Week 16 Prompt

Reading has always been a part of my life.  When I was in elementary school, I did not care very much for reading, mainly because I saw it as a chore because my mom would want us to read a lot over the summer, and I just wanted to play outside rather than read inside.  As I got older, I started to become more aware of what kind of books I was interested in.  It was probably around high school when I started to spend more time reading than hanging with friends or going out.  I remember taking an Adolescent Literature class in college and it was probably my favorite class because I got the chance to read more literature and discuss about it with my classmates.  As I got older, I began to understand how there are other ways of reading, like using audiobooks and ebooks.  I do not know if I will ever use any of these since I prefer the physical material, but I do know I will never stop reading.  As I get older, I may not be able to read as much as I have been able to now, but I know I will continue to read more novels and search for other novels I may enjoy, either from the library or bookstores.  I really hope people will continue to interact with books and not let technology take away the pleasure of reading a good book.  I do not think technology will completely take over since there are people who prefer physical materials than using technology.  There will be plenty of new materials in the future, and I hope to broaden my horizons more and challenge myself to read books that I may feel uncomfortable or am not very knowledgeable about.  I will continue to read many books and explore many new worlds.

Week 15 Prompt

There are many ways a library can market their collections.  One way that I know is to have displays all around the library.  These can be certain genres, certain series, etc.  There are many ways a library can display their collections, even creating little bookmarks on the books that can also tell if they are available in ebook or audiobooks, or even if someone has recommended it.  Another way I can think of is using online tools, like Pinterest or Facebook.  These sites are very popular for people to use, and if more people see them, the more likely they will visit the library.  Also, the library's newsletter, or even the community's newsletter is a good way to spread the word.  At my library, they have monthly newsletters that talk about the library, upcoming programs, and future events.  Technology is becoming the norm for people to use, and if more people use these specific sites, they can become more aware of what is around the community. 

Week 14 Prompt

Libraries separate their books so patrons can find them easily.  But what about LGBTQ and African American novels?  Should they be separated into categories.  I believe they should not be separated for these reasons:
1. Creates segregation problems, especially with the AA books. 
"The publishing industry rather notoriously would not publish books by or about black people until the 1990s, unless those books were deemed of sufficient interest to white readers. Prior to the 1990s it was kind of hard for black readers to find these “accepted” black writers (outside of Black History Month), because there weren’t many of them, and because their works were mixed in with the mainstream. So black readers had to rely on word-of-mouth — which, pre-internet, was actually kind of limiting" (Geer, 2010).
Back then, finding AA books was pretty hard, but now, everyone has a right to publish their works, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc. 
2. Creates labeling issues, especially the LGBTQ books. 
"Gay characters can't be relegated to some dark corner of the shelf that you need a map to find and an ID to check out. To do so is basically saying to the gay kids, 'There's something dirty about you'" (2016).  This is especially true for young adults who are trying to discover their identity.  If they see these books are separated from the others, they may feel ashamed and embarrassed to be looking at that spot.  Libraries are a place where everyone should have a right to read whatever they wish and not fear of being judged. 
"Individuals who do not identify as straight are most affected by the attacks made on books that present their perspective; but all “LGBTQ kids” have essentially the same needs, rights, and aspirations as anyone else.  In the end, we all have the same rights under the First Amendment to read about and explore the issues that interest us or are meaningful to us – regardless of whether we are straight or gay" (2016).
3. It is just plain wrong.
I think the only time these books should be separated is for display purposes only, but overall, they should be shelved with the other books.  True, there are censorship and religious issues with these books, but that should not violate a person's right to read these books.  If it is something you do not want to read, then do not read them, but do not violate other people's rights just because you do not agree with them.  The library is a neutral place for everyone, regardless of gender, race, religious, etc. 

Resources:
Geer, J.  (2010).  Don't Put My Book in the African American Section.  Retrieved April 14, 2016 from http://nkjemisin.com/2010/05/dont-put-my-book-in-the-african-american-section/
LGBTQ Right to Read Resource Guide.  Retrieved April 14, 2016 from http://ncac.org/resource/krrp-lgbtq-content-right-to-read-resource

Week 13 Prompt

Young Adult Literature and Graphic Novels are becoming popular for teens and young adults, but there are a few people who believe these two genres are considered useless and only for teens.  They are not what adults should be reading since they are "too old" for those kinds of books.  I believe there should not be an age limit when a person can read a book or not.  I may be an adult, yet I still continue to read picture books and young adult novels.  Maybe because they are what can bring back my memories as a child.  But mostly it is because there are books I can relate to, mainly in the young adult section.  Young adult novels are novels many teens can relate to because they deal with real teenage issues, like identity, sense of belonging, self confidence, etc.  Some of the time, it is because I just need an outlet, or someplace to get away from the "adult issues" in life and to just let my mind wander for a while.  I had just finished Leila Sales's novel,  This Song will Save Your Life and it was about a teenage girl who has trouble fitting in at school, but she discovers her talent in DJing and soon she makes friend who like her for her.  I can relate to this because I had trouble making friends in high school, but I found my passion in Show Choir and I was able to make friends. 
I think libraries should keep their young adult and graphic novels because they are materials people can relate to if they take the time to find them and to not worry about what others think when they read a book not considered for their age.  Books shouldn't have an age limit on them.  That is not why they were written.  They were written so everyone can enjoy them, regardless of age. 

The Readers' Advisory Matrix

1.      General Information:

·         Title: Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir

·         Author: Amanda Knox

·         Publisher: HarperCollins

·         Publication Date: 2013

·         Pages: 463

2.      Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

·         Highly Narrative (reads like fiction)

3.      What is the subject of the book?

·         It is about a young girl who travels to Perugia, Italy to study abroad in 2007.  One day, her roommate is murdered and she is charged for a crime she did not commit, and spends four years in an Italian prison before she is set free.

 

4.      What type of book is it?

·         A memoir written in past tense

 

5.      Articulate appeal:

·         Pacing: It is a fast paced book and reads leisurely.

·         Characters: The characters are fact based, meaning they are all real people.  Amanda Knox (main character), Meredith Kercher (her roommate), Raffaele Sollecito (Knox’s boyfriend), and dozens of people, either from the courts, her time in prison, her family, and people she met while in Italy.

·         Feeling of story: Amanda Knox shares her unflinching and personal account of what she endured from her time in Italy, to her friend’s murder, to her time in prison, and her time when she was set free and flew back to the U.S.

·         Author’s intent: Knox wanted to share her experience and her struggle to convince an Italian court she did not murder her friend.

·         Story’s focus: Amanda Knox’s horrifying experience when her roommate is murdered to her time in Italian prison.

·         Language: It matters as it is told through the author’s voice (includes some Italian dialogue).

·         Setting: Well described and important because it sets up what Italy was like and how she came to understand how Italian court system is very different than U.S. court system.  Describes Italy, in her room, in the courts, and her time in prison.

·         Details: Many details about the court system and what the Italian prison was like as well as her thoughts about all of it.  Includes pictures of Amanda before, during, and after her ordeal.

·         Learning Moments: Amanda Knox’s main goal was to tell her side; a side that was not viewed very much in Italy.  She states how she changed from a young, naïve girl to a fighter and a survivor. 

 

6.      Why would a reader enjoy this book?

·         Learning/experience: A true account of an ordeal that changed a young girl’s life in a foreign country.

·         Tone: Very personal.

·         Intent: Wants to give her account of what actually happened; something she was not taken seriously for. 

Literary Fiction Annotation

Literary Fiction Annotation: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Title: The Kite Runner

Genre: Literary Fiction (historical)

Publication Date: 2003

Publisher: Riverhead Books (New York)

Number of Pages: 371 pages

Geographic Setting: Afghanistan, California

Time Period: 1975-2003

Series (if applicable): None

Plot Summary:  The story between two friends, Amir and Hassan, who are from different religious and class, but share a very strong bond.  When Amir witnesses a horrible incident with Hassan, he runs away and distances himself from Hassan, so much to send him away with his father.  As the years pass, Amir is still haunted by that incident, so he decides to right the wrongs with the one person who stood by him.

Subject Headings: Male friendships, betrayal, social classes

Appeal: For those who can enjoy a good book, but this is not considered a “fun” book for pleasure.  For ages 16 and up due to disturbing scenes.

3 Terms that describe book: heartbreaking, redemption seeking, and powerful

Similar Works and Authors:

The Help – Kathryn Stockett: A story about a young woman who dares to do the unthinkable: write a book about the maids who take care of their families.

Unaccustomed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri: A book that contains eight different stories about different people from different backgrounds that explore the secrets of family life at the heart.

Year of Wonders – Geraldine Brooks: A story about a young woman during the plague of the 17^th century where she confronts this dangerous and deadly disease in England.

Personal Thoughts: As I was reading this novel, I was enjoying how these two twelve-year-old friends did everything together, even enter a kite fighting tournament, where they would fly kites and try to get the other kites to fall and the last one flying would be considered a hero in the village, and the other kids would chase the free kites and whenever they caught them, they could claim them as their own.  But when Hassan experiences an awful incident, Amir witnesses it and runs away.  And because of that, he is ashamed and guilty for not sticking up to his friend for years.  “America was different.  America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past.  I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far.  Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.  If for nothing else, for that, I embraced America” (Hosseini, 2003, 119). 

“Literary Fiction is critically acclaimed, often award-winning, fiction.  These books are often character-centered rather than plot-oriented.  They are thought-provoking and often address serious issues.  These are not page-turners, per se, although their fans certainly find them engrossing and compelling reading … Literary Fiction novels present dilemmas that please their readers, whether through singular characters, avant-garde style, or an intellectual approach to serious issues” (Saricks, 2009, 177-8).  This book shows us how the power of regret can haunt a person for a long time and the only way to get pass it is to face that guilt head on.  “A man who has no conscious, no goodness, does not suffer” (263). 

References:

Hosseini, K.  (2003).  The Kite Runner.  New York: Riverhead Books

Saricks, J.  (2009).  The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.  2nd Ed.  Chicago: American Library Association.

Week 11 Prompt

Audiobooks and ebooks are starting to become more popular within libraries.  For ebooks, they are an electric version of a book, like Kindles.  Audiobooks are books but come with a person reading them.  Each of these devices are useful but in my opinion, in certain ways.  I am more of a person who would rather hold the book in my hands and keep it so I can read it again in the near future.  I am not really into the whole Kindles.  But I think Kindles are great for those who can just read a book on an electronic device and can carry it wherever they can.  They can even change the font and size so they can read it in a style that in comfortable for them.  There are people who have bad eye-sights and it can be a challenge to find books with big fonts, so this would be a big advantage for using ebooks.  Audiobooks are also great for those who are interested in hearing it rather than reading it.  Also great for those with bad eyes.  Hearing it in another person's voice can add more dynamic to the story as well as creating a better image of what is happening.
I admit I have never used any of these, but I would like to sometime in the future, just to get a feel of what it is like to read a book electronically and hearing a book in another person's voice.  These two are great for those who cannot read a book very well as well as for those with bad eye-sights.  For library purposes, they are becoming popular and I think libraries should keep them.  There are people who prefer audiobooks and ebooks rather than holding the actual book.  Everyone has different thought about these two, but the one thing that will never change is people have their own ways of reading.