Week 16 Prompt

As I have grown, I have noticed that reading has changed quite a bit for me. I am now more critical of what I read. Some of the authors I loved growing up are no longer ones that I read as much, because I find that their books, while entertaining, are not as well written as I once thought them to be. Louis L'Amour is a great example of this. His books will always hold a special place in my heart, but I can't read one right after another anymore. Only when I am in the mood for a quick read. I think this change has occurred mostly because of the training I have received in literature and writing. My undergrad degree is in English Education. We were constantly taught and retaught to analyze what we read and critique it. I now approach each book I read with this mindset unconsciously. I still love reading all types of books, but I now opinion of a book now has several more filters to go through than it used to.

As for the second question, I will first talk about what I think a crazy cool, futuristic version of books could be, in honor of today being Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you all!). I think it would be really exciting if, in the future, we still have an actual book that we hold. However, as we turn each page, holograms of the characters and the scenes will pop on the page and voice actors will read the story as the holograms depict what is happening. It kind of like combining the best of movies and audiobooks together, while still getting the feeling that you are curling up with a book. It would be really cool if at the end of the book, you could choose to instantly connect to others that were reading the same story at the same time for an impromtu book discussion. Yeah, that would be pretty cool.

Okay, a little more seriously now. I have talked before about how digital downloads are growing rapidly in usage in public libraries. While I understand why this could be alarming to some, I am not scared of this change. I truly believe that we will eventually see digital books and physical books settle into a TV/radio relationship. They will both still exist, popularity will just fluctuate. Now, I don't want to get into too much right now, but I will be working on a research paper this summer (with the hopes of getting published) that will attempt to show that offering digital downloads actually encourages physical library usage rather than discourages it. And I have statistics to back up my hypothesis. So stay tuned for that. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that libraries will have to embrace the idea of digital downloads if they want to stay successful and relevant in today's culture. It is just another tool to add to our tool belt.

I have enjoyed this semester with all of you and wish you the best of luck in the future. If you ever need help with library issues, feel free to look me up. I'm the circulation manager at the Hancock County Public Library. So if you ever want to come for a visit, I can show you some of the cool things we are doing or I can just answer questions you might have about how certain digital services or RFID implementation impact circulation and library usage. Okay, enough shameless plugging. Hope to "see" some of you in future classes.

Week 15 Prompt Response

This question is of particular interest to me because I am the circulation manager at my library. It is hard for me to focus just on the fiction books, because it is my job to find ways to promote all of our items. That said, I will do my best.

One way that I am especially passionate about is library-wide campaigns to promote specific areas of the library collection or the collection as a whole. Currently, my library is trying to circulate 1,000,000 items for the first time in our history. To encourage patrons to help us reach this goal, we are doing a year long campaign promoting the idea of helping us reach 1,000,000. We began introducing this idea by word of mouth only at the beginning of the year in the circulation department, encouraging patrons to check out items and consider trying new materials. Then, during National Library Week, we offered prizes for the first 100 people that checked out items on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. All of the prizes are branded with our logo for the campaign: "You are one in a million." Monday, patrons received window clings for their cars, which is a great way to get the idea out into the community. Wednesday, we gave out cell phone cases. Friday, we gave out stress balls. We plan to do more things as we progress throughout the year. Some ideas include making an outdoor bookshelf that will increase in fullness as we move towards our goal. This way patrons driving by the library can monitor our progress. Should we reach our goal, we plan to have a community wide party to celebrate, complete with door prizes. So far, we have been seeing a steady increase in all areas of our materials. So, while this doesn't focus on fiction specifically, it does promote its circulation. Any library-wide campaign like this is a good idea to do periodically to get the community more involved in the library.

Another way to promote fiction specifically is Blind Date with a Book. Some of you are probably familiar with this, but it does help encourage readers to try new authors and books. Basically what happens is several fiction books are wrapped up in paper like a gift so that the title can not be seen (libraries utilizing RFID can cover the entire book, those that aren't need to leave the barcode exposed). Then, descriptive qualities of that book are written on the paper. For example, a book may say: Mystery, Spies, Lost Treasure. The idea is that patrons will take a "Blind Date" with a book and check out something they find interesting but is not a book they would pick up otherwise. We have done this the past few years and it is growing in popularity. Also, this can easily be adapted for other areas of library.

Finally, one thing that we do not do at our library (but I want to do) is staff recommendations of fiction titles. It is my belief that if we are doing our jobs well, we will develop good relationships with our regular patrons. Once the patrons know you, they are apt to respect your opinion more. To set aside a shelf that staff keeps stocked with their personal recommendations can be a great way to promote fiction books. We all tend to trust the opinion of people we trust or will at least give their recommendations a try. It is important to have a brief note with the title you are recommending that states why you recommend it. Doing a promotion like this, makes us, as librarians, seem more like real people and improves our interactions with patrons.

Week 14 Prompt

Considering my local library, I would not separate these two areas. At least, not right now.

First off, it can be really hard to classify to break these books out from their current sections. For instance, you may have a book currently shelved in a mystery section, but it also qualifies as African-American fiction. I think that at a certain point separating into such specific genres creates more headaches for the patrons trying to locate books. A patron may come into the library looking for a book that I know is a mystery and not be able to find it. We all know people don't ask for help as often as they should and this patron may just leave without finding what they were looking for.

Secondly, I tend to prefer more broad sections of genres. My library currently has Fiction, Mystery, Biography, a small Western section, and a small Romance section. I like having these broad categories because I feel that it encourages a wider range of reading. For me as the librarian to begin breaking books out into such specific categories, would mean labeling the books. This could have the unintended consequence of turning people off from some titles just because it falls into a certain category. Patron: "Oh my friend, highly recommends Book A." Me: "Yes, it's on the bestseller list. Very popular. You can find it in our GLBTQ section." Patron: "Ohhh. Never mind. I find something else." Sad, but true. It's not that I have an issue with a patron not liking a book. It's that I have an issue with someone deciding they don't like a book based on classification, when they may have read and enjoyed it had it been placed in a broader category like Fiction or Mystery.

Lastly, there is the issue of privacy. My community is not very diverse and the demand for these particular genres are not as high as others. To create these sections would instantly segregate certain groups of people in our community. I'm not sure that is an issue I would want to take on as a librarian. I don't like labeling books, but I definitely don't want to be a part of labeling people. Unfortunately, I see that happening by separating these genres out.

Now, I do believe there is a time to separate out new sections. If the demand is high enough and it makes sense for your community, then I have no issue with it. It is just that, at my library, I don't see the need for these sections at this time.

Week 13 Prompt

Sorry, this post is a little later than I had planned. I am currently posting from the hospital as my wife went into labor a little eariler than expected and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday afternoon. Mom and baby are doing great, but forgive me if I keep my thoughts short this week.

My biggest philosophy as a librarian is that librarians should always promote literacy. Literacy is a broad term that encompasses many things. Literacy is not just promoting the classics. It is not something that only applies to children. Literacy should be the goal of every librarian for the patrons they serve regardless of age. So what does that mean?

Well, if many different things encourage literacy (and for the purposes of this post, I will focus on graphic novels, street lit, and YA lit), then they should all be included in the library. These different genres help promote literacy because people are reading, period. That is what we want. It doesn't matter what people read. It only matters that they are reading and learning. It all supports literacy. If reading a graphic novel is enjoyable for you, then you are more apt to read something else regardless of your age. Literacy can impact nearly every area of our lives. Check out this site: Literacy Benefits

So how do we embrace these emerging genres? First of all, we have to accept the fact that all reading is good reading from the standpoint of literacy. (I'm not saying that we have to like everything our patrons read, because I know I don't). Then we need to make the effort to promote these new types of literature the same way we would promote other genres. My library has recently created a graphic novel section in Adult Fiction. It is enormously popular. You would be amazed at how many adults check these out compared to when the only graphic novel section was housed in our YA room. Just this simple form of encouragement said "Hey, adults can enjoy this too." It is this type of promotion that we need to have accross the board in libraries if we want to maintain relevancy in today's changing culture. If we don't, we aren't only hurting ourselves but the literacy of our patrons.

Graphic Novel Annotation: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

American Born Chinese By Gene Luen Yang   

Synopsis: American Born Chinese weaves three separate stories together to explore the issues facing young Chinese Americans and to make a timely message on being true to oneself.

Genre: Young Adult Graphic Novel

Tone: Funny

Pacing: Fast-paced

Writing Style: Witty and Thoughtful and Engaging

Characteristics making it appealing for Young Adults:

• Fast-paced
• Teenage main character
• Appropriately addresses issues all young adults can relate to
• Art style is very comic-book like/cartoony as opposed to realistic artwork

Read-a-likes:

• The Counterfeit Family Tree of Vee Crawford-Wong by L. Tam Holland
• Not a graphic novel, but deals with similar themes
• Queen Bee by Chyna Clugston-Major 
• Graphic Novel 
• The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
• Graphic Novel

My thoughts: This book gets a rising-tide mark for me. I have to be honest I am not much of a graphic novel reader, but I do value them as a tool to encourage reading and literacy. The way that Gene Luen Yang ties the three stories together in this graphic novel is expertly done. His message of embracing your identity, but not letting it be the only definition of yourself, is timely and conveyed in a way that is appealing to young and old. The book also has a nice blend of humor and seriousness. Overall, it is one of the better graphic novels that I have read and I would consider reading other graphic novels by this author.

Week 12 Prompt

Book: Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

A: The book does not read like a novel, but it blends personal stories with Scriptures and analysis, making it very readable.

2. What is the subject of the book?

A: Religion and Spirituality

3. What type of book is it?

A: The book is a book that challenges and encourages readers simultaneously through evaluation of their relationship with Jesus Christ

4. Articulate Appeal

• Pacing- fast-paced
• Characters- author narrates and serves as the only true character, unless you count the people that occur in scriptural excerpts
• Tone- inspirational
• Author's Intent- Pastor Idleman's intent is to have reader's evaluate their faith by asking the simple question: Are you a fan or a follower of Jesus? By this he means, are you totally surrendered to His will for your life or are you just an admirer that thinks He was a good person, but His lifestyle is not for you?
• Focus- The focus of the book is on encouraging people to become a completely committed follower of Jesus.
• Language- Persuasive writing style and language
• Setting- No true setting, but many anecdotes have several settings
• Details- Uses the Bible to support many detailed claims about a what it looks like to be a completely committed follower
• Charts or other graphic material: none
• Moments of learning, experience, and understanding: The book is entirely comprised of this type of experience

5. Why would someone else enjoy this book?

A: People that are wanting to grow in their faith or are just curious about what it means to be a Christ-follower would enjoy reading this book. It is very readable and told in a safe, non-judgmental, yet truthful manner. Pastor Kyle Idleman has a very entertaining writing style.

Nonfiction Annotation: Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

Not a Fan
By: Kyle Idleman








Synopsis: Pastor Kyle Idleman asks a thought provoking question: Are you really a follower of Jesus or are you just a fan? This book will challenge your perception of your relationship with Jesus and encourage you to completely surrender your life to Him.

Pacing: Fast-paced

Tone: Inspirational

Genre: Religion and Spirituality

Learning/Experiencing: Both. This book balances personal stories and thought-provoking teachable sections

Read-a-likes:

• Crazy Love by Francis Chan
• Radical by David Platt
• AHA by Kyle Idleman

My thoughts: Hands down a High Water mark for this book. One of the most life-changing books (right next to the Bible) I have ever read. I did the study that goes along with this book with a small group that meets at my house and it was an amazing experience. I can honestly say that my relationship with Christ has not been the same since reading this book and it has changed for the better. Highly, highly recommended for anyone that is wondering what being a Christ-follower is all about or someone looking grow in their faith.

P.S. I realize opinions on this may vary, but at least read the book before you make up your mind.

Week 11 Prompt Response: The Appeal of E-books and Audiobooks

Maybe I am just more of a new age, techie guy, but I don't have an issue with e-books and audiobooks. I especially don't feel that they greatly impact the appeals of the particular genre they fall into. I will admit that I prefer to read actual books, but have read many e-books and find them just as enjoyable. The reason for this is that the genre of a book is contained within the story itself, not the format. It is for this reason that I think the appeals of a genre are minimally impacted when read in e-book format.

Granted, the ability to change font size (an awesome feature if you ask me) can affect the pacing of the a story in the sense that it may take you longer to read the book or the "pages" may break at odd times, but the events in the story still occur in the same order and that is what really affects pacing. In fact, I have been able to convince some of our more technologically resistant (and elderly) patrons to give e-books a try for this very reason. Sometimes we don't have a title they want in large print, but we do in e-book. The ability to change font size has led them to try a new format and enjoy it.

Overall, e-books actually enhance the appeals of their respective genres because they help the genre reach audiences that it wouldn't have before. I know of people that can't stand to read an actual book (shocking, I know), but really enjoy reading on a iPad or Kindle. As more and more books are released in e-format, these people are broadening their reading horizons. Which, in this librarian's opinion, is a great thing, indeed.

On to audiobooks. Now, I admit that I have limited experience with audiobooks, but I do think that they have more of a chance of negatively affecting the appeals of a story. When a book is read in book or e-book format, the reader imagines the voices of the characters and the emotion with which dialogue is delivered. Audiobook narrators take this aspect of imagination away from the listener. Sometimes this is good and sometimes this is bad. A great narrator can pull a listener in to the point that they feel they are a part of the story. Just the same, a bad narrator can ruin a great story. Also, audiobooks don't seem to lend themselves to be consumed in a single sitting, the way some books can be. This may ruin the appeal for some people. I just recently discovered that I enjoy listening to audiobooks in the car. However, I have to be careful I don't get too sucked in and stop paying attention to the road.

All in all, I think that e-books and audiobooks (especially those digitally downloaded) are future of public libraries and we need to leverage their growing popularity. We have the ability to market e-books and audiobooks in such a way that the appeals are not diminished. If we can accomplish that, then we will continue to be successful.

P.S. For those wondering, I don't think that e-books/audiobooks will ever "kill" physical books. I think it will develop into more of a TV/radio relationship.

Western Annotation: The Rustlers of West Fork by Louis L'Amour

The Rustlers of West Fork
By: Louis L'Amour







Synopsis: The trail-hardened Hopalong Cassidy is tasked with delivering a large amount of bank notes to his long-time friend Dick Jordan. Upon arrival at the Jordan's ranch, Hopalong discovers that Jordan and his daughter, Pam, are being held captive by a notorious group of outlaws, but Hopalong, no stranger to danger himself, isn't going to take this injustice lying down.

Genre: Western

Pace: Fast-paced

Characteristics that make it a Western:

• Hero is a loner, arriving to right wrongs and move on
• Descriptions of landscapes and terrain frame the book
• Fast-paced and action-packed
• Traditional story line centered on lawlessness of Old West

Read-a-likes:

• Any other L'Amour western (there are plenty to choose from)
• Butch Cassidy by William W. Johnstone
• Six Guns and Double Eagles by Ralph Compton
• High Wild Desert by Ralph W. Cotton

My Thoughts: It pains me to do so, but I have to only give this book the Rising Tide award. Confession time: I love reading westerns, especially Louis L'Amour. I actually own all of his books (but not read all of them); a collection that began many years ago. However, I as I have grown up, I have come to realize that the writing leaves much to be desired which is why I have to knock it down a notch. A few years ago, and I would have given this book a Highwater Mark. That said, I still love westerns. After reading more serious novel, it is nice to read something relaxing and fun, which L'Amour always delivers. The stories are fast and always entertaining, making up for their predictability. This particular book is the first in a series of four, and was originally published under a pen name, Tex Burns. If you enjoy daydreaming of the dusty old west and showdowns at high noon, then you will never be disappointed in a Louis L'Amour western. If you want to give one a try, just ask. I'm happy to recommend.

Book Talk, Book Talk, and one more Book Talk

I think that I probably approach writing book talks a little differently than recommended in our readings. I personally don't like to script myself to the point that it feels canned. I feel like I can be more enthusiastic if I deliver the talks a little more extemporaneously. That is why I just come up with a bulleted guide of the main points I want to touch on and let the rest come naturally. I understand that this wouldn't work for everyone, but it makes it easier for me. Naturally, it does lead to a few more takes if I mess up, but if I were giving this talk live there would be more audience interaction and the extemporaneous approach works better. The hardest part is not giving too much information away. I love talking about books, but often I discuss the book with someone who has already read it. I found myself wanting to say more than I could. Overall, I would prefer to do a book talk live than record one, but that's just me. See what you think;the videos are below. I discuss The Hound of the Baskervilles, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and Black in that order.

Classic Mystery Annotation: The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles
By: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle







Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are enlisted to unravel the curious circumstances surrounding the demise of the most recent occupant of the Baskerville Estate and, in so doing, prevent the death of new owner. Locals fear the legend of a demon hound haunting the Baskerville family is true, but Sherlock Holmes suspects something more sinister is afoot.

Genre: This tale is most definitely a mystery; a classic detective novel.

Pacing: Fast-Paced

Tone: Suspenseful

Characteristics that Make it a Mystery:

• The solving of a crime, usually a murder, drives the plot
• The reader sorts through clues along with the detective
• The frame of the mystery is crucial to its appeal (foggy moor-land, old estate in this case)
• Story is fast-paced, moving the reader towards the solution
• Main characters are recurring

Read-a-likes:

• Relic by Douglas J. Preston (for those who like Sherlock, but prefer a more modern style)
• Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout (a more classic mystery style)
• Any other Sherlock Holmes title by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Donald Serrell Thomas (for those who have read all the Doyle stories, but can't get enough Holmes)

My thoughts: Well for the first time this year I'm going to give a book my Highwater Mark. I love Sherlock Holmes and this book is no exception. I love engaging my mind when I read and Sherlock stories allow me to try my hand at solving the case along with "The World's Greatest Detective." I had not read this one, shockingly enough, prior to this class, and I can say that is my favorite one so far. For readers that love a good mystery but like to avoid all the gory details of a murder, then Sherlock Holmes is a good choice. Doyle weaves intricate details together for a satisfying conclusion and develops his characters exceedingly well. Throw in a fair amount of good humor and you have a great read. Highly recommended. Also, reading a few Sherlock stories will help you appreciate the Robert Downey Jr. movies even more.

Week 7 Prompt: The James Frey Fiasco

I remember the hoopla "A Million Little Pieces" caused when it first came out. I also remember the hoopla it caused when it was shown to be mostly fictitious. I have never read the book, but remember thinking it was very amusing that people were up in arms over what, in my opinion, is nothing to get worked up about. In fact, I think that it would have been better if the lie had never been exposed.

First let me state my opinion of Fake Memoirs. I have no issue with them as long as they are advertised as such. It is an effective and compelling story-telling method. One good example that comes to mind is Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. It tells the story of a family sent away to force labor by Joseph Stalin from the perspective of the daughter who survived the ordeal. It was so well written that I had a hard time believing that it was not based off the author's family history. Obviously the events described in the book are real, but the characters are not. Okay, sorry for the side note. All that to say, that I am okay with fake memoirs as long as the author does not pass them off as true.

Now, in the case of James Frey, I definitely feel that what he did was wrong. It was a lie. Lying is wrong. Simple as that. However, everyone getting so worked up about it did not do any good. In fact, the article published by The Smoking Gun probably made James Frey more money than he made on initial book sales. I think they should have just left well enough alone. Eventually, he would have passed into distant memory and his book would be tucked away on the dusty shelves of some library (sorry, not all libraries have dusty shelves, but you get my point). And for the most part, that is what has happened but it has taken 8 years! Even still, the book is still read because it is controversial. So I feel that exposing James Frey as a liar gave him exactly what he wanted: more money and fame. He was wrong to do it, but he definitely profited from it. If the media could have left the story alone, we might not be talking about him anymore.

I know there will be people that disagree with my view on this. I can see how his passing his book of as true has made people skeptical of the real true stories out there. But in the end, he alone has to live with his lies and I think that keeping him out of the media will help him look himself in the mirror a little bit faster.

Book Talk: Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers

That's right. I'm attempting to book talk Captain Underpants. If you want to see how successful I was, click the link below.

Captain Underpants Book Talk


As far as agreeing with Baker's statement goes, I only partially agree. I agree that you should only talk about books that you have read. If you comment on books without having read them, you are no better than most of the people that want censor books. You should always talk from an informed standpoint. However, I don't think you only have to talk about books that you like. As a librarian, you should be able to discuss what others would enjoy about the book and its strengths. Not to mention, discussing why you didn't like a book can be entertaining and, in my opinion, make someone want to read a book just to so they can see if they agree or disagree with your assessment.

Romance Annotation: Redeeming Love

Redeeming Love
By: Francine Rivers








Synopsis: Angel, a popular prostitute during the California Gold Rush, expects nothing but betrayal from men, but when she meets Michael Hosea there is the opportunity for change. Michael, following God's prompting, marries Angel and loves her unconditionally despite her past; but can Angel accept that Michael truly loves her and, for that matter, that God does, too?

Genre: This is a romance novel, but on the tame side since it is a Christian Historical Fiction Romance.

Characteristics that Make it a Romance:

• Love story dominates the plot
• Characters grow and develop into their romance
• Told from both protagonists viewpoints
• Lovers end up together in the end for a happy ending

Read-a-likes:

• A Touch of Grace by Lauraine Snelling (Christian Historical Fiction Romance)
• Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Lori Wick (Christian Historical Fiction Romance)
• The Marrying Season by Candace Camp (Historical Romance)

My Thoughts: So, I readily admit that this was my first true romance novel ever and I also readily admit that I enjoyed it. It falls into the "Rising Tide" category for my rankings and that is only because it is not my preferred genre. The story is beautifully told and the characters are well-developed. This novel is also a more modern re-telling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, which can add an extra element of intrigue for those familiar with the story or those interested in biblical history. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this novel in my opinion, is that Francine Rivers weaves two love stories into one novel. Clearly there is the relationship between Michael and Angel, but it is also the story of love and redemption between Angel and God. Overall, it is a very moving story that should not be limited to only those of the female persuasion. It's no wonder this book has been in print for 20 years.

Kirkus Style Review- The Inner Circle

The discovery a 200 year old dictionary containing cryptic messages suggesting that George Washington's most trusted spies, the Culper Ring, may still be in existence is only the beginning of a dark conspiracy that unfolds within the pages of this fast-paced thriller.

Beecher White, an archivist working in the National Archives, is unintentionally thrust into a conspiracy of presidential proportions when he and an old high school crush, Clementine Kaye, locate the 200 year old dictionary in the bottom of a hollowed out chair. The problem: the chair is in a study room in the National Archives awaiting the arrival of the current President of the United States. A friendly security guard helps cover their tracks, but is dead within hours. Beecher and Clementine are forced to to uncover the secret of the dictionary or suffer the same fate as the security guard. The dictionary seems to imply that the Culper Ring, rumored to have been started by George Washington, is still active today. With no one to trust, Beecher and Clementine turn to Clementine's estranged father the institutionalized Nico Hadrian. For Meltzer fans, this name marks the return of a character that attempted to assassinate a former president in Melzter's novel The Book of Fate. Can the madman provide insight into the dubious dealings of the current president and his inner circle? Does the Culper Ring still exist? If they do, are they operating for good or evil? All these questions are answered in Meltzer's trademark fast-paced, short chapter style that is sure to leave the reader wanting more. Which is a good thing because the book's ending suggests that Meltzer may begin a series for the first time.

Conspiracy stories are best when laced with enough fact to make them believable, and Meltzer is at the top of his game with this novel. Fans are sure to love this book as Meltzer only seems to get better with each novel he pens.

Week 5 Prompt

    I'll deal with the Amazon reviews first. I feel that these two reviews do no meet the standards of a well constructed review. I would not consider them to be reliable for several reasons. In Erin's powerpoint presentation, we read John Updike's guidelines for writing reviews and these two reviews do not do a good job of following these guidelines. Neither review quotes from the book, so I have only their word to go by. Also, the second review seems to analyze what the author was trying to accomplish, but without direct quotes I have no idea whether her analysis is valid. Furthermore, the first review gives away entirely too much of the story. After reading her summary, I feel like I can fill in the gaps and use my reading time elsewhere. Given that the book is only available in ebook, I might still look to add it to my library's collection since romance novels actually circulate well in ebook format. That said, the reviews would give me some pause about buying this ebook.

   The reviews of Angela's Ashes are clearly more credible since they are professionally published. While they do not follow all of Erin's suggestions to the letter, they do a very good job and are written in a way the allows me to reconcile the reviewer's opinion with textual evidence. I would feel very comfortable adding this book to my library collection based on these reviews.

 
   Overall, I feel that if you are a selector for you library you have to view reviews as tool to help you select and nothing more. They must be taken with a grain of salt. For example, a book may not get great reviews, but you may know that it would go over well with the patrons you serve. In that situation, the reviews go out the window. In many cases, as we saw in the examples, certain types of books, like romance, do not get high quality reviews. On the other hand, other types of books, those deemed more "literary," will get over-reviewed. This can skew a library's collection away from great titles. In recent years, independently published books have become extremely popular. However, the lack of credible reviews can prevent these titles from being in a public libraries collection. The job of selecting books is made even tougher by sites that won't publish negative reviews. If everything about a book is glowing, it doesn't help a selector make a truly informed decision. That is why I say selectors need to use reviews only as a tool, but rely more on their knowledge of the patrons they serve and their interests.

   On a personal note, I like to read reviews for my personal reads, but I don't put much stock in them. I will read reviews to see what the popular opinion is on a title. However, I generally decide to read a book based largely on subject matter. I really enjoy giving new authors a try so reviews don't always mean much to me.

Secret Shopper Assignment

   So I visited a smaller library in another county. As far as I can tell from their website, there is only one main branch in this library system. I actually visited this library twice. My first visit was on a Saturday. Upon entering the library, I noticed that it was an had an older-style feel to it. The architecture seemed very similar to my library's original building before we moved to our new location 9 years ago. I followed the signs to the adult reference desk, but found no one sitting there. I self-toured the library and after waiting about a half hour decided to come back another time since no one had shown up at the desk and I hadn't found a librarian while walking around. I figured that since it was a Saturday they were probably operating on a skeleton crew. There were two workers at the circulation desk, but they were busy helping patrons and, being a circulation manager, I didn't want to bother them.

   I next visited on a Friday. Again, I made my way to the reference desk and, again, I found it unmanned. Also, I did not see any literature available at the desk. Though they did seem to be gearing up for a "Blind Date with a Book" program for February. At this point, I decided to just ask a circulation worker for help, even though they may not be a librarian. After waiting my turn, I asked the lady behind the desk if she felt qualified to recommend a book because I just wanted to sit and read for awhile. She seemed a little uncertain, but was consistently welcoming in her demeanor. She never lost her smile. She immediately asked about the last book I had read. I told her that it was I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins.

   Mostly under her breath, she admitted that she had never heard of Jerry B. Jenkins, but began typing away at her computer. She then informed me that recommendations were not her specialty, but that the "expert" was at lunch so she would do the best she could. I told her that I always ask tough questions and that it was alright. She then assured me that my question was a "great question." At this point, she asked me if I wanted to read something similar to Jerry B. Jenkins. I told her that would be great.

   Her first suggestion was Tim LaHaye and she asked if I had ever heard of him. I told her that I was pretty sure that he had coauthored some books with Jerry B. Jenkins (knowing full well that he had). She told me that the book she had looked like a stand alone called Thunder of Heaven. I felt like this was a good recommendation, since it was clearly in the same Christian Fiction genre, but I only nodded so I could see how she proceeded. She then said that another option would be The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg. This was an author I was vaguely familiar with, but wasn't sure if he was Christian Fiction. I asked her what the book was about and she turned the computer screen toward me. At this point, I could tell that she had been using Amazon to help her recommend books. I read the description and told her that that sounded like a good choice. She checked to see if it was on the shelf (it was) and asked if I needed help finding it. I told her I could find it and went to find the book.

   Upon finding the book, I was surprised and pleased to find that Rosenberg was a Christian Fiction author. The book had a sticker on the spine labeling it as such. I also read the first two chapters and found it to be very similar to the type of Christian Fiction I enjoy. In fact, I might have to add it to my ever increasing reading list. 

   Overall, I felt like this was a good experience. Despite her lack of confidence, the circulation worker made sure that I felt comfortable and that my needs were important. More than that, she actually found a book I would read. We didn't have much a conversation about what I wanted as it suggests in "Conducting the Reference Interveiw," (p.167). However, we still arrived at a good recommendation and she was not judgmental, another biggie (p. 175). Since I was dealing with someone who did not have an MLS and probably had little to no experience in RA, I consider my experience a success.

References: Ross, C. S., Nilsen, K., & Dewdney, P. (2002). The readers’ advisory interview. In Conducting the Reference Interview (pp. 163-175). New York: Neal-Schuman.

P.S. I have to admit that once I was done I went back and told the circulation worker that I was really and MLS student doing a homework assignment and that she had done a good job. I just couldn't keep the charade up any longer. 

Calling on Novelist

Prompt Response: Week 3

1.       The fourth book in the series is The Lunatic Café published in January of 1996.

2.       This reader may enjoy starting the Maddaddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood. The first novel is Oryx and Crake. This series is written lyrically and still deals with ecological themes, but delivers a faster paced story.

3.       The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery might be good choice. This story is set in 19^th century Japan and the author’s detailed style provides a strong sense of place.

4.       Obviously other Elizabeth George novels are good choices, but you might also enjoy Ruth Rendell or Deborah Crombie as they are not as “creepy” as John Sanford. They feature stories set in England and tend focus more on the process of solving the crime rather than the gory details. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie might be a good one to try.

5.       I am Legend by Richard Matheson and The Dead Run by Adam Mansbach are good choices. However, if wanted to know the “science” behind zombies he might enjoy The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman, a book that is presented in a nonfiction fashion. Or if he wanted to read a classic without really reading a classic, there is always Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Where I find my books:

                I, too, really enjoy Novelist. My library has had it for a bit, and I really like to use it both professionally and personally. I like how easy it is to narrow your search. It is almost impossible to be “picky” when comes to Novelist. It will find something very close to what you like.

                However, after reading Chelton’s list of tools, I gave allreaders.com a try and I liked it pretty well. I enjoyed how you could search by plot, character, setting, etc. It was a fun and easy way to generate a large list of books that have certain characteristics that I like. I did a simple search for stories set in jungles that deal with lost cities and quickly had a list of 66 for my perusal. I feel it might be good for helping patrons that don’t have specific requests, but desire a list to work their way through.

                Another way that I find books is just by browsing Amazon’s and Barnes and Noble’s websites. That is typically how I purchase books for myself and just can’t help but look at their recommended books before checking out. It’s definitely not perfect, but it does at least get me to branch out and try new authors. I tend to get stuck in a rut sometimes, reading the same author over and over.

                Lastly, my absolute favorite method of finding books to read is recommendations from my grandparents. They might love reading more than I do and we have similar tastes. We have recommended books for each other for years. It works well and it leads to some great discussions. They are the ones that first turned me on to Ted Dekker, who is now my favorite author. 

The Ranking System of the Highwater Review

First off, I apologize for not being able to restrain from playing off my last name. For those that don't know, my last name is Flood, just like lots of water. Hence, the Highwater Review. Get it, High Water.

Anyway, I have created a ranking system that I will use to reveal my personal feelings towards the books I read for this class. It is as follows:

The Highwater Mark: the highest ranking, easily one of the best books I've ever read

Rising Tides: An excellent read, would definitely recommend it to someone else, but just misses top marks

Low Tides: Not the worst thing I've ever read, but is not something I care for but others might love

Drought-like: You might as well waste your time reading another book

Anyway, I just wanted to give you all a heads up. Hope you enjoy the rest of this semester.

Prompt #1: First Annotation

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins with James S. MacDonald

Synopsis:  A young professor at a small seminary school, Dr. Augustine Knox, finds himself drawn into a search for a priceless biblical document that may have been penned by the Apostle Paul himself. Transporting the reader between the modern day race to find and protect the document from black market antiquity dealers and the last days of the Apostle Paul in first-century Rome, I, Saul delivers a thrilling read any bookworm adventurer would enjoy.

Genre: This book falls into the broad category of Thrillers, but more specifically, it is a Christian Fiction Thriller.

Characteristics that make it a Thriller:

·         Story moves at a rapid pace, driven by the dangers faced by the protagonists

·         Large political focus and conspiracies

·         The protagonists face physical and mental challenges

·         The protagonists are well developed, but the secondary characters are lacking development

Read-a-Likes:

·         Obsessed by Ted Dekker (Christian Thriller)

·         The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury (Thriller)

·         Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Christian Thriller)

My Thoughts:

    According to my personal ranking system that I will be following throughout this class, I, Saul falls into the “Rising Tide” category. I really enjoyed this read, but found the characters, even the main characters, to be a little underdeveloped for my tastes. I did, however, enjoy the historical tie-in to the modern day adventure, especially since it was biblically-based. There will be a sequel coming out some time this year, and I’m sure I will read it as well. For people like me that enjoy a good thriller without an overabundance of violence, sex, or profane language, then this is an entertaining book that will meet their needs. It just needs some more character development and a touch more action to thrust it into my highest rank, “The Highwater Mark.”