Week Four

Great job everyone on the prompt responses and annotations! I'm pleased that you all tried out a variety of RA resources. Also, great job commenting on each other's posts. Keep it up! 

One of the questions on the prompt response that seemed to stump some of you, was how to find "clean" reads. Searching for that can be a doozy! Searching for "cozy" or "inspirational" books can usually help guarantee there is nothing dirty hidden in the book. Also if you go to Amazon, look up the book and then use the "search within the book" feature (make sure you click on the print book, not the kindle version), you can type in a few profane or dirty words. That feature will search the entire text! If you get 0 results back, odds are that it may be clean (at least from swear words, sex scenes can be more difficult).

Ok all, this is the week for your Secret Shopper visit! No other response this week, just the reading and this assignment. A couple of points:

Look over the assignment description! At least two pages, double spaced!  Please upload your paper to the assignment tool and then post a summary of your paper to your blog.

Please don't tell us what library you went to! Unless you had an amazing experience! I don't expect that to be the case for everybody. Many people can have a bad day, and the point of this exercise isn't to shame our underfunded, understaffed public libraries - it's to show us how we can improve.

Glance over some of the articles we've read about RA interviews before you go, to remember what is supposed to happen.

Have an idea of what type of book you are looking for in mind. This is a great time to try to find a book for that romance annotation ;)

I've read about some great transactions and about some horrible transactions over the years. Let's hope you all get great examples of amazing customer service!

Week Three Prompt Response

 So two things this week- first, I would like you to use Novelist if you are able (not every public library owns it, if you don't have access and want it, contact me and I can give you my access). Answer the following questions using Novelist (or another RA site) as much as you can - just to familiarize yourself with it if you aren't already using it.  Explain why you chose the books you did.

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

Second, after you get a chance to do the readings, I want to hear about how you find books to read. It could be a site or a resource you've just discovered or one you've used for years, one you use for yourself or for your patrons or family and friends. It could even be the New York Times or Tiktok!

Personally, I believe Novelist to be the best online tool, but it's not the only one. I use GoodReads as well as some trade journals (Library Journal, Book List, Kirkus, etc.).

I look forward to reading your prompts! Make sure they are posted to your blog by this Sunday evening. Same for everyone who signed up to annotate suspense, thrillers, and adventure! Any questions get in touch with me however is easiest for you. Thanks!

Welcome to Week Three

Welcome to Week Three! I am really excited to read your Suspense, Thriller, and Adventure annotations.

Don't forget to check out all the readings in the syllabus for this week. Please review those and read your classmate's annotations and prompt responses. Feel free to start a discussion here, on your blog, or on a classmates blog about things you've noticed about this week's three genres (don't forget, participation is part of your grade!). We are all learning from each other here. Also, for clarification, for your class participation you can respond on 3 annotations OR prompt responses. You don't have to do 3 of each  - unless you want to ;).

Second – this week we are reviewing the tools of the trade. Quite possibly the most useful and popular tool is Novelist. This is a database that most public libraries subscribe to. IndyPL subscribes to Novelist, and with your IUPUI registration, you are eligible for an IndyPL card, but I know a lot of you don’t live anywhere near Indianapolis so it may not exactly feasible to get a card, but just know that you can!

If you are able to find Novelist in your library’s list of databases, there are plenty of tutorials on how to use it. Directly to the right of the search box should be a button that says “How to Use Novelist.” Also, above that are several tiny links, one of which is Help. That has also proven very useful to me. If your library does not have Novelist and you want to play around with it, let me know and I will give you access through my my library. It's worth playing around in!!

So, by the end of this week, please finish the assigned readings in the syllabus and I will need from you:

 1. Suspense, Thriller, and Adventure Annotations
 2. Prompt Response (I will post shortly)

*For the annotations, please don't wait until the very last minute to post them, we want to give your classmates time to read and comment on them. Please also remember that by the end of Week Four I will need to have your Secret Shopper Assignment! That one takes some planning so be looking ahead!

Examples of Annotations

Below are some examples of annotations from last year's students. You have freedom to play around with them a little but and make them your own as long as you include enough relevant info about the book. One student always included a tea pairing with each book.

You can also look at appendix A in the syllabus to get some guidance. I expect your five annotations to be about as long (or longer if you wish) as these examples. Also, the summary must be written in your own words! Since you are reading the book YOU selected you should have no problem coming up with a summary in your own voice.  If you use an Amazon, Barnes, and Noble, or publisher's summary you will receive zero points!

Included at the end is a grading rubric so you know how they will be graded. Feel free to comment if you have any questions!

https://laurenhackertra.blogspot.com/2022/03/historical-fiction-before-we-were-yours.html

https://lizthelibrarian1.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-greatest-beer-run-ever-annotation.html

https://abookwormandherbooks.blogspot.com/2023/03/week-11-western-annotation-lonesome-dove.html

https://cfts-ra.blogspot.com/2023/03/babel-or-necessity-of-violence-arcane.html

Week Two

 Hello Everyone!

Hope you are having a pleasant start to this semester. Please let me know if you have any questions about the syllabus or assignments. I know there is a lot of reading this week – bear with it, it’s all for a good cause. If you're having trouble finding any of the articles on the syllabus please let me know!

By the end of this week (January 21), I will need from you:

1. Your Blog URL.  So far over half the class has worked ahead. Kudos!

2. The five genres you will be reading and annotating for this class. Annotations will be due in the week they are assigned, and will be turned in on your blog. You do not have to know what books you are reading yet, just what genres. Look over last week's blog post while you're deciding what genres to choose; some weeks we discuss more than one and you probably don't want to have to do two annotations in one week. Email me your selections so I can make a spreadsheet to see who all is covering what genres. Be sure to pick at least one outside your comfort zone!

3. Your reading profile posted to your blog.

I also posted some sample reading profiles in a blog post last week. Shortly, I will post examples of annotations. Feel free on your blog to talk about your personal feelings about the book as well. If you are doing a suspense or a thriller, get reading! Those annotations will be due by the end of Week Three.

As always, let me know if you have any questions! You can reach me through email, on canvas, or by commenting anywhere on the class blog!

My Personal Reading Profile

This isn't required reading and you won't be graded on this, but I did have a few of you ask me what my reading profile is, so here goes.

I am what you would call a voracious reader. I picked up reading at the age of three and over the years I have become quite a speed reader. I read at least an hour a day (on my lunch break) and always listen to at least 30 minutes of an audiobook (sometimes more if I'm running errands). I used to average 200+ books a year except for the past two years. I had a baby (my first kid) in 2022 and my reading has markedly dropped (totally worth it though). In 2023 I was able to read 132 books, although I read almost 700 picture books!  I'm also in 3 book clubs and review for several publishing companies. The only trophy in my house is the trophy I got in kindergarten for reading 100 books. I was the jerk kid that aced every AR test, had all the Book-It pins and always won the summer reading contest at the local library.

I am also one of those people that can't NOT finish a book. I will hate read a book and write a scathing review of it on Goodreads, rather than just putting it down and starting something else. I annoy myself, but I have yet to break the habit.

I'm a very eclectic reader, I will read and review anything you put in front of me. If it's free or for a book club, I'll read it. I once convinced my book club to read a nonfiction book on Beanie Babies because I'm a monster (the book was "The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute" by Zac Bissonnette - it's fabulous - read it).

Feel free to add me on Goodreads if you haven't already, I write reviews for every book I read. You can find me at https://www.goodreads.com/ecataldi.

My all time favorite authors, series, and books are:

• The Harry Potter series
• Kurt Vonnegut 
• Ray Bradbury
• The Hannibal Lector trilogy
• The Stand by Stephen King
• Watchmen by Alan Moore
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• The Riverworld series by Philip Jose Farmer
• Matthew Quick
• Laurell K. Hamilton
• The Dear America series
• The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
• The Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith
• Ellis Peters
• Ian Fleming
• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Reading Profile Examples

I know some of you are eager to get started on next week's assignment and I've had a few questions as to what a reading profile looks like. It doesn't have to be formal, but it should summarize what your reading tastes are. You can include favorite books, authors, genres, etc. It's also helpful to explain why you like what you like. Below you'll find two samples of reading profiles. Remember there is no right or wrong way to do it! Include whatever you think is relevant for us to know! I'd like at least two paragraphs. Also, please comment on at least three of your classmate's reading profiles. We don't have discussion boards but I will be keeping track of how often you interact with your classmates. For the comments I'm not looking at length, just content. Share readers' advisory related stories, similar books or interests. If you have further questions please don't hesitate to contact me!

 - READING PROFILE # 1 - 

I am an avid reader and my goal for 2024 is to read 120 books (last year I read 102 and the year before that 65!). My favorite genre is literary fiction, classic literature, fantasy, and horror. My least favorite genre is romance, specifically romance that is super cheesy and predictable. Currently, I am reading The Diviners by Libba Bray (for a young adult book club). Speaking of book clubs, I am involved in four, one of which I started with some of my friends from undergrad. Some other tid bits about me, I am a reviewer for Tyndale Press, Waterbrook Press, and The Library Journal (yay for free books!). The staff know me on a first name basis at Half Price Books because I come in so often to buy and sell books. I own around two thousand books (maybe more, I gave up counting). I have a serious book addiction. Here are some lists for your reading pleasure:

* Top 5 books I read in 2023 were:
1. Enchantments - Kathryn Harrison (historical fiction about Rasputin’s daughter – mesmerizing!)
2. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness (a monster visits a boy as his mom’s cancer worsens – heart wrenching! The movie adaptation is outstanding!)
3. Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman (a pop culture look at dead rock musicians in the US – really engrossing read!)
4. The Watch - Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya (the conflict in Afghanistan through different perspectives – must read!)
5. American Gods – Neil Gaiman (finding the soul of America through old gods and new – simply stunning! - plus the show is aaaa-mazing!)

* My Top 5 ALL TIME FAVORITE Books/Series:
1. The Stand by Stephen King
2. The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
3. The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin
4. The Hannibal Lector trilogy (prequel not included, it was crap!) by Thomas Harris
5. Welcome to the Monkeyhouse by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

 - READING PROFILE #2 - 

When I have time to read I usually stick to murder mysteries or medical thrillers. Every once in a blue moon I'll branch out by reading a different genre but I'm comfortable in my rut. I really like cozy mysteries and medieval mysteries because I like trying to figure out who the thief or murderer is. I like it even better when I can't figure it out. I like a good head scratcher!

When I'm looking for something a little more serious (or hardcore) I like authors like Robin Cook or Michael Crichton. Since these authors are a little more intense I usually like to read something light afterwards (like one of my cozy mysteries).

I've also been branching out into audiobooks and they really make the drive to work much more bearable. Some of the older mystery novels don't have good narrators, but most newer audiobooks have fantastic narrators and they really help make the stories that much more thrilling!

My favorite authors in those genres are: Laura Childs, Karen E. Olsen, Joanna Fluke, Miranda James, Robin Cook, and Michael Connely. I'm really hoping this class will help me expand my horizons. Since I have very specific reading tastes I'm hoping to learn more about other genres so that I can recommend them to patrons and maybe find a new favorite.

Genres!

I've gotten a few questions clarifying what the genres are that you can pick from for next week's assignment. Below are the genres that we will be discussing and annotating this semester. Everyone will be picking five. You do not have to know what books you are reading yet, just what genres. I suggest picking at least one or two that you are NOT familiar with as well as picking one genre that you know and love. All the books read in this class must be adult, the only time you can read a young adult novel is if you select the young adult genre. Also, if you are unsure what genre category your book is, feel free to email me. Sometimes it's hard to tell what genre a book is. For example, is Gone Girl a suspense or thriller? Spoiler, it's in the thriller genre :)

You have until next Sunday (Jan 21) to email me what your chosen genres are so you still have plenty of time to think about what to pick. You may want to "space out" your annotations, to even out your work-load this semester. You will be required to post your genre annotation in the week that we discuss that genre (I have included the timeline below). You may not want to over work yourself and pick two genres that we discuss within one week. For example, fantasy AND westerns are discussed in the same week and if you picked both genres you would have two annotations due in that same week. If you're cool with that, that is perfectly fine by me, just make sure you're giving yourself ample time to read and annotate your books.

Also, not all the genres below are actually “genres” – young adult and new adult are more of an age range than a genre and diverse reads certainly is not a genre. It’s so easy to read old white men (and again – that’s not a problem – they are prolific!), I just wanted to make sure that students had an opportunity to read authors that came from minoritized populations. I am not trying to “other” these authors or group them into a genre – you can find diverse reads in EVERY genre – I just wanted to make sure that they are not overlooked so I always set aside a week to highlight diversity in literature. 

If you have any questions feel free to comment below or email me. 

Suspense (week 3)
Thrillers (week 3)
Adventure (week 3) 
Horror (week 6)
Romance (week 6)
Mysteries (week 7) 
Science Fiction (week 7)  
Relationship Fiction (week 8) 
Gentle Reads (week 8)
Fantasy (week 11) 
Historical Fiction (week 11) 
Westerns (week 11)
Literary Fiction (week 12) 
Non-fiction (week 12) 
New Adult (week 13) 
Young Adult (week 13) 
Diverse Reads: Authors from Minoritized Population (week 14) 

Welcome to Week One

 Hello Everyone!

I am very excited to get to know you all and get this class going! My name is Erin Cataldi, and I will be teaching this course. I am the teen and adult services librarian at the Clark Pleasant Branch of the Johnson County Public Library as well as the readers' advisory manager. If you're ever in Whiteland (south of Indianapolis), please feel free to visit me! I'd love to get to meet you in person as well!

This class is fun. We read fun things and generally have great discussions. However it has a lot of reading. If you are interested in doing Readers’ Advisory you likely enjoy reading anyway, but I want to make sure at the beginning that all of you are aware that you will be responsible for readings in the textbook, relevant articles, and reading five novels in different genres throughout the course of this class. It's definitely doable, but can be challenging to fit in if you work full time and/or have kids. Audiobooks can help you out and are acceptable ways to read your five novels! I will expect you to allude to the readings in your weekly prompts.

This week I want you to concentrate on learning a bit about the history of readers’ advisory, reviewing the syllabus, and thinking about what genres you will be interested in learning more about. By the end of Week Two, you will need to tell me what five genres you are interested in reading and annotating for this class. I strongly recommend that you choose at least one genre that you never read, for your own benefit and learning experience, and one genre you are an expert in or that is your favorite, for our benefit and learning experience.

Also by the end of Week Two, you will need to create a blog. Most of our communication in this class will be via blog. I feel this is a more organic way to communicate than Canvas forums, plus you can keep it after you graduate. If you have never created a blog before and need help let me know. I used to let students pick whatever blog site they wanted but it led to some chaos, so I am requiring everyone to create a blog using blogger. It is very easy to create and upkeep, and it's free! Once you give me your blog URL, I will post it in the blog roll on this blog. That way you can see all of your classmates’ blogs and easily comment on them, follow them, however you want to keep track – it’s up to you. It has proven a great way to start or add to your social network of librarians. Feel free to use your current blog if you have one (as long as it is in Blogger) – just please label any assignments clearly.

I will expect you to comment on each others’ blogs. Every Sunday evening I will check all blogs and mark down the comments on that week's posts, keeping tallies to make sure everyone is participating. I expect more than one word replies as this will count towards your class participation. At least three well written comments should be written per student, per week. Every week I encourage you to check out different student's blogs as well, don't just comment on the same few, make it a point to visit a few new student's blogs every week, there are a lot of you in this class!

Reading about what other people are reading helps A LOT in readers’ advisory. I know this probably goes unsaid but just in case, there is one ground rule – this is a safe place. No teasing each other – if someone says the only book they have ever loved is a sparkly vampire romance they are to be treated with respect, just as a patron would. The definition of a good book, for the purpose of readers' advisory, is always one that is enjoyed by the reader.

I have posted more detailed assignment descriptions in Canvas resources. Please review them this week and let me know if you have any questions. Please check this blog weekly!

You may ask me questions any way is easy for you – comment on this blog or you can text or email me. During the week I should be able to get back within a few hours, but on the weekend my response time may be more than 24 hours (I have a toddler at home), so please don't procrastinate until the weekend when you have assignments due! Thanks, and I really look forward to getting to know all of you! Happy Monday!