Boston Public Library profiling love of reading

I thought a while before I wrote that title, but, while obvious, it fits this series on Instagram

In anticipation of #ValentinesDay, some of our staff members’ #children are sharing which #books they #love most. Kamari, son of BPL Technology Access Manager Jeff Lindsey, tells us his choice. Help #spreadthelove by letting us know which book captures your #heart. #Boston #BostonPublicLibrary #diaryofawimpykid #books #keepreading

A photo posted by Boston Public Library (@bplboston) on Feb 10, 2017 at 6:03am PST

This is the first in what promises to be a series of photographs showing children of Boston Public Library staff, and what they like reading.  This is a lovely photograph.

I also like that this is a way to show that libraries have a range of jobs too.  Great work by Boston Public Library.

#lightrailbookreview from @PhxLibrary

Phoenix Public Library has a lovely series on Instagram of book reviews from people using the light rail system.  They are all people reading library books, and it is an excellent way to show how people are using the library.  It has local studies potential too. Have a look a the #lightrailbookreview tag on Instagram.

#lightrailbookreview 🌟 Quinn is reading "The Fireman" by Joe Hill. 🔥 "Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King. He's written 3 other books and they are all amazing. I've discovered this new author and I hope he has longevity like his father." 📚 #phoenix #phoenixpubliclibrary #phoenixlightrail #readingandriding #bookstagram #bookreview #igreads #nowreading #joehill #thefireman #stephenking #downtownphoenix #dtphx

A photo posted by Phoenix Public Library (@phoenixpubliclibrary) on Dec 7, 2016 at 2:49pm PST

Catch up with some John le Carre reading...

An impressive description of reading on @BBCInOurTime

This recent broadcast about Tess of the d'Urbervilles on In our time has a powerful description, from Melvyn Bragg of the impact of reading and connections with characters
novels aren't just fictional constructs they are the life of people we believe in...and out imagination goes out to them...

You can listen to the whole broadcast here (the quote is at the 35 minute mark). I would suggest listening to the whole talk for the full context of the quote.

I really enjoy In our time because of the diversity of ideas explored.  Have a look their archive for different ways of exploring the content.

readers advisory meets local studies in this Moby-Dick reading marathon

I have only just found out about this annual Moby-Dick reading marathon which is run by the New Bedford Whaling Museum.  This is a great way of connecting fiction and non-fiction. and that this has been going for 20 years shows a lot of interest.  There are local studies connections with this as New Bedford was a big whaling town and there were some technological changes to whaling which came out of this area.  You can read a lot more about it at the New Bedford Whaling Museum website.  I think it is very impressive work by this museum.  I was so interested in this that I did a storify.

I have not come across many marathon reads.  Ulysses by James Joyce seems to attract multiple reads a year, but there are many other location specific works which would be great for this (and if they could be streamed online that helps people who can't be there).  Last year there was a reading of the Illiad, which is still available for a few more months of listening.

There are, no doubt, a lot of other marathon reads out there, which I have not included, but think of it as a way to have people consider local history, and local stories.  The reading may be of works of fiction, such as Moby-Dick, or of non-fiction. It can be a way to connect people together.  Consider it as part of your library programming.

I can find find the history, local studies and readers advisory elements of interest but I am against any current whaling.

lovely ways to suggest reading - from CSIRO

Have you been wondering why your friends and family have been looking wistfully off into the distance - like this #Emperor #penguin here? We think we know why: they're secretly hoping you'll get them a book from our ‘Twelve books of #Christmas' list. We have the perfect range of books to satisfy the cravings of any #science fan, from #bugs and #birds (including penguins 🐧, of course) to Ned Kelly and ocean faring research vessels.🚢 With so many options, you'll surely find the right #gift to put under the #tree 🎄🎄🎄, but in case you need some more convincing we’re offering free shipping as well - no need to rely on Rudolph and the gang. Make sure you get your order in before 16 December, so the gift will be delivered by Christmas. Click on the link in the bio for more information. Image: Graham Blight #christmasgifts #xmas #xmasgifts #christmasgiftideas #deepthinkingpenguin

A photo posted by CSIRO (@csirogram) on Dec 2, 2015 at 8:29pm PST

CSIRO has many good ideas, and this promotion of reading is one. I know they are suggesting buying books, but it could be a lovely time suggesting borrowing, so that people do not accumulate more stuff and participate in a sharing economy. It could be a time to give a library card.

Reading inspired making

This latest blog post from Patrick Rothfuss shows some examples of what people have been inspired to make after reading his books.  It starts with photographs, but goes on to other made things.  It is lovely to see how different people were inspired to make.  There are ideas for readers advisory and library programming.  Think about the possibilities in the book2art reading group too.

#blogjune starts today

I am again participating in #blogjune, thanks to this lovely blog post written by @flexnib.  Her enthusiasm for this is infectious.

In previous years I have taken a theme based approach, libraries I would like to visit, inspirations, and signs.  This year will be more general.


I thought starting off happy, was a good start, and I like this video because it shows people so happy to read they are dancing about it.  Feel free to do your own happy dance as part of it.  Yes, this video has a few issues (only reading on paper is shown, and only in English), but I will not be picky as it is a fun video, and simply being able to read is something to dance about.

Happy #blogjune Updated 2 June as the code for the video disappeared.

Where do you obtain your reading suggestions from?

I was thinking about this recently, because of the work I do with readers advisory people.  I decided to think about where my reading suggestions come from, to see what is in the mix.

The following list, not in any order, shows some of the places ideas for reading come from for me:

• public library - staff at my local library will sometimes (proactively) suggest something to read or watch based on my borrowing.  I like this.  It is active without being obtrusive, and is a nice way of demonstrating skills, so that if I want to ask I can.  It also lets people know that you can ask library staff of reading suggestions
• friends - although most of my friends read very differently to me, this is still an area where ideas come from
• specific blogs/tumblr I follow. Some of these will be written by authors, and some not. 
• people I follow on goodreads. There are some people I follow on Goodreads that I will probably not read anything they do, but it is still interesting seeing their reading. There are a few people I follow where I have found that if they give a book a high star rating/excellent review I am really likely to enjoy it. I have tried some titles I would not have thought of this way.
• twitter - this is different people I follow talking about what they have read, and some time authors tweeting links to free or low cost ebooks as a way of discovering content. I have had some lovely reads this way, as well as a few which I did not finish. I always receive ideas for new reading from the Read watch play twitter reading group as well. Have a look for #rwpchat.  Also have a looks at the different social media channels being used for this discussion - links available from here.
• Television - I don't watch a lot of television, but it can lead to reading for example I am reading a work by Brian Cox after watching Wonders of life. I am reading a history of the Vikings by Neil Oliver because I have watched some of his documentaries. 

I was thinking about this as I think these are tools to let library clients know about as well, as some may not be aware of how many ways to find out about reading suggestions, but also, some readers may be able to train library staff in some genre specific ways (so learning from the clients).

Does your library use a rang of online tools as part of the readers advisory service? Novelist can be very helpful, and has increasing Australian content, as well as connection with Goodreads.

There are a few libraries on Goodreads, like OCLS and Scottsdale. This could be an option to consider for your community. You may want to introduce it with providing sessions about it to your reading groups, as well as other groups of readers in your library. With anything you are doing online make sure you have day to find links on your website. Don't assume people will see the home page, include links on all pages, including the catalogue. Make sure you tell people about it in the library, and through the community as well. It might draw people into use these services, but you have to tell them about it in spaces they are already in.

Think about how you obtain reading suggestions. Are there ways to inform the readers in you community about some of them.  Are there genre specific options you could connect clients with? Don't forget you can learn from your clients as well. 

The kindness of King County Library System

I came across a mention of a new app from King County Library System.  It is an app which records how much you read - as a motivation.

When I first checked it out, it was only available for people in the USA, but still the library staff were very kind in their comments to be via twitter.

The app is now available for people all around the world to use, and it is lovely.

 ---

Added 21 December 2013 To show how lovely they are - they sent this tweet

@ellenforsyth Aww, thanks! :) Happy to help others #TakeTimeToRead
— King County Library (@KCLS) December 19, 2013

Connect with publishers online

Book promotion, a photo by ellen forsyth on Flickr.

This was a recent promotion at Wynyard Station for the new Ian Rankin title. The publisher was making it easy to connect with them on twitter and facebook. I know this is hard to see in the photograph, but on the billboard size poster in the station it was easy to read. Does your library make it easy to connect on social media?

I liked this promotion because it is an offline promotion about something online. I may not have thought to check the publisher out online. It would have been nice to have been told about Ian Rankin being on twitter, but I am already following him.

If you have not read this book, it is an entertaining read.

Imagining reading...

I overheard a conversation where two people were discussing reading.  I was interested because of the readers advisory work which I do.  This discussion had one person making suggestions to the other as they both liked crime novels.  The person receiving suggestions said they liked an immersive read, so 'of course' detailed descriptions of setting were the most important area.  This interested me at the time, as the authors and titles being described did not strike me as having particularly detailed descriptions.  I enjoy Henning Mankell, but do not find his books heavy on description of setting (unless in a way which is necessary for the story).

In readers advisory work it is really important to remember that other people will see  the same read differently to us.  The 'of course' setting was the only way for an immersive read was also stark (yet interestingly they were only interested in real world descriptions, no speculative fiction).  Of course it isn't the only way for an immersive read, but obviously it was the only way this person could immerse themselves in reading or imagine anyone being able to immerse themselves in reading.  We all immerse ourselves differently, in different degrees and depending upon individual titles.

This highlights the importance of imagination as part of the mix of skills, training, experience, research, use of tools and other aspects of providing an effective readers advisory service.  It is not about what or how we read, but about what and how our clients read, and we have to be able to imagine that people read differently to us, and can have a rich and rewarding reading experience by doing so.  The conversation I heard showed someone who could not imagine anyone having a satisfying reading experience unless other people read in exactly the same way as they do.

Just in case you are wondering about my evesdropping.  It was in a public place and loud enough to hear at a distance.

Mapping reading

I have just found out about this website, called Placing literature : where your book meets the map.  I really like (as in really really like) the concept.  I have a minor quibble with the name, but that is all.  I will assume that the setting location of any novel can be mapped (not just works of fiction which are described as being literary or as being literature).  I think it would be great to see all the urban fantasy mapped against the location it takes place in.  We need Chuck Wendig mapped in New York, and Paul Cornell in London.  We also need Anne Gracie's romance titles mapped in their various locations, and Cassandra Claire and Jennifer Crusie showing up as well.  I have not checked the map in detail for these, and all the sites I have looked at so for fit in "literary", but I would hope that works by these authors would be welcome.

I have noticed that some non-fiction is being mapped as well - Pepys diary has made its way in (but maybe that is a clever comment about diaries being our own personal fiction?)

It is a great site - and a big thank you to the people who have created it.


View International Crime Fiction Map in a larger map

Another mapping of location is the International Crime Fiction map (via @cfwriter).  So this might mean if you are mapping crime fiction you may want to include it on both maps.

#366daysreading

I have noticed some people are going for #366books as a way of celebrating the National Year of Reading,  which is great, but I am going for #366daysreading.

I have been thinking about this after reading the discussion on twitter a few days ago, which was interesting, and it made me think about it, which is good.

I am deliberately not going to read a book a day, but instead each day I will plan to read a range of formats. I won't write about them all, but I will write about some. On the way home from work earlier in the week I was reading lots of signs in shops, reading prices, expiry dates, reading people's t-shirts and tattoos (and not being obtrusive about reading either), reading the indicator board to see when my train would arrive. People were carrying lots of things with print, and many people on my train were reading in a range of ways too. Most days I will read a mix of tweets (and other social sites like oink, google+ and getglue), websites (including blogs), apps (even the grocery shopping app I use, rss feeds and content on Flip), games, and a range of long format works in a mix of print and e.

One of the reasons I won't be writing about them all is that it would take much longer to write than it would to read, and to photograph or otherwise record all my reading would be too intrusive (plus not very interesting for anyone other than me). I am inspired by the description on the twitter reading group blog which ends with "All reading is reading no matter the format. Don’t be textist about format, or length of work, or context of reading." I like all the other ideas raised in the section called "what is reading".

I will follow people going for  #366books and #52books with interest.  I will be going along the path of #366daysreading. I probably need a better tag that does not imply I may do nothing else for the year but read.

Novel destinations

This was a lovely summer reading promotion poster from Herriman Library in Utah. It really like the way the local canyons and buttes are made of books. The retro look works really well

#bookbites - my reading for September

This is the #bookbites tea cosy



My reading for this month included:

• Spider trap by Barry Maitland (always a pacy author)
• Bet me by Jennifer Crusie - featuring food as a way of connecting the main characters
• Seven ancient wonders and Six sacred stones both by Matthew Reilly, and both e-audio.  They are entertaining, pacy reads
• Hammered by Kevin Herne - think druid in modern Arizona taking on a Norse god
• The beer cook book by Mary Novak - what is not to like - how to include beer in your cooking from soups to fruitcakes (and yes the recipes are fun to make too)
• The story of England by Michael Wood - this follows Kibworth from the time of the Romans to the present and is based on very detailed archival records
• Fun Inc by Tom Chatfield is an excellent overview about the role of games and their potential in our lives
• Inside cyber warfare by Jeffrey Carr - the name says it all
• Dark Jenny by Alex Bledsoe - pacy, engaging and a disturbing read - kind of showing how far people will go to prove a point
• Ghost story by Jim Butcher - I knew it was a set up, and it shows the danger of not balancing the good of a wider group with the good of an individual (and I am not sure it was meant to be making this point)
• Baking with passion by Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington - I have not been able to try any of the recipes yet - but they are on my to do list
• Tess Mallos - The complete Middle East cook book - impressive
• Coraline by Neil Gailman - creepy, but very postive
• Ready player one by Ernest Kline - about a slightly future world with games and very strong 80s retro elements (it was a page turner - or should I say tapper as I read this, like some of the other titles listed, as an e-book)
• A new culture of learning : cultivating the imagination in a world of constant change by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown - excellent
• Double back by Mark Abernathy - recent thriller set partly in East Timor around the time of the vote for independence

#geekreads - reading for August

August reading for #geekreads was mixed.

My reading for August included:

• For the win by Cory Doctorow - an international novel of games and labour unions
• Mortal instruments by Clarissa Clare - seems to be a move into spoof horror
• Fast women by Jennifer Crusie
• Hounded by Kenneth Herne - druid in modern Tempe (with some great laugh out loud moments)
• Chelsea Mansions by Barry Maitland - another engrossing read 
• Pervasive games : theory and design by Markus Montola, Jaakko Stenros, and Annika Waern - helped to build by understanding of this kind of game
• also read New Scientist, Delicious, Jamie

My reading of one title (not on the list above) was progressing well until I read a comment by the author who seemed to like to buy copies of all the books she was using as research tools, and did not seem like to find them in libraries, not if she could not buy a copy for herself.  It made me  think about findability for future researchers, if the titles were all in private collections with no way of even locating holdings (no worldcat equivalent). This does highlight need for libraries to make sure their content is findable electronically.

heartreads

  The second theme for #readit2011 was #heartreads.  I started several books which I decided not to finish, one for reasons of cruelty between the characters and one because it was an action book without enough action.  I also have a few books underway that I will comment on in March, when I finish them. Several of these titles were read as e-books.

• Jennifer Crusie The Cinderella deal – academic meets artist
• Jennifer Crusie Trust me on this – a series of misunderstandings, scams and HEA
• Gil McNeil The beach street knitting society and yarn club – woman starting life in smaller town after husband was killed in car crash, just after he asked for a divorce.  Quirky characters and knitting.
• Gil McNeil Needles and pearls- continuation of the above, not HEA but happy and hopeful
• Garth Nix Drowned Wednesday
• Garth Nix Sir Thursday
• Garth Nix Lady Friday
• Gath Nix Superior Saturday
• Garth Nix Lord Sunday This was a very interesting series as working through the days of the week, the story builds with reality and fantasy coming together.  It is quite a dark series, but with wonderful humour around the naming of some characters as well.
• Eli Neiburger Gamers…in the library  This is a solid introduction to mainly games tournaments in public libraries.  
• Jamie Oliver Jamie’s 30 minute meals – what’s not to like?  They work and are interesting
• Matthew Reilly Contact (as downloadable audiobook).  I have read this before, but it is still a fun read, and a reminder of why libraries need a good digitisation program with excellent offsite backup
• Georgette Heyer The convenient wife – not a good one, characters not likeable and story a very long bow
• Georgette Heyer The devil’s cub – this was a fun romp

Also reading New Scientist, Games informer, Jamie

Denizens

  Garth Nix in his The keys to the kingdom series has characters, known as Denizens. They inhabit another world connected to ours but not part of it.  They were made by the Great Architect and are process oriented and can not create anything new, but they can produce amazing copies.  They can not see the big picture and they can rarely think creatively or imaginatively.  Superior Denizens have much more flexibility, they still can not create anything new, but their thought processes are more flexible. 

Some of the Denizens are in groups named after beaurocracies such as Sorcerous Supernumeraries and Paper pushers.   The key idea is that there are many characters who are resistant to change, very process oriented and not able to look at the big picture.  Just as well as it is a series of stories and not real. 

By the way it is a very interesting series to read.

Scare up a good book

I am participating in the twitter based reading group readit2011.  The January theme was scare up a good book #suagb.  I don’t read much horror, so this month was going to be a challenge for me.  My reading for the year started badly, so that might count as scary.  I started but did not finish two much praised management books (and they will remain nameless).  One was about using social media at work.  It was a personal story of success in doing that, backed by a family business.  The author kept telling the reader to quit our jobs, but he did not have a history of doing this, having worked for the family firm since before he left school.  This presented a credibility issue for me.  The other abandon was a management book which told me to be neat and tidy (before it went anywhere else).  As a fan of A perfect mess this was not going to work either.

Fortunately my reading picked up at this point. 

• Dog loves books – an enjoyable picture book which could work as a guide for readers advisory work 
• Jennifer Cruisie Getting rid of Bradley –  entertaining romance reading 
• S J Rozan A bitter feast – a reminder of some of the uses of oleander 
• Richard Khadry Kill the dead – is in the scary category but mainly for the blood and other gore
• Richard Hetzler The Mitsitam Café Cookbook – lots of fun recipes to try 
• Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith The Greyfriar – this is the first part of a trilogy and I will be reading the second part when it is available.  It presents an alternative future with a long running battle between the humans and the vampires 
• Barry Maitland Bright air – an ecological mystery with many betrayals 
• Scott Westerfield Behemoth – this is in the ripping yarns category with some beautiful imagined machines and fabricated animals 
• Garth Nix Mister Monday (preparing for a seminar where the author is speaking) great page turner, very enjoyable and imaginative – includes the very scary bibliophages which feed on text (well it is scary if you work in a library), there was also a lot of compassion in this title, and Grim Tuesday which was an excellent audio book 
• Anathem by Neal Stephenson  This book is way too good just to read once, (I am up to my third reading).  I really like Neal Stephenson’s work, and it is well worth waiting years between titles.  This one has some lovely use of scientific theory as well as many other wonderful ideas like page trees (which is where paper comes from, it is grown as leaves which are then cut to size) and library grapes (which are grapes with the complete genetic sequencing of all grapes – how they grow depends on location) .

Also reading Jamie (the food magazine), New Scientist, delicious

My reading has been a mix of audio, e-books and paperbased.  I have only mentioned the titles I finished this month.  I have several other titles which I have started, but they will be mentioned when I finish them.

I have been playing Angry birds,  Wordworth, Plants and zombies and World of Warcraft.