Cover to Cover

I have to admit, there is something about the feel of a book in my hands that makes me happy. This is a conversation that I have held with many patrons! But out of convenience, I find e-Books and audiobooks to be great tools. I have even been known to read the same story via a physical book and an ebook at the same time. I read the physical book all day and switch to the ebook at night or when I do not want to carry the actual book. This way I can switch seamlessly between the formats that work best for me at the moment. I personally struggled a bit with audiobooks at first. I would lose track of the story and struggle to keep track of multiple characters.  So audiobooks lost some of their appeal for me. However, I would say that even throughout this class, I have gotten better and can now listen to a book while I get things done around the house. This adds appeal because being tight on time does not mean I have to wait to dive into a good book. I can do dishes, make dinner, take o...

  References EBSCO Industries, Inc. (n.d.). The Tattooist of Auschwitz Book Photo.  http://web.a.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=4&sid=f607c24c-81af-4a46-bc3c-6130a736bc82%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#UI=10614161&db=neh Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J.G. (2019).  The reader's advisory guide to genre fiction.  ALA Edition.

A Night with Books and Brews Bookclub The Club I had the great pleasure of attending the local Books and Brews Book Club in February. The library typically hosts this club once a month at different restaurants around the city and has around 15 regular attendees. Due to COVID, the group is meeting online in a zoom room. The meetings last from 1 to 3 hours depending on the book, the number of people attending, and the topics that arise during the conversation each night! The Questions The librarian began the meeting and had everyone introduce themselves to start. Then she began with a prepared question but allowed the group’s conversation to flow naturally. When it got quiet, she would prompt with another question. The attendees would answer first, but they wanted her input, which she would give after everyone else answered.  I had listened to the audiobook, so I participated in the conversation. This was not my favorite book ever, but there were parts that I did enjoy. The group did...

Informational Paper: Reader's Advisory Tools                Library staff members that participate in reader’s advisory share a common goal. As Wyatt and Saricks (2019, p. xv) put it, the goal “is to help readers discover titles they are currently in the mood to read.” This is no easy task and can be daunting for staff at any level. However, there are tools that can help guide a librarian in the search for the perfect read. This informational paper compares some of the reader’s advisory tools available. Each tool includes an overview, a cost breakdown, and a features section, along with a screenshot of the site. Appendix A (the chart below) compiles some of the most common features for users to check for a certain feature quickly.   Readers can tell what tools may be best for them based on what they are trying to accomplish. They can also determine what they are getting for the cost.  Each of these tools offers features that ...

  Reference Latham, B. Getting Up to Speed in Gentle Reads . NoveList Plus. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/novp/detail?vid=16&sid=2b301f9e-546e-4596-8550-09dad7b3b61e%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92cC1saXZl#UI=441782&db=neh.

The first controversy that came to my mind was the current Dr. Seuss one, especially since our library is currently grappling with what to do with the copies that we have. However, I am going to discuss a different one. The first controversy that I was personally and professionally affected by was the controversy following J.K. Rowling's comments on Twitter in December of 2019.  She tweeted the following in response to judgment received by Maya Forstater. Maya's employment contract was not renewed by the Centre for Global Development based on her views on sex and gender (Trepany, 2019). Ms. Forstater had stated that biological sex cannot be changed (BBC, 2019). Trepany (2019) noted that Maya attempted legal action to get her job back but lost. This tweet was in response to the news that a judge ruled against Ms. Forstater. From Twitter Feed: @jk_rowling I was the YA librarian at the time, and the teens that loved Harry Potter and were aware of these comments were very upset. It...