You Want What We've Got?

 

 

My library has so much to offer, yet so many kids don't take advantage of the resources.  Yes, we have books. Duh. We're a library. But we have so much more. We have magazines that date back to some pretty cool times in history, and we have microfilm that goes even further back.  Microfilm?  See....you don't know what we have to offer. There are multiple computers, but so often I see kids never look further than the world of Google (I get it - I love Google too but...).  Lying just a few key strokes away are hundreds of thousands of digital articles, essays, magazine articles, newspaper articles and journals from every topic from The American Revolution to the Global Warming crisis.  It's like having 1000 libraries available at once - like one stop shopping :)

 

So, we do have some pretty cool books.  A LOT of them actually.  So much so that I've had to figure out where to put many of them.  Not only do I actively search for some of the best new releases, but we've got some pretty amazing titles that have stood the test of time.  I love a good work of fiction, and when I find one, I enjoy sharing my opinion with any kid that will listen, or any that will humor me long enough to act like they're interested :) Of the many type of books that sit on the shelves, we have much more than fiction or books about World War II - we have books about jobs you might want to have one day, recipe books on delightful dishes from all over the world, poetry books with works from teenagers just like you, short story collections, graphic novels, biographies, horror stories, nonfiction that reads like fiction (a big fav of many) and more and more and more. 

 

There just isn't enough time for me to brag about all the amazing resources the library has to offer. But the best way to find out what we have that you may want to utilize is to get down here and check it out for yourself. :)

Paper vs. Device

One of the "hottest" discussions of hardcore readers is whether the good old-fashioned book is best or if the experience of reading on an iPad, tablet, phone or e-reader trumps all.  I have no preference.  Personally, I love looking on the shelves of my library for a book to read. I like to pick it up, read a few pages, check out the cover.  When a box of new books arrives at the library, the book-geek in me loves just pulling new book after new book out of the box.  But...but...truthfully, nothing is better than being able to have books quite literally at my fingertips if I choose to read them.  Reading a book series takes on a whole new meaning when I can simply just tap a few spots on the screen, and the book magically appears. 

When one asks those of us who remember electronic typewriters as the source for typing papers instead of devices that will change our voice to text, the consensus seems to be that traditional books are best.  There is something appealing about flipping pages, and marking spots with a bookmark or sticky and sitting that book on a bedside table for later that just feels right.  Reading a beat up paperback on the beach seems to be part of the tradition. Dog-eared corners, splitting spines and warped pages of a book that has been read over and over are simply battle scars showing its popularity with readers.  Some of the books in my library are so well-read that I need to buy new (or several new) copies so that it can continue to circulate into the hands of readers.  It's worth it to me to spend a few extra dollars if it means kids will read.  

I'll be the first to admit that I've read multiple books on Kindles, tablets and iPads...and liked it.  With the latest apps available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iTunes,  and the ease of buying and borrowing books, it doesn't take long to amass a well-stocked virtual library of favorites. I took a Kindle on a vacation, packed with multiple books I wanted to read and it was a dream.  I ran out of power before I ran out of reading material and I was able to take a dozen or more books and didn't have to stuff my carry on bag to do it :)  Admittedly, ebooks make me a little nervous. They have the potential to make my job as a librarian change tremendously.  Why the thought of having a "virtual" job where I could lead kids to books while chillin' in my pj's seems delightful, it makes my heart hurt to imagine the time when kids will say "Remember when books had paper pages in them?" 

For now, I'll sit back and be happy that both "traditional" and e-books continue to coexist happily in my library and that students haven't made the huge shift to yet one more technological movement that stands to change everything. 

Happy Reading...

 

Books and Movies

The recent trend seems to be taking all the books that are really really good and turning them into movies.  Why?  I guess because the books were so well-loved that it only makes sense.  Clearly, the best example of this is the YA department is the block-buster movies from the Twilight series.  I won't lie. I saw (and bought) them all.  I read the books multiple times.  Were they good literature - uhhh no. But boy were they a fun read and fun to watch in the theater as well. The latest is the book-to-movie sensation The Hunger Games.  Again, I've read and watched and eagerly awaited the release of the next movie like so many millions of fans. 

What makes me a little angry though is when a producer completely and totally butchers the books in the movie.  I "get" that you have to eliminate some parts of the book to actually make a movie that is less than 10 hours in length (which is why reading the books helps when you see the movies), but when you completely alter and change more than 50% of the book, then it ruins both for me.  The case that comes to mind is The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.  I loved the entire series and when I hear they were making it into a movie I was thrilled...until I watched.  UGH.  The movie itself was decent, but any parallels between book and movie were quite minimal.  Perhaps I just had a different picture in my mind, but regardless, I was disappointed. 

Gratefully, as a librarian, sometimes the whole "book-to-movie" ordeal increases business for me.  I often get kids coming in begging for the books title of a movie so they can read it before they see it.  Fine by me. It's why I have three copies of The Hunger Games and rarely is it on the shelf. 

If you're thinking of trying out some books before you see the movie, click HERE!

Happy reading and watching.

Quiet in the Library??

So, when I was in high school, my librarian scared the bejeebers out of me.  For the sake of this blog, we'll call her Mrs. G. She was MEAN and I was a "good" kid.  I went to the library as necessary but I went solo - never with friends because I knew if we sat together we'd be screeched at by Mrs. G.  There was a NO tolerance policy with her - it was silent. Period.

My library is rarely, if ever, totally quiet.  It's not loud, but it's certainly got a busy buzz to it on most days.  Kids are chatting, texting, doing homework, flirting, typing, reading, maybe sleeping, but it's busy.  Most kids get things done.  Most kids look busy.  And most days, I can handle it, but some days, I feel like I've lost total control and I need the library police.

 

But then I step back and really listen.  If I pay attention to the conversations, I hear collaboration, discussion and questioning.  I watch as kids assist each other, answer questions and guide peers on how to complete the next to impossible lab report for a notoriously strict science teacher.  There are always going to be kids who don't need to be in here, but then I have to remember that of all the places they could have gone during their free time, they chose to come to my library :) 

 

I hope that my library continues to be a place of busy learning and that kids don't remember me the way I remember my librarian. 

Series Insanity

One of the most frustrating things I've encountered as a librarian is keeping up with the incredible amount of series that seem to be hitting the YA Literature scene.  Just when I think I have an handle on it, I realize that I have numbers 1,2,3 and 5 of a series and someone have missed the 4th book.  New books come my way all the time, and I'd say about 50% of them are book one of a series. 

In some ways, this makes sense because book publishers want to keep readers...(and sell books) and one of the best ways to do that is to end a book in such a way that sequel (or many) is required.  Case in point - the HUGE HIT The Hunger Games made on both young adult and adult readers.  I couldn't keep the books on my shelves and I had three copies of each book.  Right in line with that dystopian trilogy is the Divergent series that now has readers diving in as the movie is set to premier in a few months.  I could list oodles of series but there is only so much space on the page.

How do I feel about reading series?  Well, like most readers, my favorite part is I don't have to wonder about what to read next.  That's both good and bad.  I've found myself dragging through a series just because I hope it gets better or I just need to know how it ends.  For me, a perfect example of that is the Beautiful Creatures series. I love the first one, but after that they lost their appeal - though many of my readers loved them all.  The worst part about series? Waiting for the next one to come out when you've finished the book you have.  For me, the Harry Potter series was pure torture as I would rapidly go through the books that was just released and then have to know it could well over 18 months until the next one appeared!  I for one am grateful when I discover a series that is already complete because then I can gather them all up and take them home and read until my heart's content :)

If you really must torture yourself, check out this list of series for young adults - I gasped a little when I realized how many I've read :) 

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4794.Best_Young_Adult_Book_Series

Chris Crutcher

So, it's rare that I grab a book by a male author. It's not on purpose - honest!  It just so happens that I tend to be drawn more to subjects written about by female authors.  However, I just happened to pick up a book by the author Chris Crutcher (check him out at http://www.chriscrutcher.com/) and was hooked instantly.   The book was titled Period.8 and it has an opening scene that is a what I consider a little bit of a "sidebar" to grab the reader and suck him/her in for the remainder of the book. I couldn't put it down for a minute and even though I pretty much figured out the general overview of it about 2/3 of the way through, I had to read to find out if I was RIGHT (which I only sort of was). Crutcher does his research. He totally "gets" the teenage kid.  He was a teacher at an alternative school and a family therapist for 25 years.  His characters are dead on for at least one kid we've all met, and the characters in this book are no different.  Paulie - the main character - is such a 'good' kid and respected by his peers.  His home life is kind of a drag but he manages to do well in school, excel at a sport he loves and maintain an after school job.  But this is not just your run of the mill "boy has crappy home life and overcomes it" book. In fact, it's not really about his life at all but more so about those around him and how things aren't always what they seem.  This book is fantastic for both boys and girls alike.  Already handed it off to a student who has almost finished it!   I may even consider reading another one by Crutcher!   

The Outsiders

 

So, when I was in 8th, maybe 9th grade (yes, they had books back then), I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.  And in just a few short pages I fell in love with the narrator, Ponyboy, despite his quirky name.  He was just a regular kid with a crappy home life.  He just wanted the best for his family and his friends and would do what needed to be done to do it.  This was one of those books that you read and were angry when the teacher said, "Do NOT read past chapter #x" - You would anyhow and then hope that you wouldn't slip up during class discussions and give it away that you cheated and read ahead .  In just one book I encountered the best of characters, a detailed but simple (and sad) plot, some love twists and a touch of violence all while having to reach for the tissues by the end.  It's written for all readers - boys and girls alike.  I LOVED it. Still do. And don't even get me started on the movie in which every "hot" actor of my time had a part - some of whom are still making movies and wowing audiences today!  (That's the cover to the right)

Imagine my delight when I found out I actually would be teaching this novel to my classes.  My enthusiasm freaked out my students at first, but they quickly understood why, after "several" years beyond junior high, this book still stole my heart.  I NEVER had a kid who didn't do the assigned reading.  I NEVER had a kid complain about reading it - the only complaint I had was that I, like my own English teacher, asked them not to read ahead knowing full well many of them would.  Imagine their surprise when I told them it was written by a 16-year old GIRL who failed English class because her teacher didn't appreciate her creative writing.  

The Outsiders is timeless.  It will be reaching students for many, many years to come.  I hope my own kids read it some day and it becomes a classic all its own.  It's a quick read but it leaves one heck of an impression and it's my "go-to" book for those readers who come in to my library saying they don't like to read.  I should get more copies of it for my library.  It's just that good!  So, if you're wondering what you should read next, give The Outsiders a try, and if you like it, be sure to pay it forward and share it with a friend!  Ponyboy would like that!