th century, the mystery thread of young girl who witnessed the actions of a depraved monk keeps the pages turning.

Harris, C.S. What Angels Fear. Signet. 2006. 432p. ISBN 9780451219718. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9781101210789.

In Regency England, a young woman is killed on the steps of a church and evidence points to the Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr. The young nobleman will need to draw on skills he learned in the Napoleonic Wars to clear his name and find the real killer. This series will be adored by those who love the Regency period, but the mysteries are always tightly plotted, and there is a romance layer as well. ( LJ 7/05)

FANTASY & MYSTERY

One perennially popular combination is the plot and structure of a mystery with the magical landscape of a fantasy. The crimes here can happen on real-world streets or in epic fantasy landscapes.

Bennett, Robert Jackson. City of Stairs. Crown. 2014. 464p. ISBN 9780804137171. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9780804137188.

In the city of Bulikov, the gods are dead and the conquered populace forbidden from talking or writing about their past. Saypuri master spy Shara Thivani comes to Bulikov to investigate the death of a historian and discovers the city’s god might not be as dead as everyone thinks. Complex politics and characters—as well a great puzzler of a mystery—make this an amazing series opener. ( LJ 8/14)

Butcher, Jim. Skin Game. Roc. (Dresden Files, Bk. 15). 2014. 464p. ISBN 9780451464392. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9780698157897.

The latest in this long-running series gets back to its crime fiction roots when series hero Harry Dresden is trapped into helping with a heist. Butcher finds a way for readers to root for Harry and the crew of criminals he is working with to get away with their caper, as that success seems to be the only way forward for Harry, who has been struggling to adapt to the many recent changes in his life. ( LJ 4/15/14)

ROMANCE & HISTORICAL FICTION

You can find these in your fiction aisles and on your romance spinners. Adding the complication of a historical setting to a romance gives you lots of good reasons that the hero and heroine can’t be together.

Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander. Random. (Outlander, Bk. 1). 1991. 640p. ISBN 9780385302302. $35; pap. ISBN 9780440212560. $9.99; ebk. ISBN 9780440335160.

Claire Randall is vacationing in the Scottish Highlands with her husband when she somehow travels through time to the 17th century. Rescued from British troops by a clan of Highlanders, Claire is forced to create a life in the past—a task made easier by attractive Scotsman Jamie Fraser. Brilliantly rendered details of the time and place for historical fiction fans plus swoon-worthy chemistry are two reasons this has also made an excellent TV adaptation is in its first season on STARZ. ( LJ 8/96)

MacLean, Sarah. Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover. Avon. (Rule of Scoundrels, Bk. 4). 2014. 384p. ISBN 9780062068514. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062065414.

Georgiana has always exploited society’s secrets and kept her own, but when she decides she must wed to give her illegitimate daughter a chance at a different life, she turns to newspaperman Duncan West for help. Although there are rewards for longtime readers of MacLean’s historical romance series, this could easily be enjoyed by anyone who loves watching a woman succeed despite the restrictions of her gender. ( LJ 12/14)

HORROR & THRILLER

Horror is alive and well but often lurks in other categories, sneaking in monsters and unearthly forces by pairing them with page-turning action and suspense and calling these books supernatural thrillers.

Beukes, Lauren. Broken Monsters. Little, Brown. 2014. 448p. ISBN 9780316216821. $26; pap. ISBN 9780316216814. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780316216838.

Against the decaying backdrop of present-day Detroit, a series of horrific crimes appear to be the work of a twisted serial killer. But layered onto the story is a cynical look at the future of journalism and a big dollop of the supernatural. Beukes is a hugely inventive author, never afraid to borrow from whatever genre gets the job done. ( LJ 7/14)

Wellington, David. Positive. Harper Voyager. Apr. 2015. 448p. ISBN 9780062315373. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062315380.

In a world set years after an epidemic wiped out the population and turned millions into zombies, 19-year-old Finn is suspected of carrying the virus. Exiled from his community, he is tattooed as a “Positive” and must make his way in a hostile landscape. His fellow humans are far more dangerous than the zombies in this dark tale that shows there are still interesting stories to tell in the zombie genre.

HISTORICAL FICTION & SF

Future-loving sf and past-worshipping historical fiction seem unlikely to combine, but where they intersect most often is alternative history, a genre that asks the sf question, “What if?” while basking in the landscape of the past. Steampunk is an especially robust segment of this genre blend.

Bear, Elizabeth. Karen Memory. Tor. Feb. 2015. 352p. ISBN 9780765375247. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466846340.

Life in Madame Damnable’s isn’t bad for a working girl in a frontier town, or it wasn’t until Karen got on the wrong side of Peter Bantle—pimp, politician, and possibly murderer. Bear has created a vivid Old West landscape that teems with vice and violence, with marvelous steampunk touches. ( LJ 12/14)

Tregillis, Ian. The Mechanical. Orbit. Mar. 2015. 480p. ISBN 9780316248006. pap. $17; ebk. ISBN 9780316247993.

How might the world have been different if Dutch alchemists had discovered the secret to creating mechanical servants bound to do the bidding of humanity? Berenice is a French spy who believes she can overthrow the Dutch if she can find and control a rogue Clakker. But the mechanical man won’t give up his newly won freedom easily in this fascinating alt-history. ( LJ 12/14)

SF & MYSTERY

Both sf and mysteries appeal to the intellect, asking questions about what the future might bring and why people commit crimes. But no matter how technology or the future changes things, the one constant seems to be murder.

Scalzi, John. Lock In. Tor. 2014. 336p. ISBN 9780765375865. $24.99; pap. ISBN 9780765381323. $8.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466849358.

After a pandemic sweeps the globe, there are millions of survivors left “locked in” to their bodies—fully aware but unable to control their physical selves. Technologies have been developed to help those sufferers, but it looks like someone used that technology to commit murder. As fascinating for its look at how a near-future society might deal with disability as for its twisty crime investigation. ( LJ 7/14)

Winters, Ben H. The Last Policeman. Quirk. 2013. 336p. ISBN 9781594746741. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781594745775.

If an asteroid were hurtling toward Earth, guaranteed to destroy everyone on the planet in a few months, what would happen to the concept of law and order? Det. Hank Palace is determined to keep doing his job in a world counting down the days. ( LJ 7/12)

SF & THRILLER

The future can be a scary place and technology almost always has a dark side. That makes the combination of sf and adrenaline genres like thrillers and suspense a natural fit.

Bacigalupi, Paolo. The Water Knife. Knopf. May 2015. 384p. ISBN 9780385352871. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385352895.

Drought and climate change mean that water knives like Angel keep busy protecting the interests of those who want to control the water supply. Angel winds up in parched and dying Phoenix, where his path intersects with that of a journalist and a refugee as they all search for documents that could change the balance of power for the region. ( LJ 2/15/15)

Barry, Max. Lexicon. Penguin. 2013. 400p. ISBN 9781594205385. $26.95; pap. ISBN 9780143125426. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781101604908.

Words have power, and in this pulse-pounding thriller special people called Poets have trained to be able to use words to control others. As the book opens, Wil Parke is kidnapped by two Poets who believe he is the only one who can stop a cataclysmic disaster. ( LJ 5/1/13)

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Layman, John (text) & Rob Guillory (illus.). Chew. Vol. 1: Taster’s Choice. Image. 2009. 128p. ISBN 9781607061595. pap. $9.99.

In this ongoing comics series, Tony Chu is a detective who can get psychic impressions from what he eats (including people). Set in a future where poultry is illegal after a pandemic of bird flu, the series opens with Tony becoming an investigating agent for the FDA. The truly bizarre premise is executed brilliantly; hilarious and gross in equal measure. ( LJ 3/15/10)

Vaughan, Brian K. (text) & Fiona Staples (illus.). Saga. Vol. 1. Image. 2012. 160p. ISBN 9781607066019. pap. $9.99.

Alana and Marko are two soldiers from opposite sides of a galactic war who fall in love and go on the run in this first volume of an ongoing series. While the book works as a poignant love story and an indictment of prejudice, trippy visuals and clever dialog make this Romeo and Juliet space opera a lot of fun as well.

RESOURCES

McArdle, Megan M. Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends. ALA Editions. 2014. 232p. ISBN 9780838912560. pap. $55; ebk. ISBN 9780838912560.

This recent entry in the ALA Editions “Readers’ Advisory Guide” series focuses on books that blend genres. The book discusses the nature of blended books and the challenges they pose for libraries, includes chapters on all the major genres with examples of blends, and focuses on RA tips for blended books. A companion website with an interactive database of genre blends can be found at blender.genrify.com. (Professional Media, LJ 1/15)

Novelist; www.ebscohost.com/novelist

EBSCO’s invaluable database can help answer readers’ advisory questions. For the reader interested in books that blend genres, the advanced search function can be a wonderful tool, as it includes a genre search field (GN). Simultaneously searching multiple genres can help yield more unusual mixes, and some of the more common (such as historical mystery) get their own designation.