Week 16 Prompt

First, how have reading and books changed since you were a child, for you specifically?

I was born in 1966. We were fortunate to have a Carnegie library downtown.  My dad and mom both took turns taking us down to the library. During the summer months we were blessed with the book mobile.  It parked itself only two houses down from where we lived. Wow! What a treat to walk into a vehicle and be met with wall-to-wall books.  The librarian driving the bus always asked what kinds of books we liked and she made sure they were on the bus for us. 

The library downtown had a very nice magazine selection.  Dad, in particular, enjoyed reading through those magazines while we found books to check out.

I had a small shelf in my room for books. I did not own many and they were only paperbacks.  When we were on trips Dad would usually spring for us to get some paperbacks to read when we took a long driving vacation to the relatives.  There were no TV, cell phones, movies, etc.  It was either fight with the sibling, count the fence posts, play “I spy with my little eye,” or read. Reading was the quietist of the choices and worth the money. 

There was no general bookshelf of books on display in our home. Books came from the library.  The one exception occurred when I was 9-10.  Mom and Dad invested in a multivolume Encyclopedia.  I don’t know what publisher, but it was a big deal that we had it. Dad and Mom also invested in the accompanying bookshelf.  The encyclopedia was a big deal on our street.  Several of my peers borrowed volumes. Their mom called my mom and then sent the child over to get the desired volume.

I remember at the dinner table we were discussing a book or author when I was young.  My Dad called the library to see if the book was at the library or not.  The librarian had to call back because she had to go to the card catalogue.  She had a corded phone and it wouldn’t reach.

Since I was a child, books are still books.  What has changed is that I married a woman who likes to read and has her favorites.  Bookshelves cover many of the walls in our residence. I also entered into a vocation that makes use of books and requires a specialized library.  When I entered the field in 1994, email and the Internet were barely used in my circles. So we were encouraged by our professors to invest in books in order to have a strong working library wherever we went.

 Since that time, I still read books the old fashioned way.  I still purchase them as well as borrow them from the library.  What is different though is that I now get on line to see if the library has a book I want and I know which branch it is currently located in.  I haven’t called the library about a book in years.  Also, I used to have to order books through a store.  Now, I order books myself through Amazon or various used book dealers via the Internet. And, I have a Kindle.  If I really want to read something RIGHT NOW I can borrow it through the library electronically without going there or get it from Amazon.com. The Kindle has also been useful as a space saver. Some of the classics, I have put on Kindle in order to make room on the shelves for other books.

These days, I read books on paper, Kindle, phone, tablet, and computer.  When I was a child I read primarily mysteries and westerns.  Now, my reading encompasses many different kinds of fiction as well non-fiction.  The only non-fiction that I have never really gotten into is manuals.  I only read these when I have to and usually after my best guess did not work out so well.

Second, talk a little about what you see in the future for reading, books, or publishing - say 20 years from now. Will we read more or less, will our reading become more interactive? What will happen to traditional publishing?

Years ago, when personal computers were first becoming affordable and people were buying them; the prediction was announced that our world would soon be paperless. Well, that hasn’t happened.  Paper is still very much in use.  But, so is the electronic medium.  I don’t think paper will ever truly go away.  Paper is necessary for some functions. Nor, will some version of the personal computer ever go away.  Computers are already an integral part of nearly every aspect of our life.  I don’t see that changing either.

In the future, I see a similar relationship between books and electronic medium.  Physical books with a cover and paper with ink on it are going to be around for the foreseeable future. So are electronic books.  Some kinds of information will store better and read better in electronic format.  While other forms of information will be better suited to a codex format.

Twenty or more years from now, librarians will still be organizing both paper and electronic books.  Those that want a good story will read them. Those who want to read will read.  Those who are drawn to images (pun intended) will use images.  What will be different though is the cost of things via the Internet. In the last five years, we have seen a change in the amount of stuff we can get for free via the Internet.  Newspapers and magazines want those accessing their information on line to pay for the access.  

Diane Wachtell explains the process of developing ideas into really great stories.  It takes a team of people.  The team costs money.  Right now anyone can publish on the Internet. And there is a lot to read for free. The quality of this literally depends on who is doing the writing.   But, if we want consistently great stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, that is going to come from a team effort.  Those salaries have to be paid.  I suspect that at some point the cost of the electronic book is going to increase in order to pay for those salaries. This will especially be true if the expectation develops that first there will be an electronic book, then, if it’s worth the expense and work, there will be a codex. 

I suspect that in 20 or more years, we are going to have a variety of publishing houses: A few big but many small. The smaller ones will specialize in particular genres and/or particular modes of medium.  There will also be many more who are self-publishing electronically.

Ursula K. Le Guin argues that reading will not decline anymore than it already has declined since the end of the golden century of reading from 1850-1950. I suspect that as storytellers learn to tell stories using a mixture of digital text, still and motion images, and audio, there is going to be a steady percentage of people who need and demand to read, just read, without visual or auditory assistance.   There will also be a steady percentage of people who want to keep a favorite story for a lifetime to read it over and over again.  Many of these folks will be drawn to, and will need, a permanent codex in which to return to again and again.

Week 15 Prompt

What do you think are the best ways to market your library's fiction collection? Name and describe three ways you do or would like to market your library or your future library's fiction. These can be tools, programs, services, displays - anything that you see as getting the word out.

____

There are two problems that need to be addressed.  One is getting people in the community to visit the library.  Second, once they are in the door, they need to know what they are looking for.

I would like to promote the library in the community by having a major literary event.  I would develop a “one book, one community” experience that includes an author visit and book signing and parts of the book acted out within the library. I would promote this in the community through local news coverage (TV and Print); website, email, twitter, Facebook announcements; and a sign on the buses or taxis.  The advertising buzz will catch people’s attention and bring them into the library for the entertainment. 

I would promote the library’s fiction contents through social media and send out regular lists of what we have based on genre and appeal factors. For example, I would have one 5-10 book list that is listed as Thrillers, then another list of fast paced books with a mix of genre of Crime, Romance, Spy, Mystery, Westerns, etc. I would have lists for all the genres including best sellers.

When the patron is within the library, I would promote fiction by doing at least these three things.  First, I would have a series of signs similar to Sarick’s suggestions on page 137 that are changed out weekly that are behind the information desk. I would alternate between Rosenberg’s First Law of Reading: “Never Apologize for your Reading tastes,” “Ask Here for a Good Book,” “Let us help you find your next great read,” and additional clever sayings.  Signs are like displays in that they need to be changed periodically so people will notice them.

A second thing I would do is utilize Sarick’s suggestion on page 140 to have a cart with 20-30 books near an area that is a regular walkway within the library that has a sign on it, “Good Books You May Have Missed.”  This smaller collection of books will be quick and easy to look through.  People often gravitate toward smaller collections of books.  

A third think I would do is have book marks in the checkout area and on the counters that direct people to websites that lead one to read a likes or other books. I would include the Novelist in the library database; GoodReads.com; Oprah’s Book Club; smartbitchestrashybooks.com; etc.

Work Cited:

Saricks, Joyce G. Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library. Chicago: American Library Association, 2005. Print.

Week 14 Prompt

Space and peer concerns both play into the answer of whether or not to separate the fiction section into different genres. If the library is a small space, then having different genre sections may not be feasible.  If the library has sufficient floor space, separating the fiction section into Graphic Novels, Romance, GLBTQ, Teen, Urban Lit may actually encourage people to browse and select books because patrons will go to the location where the literature they like may be found.  Instead of a large blob of books, the books are in smaller clusters and easier to locate read-a-likes.  

In his article on GLBTQ materials, Devon Thomas indicates that the kind of community in which a library is a part does determine whether certain genres will stand alone or not.  If in a socially conservative community, Urban Lit and GLBTQ stand-alone sections may inhibit browsing or reading. The stand-alone sections may also attract the vocal attention of those who do not embrace diverse opportunities for reading experiences.  However, if the community is more open regarding social issues and if the library serves a larger community that utilizes Urban Lit and GLBTQ, then stand-alone sections are the way to go.  

I think clustering genres is a useful way to organize a library for three reasons. First, it breaks up the library into smaller, usable chunks.  It is not a wall of books in shelf after shelf after shelf but visually stand-alone genres look like small islands of respite. I agree with Vicki Novak that there is a “book cart effect.”  She states that library users “commonly gravitate toward any smaller chunk of the collection they can find.” (36) She points out that patrons often gather around carts that have recently returned books or soon to be weeded books, because they are smaller chunks and are manageable for browsing. Walls of books can be intimidating for a patron.

Second, I want people to have many different access points to reading.  Having multiple stand-alone sections is a way for people to enter into literature. One thing will lead to another.  If a person enjoys Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior the patron may want to read more of Barbara’s work that also includes the non-fiction Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The patron will use the catalogue or ask the librarian where more of Barbara’s stuff is. If a patron wants to stay with a strong female character fiction piece that deals with environmental concerns, then people will connect with that literature through the stand-alone section. The role of the librarian and the library is to provide reading experiences that patrons want.  If patrons only want to read a certain genre, does that really matter? They are reading. They are creating foot traffic in the library.  That is what is important.

Third, one of Ranganathan’s “laws” is to save the time of the reader.  Organizing reading material by genre can save the time of and eliminate the frustration of the patron when the patron knows exactly what he or she wants.  When a genre is collected together, the selection process of the next book is easier and faster. 

Works Cited:

Trott, Barry, and Vicki Novak. "A House Divided? Two Views on Genre Separation." Reference & User Services Quarterly 46.2 (2006): 33-38. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Thomas, Devon. "A Place on the Shelf." Library Journal 132.8 (2007): 40-43. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Week 13 Prompt

I would be interested to learn the arguments that Erin used to convince acquisitions to purchase the graphic novel book club kit.  The argument I would use is that the library serves to promote literacy as well as a place to disseminate information.  The fact of the matter is that some people are visually oriented.  They understand, process, and enjoy the story much more fully when visuals are used to expand on the text. 

The second argument I would use is that graphic novels are another means to tell a story. The story is told with more sophistication because it involves not only words, but also artistic skill in creating the images.  The images also convey the motion and emotion with a force that the words alone may not be able to convey.

The third argument is that every book needs a reader.  The graphic novels are consistently and regularly read. 

The fourth argument is that this is not only a great way to introduce people to new art and storytelling, but also a new way to tell the classic stories.  I have enjoyed Gareth Hinds’ work. http://www.garethhinds.com/books.php I introduced my son to the stories of the Odyssey and Beowulf through graphic novels.  They kept his attention while hitting on the major scenes from the stories.  I am looking forward to reading Hinds’ graphic novels on Shakespeare’s work next.

The things I would do to promote young adult, new adult, and graphic novels for adults are the following.  Adults need to know that they exist in the first place.  Every few weeks I would have displays that people have to look at when they are walking into the library that have examples of new graphic novels, young adult and new adult materials.  Other displays would place movie/book/audio book/graphic novel all together so people can have their choice of the means by which to engage the story.  It’s the story and that people are engaging with the story that matters, not the means in which the story is conveyed.

I think the “It’s OK to read this” sign that Erin has on her blog would be great to put where the Young Adult/New Adult/Graphic Novels are.  Sometimes permission has to be given in order for people to go into those other areas of the library or to connect with their inner graphic novel self. However, two other things to do are to put a display of the YA/NA/GN near the adult fiction section with staff recommendations. Erin, etc. recommends this. I would also include an image with the name.  If some, ahem, chronologically mature person is recommending a YA/NA/GN book then folks may see that it’s not just for a particular age group. Also, when adults see that librarians are taking this seriously enough to promote this, they might connect with this genre. If there is enough money (smiles and out loud laughter is permissible here) I would keep the YA/NA/GN stand-alone section but also intersperse some of the best sellers in with the adult fiction too.  Might both youth and adults find themselves in the grownup fiction section too?