Adult Reader's Advisory Spring 2021

The relationship I have to reading has changed quite a bit over the years. Growing up, reading came "easy". I eagerly awaited each summer in order to enroll in the IndyPL Summer Reading Program, gave up my recess to hang out in the library, and fell in love with reading. As a teenager I did not read as often given the increase in school assignments. It felt harder to find the type of books I enjoyed, but I was also too shy to ask for recommendations from a librarian or staff member. Unless it was a popular book like Twilight , I relied upon browsing the shelves to find my next read. In my household it was also not  unusual to purchase books at Borders and collect another treasure for my bookshelf.  After college (not too long ago!) reading became a familiar friend once again. It was a way to pass the time, gain knowledge in subjects that held my interest, and connect with others. Working at a public library opened my eyes to the vast amount ...

       Finding Fiction There are several ways to market a library's fiction collection, and I think many of these can be done intentionally to meet the needs of the branch and the population it is serving. Based on my experience in a university library and a public library, I have found a few favorites that I enjoy implementing.  I think the best ways to market a fiction collection is by using displays, creating book discussions, and utilizing bookmarks.  The "Good Books You May Have Missed" display mentioned in the reading sounds like a great way to approach readers who might otherwise be overwhelmed by the number of possibilities (Saricks 2005, p. 140-143). I can see how selecting a few books and also displaying some with their covers facing the audience can attract readers. I love creating book displays and connecting with readers, and definitely am a fan of having easy access to these titles (unlike out locked display case ...

  Butterfly  by Ashley Antoinette    Genre: Urban Fiction    Publication Date: 2019 Number of Pages: 288 Geographical Setting: London, England; Flint, Michigan; Los Vegas, Navada Time Period: Present Day Plot Summary: Morgan, known to her close friends as "Mo", is torn between a persona that was created for her and the one she left behind. Her fiancé is sweet and loves her children as if they are his own, yet she struggles to feel the same way he feels about her. Her first love was passionate and everything she wanted, but left her alone and scared to find another man that brings her back to life. That is, until Meek comes back into the picture. He was always there, a friend of her ex, yet she had no idea how he felt about her until now. She's caught between a man who is respectable and kind, and a man who fills her with a passion that she has been missing all of this time. Little does she know, Meek might not be the only man coming back from her past... Su...

Ways of Highlighting and Supporting LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction Titles My library work experience includes positions in a small liberal arts university library, and working at a large public library system. The larger public library has ways of highlighting both LGBTQ Fiction and Urban Fiction materials. For this response I am challenging myself to think in terms of a smaller library system while pulling examples from what I have seen at work. After reading the news stories provided in the prompt about separating LGBTQ books from the main collection, I definitely had to take a moment to pause, think, and reflect.  Given my experience in a large public library system, and before I read the entire story in both articles, I initially thought this would be a very positive move. My thoughts were something along the lines of... "Yay! Let's definitely highlight this collection and give it the room it needs!!". I thought placing the items in a location that would be highlight...

Changing the status quo. This week's prompt is about genres that some people claim should not be considered legitimate literary choices and are therefore a waste of money and promotion. If we continued to use this logic, our society would not get very far. If we only stayed with the status quo, we would not learn, evolve, and give birth to new ideas. I do not believe librarians would be fulfilling their roles if they were not working to provide some type of access to titles in Young Adult (YA) and New Adult (NA).  Even today people might argue that reading an ebook or listening to an audiobook should not be considered equivalent to reading. What good would we do as a profession if we were not open to new formats, genres, and ways of learning? Our role is not to place our own thoughts and ideas about these topics into the discussion, but to uphold the guidelines of our profession. There is a balance to our roles, so while one person might think non-censorship means 'anything goe...

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas    Genre: Young Adult Fiction    Publication Date: 9/15/2020 Number of Pages: 352 Geographical Setting: East Los Angeles Time Period: Present Day Plot Summary: Yadriel is no ordinary teenager. His family belongs to a long line of Brujx, making them able to heal humans, see ghosts, and help guide spirits into the afterlife. Yadriel's family has trouble accepting him transgender, and therefore will not allow him to become a brujo. That won't stop him from trying to make his family see him as he truly is. Suddenly, Yadriel and his cousin, Maritza, find themselves sneaking around their family as the upcoming Dia de los muertos celebrations are being prepared. On top of their cousin Miguel going missing, they run into another problem. Julian has recently died but might be able to help them find Miguel. As time begins to run out, Yadriel sees how much life Julian has to offer, and will do anything to keep him close just a little while longer....

Reader's Advisory Matrix from Neal Wyatt's The Reader's Advisory Guide to Nonfiction 1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?      A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of facts-based prose) 2. What is the subject of the book?  Personal finance 3. What type of book is it?  Self-help and instruction 4. Articulate Appeal     a. What is the pacing of the book? It is face paced and easy to read and follow     b. Describe the characters of the book. The narrative follows a path that introduces a number of characters to the reader. There are examples of different women and their specific situation mentioned throughout, so you get to know just a little bit about their finances without it being focused on just one person.      c. How does the story feel? The story feels relatable, comforting, informative, and reassuring.      d. What is the intent of the author? The author intends t...