Week 9: Assignment 1 and 2
After reading the two articles and watching the videos from the New York Times and You Tube, I feel book trailers are a very effective tool in marketing books. I think that young adults in particular and some adults are more influenced by a moving visual picture, with the enhancements of sound and color - more so than the written word. Book trailers provide a motivation to read the books they promote and a context for imagining the story of the book in our minds as we are reading it.
Week 9: Assignment 3:
Overall, I have found this online learning program to be a very worthwhile experience. At times the questions were somewhat repetititve and the assignments with multiple parts, overly long. In spite of these minor flaws, I feel that the team that created this program did a thorough job in providing an intellecutally stimulating learning experience. Most importantly, I now have a plethora of resources to use in initiating a enthusiastic reader's advisory interaction with customers. I have noticed a greater comfort level and more confidence in asking the right questions to keep the flow of conversation going until the perfect book for the customer is discovered. This process can be a fun collaboration beween librarians and customers. Hopefully, if we keep reaching out to our customers they will find the opportunity to relate to a friendly staff about literature as engaging as reading the next good book.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Week 8: Assignment 4
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass written by
himself is the autobiography of an American slave. He details his experiences
as a slave from boyhood to manhood and describes in graphic detail the physical
and psychological torment of African american slaves under their white masters.
We follow him from the plantation to Baltimore, Maryland where he learns to read
and discovers the definition of abolition. At some point, he becomes the
property of Master Auld, a cruel and sadistic slave owner who takes a special
interest in attempting to break the soul and spirit of Douglass. This is a highlight of the narrative as
Douglass uses a compelling and exciting writing style to describe a relentless
two hour battle in which Douglass stands his ground and refuses to relinquish
control to his oppressor. I would recommend this book to teen boys because it is a fast, simple and engaging
story with well-developed characters. It definitely reads like a novel. Any
adult who is interested in the historical details of American slavey will experience the brutality of this period coming to life through Douglass's fascinating account of his life.
Left to Tell: One Woman's Story of Surviving the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee ILibigaza fulfills the expectations of a top notch disaster novel. Immaculee gives a gripping and suspenseful account of her near death escape from genocide during the Rwandan Holocaust. Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats as she stays one step ahead of the machetes of the hutu soldiers. I would reccommend this book to adults interested in women's history, because of the strong female heroin facing dehumanizing oppression. Fans of Christian fiction will also be drawn in by Immaculee's telling of how her spiritual faith and conviction helped her escape a tragedy that claimed the lives of her entire family.
Week 8: Assignment 3
My four choices are:
Autobiography: Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (located in the Biography area)
Memoir: Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls (Located in the Biography area)
Disaster/Survival: Left to Tell: One Woman's Story of Surviving the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee iLibagiza (located in the Biography area)
Contemporary Social Issues: Coming Up From the Down Low: The Journey to Acceptance, Healing and Honest Love by James L. King
(located in 305.3889K)
My four choices are:
Autobiography: Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (located in the Biography area)
Memoir: Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls (Located in the Biography area)
Disaster/Survival: Left to Tell: One Woman's Story of Surviving the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee iLibagiza (located in the Biography area)
Contemporary Social Issues: Coming Up From the Down Low: The Journey to Acceptance, Healing and Honest Love by James L. King
(located in 305.3889K)
Week 7: Assignment 4
I spent some time at Harlequin Teen and observed the trend toward creating stories specifically about African American teens to market to this population. Another trend is creating Harlequin stories around popular past times like the world of nascar to broaden the appeal of contemporary romance in general and to perhaps extend interest to a male audience.
I looked at Teens at Random and noticed a trend toward making the purchase of facebook games and video games based on books, and the books as well, available for purchase right here on the book review site.
I spent some time at Harlequin Teen and observed the trend toward creating stories specifically about African American teens to market to this population. Another trend is creating Harlequin stories around popular past times like the world of nascar to broaden the appeal of contemporary romance in general and to perhaps extend interest to a male audience.
I looked at Teens at Random and noticed a trend toward making the purchase of facebook games and video games based on books, and the books as well, available for purchase right here on the book review site.
Week 7: Assignment 3
Forever Young Adult is a site developed by the managing editor of Badass Digest and other young adult professionals, (film programmers, school librarians, YA authors etc...) from around the nation who are past their teen years. This site offers book, movie, and video reviews. Visitors to this site are just as interested in YA characters as they are in YA novels as a whole, magining themselves dating or spooning with Peeta from The Humger Games. Described as a "non-stop internet slumber party,'" it is fittingly a little random and cluttered, but has some glitz and lots of graphics, with photos. This site is aimed at the more mature young adult female who wants to kick back with a cocktail while reading or looking at a chic flick. Given the vast number of reviews and comments, it seems to be a fun site with a growing following.
Teenreads is a clean, crisp site which is maintained by 27 teens from around the nation who blog, write book reviews and share feedback. This site also features contests, polls and a newsletter.
The teen board members change on a six month basis which I imagine keeps the ideas and perspectives fresh. I noticed 581 voters on one of their polls so this site is building an audience. Moreover, getting teens to collaborate together in such a positive way is a mark of this site's success.
Forever Young Adult is a site developed by the managing editor of Badass Digest and other young adult professionals, (film programmers, school librarians, YA authors etc...) from around the nation who are past their teen years. This site offers book, movie, and video reviews. Visitors to this site are just as interested in YA characters as they are in YA novels as a whole, magining themselves dating or spooning with Peeta from The Humger Games. Described as a "non-stop internet slumber party,'" it is fittingly a little random and cluttered, but has some glitz and lots of graphics, with photos. This site is aimed at the more mature young adult female who wants to kick back with a cocktail while reading or looking at a chic flick. Given the vast number of reviews and comments, it seems to be a fun site with a growing following.
Teenreads is a clean, crisp site which is maintained by 27 teens from around the nation who blog, write book reviews and share feedback. This site also features contests, polls and a newsletter.
The teen board members change on a six month basis which I imagine keeps the ideas and perspectives fresh. I noticed 581 voters on one of their polls so this site is building an audience. Moreover, getting teens to collaborate together in such a positive way is a mark of this site's success.
Week 7: Assignment 2
The analysis of why young adult fiction has crossed over to an adult audience in the article, "Who is Buying Teen Books" was very enlightening. I agree that the uncomplicated writing, fast pace and compact plot of the teen novel are appealing aspects for all readers. Novels like Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers and The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson come to mind as strong teen books with adult themes and appeal. Librarians should give themselves permission to recommend teen titles to adults more often without feeling that it is insulting or demeaning to the customer's sense of maturity to do so. It's okay. Go for it! (I posted this comment of Kathryn S's blog - Bmore Bookish)
I was suprised to learn from the article, "YA Comes of Age," that there is a growing hard cover market because of the attractiveness and collectiblity of hard cover titles. Because I own a kindle, but still prefer to curl up with a real book from time to time, it's nice to know that in spite of the popularity of electronic books, a binded text with pages to be flipped through is still a prized possession. (Christina Miller and I both read this article so I posted this comment on her blog - Dances with Chickens)
The analysis of why young adult fiction has crossed over to an adult audience in the article, "Who is Buying Teen Books" was very enlightening. I agree that the uncomplicated writing, fast pace and compact plot of the teen novel are appealing aspects for all readers. Novels like Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers and The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson come to mind as strong teen books with adult themes and appeal. Librarians should give themselves permission to recommend teen titles to adults more often without feeling that it is insulting or demeaning to the customer's sense of maturity to do so. It's okay. Go for it! (I posted this comment of Kathryn S's blog - Bmore Bookish)
I was suprised to learn from the article, "YA Comes of Age," that there is a growing hard cover market because of the attractiveness and collectiblity of hard cover titles. Because I own a kindle, but still prefer to curl up with a real book from time to time, it's nice to know that in spite of the popularity of electronic books, a binded text with pages to be flipped through is still a prized possession. (Christina Miller and I both read this article so I posted this comment on her blog - Dances with Chickens)
Week 7: Assignment 1:
I loved the flowchart "What to Read Next" from the Lawrence Public Library. I printed out a PDF version and found the layout to be inviting and easy on the eyes. I answered the questions in the bubbles and investigated the connected suggested titles. I followed the chart to the end and decided that I like my dystopia with a dose of science fiction, and prefer disease over natural disaster and vampires to zombies.
I loved the flowchart "What to Read Next" from the Lawrence Public Library. I printed out a PDF version and found the layout to be inviting and easy on the eyes. I answered the questions in the bubbles and investigated the connected suggested titles. I followed the chart to the end and decided that I like my dystopia with a dose of science fiction, and prefer disease over natural disaster and vampires to zombies.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Week 6: Assignment 3:
I found fan websites for each of my selected subgenres by googling the subject. I used www.wilmara.com for the subgenre disaster. We are confronted by the media every day with how the human race is depleting and destroying the world's natural resources and making decisions that could place us at the brink of world war. These books are exciting to read but also cathartic because they provide a stark picture of how apocalyptic disaster would look and feel were it to really occur.
I used a site entitled Paranormal Reading for Young Adults for the Paranormal subgenre. I can summarize the current buzz among fans over this subgenre with two words: Understanding and Control. Fans of this genre are struggling to understand and control the world beyond the physical realm.
Lastly, I used www.alibris.com and selected the Urban Warfare books category. Readers find borough warfare books exciting because of the violence, harsh language and devastating consequences faced by the protagonists.
Frame 232 by Wil Mara typifies the disaster subgenre with the standard appeal factors of fast pace, scientific detail, and believability - the scenario created is a realistic possibility.
Vicki Pettersson, the author of The Signs of the Zodiac is considered one of the finest writers of paranormal. This is a subgenre with historical roots in the stories, cults and religions of the past, fantastic or otherwordly elements, and plot details that make sense of popular phenomenon like flying saucers and aliens.
A good borough warfare novel is Street Life by Jihad. Hallmarks of this genre are gritty street life, gang warfare, turf disputes and a protagonist's page-turning struggle for survival.
Mashups of subgenres:
Dynasty by Dutch which has been described as as "urban soap opera," combines the genres of romance and the borough warfare novel. It features a battle between two factions of a crime family - the Bells from the South and the Simmons from the North along with the steamy, womanizing escapades of a cocaine drug lord.
Scars by Patience Prence is an action-packed thriller with political overtones that is both Christian fiction and a disaster novel rolled into one. The main character finds herself in the middle of a cataclysmic national disaster as the world comes to an end and must decide whether or not to follow God.
I found fan websites for each of my selected subgenres by googling the subject. I used www.wilmara.com for the subgenre disaster. We are confronted by the media every day with how the human race is depleting and destroying the world's natural resources and making decisions that could place us at the brink of world war. These books are exciting to read but also cathartic because they provide a stark picture of how apocalyptic disaster would look and feel were it to really occur.
I used a site entitled Paranormal Reading for Young Adults for the Paranormal subgenre. I can summarize the current buzz among fans over this subgenre with two words: Understanding and Control. Fans of this genre are struggling to understand and control the world beyond the physical realm.
Lastly, I used www.alibris.com and selected the Urban Warfare books category. Readers find borough warfare books exciting because of the violence, harsh language and devastating consequences faced by the protagonists.
Frame 232 by Wil Mara typifies the disaster subgenre with the standard appeal factors of fast pace, scientific detail, and believability - the scenario created is a realistic possibility.
Vicki Pettersson, the author of The Signs of the Zodiac is considered one of the finest writers of paranormal. This is a subgenre with historical roots in the stories, cults and religions of the past, fantastic or otherwordly elements, and plot details that make sense of popular phenomenon like flying saucers and aliens.
A good borough warfare novel is Street Life by Jihad. Hallmarks of this genre are gritty street life, gang warfare, turf disputes and a protagonist's page-turning struggle for survival.
Mashups of subgenres:
Dynasty by Dutch which has been described as as "urban soap opera," combines the genres of romance and the borough warfare novel. It features a battle between two factions of a crime family - the Bells from the South and the Simmons from the North along with the steamy, womanizing escapades of a cocaine drug lord.
Scars by Patience Prence is an action-packed thriller with political overtones that is both Christian fiction and a disaster novel rolled into one. The main character finds herself in the middle of a cataclysmic national disaster as the world comes to an end and must decide whether or not to follow God.
Week 6: Assignment 1:
I selected the urban fiction genre and discovered a lot by visiting the street fiction and urban reviews links. I think that the Urban Reviews link is a good resource for readers and up and coming writers of urban fiction to share their opinions and have their works reviewed and advertised for free. I liked the variety of subjects covered under the Urban Teen Fiction category of the Street Fiction link. I liked that these teen books are infused with aspects of pop culture like American idol, hot cars and high fashion to keep them interesting and relevant to young readers, while also tackling serious issues such as interracial love, teen pregnancy, breast cancer and drive by shootings. Some of the books, however, were suprisingly fluffy like Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson and Perfect Joy by Stephanie Perry Moore,. These books did not really have the grittiness that I would expect from an urban fiction novel, but were relatable high school experiences of the average teen.
I selected the urban fiction genre and discovered a lot by visiting the street fiction and urban reviews links. I think that the Urban Reviews link is a good resource for readers and up and coming writers of urban fiction to share their opinions and have their works reviewed and advertised for free. I liked the variety of subjects covered under the Urban Teen Fiction category of the Street Fiction link. I liked that these teen books are infused with aspects of pop culture like American idol, hot cars and high fashion to keep them interesting and relevant to young readers, while also tackling serious issues such as interracial love, teen pregnancy, breast cancer and drive by shootings. Some of the books, however, were suprisingly fluffy like Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson and Perfect Joy by Stephanie Perry Moore,. These books did not really have the grittiness that I would expect from an urban fiction novel, but were relatable high school experiences of the average teen.
Week 5: Assignment 3:
First Sight by Danielle Steel will be a hit because it satisfies the typical romance fan’s need for a spine- tingling love story, while also capitalizing on the nation’s obsession with the fashion industry as evidenced by the popularity of movies like the The Devil Wears Prada, Coco Before Chanel and Sex and the City. Through this genre, we enter a world of glamour and excitement that most envy, but will never experience and learn of the hidden costs of success. Like the strong female protagonists, of the fashion movies, Timmie O’Neil is a heroin who sacrifices love and intimacy in order to attain a high level of influence in the cold, cut-throat world of fashion. Her struggle to confront the demons of her past and to strike a balance between her personal ambitions and the yearnings of her heart will resonate with both teens and adults.
First Sight by Danielle Steel will be a hit because it satisfies the typical romance fan’s need for a spine- tingling love story, while also capitalizing on the nation’s obsession with the fashion industry as evidenced by the popularity of movies like the The Devil Wears Prada, Coco Before Chanel and Sex and the City. Through this genre, we enter a world of glamour and excitement that most envy, but will never experience and learn of the hidden costs of success. Like the strong female protagonists, of the fashion movies, Timmie O’Neil is a heroin who sacrifices love and intimacy in order to attain a high level of influence in the cold, cut-throat world of fashion. Her struggle to confront the demons of her past and to strike a balance between her personal ambitions and the yearnings of her heart will resonate with both teens and adults.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Week 5: Assignment 2
I found several new discoveries on the Early Word site that I will continue to use. Because I love film and television, I enjoyed the Movies and TV Based on Books - Trailers which gives episode recaps, and information about some of my favorite actors starring in movies based on books. I also liked the Season Previews link which allows access to great reviews and ratings of the hottest summer and fall titles of the year without the need for a magazine subscription.
I found several new discoveries on the Early Word site that I will continue to use. Because I love film and television, I enjoyed the Movies and TV Based on Books - Trailers which gives episode recaps, and information about some of my favorite actors starring in movies based on books. I also liked the Season Previews link which allows access to great reviews and ratings of the hottest summer and fall titles of the year without the need for a magazine subscription.
Week 5: Assignment 1
I chose the Urban Street Fiction Link from the Recommended Links- Genre and the Early Word site from the Recommended Links- Books. I really liked the layout of the Urban Fiction Link and the manner in which each genre was succintly defined at the top of the site. Those who happen upon this link without much experience with Street Fiction can use the definitions to choose a comfortable level from which to explore this gritty, often racy genre. This is also a good site to find an appropriate title to suit the street fiction - loving customer's taste to a tee. Since we do not categorize Street Fiction by their specific type such as teen, christian or urban non-fiction on our library shelves, it is very handy to find the most popular and current titles summarized and organized at our fingertips to read or print out for customers. I also liked that each book synopsis is followed by two or three similiar recommended titles.
The Early Word site is a refteshing change from the average book link. Not just the go to place for the next good read, it is designed to bring librarians together to exchange ideas, share news and to find out which books are generating the most excitement and controversy across the country. In the busy world of the public library, in your own neck of the woods, it is easy to feel disconnected from the challenges and progress of the global library. Here is a chance to keep our collections fresh, to be competitive and to maintain our knowledge of current reading trends, by sharing resources and learning from other library systems via live chat, tweet or email. This site is a platform to share our private responses to books (which we love to do!) but also sheds light on the public impact of literature on our world - on other forms of media such as television, news and film.
I chose the Urban Street Fiction Link from the Recommended Links- Genre and the Early Word site from the Recommended Links- Books. I really liked the layout of the Urban Fiction Link and the manner in which each genre was succintly defined at the top of the site. Those who happen upon this link without much experience with Street Fiction can use the definitions to choose a comfortable level from which to explore this gritty, often racy genre. This is also a good site to find an appropriate title to suit the street fiction - loving customer's taste to a tee. Since we do not categorize Street Fiction by their specific type such as teen, christian or urban non-fiction on our library shelves, it is very handy to find the most popular and current titles summarized and organized at our fingertips to read or print out for customers. I also liked that each book synopsis is followed by two or three similiar recommended titles.
The Early Word site is a refteshing change from the average book link. Not just the go to place for the next good read, it is designed to bring librarians together to exchange ideas, share news and to find out which books are generating the most excitement and controversy across the country. In the busy world of the public library, in your own neck of the woods, it is easy to feel disconnected from the challenges and progress of the global library. Here is a chance to keep our collections fresh, to be competitive and to maintain our knowledge of current reading trends, by sharing resources and learning from other library systems via live chat, tweet or email. This site is a platform to share our private responses to books (which we love to do!) but also sheds light on the public impact of literature on our world - on other forms of media such as television, news and film.
Week 4: Assignment 1
I posted the following recommendation for Todd Krueger in the comment field on Goodreads:
Hi Todd!
If you liked the psychological complexity, character development and compact narration of Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending, I think you might like reading Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tim Franklin. Set in rural Mississippi, this atmospheric page turner focuses on the relationship
between Larry Ott and Silas Jones: two childhood friends who are ripped apart by a tragic incident involving a missing girl and then forced to confront the mysteries of the past when another girl dissappears twenty years later.(less)
I have been a member of Goodreads for a long time, but never really used it to track my reading or to interact with other readers. Be More Bookish has become an opportunity to discover this user friendly and enjoyable resource. Exploring Goodreads has been easy and fun.. I found the recommendations based on my interests right on the mark and liked sharing comments with my colleagues. I now have a place to go for help in deciding what to read next and Iam sure it will help me to perform reader's advisory to customers.
I posted the following recommendation for Todd Krueger in the comment field on Goodreads:
Hi Todd!
If you liked the psychological complexity, character development and compact narration of Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending, I think you might like reading Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tim Franklin. Set in rural Mississippi, this atmospheric page turner focuses on the relationship
between Larry Ott and Silas Jones: two childhood friends who are ripped apart by a tragic incident involving a missing girl and then forced to confront the mysteries of the past when another girl dissappears twenty years later.(less)
I have been a member of Goodreads for a long time, but never really used it to track my reading or to interact with other readers. Be More Bookish has become an opportunity to discover this user friendly and enjoyable resource. Exploring Goodreads has been easy and fun.. I found the recommendations based on my interests right on the mark and liked sharing comments with my colleagues. I now have a place to go for help in deciding what to read next and Iam sure it will help me to perform reader's advisory to customers.
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