Week 15 Prompt Response

 One of the best ways that my library markets our fiction collection is through displays and lists. Our library uses Bibliocommons, and they have a great list feature that we use when creating our displays. We attach the books on our desired topic into the list, write up interesting blurbs on each book if possible, and then publish the lists, which we then print and use to fill our display. It's a great way to get all kinds of user groups—those who visit the library get to see the displays in person, but we can still reach users at home through the lists, which they can place holds directly from. We can also link our digital resources on these lists as well for those who aren't even able to stop into the library to pick up a hold. 

As for future marketing goals, I would also love to market our digital fiction collections even more. I feel like we have so much to offer there but many of our users aren't even aware of how easy they are to access. I'd love to offer a regular program that is specifically showing patrons how to use our digital resources, where they could bring in their devices and we walk them through how to do it. 

Finally, as I've mentioned before in this class, one of the best ways to promote our books is to read them ourselves. I would love to make it a habit of making some sort of social media post featuring staff with their some of their recent faves. Format doesn't really matter, either a Tiktok or even just posts with pictures. Our users really love our staff and when we take group staff photos (say on Halloween, for example) those posts get a ton of engagement, so it would be awesome to use that to our advantage and promote books while also promoting our staff. 

Week 14 Prompt Response

 I would not separate books out from either collection. The first reason for this is simply because we do not have any of our fiction separated in my library's collection. If we separate Urban and LGBT fiction, we would then have to separate out science fiction, romances, and many other genres and that would be a huge undertaking when the majority of our patrons don’t seem to have trouble finding what they are looking for.

Secondly, I do think that separating the genres out could lead some readers to not find these books serendipitously. Author Foye worries that labeling his works could limit his audience, stating, “The term “street lit” can bring to mind…poorly packaged books . . . that aren’t edited.” (Munshi, 2015). These stereotypes simply aren’t true, and by separating these books out, we are risking these books being passed over by those who haven’t yet discovered their merit.

Finally, at least in terms of LGBT books specifically, I would not separate out these books for safety reasons. By separating these books out, most likely using an additional sticker or call number label designation, we could be putting some of our patrons at risk. Some patrons may not be “out” yet or have families who disapprove, so drawing attention to these books could make their homes, or even browsing a separate area of our collection, unsafe for them. According to Schofield and Sullivan (2021), “It is our professional responsibility to promote both physical and intellectual safe spaces for all, which requires us to actively and intentionally seek out and call out such obstacles to equity as prejudice and intolerance in our communities” (Schofield and Sullivan, 2021 p. 25).  We can provide this safe space for our patrons by having all the books combined in the same collection so they can browse discreetly.

References:

Schofield, J., & Sullivan, M. (2021). Diverse books in all book clubs: Making the case for selection criteria. Public Libraries, 60(4), 22–27. 

Munshi, N. (2020, December 7). Urban fiction: Words on the street. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/08785ece-86ee-11e5-9f8c-a8d619fa707c

Young Adult Fiction Annotation

 

Author: Deb Caletti

Title: Plan A

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Publication Date: October 3, 2023

Number of Pages: 416 pages

Geographical Setting: The main character’s hometown is in Texas but she travels across the country to Oregon, stopping in Oklahoma, Kansas and other states.

Time Period: Present day

Series: N/A

Plot Summary: Sixteen year old Ivy has big plans to see the world…until a plus sign shows up on a pregnancy test that she takes on her break at work at her part time pharmacy job in conservative Texas. Now, instead of working all summer, saving up money, and hanging out with her new boyfriend Lorenzo, she now has to figure out how to obtain an abortion, which is  illegal in her state. When word of her “condition” spreads, Lorenzo plans a cross country trip to take Ivy to Oregon, where her grandmother lives and abortion is still legal. From Paris, Texas to Lima, Oklahoma, to Rome, Oregon, Ivy will see the world one way or another, and along the way, she encounters other women who share their own stories with her and make her realize she’s not alone.

Appeal:
1. Tone: The tone of this book is engaging, accessible, and draws readers in. Although talking about a heavy topic, Caletti manages to add in lighthearted, sweet moments as well.
2.Storyline: This storyline is more important now than ever. While the idea of small town girl gets pregnant might sound like it’s been done before, Ivy’s journey is interesting and the weaving of other women’s stories is powerfully done.
3.Characterization: Ivy is smart, funny, and readers can’t help but root for her. Other characters in Ivy’s life, such as her mother, brother, and boyfriend are all supportive and understanding of Ivy, which is such a relief for readers to see.

3 terms that best describe this book: engaging, personal, empowering

 3 relevant fiction works:

 Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan: This book similarly details a teen girl’s journey across the country to have an abortion; however, unlike Ivy, the main character of this book does not have the same support systems.

Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller: This book also takes place in Texas and details a girl’s trip with her friends across the country to obtain an abortion.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by EK Johnston: This book details a girl making decisions about her own body after being assaulted and how her friends support her in those decisions.

 3 relevant non-fiction works:

 Aftermath: Life in Post-Roe America by Elizabeth G. Hines: An anthology of over 30 essays on the impact that Roe Vs. Wade had on our country and the options that exist for women in post-Roe America.

Abortion: A Personal Story, A Political Choice by Pauline Harmange: The author shares her own personal abortion story with the hopes that by sharing our experiences, we can transform our society for the better.

A Place Called Peculiar: Stories about Unusual American Place Names by Frank K. Gallant: In Plan A, Lorenzo shows an interest in unusual town names on their trip, such as Corn, Christmas, etc. This book goes into detail about unique city names across the country.

 

 

 

 

Week 13 Prompt Response

Should we as librarians work to ensure adults can read whatever "genres" they want? Yes, absolutely! I have never understood why any literary choices should be considered less legitimate than others. To say that adults shouldn't read about YA experiences would be the same as saying people in their 20s can't read about people in their 50s, etc. 

My library does a fairly good job already of recognizing that adults are interested in young adult literature. Our book club has read a couple of young adult books and they were really well received. A couple of years ago, we also combined our adult and YA audiobooks since we found that adults were checking out YA audiobooks more than teens (who seem to be mostly using e-audio). Continuing to evaluate and plan around these genres will just continue to expose them to our patrons, and I'd love to see us do more with graphic novels and other unique collections as well. I'm sure that this will continue to happen as those collection areas continue to grow. It is interesting to see the readings for this week, which were published a while back now, correctly predicting that these genres will only continue to grow in readership. 

One quote from the readings this week stood out to me: "Perhaps a particular librarian buys [a book] for her collection and decides it fits in better with her adult books because of the not-super-explicit but still frank depictions of sex. Is it now NA for that community? Who gets to make the determination of what a YA book truly is? And what about the definitions of individual readers, who may not be aware of or care about this brouhaha in publishing and librarianship?" (Brookeover et al, p. 44). This recently happened at my library. We (the youth department) had a younger teen come in looking for a series she saw on TikTok, we purchased it for our YA collection, and while processing realized very quickly that the content was much more adult. We brought the books to the attention of our adult reference staff and moved them over to their collection. The purchasing part isn't a big deal at my library; things end up in different places all the time and we just make sure to order them from the revised collection area budget in the future. We mostly move things to the adult collection based on sexual content since we are in a fairly conservative area that has dealt with book challenges and want to try to protect ourselves as much as we can. While the parents of teen readers may care about the new adult vs. young adult distinction due to the content of the books, I'm fairly confident that adults who are browsing for themselves aren't really aware of this "brouhaha." They seem to know for themselves what content they are comfortable with and will avoid those types of books if they don't want them. 

One final thought: I think that one way that we as librarians can ensure books from these "genres" are available for our patrons is to read them and recommend them ourselves! Seeing us excited about books and being able to be authentic about their appeals will make patrons interested in them as well. 

References:

Brookeover, S. (2014). What's new about new adult? Horn Book Magazine, 90(1) p. 41-45. 

Non-fiction Annotation

 

Author: Emily Morrow

Title: Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner's Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life without Adding Them to Your Personality

Genre: Non-fiction

Publication Date: March 12, 2024

Number of Pages: 240

Geographical Setting: Unspecified

Time Period: Current day

Series: N/A

Plot Summary: "Crunchy is a spectrum" says Emily Morrow, star of the viral social media accounts Really Very Crunchy, in which Morrow parodies the "crunchy" lifestyle of natural remedies, toxin and chemical free households, and barefoot living. While you can never quite tell how much of Emily's videos are real and how much are exaggerated, in this book, the author gets much more personal about her crunchiness, and gives readers advice they can use to live a more natural lifestyle using humor, kindness, and never judgement. Morrow really wants readers to know that even small steps can make a big difference, and no matter where readers land on the crunchy spectrum, they will walk away with new ways to up their holistic lifestyle game. 

Appeal:

Characterization: Emily becomes a character in her book, sharing her experiences in how she grew in her crunchy journey. Hearing these more personal stories help develop Emily as a real person beyond the humor that readers know from her social media parodies. Also a character in her book is her husband Jason, who ends each chapter with a bit of final advice for the potential skeptics out there (he is often portrayed as the “voice of reason” in Emily’s parodies).

·     Learning/Experiencing: Readers are picking up this book to learn, be it to learn more about Emily herself, or to learn more about the crunchy lifestyle. Even if someone is far along in their crunchy journey, they will learn something new in this book.

·       Tone: This book’s tone is light, humorous, and free of judgement. These elements make the book an easy, entertaining read.

 3 terms that best describe this book: funny, down-to-earth, practical

 3 relevant fiction works:

 Confessions of a Domestic Failure: A Humorous Book About a not so Perfect Mom by Bunmi Laditan: This book is about a mom trying to better herself as a parent with the help of influencer moms via a motherhood boot camp.

People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd: Like Emily Morrow’s social media fame, this book is about a mom who is a successful influencer who gives honest advice to her large account of followers.

Little Helper, Big Imagination by Emily Morrow, Sarah Garland, and Richard Cowdrey: This upcoming fictional picture book that is also by Emily Morrow is also about transforming your life, but this book focuses on the child’s perspective of transforming everyday tasks into something magical.

3 relevant non-fiction works:

 Momma Cusses by Gwenna Laithland: This book is also written by a popular social media star, although it discusses more about parenting than Really Very Crunchy does.

 Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich: Ginny Yurich is the founder of the 1000 Hours Outside movement and is mentioned a couple of times in Really Very Crunchy. Like Morrow, Ginny Yurich believes using the natural world to benefit your life.

Low Tox Life: A handbook for a healthy you and happy planet by Alexx Stuart: This book is similar in giving advice on living a life with less toxins, but seems to be more of a beginner’s guide where Morrow’s does assume that readers have at least started their crunchy journey.

Week 12 Prompt

Author: Jennette McCurdy

Title: I'm Glad My Mom Died

Publication Date:August 9, 2022

Number of Pages: 320

Geographic Setting: California

Time Period: Late 1990s to Present

Subject Headings: Television actors and actresses--United States--Biography, Child Actors--Biography, Singers--United States--Biography, Mothers and Daughters--United States--Biography, Mothers--Death, Eating Disorders, Addicts, Biographies

Type: Memoir

Series Notes: N/A

Book Summary: A memoir by former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy, this is an honest, heartbreaking, and yet sometimes almost funny account of Jennette's experience living with an abusive, narcissistic mother who took advantage of her fame up until her death, after which McCurdy spiraled into addiction, eating disorders and toxic relationships. This book is for anyone who enjoys reading about resiliency and people overcoming shame and trauma to reclaim their lives. Readers do not need to be familiar with McCurdy's work to root for her. 

1-3 Annotation: Jennette McCurdy's mother always wanted to be famous. When she couldn't achieve her dreams, she turned to her daughter to make her a star instead, and Jennette, wanting to do anything to make her mother happy, went along with her mom's plans. When fame finally comes, her mother is thrilled; meanwhile, Jennette spirals into anxiety, shame and eating disorders. When her mother dies of cancer, things get even worse, and Jennette begins to struggle with addiction and toxic relationships. It is only after quitting acting and finding therapy that Jennette is able to heal and discover who she really is without her mother. 

Similar Works: Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford, The Woman in Me by Britney Spears, Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Historical Fiction Annotation

Author: Kristin Hannah

Title: The Women

Genre: Historical fiction

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Number of Pages: 480 pages

Geographical Setting: Vietnam and California mostly, with some other locations sprinkled in

Time Period: 1965-1982

Series: N/A

Plot Summary: Newly graduated nurse Frankie McGrath comes from a long line of war heroes. When her brother Finley follows in her family's footsteps and goes to fight in Vietnam, Frankie decides to join him as a nurse in the Army Nurse Corps. When Frankie arrives, she is overwhelmed with the chaos and violence of the war. She witnesses terrible tragedies, but over time, she becomes a confident nurse and builds deep relationships with some of her fellow nurses and doctors. When Frankie arrives home from her service, she realizes that her battles are just beginning--America is divided over the war, it seems like nobody wants to talk about the horrors Frankie witnessed while in Vietnam, and Frankie struggles to cope. The world has changed, but so has she, and how can Frankie return back to a normal life where everyone seems to want to forget Vietnam except her?

Appeal:
1. Frame/Setting: This book includes a lot of worldbuilding and descriptive language, from the mountains and jungles of Vietnam, how the army base camp looked, even how Frankie's hometown looked. By describing the setting in such detail, readers feel the story come to life and makes it feel believable and accurate. 
2.Storyline: The storyline of this story follows Frankie throughout her time in Vietnam and once she returns. Because this female perspective is one that we have not seen a lot of, this storyline sheds light on a new topic and gives readers a new level of understanding. 
3.Characterization: Frankie is a complicated character. She has a lot of struggles and grows and changes so much from the beginning of the book to the end. While she makes some questionable decisions, readers cannot help but feel for her. It's her flaws that make her feel real. 

3 terms that best describe this book: emotional, character-driven, thought-provoking

3 relevant fiction works:

The 14^th of September by Rita Dragonette: Like The Women, this book is set during the Vietnam war from a young woman in the Army's point of view,  along with both books having the themes of the legacies of military families and dealing with anti-war sentiments.

Flying Angels by Danielle Steel: While The Women takes place during the Vietnam war, this book similarly follows a young nurse's decision to follow her brother to war during World War II. 

A Quiet Cadence by Mark Treanor: Although from the point of view of a male Vietnam combat veteran instead of a woman, both books have the theme of trying to return to normal after returning from war while dealing with PTSD and other long-term affects. 

3 relevant non-fiction works:

The League of Wives by Heath Hardage Lee: This book tells the true story of the women who fought to bring home their POW/MIA husbands home from Vietnam. This idea plays a role in The Women, when Frankie joins a similar organization as a way to feel a sense of purpose and belonging after getting home from the war. 

A Piece of my Heart: The Stories of 26 American Women who Served in the Vietnam War by Keith Walker: A decade after the Vietnam war, writer and filmmaker Keith Walker met a woman who had served in Vietnam. She and 25 other women share their stories with him of the time they spent serving and their difficulties upon their return home. 

Buddy's War: A World War II Medic's Journey and the Power of Family by Barry A Lehman: In this book, the author traces his family's history and his father's role as a medic in World War II, a topic that is not spoken about in his family. This book also features key historical moments in the war and the stories of other men and women who served.