Week 15- Marketing the Libraries Fiction Collection

Marketing is an important tool for libraries, just like it is for a business, and staff need to make thoughtful decisions.  While the marketing doesn't need to be flashy it does need to be eye catching and appropriate.  Personally I think that marketing should be done cohesively and when possible link a book display with a library program(s).  If possible, this could all fall under one main library marketing plan for the year.  While this isn't always appropriate or feasible, thought certainly needs to go into a plan.  Creating a general plan for the year will help with cohesiveness and allows staff to see which months might have heavy marketing events and/or displays and which months are lacking. It also allows staff to plan for national marketing, such as Black History Month, Banned Book Week or International Games Week. This promotion should when possible link to the libraries online presence, connecting with patrons that are heavy online and e-book users. 

Using sources such as ALA's events and celebration week staff can plan accordingly for marketing, http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks.  Knowing that marketing materials will be produced nationally can save staff time on creating marketing materials and can help new patrons to find some cohesiveness across libraries.  

A few ideas for marketing a libraries fiction collection would be:

1)  An active wall display of "What the Librarians Read".  Staff would be encouraged to read a broad spectrum of the fiction collection and as they finish a book post a copy of the book cover along with what made that book enjoyable to them at that time.  For example a Debbie Mcomber book could be shared with a comment such as, "I was looking for an easy read to relax with in the evening."  The idea would be that patrons could see that librarians read those genres that are perceived as something to be embarrassed by.  To promote readers' advisory general signs that are cohesive with the libraries marketing plan with logo etc could say something such as, "Not sure what to read, ask us or fill out our readers' advisory form to get book selections recommended to your reading preferences."  I think offering readers' advisory in person and via a paper or online form help reach a wider audience. If online readers' advisory forms are available I would include with a virtual display that is similar with "What Librarians Read" so that patrons that prefer the online readers' advisory or those that access the library virtually through e-books see a rotation of what staff are reading.  

2)  Rotating displays that are used for seasonal or celebration promotional displays.  The displays should also include a "If you liked ABC then try one of these."  Promoted books should have a brief annotation and a link to why the reader might like them.  Such as "character-driven", "intricate plot" or "fast paced" etc.  By doing a general plan for the year staff will see the months that might have display gaps and can also make sure that if cozy mysteries are highlighted then next time the display might need to be a science fiction centered display, this allows you to see if there are genres or collections that are not getting highlighted during the year. 

3)  Another ongoing promotion could be bookmarkers.  These can focus on a genre and be displayed with that genre if they are on the featured display mentioned above.  They can also be included throughout the library.  If your library has end caps that could hold a few books for display this is a great way to have a small spotlight on a couple of genres and bookmarks with read alikes.  

4)  As mentioned at the beginning I believe that any marketing that can be done multi-dimensionally is ideal.  Perhaps a book display aligns with the featured book for book club, a bookmark as well as an educational program.  For example a Cozy Mystery display with read alike mystery books bookmark.  The featured book for book club might be a Diane Mott Davidson book.  In the same month adult educational programming could include a cooking class, food safety, or even small business management.

5) My list could go on and on but a few other ideas would include a "Quick Pick" Cart, a crossword puzzle of books, and a Go Fishing bowl  The "Quick Pick" Cart  would have books displayed spine out and cover out.  On a set rotation different staff members would be charged with filling the cart each week or biweekly.  This would be placed close to the entrance and circulation desk, making it a quick stop for patrons.  The crossword puzzle would include a partially completed crossword with book ideas but the clues would lead them to other books that would fill in the crossword.  This could encourage reading across the spectrum of fiction and conclude with other programming in the library with a small prize for the first crosswords completed.  The Go Fishing bowl would have slips of paper that patrons can take to find a new book.  Slips would have a variety of suggestions or prompts such as read an author with the last name that starts with BL, pick a book from the "What the Librarians Read" wall etc. 

Some ideas adapted from:

https://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/c-d/continuing-ed/iloc/iloc-2017/handouts/dont-talk-to-me/donttalktome.pdf

Week 14 Prompt

The issue of shelving GLBTQ books and even Urban fiction books has come under great debate. What I find interesting is that for those that support shelving them separate want them shelved separate for different reason. I understand that some parents want to provide consent before youth can access the books, I understand that some want them in a separate group so that they are easy to find or so they can be highlighted as a feature in the library. However I think integrating them into the collections best serves majority of patrons.

If I was in charge of collections management I would shelve them with the rest of the library collection, by author's last name. I feel that unless the rest of the collection is separated by Western, Fantasy, Romance etc than these two  sub-genres shouldn't be separated. One reason being that while it makes them easy to find for those that might need/want to identify with a theme or character, it may also make it more uncomfortable for many of those readers to go to a special section. Therefore really missing connecting the patrons with the books. As a parent I understand the difficulties between respecting parents and providing access to all. However as a librarian we must remember our duty to uphold the Library Bill of Rights and in the ALA's statement and policy on schools and minors rights the interpretation is as follows, "Library policies and procedures that effectively deny minors equal and equitable access to all library resources available to other users violate the Library Bill of Rights. The American Library Association opposes all attempts to restrict access to library services, materials, and facilities based on the age of library users." For youth and adults we need to make all materials available to all in a non judgemental environment.

By labeling a book as GLBTQ or Urban when other books are not we also miss the patrons that might browse shelves and pick up something new. I believe that there is value in exposing other patrons to all varieties of books and labeling them may encourage others to avoid them. I think Kim Parker makes a good statement in Yorio and Ishizuka's article:

“I wonder why they can’t be in both places?” Parker says. “If we’re segregating in libraries, we’re saying you can be here, but you can’t be there.”
Young people use libraries differently than adults, she adds, and librarians must figure out where to get the “most bang for the buck.”
I think that means putting [diverse books] everywhere,” says Parker. “Maybe that’s text pairing, maybe it’s thinking differently how we shelve books, but access needs to change.”

A third reason for integrating books is that it removes the pressure from librarian determining what is GLBTQ or Urban vs Romance, or Fantasy, Mystery etc.  Leaving it up to individuals to determine if a romance novel that has a gay main character is still a romance novel or an GBLTQ book can cause confusion for staff and for patrons.  While these books might be highlighted in a display during celebrations just as horror books at halloween or romance at valentine they should be treated as any other book would be in the library, just as any patron should be.  All welcome and all a part of our literary world.  

Ishizuka, K. & Yorio, K. (Oct. 26, 2018).  Shelving debate: To separate or integrate. School Library Journal.  Retrieved April 22, 2020 from https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=shelving-debate-separate-or-integrate

American Association of Libraries.  (2019).  ALA statements and policies on access.  Retrieved on April 22, 2020 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/access

                                                               The Coldest Winter Ever
          By Sister Souljah


Synopsis: For a young girl raised in the projects of  Brooklyn, Winter has few worries.  Her father, Santiaga  runs the neighborhood and while they might have an apartment in the projects, it is 'dipped'.  Winter is raised in a culture of gangs, violence and drugs, although her dad doesn't use what he sells.  He has standards that include loyalty and only high quality goods.  Her mother teachers her and her sisters how to be 'a bad bitch' and is Santiaga's one and only.  Winter see's her parents partnership as a love story and enjoys living with all the fine things in life, doing as she pleases.

Santiaga moves the family to Long Island and when her mom gets fed up with being stuck in the suburbs Santiaga breaks his own rule and allows momma to go on a run with him.  Momma is shot and soon after the feds have arrested Santiaga, raided the house and seize all their possessions.  The young girls are picked up by social services and Winter's only hope is help from one of her pops men, Midnight. However Midnight is ready to get out and while he remains faithful to Santiaga he leaves Brooklyn behind to start a new life.  He continues to encourage Winter to contact Sister Souljah for help up and out.

Eventually Winter is picked up by social services and placed in a group home.  She starts her own side hustle, still believing she can get back in the business and rise to the top again.  Winter however can't see past a life of drugs and crime.  She will be loyal like her daddy taught her, but at what cost?

Key aspects to note:

Urban Fiction can be difficult to classify into one genre, Wyatt and Saricks choose to place it as a sub genre of Relationship fiction because the stories form around friendship, family, lovers and relationships.  However it also has many aspects of a Landscape, Romance and Literary Fiction.  However others, like Welch classify it as Street Lit.

Urban fiction is most often plot driven and the story is deeply rooted to the street with sex, drugs and violence.   Money is a key element in Urban Fiction or Street Lit and big brand names are dropped just as often as clubbing with big name rappers.  Storylines whether they plan to or not have a strong thread with relationship fiction, characters learn to or speak of only trusting their inner circle and being loyal to family.  Characters are typically determined to rise to the top. 

Setting:  Urban, with a street life focus. The Coldest Winter Ever sticks with the urban theme throughout and they storyline is always brought back to Winter's neighborhood in the projects.

Appeal:  With a casual language style, most stories are told in the first person and use of street slang and curse words are common.  The stories are bold, with sex drugs and violence.  These stories appeal to mostly youth/young adults that can relate to some of the struggles the characters face. 

Read alikes:
Books with similar urban fiction theme that fans of The Coldest Winter Ever might enjoy include:
Confessions of a Wild Child by Jackie Collins
Eve by K'wan
Sleeping with the Enemy by Wahida Clark

For readers looking for a different genre, but a strong ruthless female lead that will do anything to survive:
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Prompt 13- YA NA GN Access

I am a huge fan of YA, I started reading more of them while working in the school library because it gave me a better feel of the books to recommend to students.  It also allowed for different conversations with my own kids and the books they were reading. At that time we were living in the Middle East and so access to YA was only through the school library.  I knew a couple of teachers that also enjoyed YA, and I would often recommend some of the school books to them to read over the holidays.  Moving back to the US I no longer have the access to the school library like I did in Oman, but now we have access to a public library.  I still enjoy YA novels and because I am often looking at books with my kids I don't feel too out of place in the children's section of the library.

However, this prompt has made me think of YA & NA and access to them.  Our current public library and our past public library in Wyoming both had clearly defined adult and children's spaces.  In Wyoming our library had a teen section as well.  Adults can get into the space and the books without going through the main entrance of the teen area and where a lot of the gaming and computer activities happen.  I hadn't given the open space to access this area through the stacks much thought before, but beyond it being a safety measure of not getting cornered or blocked into a room with one access it does give adults the opportunity to access materials without intruding on the teen space too much.  In our current library in Pennsylvania the children's section is split into two, one area for picture books and the other for elementary readers and tween/teen.  As I said I am usually in there with my own children, but it brings up a question of how comfortable are other adults accessing this area.

The question of  'how do we make these materials available to adults and should we' brings up a lot of questions.  Should we make sure they have access to these- absolutely!  However it needs to be done with the thought of safety in mind and how we make all patrons feel comfortable accessing all materials can be more difficult.  In the Wyoming library example I think it is important to note that there is a full time teen librarian and the doors are glass so even if a staff member wasn't in there the staff at the circulation desk has a full view of the area.  This removes a lot of the risk of having adults in a youth/teen area.  By having a seperate access it has allowed adults to access materials without being directly in a teen hangout space.  I feel like this is a great way to manage access and safety.

The library in Pennsylvania does not have a seperate teen or children's librarian dedicated to those spaces.  The developing readers/tweens and teens section is fairly open with the entrance to that area visible from the circulation desk and while there are bean bags etc in there, you don't often find tweens or teens hanging out in the space. It is because of that, I believe that adults are maybe more comfortable going in there, however it isn't ideal for safety or access.  The largest part of the graphic novel section isn't in the children/teen section.  It is in another part of the main library, allow access to all patrons rather easily.  Some that are specifically children focused are still shelved with the childrens books.

Over all I think some adults might feel they are intruding on the youth section of the library and as librarians we need to address the question of access to all while maintain safe areas.  One way to promote YA and NA books is through a book display.  I think that book displays should when possible, offer a blend of materials; fiction, nonfiction, YA, NA.  This is a great way to promote the YA/NA section and assure adult patrons that they are encouraged and welcome to peruse the sections.  Of course there needs to be some signage as well on the books and in the section so that patrons know if they read and enjoyed a NA book where they can look for a similar read.   As a parent I enjoy reading a book that my 12 year old daughter has read- it allows for a new channel of communication.  This could be another way to promote reading in the YA section for adults- offering 2 copies of the same book for parent/guardian to read at the same time as the youth.

Readers' Advisory Matrix

*I found these questions challenging to answer, but they also caused me to reflect on the book and what I thought of it when I read it. I have been working on my final paper, conducting readers' advisory on friends and family and I may have to go back to one of them now with this information in hand.  They like to read fiction and non fiction and I struggled  with how to accurately evaluate the non fiction books they would like.

Born to Run
by Christopher McDougall

Where is the book on the narrative continuum?  A mix

What is the subject of the book?  It is an adventure read mixed in with the science of running and ancient culture.

What type of book is it?  Memoir

Articulate appeal
What is the pacing of the book?  The book has a leisurely pace, easy to set down and come back to again.

Describe the characters of the book?  While it is Chris McDougall's biography and he delves into his search for an answer about running pain free, it is also the story of hard to find Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and the answers he find with them and a few other extreme athletes.

How does the story feel?  Your are taken a long on the journey as the author searches for his answer about running pain free.  But you don't have to be a runner to be inspired.

What is the focus of the story?  The main focus at first seems to be about running pain free and finding the answer to do it.  But it is also about the strength of the human spirit.

Does the language matter?  Yes

Is the setting important and well described?  The setting isn't necessarily important, however in sections as he talks about finding the tribe and running in Mexico's Copper Canyons then it becomes important and is well described.

Are their details and, if so, of what?  The details are in the location, the biometrics of running and the people.

Are their sufficient charts and other graphic materials?  Are they useful and clear?  None

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding or experience?  The whole story leads to learning and understanding gained from the experience, but they all come together to make an impact.

Why would a reader enjoy this book?
1) Self-reflection    2) Learning/experience    3) Humor

The Innocents

The Innocents

By: Michael Crummey

Synopsis:
Orphaned on an isolated cove in northern Newfoundland brother and sister, Evered and Ada must learn to survive in the harsh conditions all on their own.  Having grown up isolated with only their parents they can't read or write and are naive about the world outside the cove.  However they had helped their parents since they were young, in the garden, with the fishing and the curing.  They are determined to use their limited knowledge to make their own way in the cove.  Fear of others and the unknown drives them to withstand the loneliness and harsh conditions on their own instead of seeking a refuge in the neighboring but foreign town of Mockbegger.

The supply ship, The Hope, comes to the cove twice a year to trade goods and is their only consistent link without the outside world.  Evered takes over his father's role when it comes to fishing and trading while Ada manges the house, garden and drying the fish. Their ability to endure and grow up is challenged with every season as they age. As a few visitors make their way to the cove Evered and Ada's loyalty to each other is questioned.  It is a story of a coming of age, survival and the hardships of an isolated life.

Characteristics of Literary Fiction

Language and Style:  Readers of literacy fiction must appreciate the complex language and styles used. The descriptive language is layered in long, almost poetic writing.

The language in The Innocents is complex as some descriptions will have a lengthy flow, while using phrases or terms that are uncommon and require the reader to think and reread what the author has written.

Pacing:  Unlike many other genres literary fiction has a slow and steady pace with complex characters and storylines.  The imaginative use of writing and layering slows the story down as readers must untangle the descriptions to get to a deeper meaning.

While the pacing is steady in The Innocents there are questions that will leave you wanting to find out how the story concludes.  However readers will get drawn into the imagery of the cove and the characters Evered and Ada meet.

Characters:  There are typically philosophical questions in this writing and the characters become more important than the plot itself.  While understandable the main characters are distinct, with no stereotype roles, even the secondary characters are descriptive and multidimensional.  The relationships between characters is often equally as important.

Evered and Ada are the driving characters in Crummey's novel, however their relationships with the few people they meet are interwoven into their (Evered and Ada's) story.  Passing visitors weave into their ever challenging and confusing relationship as do faint memories of their parents.

Read Alikes:
The Bear by Andrew Krivak follows a young girls journey of survival in a post civilization world.

This Tender land by William Kent Krueger is a lyrical character driven book much like The Innocents.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is set in the wilderness of Alaska as a young girl struggles to survive her family while navigating the complexities of her age.

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin is based on a man living alone that is grappling with the disappearance of his sister and takes in two young pregnant women, written with quotation free dialogue.

Jennifer's Note:
I found this a challenging book to annotate.  It is a book that in every sense meets the description of literary fiction.  While I can typically find enjoyment in a book genre that isn't my typical book of choice I didn't enjoy this one at all.  Part of it was the subject matter but also the language and writing style.  It did however give me an excellent example of this genre.

Week 11 Prompt- Audiobooks and Ebooks

In the article, Ebooks and Readers' Advisory Katie Dunnback said, "Books are the brand of libraries. All formats of books. All. Formats" (p.327).  I think this is a powerful statement when the merit of ebooks or audiobooks are questions. Paper books, ebooks, audiobooks and even read alongs have their place and serve a population that might otherwise be underserved.

I believe that the addition of ebooks and audiobooks to the literary landscape has been a great move forward to encourage more reading and more learning. While physically reading the book is great for obvious reasons like decoding words and pronunciation, an audiobook can allow a reader/listener with ability to focus just on content and comprehension. An increase of 83% since 2011, in the production of audiobooks makes a statement to their popularity. Audiobooks can be an important part of the a library's circulation numbers, with most listeners preference in borrowing an audiobook versus owning one. While many people like to go back and reread a book or parts of a book, seldom do listeners go back at a later date to listen to one part of an audiobook.

The increase in production then means there is an increase in demand for audiobooks as readers/listeners fill their long commutes with 'reading a book' instead of listening to the radio. They are also a valuable part of the literacy world for those with poor eyesight that would struggle to read the book, but can enjoy it via audio.

The narrator plays a large role in the success of an audiobook. While most audiobooks that are chosen to be produced as an audiobook were popular in print, they can be a flop if the wrong narrator is chosen. While some listeners have a strong preference for one or two narrators I find that my preference depends on the book. We listen to audiobooks on road trips with the kids and I find that is a tough audience to cover with narrators.  Some try too hard to sound like a little boy or girl and instead of hearing the story I only hear their voice and how terrible it sounds. My kids however never comment on this being something they notice.  We can listen to the same book at the same time and have completely different experiences!  I recently listened to The City of Brass and I am now listening to the next in the series, The Kingdom of Copper. The narrator, Soneela Nankani has a voice that is easy to listen to and slight accent that fits the Middle Eastern influence of the book. She keeps the pace of the book flowing and listening to the book was easier having her pronounce names and words that are of Middle East and supernatural descent. I probably wouldn't read these books if I had to physically read them because they are long and I feel the story flows much better with the narrator.

I love ebooks for the convenience. I love having access to three libraries ebooks at my fingertips- especially right now. Like many others there are reasons to love them, but they change the reading experience. My most recent read was in adobe and on my phone. To make it big enough to read easily I found I was flicking the page all the time as it only had small section of print up at a time.  One page had only 4 full sentences and two partial sentences, that is a lot of page turning!  I miss the feel of the physical book in my hand, but mostly I find the pace of the book is harder to get a feel for when I am turning the electronic page. The lack of physical indication of how much of the book is left leaves me disappointed at end because I didn't have the anticipation of the story ending.

While the readers ability to change text size, font, color, spacing etc can have an impact on the book these are often the features that allow that person to have access to the book. Perhaps they need the larger font but the paper copy isn't in large print. For dyslexic readers these changes make reading easier and more enjoyable. And ultimately isn't that what we want- people reading! Library collections should reach as many patrons as possible and to do that it is the responsibility of the library to balance the collection of print, audio and ebooks and just keep people reading.


Cahill, M., & Moore, J. (2017). A Sound History. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 15(1), 22–29.

Dunneback, K., & Trott, B. (2011). E-books and Readers' Advisory. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 325-9. 

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-23.