Adult Reader's Advisory Spring 2021

EBooks and Audiobooks: What's the appeal?      I had always been a large fan of physical books, that was until the stay-at-home orders began taking affect. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, I loved the tactile properties of a physical book. The smell, the weight, the pages... all important factors in my relationship to reading. Throughout college I spent a lot of time at the printer, making sure to have a physical copy of the readings so I could see my progress, highlight, and look back for additional information. Ebooks never appealed to me because they seemingly lacked everything I loved about sitting down on the couch with a blanket and a good book in my hands.      Jump ahead to 2021, just one year after COVID-19 began to impact daily lives in Indiana, and I own my very own e-reader. It seems like a complete 180, but I promise it was much more gradual than it sounds. Having worked in a public library for several years already, I was awar...

Young @ Heart Book Club with IndyPL      As someone who has never attended a book club, I was not sure what to expect. It might not help that I was planning to attend a discussion for a book I had not yet read! (That small detail might have been the root of my anxiety.)  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and look forward to a time in my life that I can attend a book club on a consistent basis.     When I first searched for a book club to attend, I thought I would look no farther than the IndyPL system. Their website was easy to navigate, and I knew they were providing virtual programming only. Having the online platform made it easier for my schedule and allowed the flexibility to tune in from the comfort of my apartment. The only detail I worried about was finding a time that worked with my schedule. The IndyPL system is open 9:30-6pm most days, so I was unsure about how many programs would take place after work...

A Man Called One by Fredrik Backman     Genre: Relationship fiction; Books to Movies; Translation    Publication Date: 2013 (US) Number of Pages: 368 Geographical Setting: Small Swedish town Time Period: Present Day Plot Summary: Ove is set in his routines and will go out of his way to keep it that way. He is confident in the way he looks at the world around him and sees no reason to change the simplicity of the old days. After the death of his wife he makes the choice to end his life and leave the rest of the world behind him. This is all fine until his new neighbors move in and he slowly finds himself pushing back his plans. Annoyed by the interruptions of his neighbors, the reader follows Ove's journey into forming unlikely friendships with people around him. The initial resistance Ove once had against finding close relationships with others begins to melt away as he begins to grow and find a new purpose to his life. Subject Headings: Older men fiction; Neighbor's...

   Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler     Genre: Science Fiction; Dystopian   Publication Date: 1993 Number of Pages: 299 Geographical Setting: California Time Period: Dystopian future (years 2024-2027) Plot Summary: This novel tells the story of Lauren Olamina, a young girl who is determined to survive. Lauren's world is beginning to crumble around her as she prepares for the day she must leave home. The walls of her neighborhood were once all that kept her and her family safe, until they came crumbling down. The police are no help, the cost of water is now more than food, and there is a new drug out there creating even more destruction. Forced to leave behind the life she once knew, she must rely upon what she read about in books and remind herself of her ultimate purpose. She calls it Earthseed and lives by it while gathering followers on the way to fight to survive against all odds. Lauren feels it all, the pain her frien...

I had not experienced a book or author that affected my work until this past week. I would argue that a small part of this has to do with my newest position in addition to the controversy itself.  This past week it was announced that several works by Dr. Seuss would cease to be produced due to the representation of people within the works. News stories and headlines surrounding this story, such as this one from NBC News , spread the narrative that the "racist imagery" is inappropriate for children in this day and age. Within my own work, it sparked a flurry of several emails about how to address the controversy.  A statement was made about considering how best to handle the books in question. There were some differences in thoughts on the matter within my interactions with a few staff members. Someone wanted all of the books to be removed from the shelves completely, and someone else did not seem to have a problem with the books. I am a circulation supervisor now, and althoug...