Week 9 Reflection on the Readers Services Training

Starting this training, I was uncertain of what to expect .  Although at times there was grumbling and complaining among the staff about the assignments inside of assignments and the time it was consuming to complete, I do believe I gained some knowledge from doing the readers' service training.  I don't know if I gained the kind of knowledge desired or if spending more time to be more thorough on my part would have made a difference.  I am aware of the many sub genres which I was not aware of before.  I am aware of some blogs and sights I can visit to help in readers services in genre I'm not as familiar with. Once Lotus was working I found it very informative for Science fiction.  Having to think through book recommendations seems to have helped keep these books in my memory and also to make me think about books that cross from fiction to non-fiction even as I'm putting staff recommends on the shelf.  It has made me aware of tools that I was not aware of.  I'm not sure how many of the tools I will use as it seems like there are so many.  I have to think through how this works for me  in dealing with customers.

Week 9 Book Trailer

I read about and watched several book trailers this week.  I found some boring, some artisticly attractive, some caught my attention for the author and some were you tube clever but none made me want to read the book or  even check  to see if there were other books I might want to read by the same author. 

I am waiting to see if they will help me remember the books when I am doing reader services for our customers.  Combining the visual with the written may end up being helpful to my memory of materials I don't read but may need to recommend.

Book Trailers need some work in my opinion.

Week 8: Assignment 4 Book talk 2 books using Appeal factors

An adventurous, fast paced, popular book  set in World War II , Unbroken: A World War II story of  survival,resilience, and redemption by Laura Hildenbrand  the recognized author of Sea Biscuit is the fast paced story of lieutenant and airman Louis Zamperini former Olympic runner. He crashed into the Pacific Ocean in May 1943 , lived in a raft and became a prisoner of War.  Readers of Fiction like December 6 a mystery by MartinCruz Smith would like this book because of its World War II  setting, mysterious outcome, and fast pace.


Stiff: curoius lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach is a humorous factual account of what happens to the human body once  the spirit is  gone. The detailed  historical accounts of what cadavers have been used for and how they are used and handled are presented in a  thought provoking way that only Mary Roach a popular author can communicate such a topic.  I would recommend this book to Fiction Readers of  The Normals by David Gilbert because he to uses psychological humor in conveying a story about human experimentation.

Week 8- Non Fiction

This week I  have gained knowledge in the narrative non-fiction.  The appeal Characteristics , lack of appeal characteristics, appeals unique to Non-fiction, subject matter appeal and the classificationof the non-fiction aid in reader's services to the Non-fiction reader.  The articles express the importance and enjoyment  of crossing between non-fiction and fiction in reader's advisory.

I chose Biography, History ( 943.0862), Travel ( 918.11) and Medical (611) genres.

I could recommend: Unbroken: a World War II story of survival, resilence, and redemption by Laura Hillenbrand to fiction readers who like books on the holocaust or mysteries like December 6 by Martin Cruz Smith.

For History , I could recommend In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson to fiction readers of books set during World War II  such as readers of Flight from Berlin by David John.

For readers of Travel/ Adventure fiction such as Boy in the snow: an Edie Kialatuk Mystery by M.J. McGrath or Contest by Gordon Korman in young adult, I would recommend River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's darkest Journey by Candice Millard.(918.11 M)

Readers of Medical fiction might like Stiff: curious lives of Human Cadavers (611 R) by Mary Roach.  I would especially recommend it to readers of The normals by David Gilbert.

Week 7 Assignment 4. Trends on forth coming teen fiction

I'm not sure about the trends in Teen fiction.  It seems that it is realistic fantasy and science fiction  in series format.  I think this has been the trend for a while- since Twilight. It seems a bit more of the other world instead of the vampire theme.  They seem to be family involved in the themes and characters as well.

I think I will have to follow these a bit longer to get a better feel for new trends.  There are trailers on many of the imprints.  I don't know if this is a new style or not.

Week 7 Assignment 3. Following the 2 blogs

John Green Books seemed to be a blog I kept going back to revisit.  It is written by John Green The NY times best selling author of Looking for Alaska.  It is a way for readers to get his thoughts on various topics and to communicate with him.  It appears successful with 321 comments on 1 post.

School Library Journal : Someday my printz will come is the other blog I chose to observe.  It appears that Karen Silverman is current writer. The blog is discussing the contenda for the best books written for teens based entirely on its literary merit each year.  School perspective reviewers of YA content are the desired audience.  It is successful.

Week7: Assignment 2

  I read New Adult: needless Marketing- Speak or Valued Subgenre?  Publisher's Weekly, Dec. 14, 2012 and the article The Next Big thing: Adults reading Teen Literature.  The term "New Adult" sounds like a buzz word that is being thrown around and debated from different viewpoints.  I'm not sure if  I see the value even after reading these articles.  There have always been and always will be crossover issues.  There will always be teens that read Adult books.  Adults are already reading Teen books so why rename them.  Put them on display and let the Adults see them.  Twilight and Hunger games were not  in the adult section but many adults read them. The Book Thief has been read by both as well as the Boy in the striped Pajamas.  The articles seem to  have some good points for both sides of the debate.