Christmas is coming!

Audio-visual materials at the library are becoming a huge part of daily checkouts.  Straight fiction movie are super popular, and so are TV box sets.   We have got donations of some the loveliest TV series with multiple set. ( For example, Grey's Anatomy, Sherlock, and all the CSI's. )

I remember when HMV used to have about a 1/4 shelf of TV box sets,  now they have many store-length shelves to hold them all.

What does that say about reading? Well, as a person who loves books and dvd sets, I would say that each has place in your entertainment world.  When you are tired and just want to put your feet up, the dvd's win, but when you are relaxing before going to bed, the book wins.

I believe that having multiple types of media are a reflection of the diversity of the world and all of us in it.  Of course there are some patrons who only want DVDs, just like there are some who only want printed material, and another group likes the downloadable ebooks and audiobooks.  It's okay to be different.

Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas 2014 time is full of books!

I have just gotten back from a two week holiday, first in Alberta and then in Ontario.  One thing that travelling always does is to bring new books into your life.  Even nonreaders will often spend time getting a pocket novel from the airport shops.   There is no disconnect in the book market across Canada, which is kind of surprising.

So what's hot this season.

Sarah Style - this has to be the top decorating book, as it features the much loved TV personality Sarah Richardson.  The photography shoots are amazing and lots of people would love it just for that alone.  The upbeat cover and enticing colours throughout make an irresistable buy.

Oh She Glows Cookbook - this book is almost more than a cookbook in fame and presence in the marketplace.  The Canadian cover is far superior than the American cover, and I predict some visiting Americans will buy it and will think she also has another book out.  A big appeal to long time vegetarians and vegan, who know Angela Liddon from her blog, and I expect lots of Canadians will be trying out these recipes in the new year.

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules - these seems to be flying off the shelf.  For the 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared crowd .... and there are plenty of them.

The Paying Guests - Sarah Waters has gone from newly discovered to truly popular in a few books.  A great literary author.

Not That Kind of Girl - It's not chick lit, it is something else and females way younger than me have a copy or want a copy.

So what book are you hoping Santa will bring you?  You could always buy it and wrap it from your Secret Santa.

November!

This quiet grey sometimes rainy (sometimes snowy) is one month I have learned to like.  How could you not see the beauty in the softness of the skies and the quietness of November?

November is a reflective month.  We prepare for Christmas by shopping early, thinking of each present the other would truly delight in.  We collectively reflect on Remembrance Day, about the losses others have had for our present day.

Even at the library my boss has been reflecting on the fall programs and wondering how to tweek the menu them to better serve everyone.   It is always a juggle, but a rewarding one, I think, when we get it right.

Books, books, books  - yes to get my supply of mysteries is fantastic.  I recommend Julia Fleming-Spencer, Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity series, and Martha Grime's Richard Jury .

Lately I have also been reading some of Stephen Clarke's Paris books.  This guy has made a career out of writing about the French and Paris in particular.   Hope you enjoy a quiet November!

In Praise of September

September is such a busy month that most my of my life I have never really singled it out as a great month in the year.  Everything is still lush from our summer, only the most unhappy tree has changed it's colour to autumn tones and whole world is in a dizzy but beautiful last burst of warm temperatures.   Plus, we get to sleep soundly in the cooler temperatures at night.

Of course it is a busy time at the library.  All of our fall programs are starting up, and we are somewhat short of volunteers to help out with the 101 tasks in day-to-day operations.  A few souls actually continued to volunteer throughout the summer.  Such dedication!

I think everyone is effected by the school year, long after any connection to the school year is absent in a practical family way.  Case in point:  the school buses are everywhere in the morning.  Case in point no. 2:  all the back to school supplies in the stores.  Case in point no. 3:  .late in the afternoon you see a lot of youth walking down the street, on their way home.  Yes, fall is a special season that effects us all.   How does if make a mark on you?

Chocolate mmmmmmmmm!

Chocolate is another source of great pleasure for me, and it only enhanced with a cup of tea, and of course a great book.  I think this activity truly hits all the right buttons for me.  No matter how bad my day was, this is the perfect way to relax.  Now I don't mind the wine in late afternoon or evening, but the tea and chocolate are the perfect compliment to each other.

Does anyone else share this wonderful addiction?

I read somewhere that all women love shopping for shoes, or for handbags, or for bath products.  Pick your poison.

I could maybe live without those three but the books and the chocolate  are a necessity of life.

What's your poison?

Summer

We are having an strange summer here in the Maritimes.  Hot and sunny days followed by cold and rainy cold days.

I think that everyone's taste is books is heavily influenced by a change in weather.  Our beach reads go out really well on hot and sunny days, but hardly budge on rainy ones, and the mysteries go out on the dark and wet days (among others).

Nobody likes a good summer read than women   Really women keep the library going.  Hey Sisters!!  They drive their kids to the program, check out the displays, and take out a lot of books.  Women are the risk takers.  Go team ladies!

Now guys are all about nonfiction or one favorite author, usually Michael Connolly, or James Patterson or another male author.  Of course there are exceptions,  and there are some authors which capture the attention of both sexes. 

Life in the library is seldom dull - no one would believe it unless they work there.   

Wine and books

This summer I have vowed to learn to like wine.  I live on a street where all the residents come out and invite you over for glass of wine, and I need to drink it to be more agreeable.  So I have taken the proverbial bull by the horns and have bought a full box (yes it's tacky) of Hochtaler wine (not the dry one).   

Surprise, surprise, I found myself enjoying it.  Since my husband drinks only Chardonnay, and I have often been given dry wines to drink, I am amazed that I am actually loving it.  

Looking forward to many afternoons drinking my wine and reading my library books.

Oh, by the way, the Spotlight section is going really well, and except for David Sedaris, I am predicting what a lot of our patrons are in the mood for.  I'll drink to that!

Revisiting movies from the past

We have had a DVD donation drive at the library, and there have been a few DVD's that I remember watching years ago, likely on tv.   I am not as old as the ladies in this film (ahem!) but I do understand a patron's comment about enjoying this more when you are mature.  It has a gentle and dreamy quality that is almost impossible to find.

Another one of my favorites of this type is Enchanted April.  It sucks me in every time.

British Mysteries

There is a whole segment of our patrons who love British Mysteries, and I count myself among them.  I think my love of this genre started when I read my first Agatha Christie.   I also like watching them on DVD.

Here is my list of those I enjoy the most.

Martha Grimes - The Richard Jury Series.       You really need to start at the first to get the best sense of the characters. Melrose Plant is one of my favourite characters ever.

Kate Charles - She writes Ecclesiastical mysteries.  So very English and I love the behind the scenes look of the vicar's lives.  If you were a fan of Susan Howatch's Starbridge series, you would probably love these.

Elizabeth George - The Inspector Lynley series.  Start at the beginning and stop after With No One As Witness, number 13 is the series.

Patricia Wentworth - Miss Silver series.  If you enjoyed Miss Marple and want something like, this author is for you.

Ann Granger (the Mitchell and Markby Village series).  These are easy to read and so satisfying.

Carolyn Graham (Chief Inspector Barnaby series ) Better know as the Midsomer Murders on TV and DVD.

Rebecca Tope - She uses to write for TV in England and now does her own series.   I have been pleased with her stories and recommend them.

Louise Penny and Julia Spencer Flemming are honorary British authors even though they set their mysteries in Quebec and New York State respectively - their books are so well written. Less thriller and more pure mystery.  

I am sure I missed a few, but this is what comes to mind this morning.

Titles that Go Missing (for those who are curious)

Every library has titles that get marked missing or lost more that others.  Here is a breakdown of what goes in our library.


HOW TO DO YOUR OWN DIVORCE  IN NEW BRUNSWICK

BACKPACKING IN EUROPE (my theory is that the books does go to Europe, and doesn't come back)

Books about LOCAL CRIME

Books about SEX

FYI UPDATE 2025 : I can scarcily keep track of all the books that go missing even though they are only a small fraction of our total circulation. We periodically get a list of Lost and Missing titles. Sometimes we locate them on our shelves (sorry Patrons!) Most get a NOS (Not on Shelf) notation. Other branches find them and often they come back with patrons who are apologetic. Life is busy and we all need time to go back and remember where we last saw the book. Some are lost in house moves and all the boxes take a long time open and sort. We appreciate the effort all our patrons take to locate a missing book.

Spotlight- A great ideas for Libraries

We have tried something new at our library.   We feature multiple copies of the same book, changed bi-weekly or more, and have the display immediately opposite the front door.

It's working!

I have a fairly eclectic taste in reading material, and often order books I have been wanting to read, but simply don't have the time.  (see post one - I am working full time).

If I feel stuck, co-workers have been wonderful in suggesting titles that they have particularly enjoyed.


This is a value-added display for our patrons, and also is a at-hand title to recommend .

Are Libraries Obsolete?

This question was asked by Jian Gomeshi in his show Q at CBC.ca.   Urban affair critic Christopher Hume and writer Jon Reiner debated this question when the New York Public Library asked for $300,000 million to upgrate the library.  Here's the clincher.........in an effort to make the library more user friendly, they wanted to warehouse millions of reference books and make a great seating area and cafe.  BONG!!!!!!!!!

This was the catalyst for people to think about the roles of libraries in the modern age.  What role should the library play in cities and communities?  Is a social hub or and a place where people and books meet?  (I could say where they change each other, but that is an entirely different blog):).

The New York Public Library states that there were few visits to the reference stacks, but the outcry from the majority of  New Yorkers is that they want the books to stay.  They want libraries to take care of the past and not warehouse it.

The New York Public Library noted that membership goes up when a library remodels itself to be  a community hub.  There's the rub - how do libraries modernize and get funding without getting rid of the books and loosing your unique status.

I witness these two perspectives at Kennebecasis Public.  Usually a non-user comes in, marvels at the building, and then asks why we need such a large place when in fact print books are one the way out?
Hold on there!!  I see no evidence of that here in the valley.  Residents who do use the library love print books, and are happy to leave with an armload each visit.  Mothers, fathers, and grandparents take home stacks for reading.  Teens get into series and can't wait for the next one to be written. 

Here is where we have changed: we do more programming that is community driven.  We enter into partnerships with those who have something to offer our community.  That is how we are becoming a a social hub.  Our library has even won the community impact award.  We are doing it every day and our statistics prove it.

I do not know what is the correct answer for the New York Public Library, but I hope they find out that most New Yorks are happy with.

It's Canada Reads season!

I am pretty sure that our statistics go up from Canada Reads.  It used to be that Oprah's bookclub brought new requests, but I would say that there is a strong correlation between CBC listeners and Canada Reads. 

This year we have a good selection, with Margaret Atwood's Year of the Flood being the front runner. 

Here is the link for Canada Reads. Check out the other four books which are competing for the best Canadian CBC Read-Of-The-Year,

http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/listen/index.html

My Favorite Genre

I am very fortunate indeed to be surrounded by so many books each day, and it is a little like being a kid in a candy store.  We have a plentiful number of mysteries here, and my very favorite are the British Mystery selections.

When did I not like to read this genre?

I remember a time when I could not read, and my sister (who was already in school) would teach me the alphabet by breathing on the window and writing the letters by wiping the condensation.  Shortly afterward I think it was Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew which got me started down the path of no return.

In university I remember reading rather too many Agatha Christie's.  Heaven!

Now almost all of the titles are out on DVDs, which are rather easier on my eyes. 

Where does the fascination come from?  That I cannot answer.  Fortunately, there is a whole nation of mystery lovers like myself.  Enjoy this video.

Self-Checkouts

Our library has two self checkouts and it is a novelty for patrons to have them here.  Some patrons are excited to have something new that can use and sped over there to try them out.  Others haven't ventured over and like face-to-face contact.

It al

The Jane Austen Bookclub

I am hosting a Jane Austen bookclub at the library.  We started in January with an introduction and meet once a month.   This month we are reading Pride and Prejudice.   I find that I really have to set aside time to read Austen - I enjoy it but each book is like a friendship - it takes time to build it up to feel comfortable with the characters.  Austen doesn't give everything away at first, and only the reader who is will to commit the time will find the books marvellous.

As a result of the time commitment, I have only 4-5 others in the group - but they are committed and of course we are loving the conversations around the characters.  By the end of the hour, they seem like real people we all know.

A few patrons have asked for a Agatha Christie bookclub.  Christie, like Austen, was born and bred in England.  Perhaps all this stems from my great love of British mysteries.  Ah, the heady love of the literary anglophile!

Marketing in the Library

As we have all had a recent expansion to our library in Quispamsis, our staff has been encouraged to market programs and displays in a new and modern way.  We are all taking online media training at present, and we are discovering new things every week.  It is a bit like being in a retail store and moving around the merchandise, while thinking of new ways to advertise and meet the needs of our patrons.

Now, I think I have hit on the hotspot, or the SWEET spot of our library.  It is right at the very front of our desk, and one of the very first things that our patrons see on entering our library.  We have named it our SPOTLIGHT section.   I order multiple copies of the same title and the idea is that patrons will be drawn to read the highlighted book of the (bi) week.  Will mulitiple copies add the perceived value of the book?

Curiously, a lot of patrons add the book to their pile at check out, largely because it is with arms reach.

Could it be that books are like real estate and it all about Location, Location, Location?  Stay tuned for more blogs as I test my theory.

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/missha/434222764/">missha</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

The Library as Medicine

I have often thought that working in a bookstore or a library is a little bit like a dispensing pharmacy.  Our patrons enter through our doors, often needing assistance to find what they need.  They rely on our guidance to suggest a section to peruse or a new author to read.  They are looking for information and/or literary satisfaction.  Whether it is a book on resumes, something to help a birth mom meet their natural child, or something to improve their child's attitude toward math - we are the person that tracks down the information, detecting nuances in the questions.   We size the ages of the children and their reading ability with a few questions, and voila - we offer a few books as possible candidates.  This is service in the very essence of the word. I can't think of a job that keeps you in touch with the community as much as being a library clerk.



http://www.teleread.com/books/in-the-uk-books-can-now-be-prescribed-as-medicine/