Brandy's Reads

Marketing the collection is one of the most important things you can do if you want that collection to actually circulate. Something we do constantly at our library that was mentioned by Saricks is book displays (139). However, I have found that some are better than others. Sometimes our adult department does not even put a sign with it, so I'm not sure what the display of books are representing. Other times when there is not a sign I know they are thinking the books "speak" for themselves (the titles all being fitness related, for example), but I don't feel that is helpful for the patrons who come across the display. It could use a sign, maybe some literature, or a bookmark of other suggestions/read-alikes or other types of materials (videos, podcasts, youtube links, ya titles, etc) to go along with the display. But alas, there are only adult non-fiction fitness materials, not even dvds.  That being said, I think book displays are a fantastic way to highlight va...

♫ So happy together ♫ or...  ♫ Breaking up is hard to do ♫ After reading the articles about Orange City Public Library in Iowa (and reading more about it - did anyone see where later in the year there was a guy burning LGBTQ books from that library??? Crazy!!!) I was amazed that not only were they requesting that they separate out the LGBTQ books specifically, but they didn't want them to hold off on purchasing  new materials with that content until a policy could be put into place for the material to be further scrutinized for the public at large, so to speak. I was flabbergasted at the extent to which the community members who were against the materials were willing to go. I also wondered where the board meeting took place that had over 100 people in attendance! lol There are obviously arguments for either scenario (keeping the books shelved by author or separating them out by subject) and I really don't think you are wrong - as long as you have supported your...

The expanding horizon of formats for materials available to readers only help to broaden the scope of what they choose from. Obviously there are pros and cons and you will always have your naysayers on one side or the other. I could digress, but I won't.  With audiobooks, a major appeal factor I have found that isn't present in print or ebook form is narrator. This one is a huge factor me. I'm a recent(ish) audiobook listener and I will same listen to dozens of audiobooks before choosing. (Sidenote: I was also super excited when I learned of Audible's return policy. I did not know you could return  an audiobook for any reason!) As Mediatore states, some things to consider when thinking about factors of audiobooks are the following: Narrator's pacing vs. the pacing of the novel Characterization - How does the narrator interpret and differentiate between characters? Frame - How does the audio set the tone, mood, and atmosphere? What are the audible extras? (3...

When I was a junior in high school, I think, I read Go Ask Alice . It's probably safe to say I devoured the book. I loved it. I haven't read it since, and I doubt I will ever go back and reread it, but there was something about it at that point in my life that spoke to me. I can't say what it was for sure, as I couldn't relate to anything she was specifically going through (drug use, homelessness, prostitution, etc), but I'm sure I there were themes of loneliness and depression which were rampant in my teenage years. I remember specifically when I found out that it wasn't a "real" memoir. The crushing disappointment, the sadness, the feeling like I just wasted my time. It took some time to realize that it didn't take the meaning away from the story, however. The story, as Somers says, is "more layered and brutal than you might imagine". I do believe that keeps it going despite it being a hoax. Works Cited Somers, Jeff. "5 H...

I would love to create an intense integrated advisory horror display for the month of October. I believe it will not only help our circulation numbers but will also help our patrons discover new-to-them materials. October being the month of all things spooky, creepy, and Halloween related makes it the perfect month to put together the display! By not only displaying horror novels but including nonfiction books, movies, television shows, graphic novels, YA books, audio books, as well as links to podcasts, we can help our patrons see the "value, in terms of leisure and entertainment, in watching a good movie as listening to a good bood or reading a graphic novel" (Dunneback xiii). The same could be said about a podcast. The display could be set up in the adult services department by the large windows overlooking the plaza and made up with black and orange tablecloths with spiderwebs, Halloween cutouts, and covered boxes in order to tier the display. We could even bring out the...

For this week's prompt, I want to start a conversation about the different types of reviews. Different publications review different types of books and they allow different types of conversations. For example, Booklist will not publish negative reviews, while, as you have all seen, Kirkus has no problems with it (check out this savage review - https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sebastia-alzamora/blood-crime/). Ebook only books, which are increasingly popular (especially in the romance genre) see little to no reviews in professional publications unless they have a big name author, and then still it's usually only RT Reviews (formally Romantic Times) or other genre heavy publications. How does this affect collection development? If books aren’t being reviewed, how do librarians and/or readers know if people are enjoying them? Librarians want to purchase books that will check out and circulate, but also books that have been reviewed. This is because they want to know...

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next! The book they are looking for is The Lunatic Cafe . I chose this title using Fantastic Fiction and going to Laurell K Hamilton's page. 2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though. Using NoveList, I brought up the title. When I didn't find any of the read-alikes to fit the Writing Style and  to be Fast Paced, I clicked on the 'descriptive', 'lush', and 'lyrical' Writing Styles and clicked search. Once I did that, I added clicked advanced search and added 'fast' to the search. I would recommend The Miniaturist  by Kunal Basu. 3. I like reading books set in different countries. I ...