Game On: Providing Readers’ Advisory Game of Thrones Style

            The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library (MPHPL) is a mid-sized library system that serves over 85,000 residents of Penn and Harris Township (“About Us”) of which 66% are registered card holders.  A reciprocal borrowing agreement with the St. Joseph County Public Library as well as nine other area library systems expands the library’s user base (“Reciprocal Borrowing Guidelines”).  The Mishawaka Library is open 52 hours per week; the Bittersweet Branch and Harris Branch are each open 46 hours per week.  The Mishawaka Library is located in a downtown setting and sees a fair share of homeless and lower income patrons.  The Bittersweet and Harris Branches are located conveniently by subdivisions and patrons tend to be fairly well educated and middle-to-upper class.

            MPHPL has a well-rounded popular collection of fiction titles.  The fiction collection is sub-divided out into fiction, mystery, fantasy, romance, science-fiction, urban fiction, and western.  A large print section offers similar sub-sections. For those patrons who prefer digital services, MPHPL offers the 3M Cloud Library as well as Baker & Taylor’s Axis 360 for eBooks.  For those that enjoy listening to books on audio, all three MPHPL locations have a wide selection of Books on CD and eAudiobooks via One Click Digital and Hoopla.

            Fantasy books and fantasy-themed graphic novels are two extremely popular collections at MPHPL, especially at the Mishawaka Library.  With the fifth season of Game of Thrones premiering on HBO in April 2015 as well as plans for an upcoming themed library program, the idea for a Game of Thrones display was conceived.  One of the Reference Librarians discovered an old chair in the library’s basement and took it home for her dad to convert into the throne.  I suggested that this could dub as a great way to display the Song of Ice and Fire series.    

            The decision was made to create a bookmark listing all of the books in the Song of Ice and Fire series, a George R.R. Martin bibliography, and a read-a-like pamphlet.  The form these three items would take was one of the earliest factors considered in the process.  The series is not large, even with the inclusion of the two books not yet published, so we felt that this information would be best displayed in a bookmark format that a patron could use for reference and also for its intended use as a place marker.  George R.R. Martin has an extensive bibliography, so a columned handout was planned for patrons to easily grab and fold if needed.  Rather than include every single short story Martin has ever written, a link to Fantastic Fiction, a great RA tool, was to be included on the handout.  Lastly, the need

for read-a-likes was necessary due to the fact that the Song of Ice and Fire books are almost always checked out and we don’t like to see patrons leave empty-handed.  Also, many patrons have recently caught up with the series and they are looking for something to whet their appetite as they wait for the next book.  With space at a premium, a three-fold pamphlet with annotated read-a-like suggestions Song of Ice and Fire series seemed to be the most attractive format to use to encourage patrons to pick up and stick in a book or purse.  Each annotation would focus on at least one thing that patrons enjoy about the

            All materials were created using Microsoft Word (see external attachments).  NoveList was used to create the bookmarks as well as the annotated pamphlet.  Amazon.com was also referenced for the annotated pamphlet. The bibliography was created with information retrieved from Fantastic Fiction (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/).  The fonts Calibri and TeXGyreAdventor were used across all materials to maintain consistency.

            Selections for the annotated pamphlet were chosen from NoveList’s series read-a-likes. I did a search for Game of Thrones and then went down through the list.  I also found room in the pamphlet to include some author read-a-likes.  I had wanted to include at least one young adult crossover series on my list and was happy to see that NoveList already had one (Half a King trilogy by Joe Abercrombie).  Rather than do an MLA formatted list, I organized the pamphlet alphabetically by series name.  This way, a patron can go to the shelves and browse for each series under the author’s last name.  The Reference Services staff will also be able to look up each book in the series using Fantastic Fiction or NoveList if a patron needs more information.  If the library does not own a series, most of the series are old enough that interlibrary loan service can be used.

            The most difficult part of this assignment was the annotations. I have not read Game of Thrones and I’m not a big reader of fantasy.  I wanted to make sure the annotations were original enough, yet gave the reader an idea of what type of story to expect.  I found NoveList’s characterization and pacing notes to be extremely helpful as I put everything together.  Another thing that I noticed when putting the pamphlet together was that synopsis for fantasy books are extremely long due to the complicated settings and plots.   Creating synopsis that give the reader a general idea of the story without going overboard was at times a challenge.

            In conclusion, I found this to be a very useful exercise.  Even though our program was unexpectedly delayed, the materials created for this class will be used with promotion for the program and also for anyone that asks about what to read after Game of Thrones.

Works Cited

“About Us.”  MPHPL.  Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library, 2015.  Web.  15 Apr. 2015.

“Reciprocal Borrowing Guidelines.”  MPHPL.  Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library, 2015.

Web.  15 Apr. 2015.

Week 16 Prompt

Obviously, books and the publishing market has changed quite a bit since I was a child.  My mom was in charge of the children's section at a bookstore just a block from the library where I work.  Some of my earliest memories as a 4-year old was spending the morning at the bookstore going through all the new books with her. I remember a picture dictionary that I especially coveted and I remember her teaching me how to take care of books because books are our friends.  I have always loved books, my parents always spoiled my by buying rather than borrowing books, and I've considered books my only friends at times.

Books are an emotional subject for me.

Over the decades, I've seen the children's and teen book market explode with more options than I could have ever imagined.  The growth in teen reading gives me a lot of hope for our future.  I remember losing interest in reading for a short period in high school because all of the teen fiction was formulaic series with no real meat to them. Not until Harry Potter hit the mainstream and I started my job as a shelver did books pull me back in for the second time.  I found myself reflected in Hermione, down to her love-and-war relationship with that adorably frustrating ginger Ron Weasley (I had my own red-headed high school crush -- now my husband).  Harry Potter provided my bridge into adult works and I found romantic suspense and mysteries completely enthralling.  I read through the entire catalog of V.C. Andrews in just a few short month's time and my mom had long, intense talks about the characters and the dysfunctional families in the book that made our own look like child's play.

Perhaps the biggest change I've seen has been the rise in eBooks. I held out for quite awhile before trying eBooks.  Now I enjoy eBooks before bedtime, but I still love holding a book in my hands with my toes in the sand.  My mother who swore up and down she'd never stop buying print books for her bursting bookshelves has now gone through our library's entire catalog of romance books on her Kindle Fire.

I believe that, despite contrary belief, books are not going to die out anytime soon, just like libraries are not going to fade into oblivion.  I feel that eBooks will continue to grow in popularity and libraries may reduce their print collections to encourage more space for socializing and programming, yet helping patrons find books and research material will still maintain a top priority.  A Huffington Post article from 2014 notes that "in San Antonio, Texas the first-ever bookless library in the country opened.  The library is full of iMacs, tablets and iPads cost a whopping 2.3 million. The library offers around 10,000 e-books" (Convissar). This vision of a library does not appeal to me, but the idea of a library that can offer the best of both worlds and appeal to patrons' multiple preferences prevents an intriguing mental picture.

I also see more and more authors breaking away from the confines of publishers and self-publishing.  This may present a challenge to libraries in the beginning, but libraries have a way of overcoming problems with integrity and ingenuity.  Teen blogger Sarah Convissar sums up my main worry best, noting that "It is up to us to find a balance between technology and sustaining human values and interactions" (2014).  Libraries can be that balancing beam.  Libraries are more than walls.  Books, whether print or data files, are the glue that binds us to the community and the community to the world.

Works Cited

Convissar, Sarah. "Is This the Future?"  The Blog: Huff Post Teen.  Huffington Post, 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Week 15 Prompt

I think that a variety of marketing ideas working together can best market the library's fiction collection.  Some of the ideas I've had include:

• Displays, displays, displays!  Chase's Calendar of Events is full of little known celebrations that happen every day of the year.  Flip open the calendar and do an impromptu display.  Did you know April 20th is Look Alike Day ("April, 2015 Bizarre and Unique Holidays")? It's the perfect time to pull all of the fiction about twins together in one place.
• Book Clubs - Book clubs are a great way to get to know the library's patrons, their reading habits, and force patrons to step out of their reading comfort zone.  Book clubs can highlight the variety of genres available.  The librarian also has a built in audience to let patrons know about new services such as eBooks, digital eAudiobooks, and more.
• Programs - Themed events centered on a book can pull in a completely different audience than a traditional book club. For example, my library is planning a future program for Game of Thrones.  For this course's final, I've created a bookmark, pamphlet, and bibliography for patrons to pick-up while publicizing the program and also the night of the program.  Book trivia, a craft, and a photo contest can help make books come alive and also get lively discussion started on what to read next.
• Social Media - One of the trends that I've seen lately is reader's advisory service happening via social media.  Twitter is a great place for this to happen because of the short messages and fast pace.  I've also seen several libraries do a weekly post asking what patrons are reading and sharing what the librarians are reading.
• Summer Reading Programs - Summer reading is a great way to market the library's fiction.  If the library is interested in helping patrons broaden their reading repertoire, doing a summer reading genre Bingo can be fun even if some patrons may groan.  Even if you do just a 'by the book' reading program, swapping out the book display each week and highlighting a different genre will get patrons to take notice.
• Little Free Libraries - If your library has permission and a selection of books that have been donated or withdrawn, a little free library is a unique way to advertise your library.  By placing information about the library system in the little free library, you may attract users that have never walked through the doors.
• eBooks - It can be difficult to market eBooks.  I don't remember if it was this semester or last semester, but one article I read suggested making little book markers to stick on the shelf in the place the print book would be advertising that the book is available via the library's eBook service.  The bookmark could have room on the back for readalike titles!

I think something that many don't realize is that even if a program doesn't start off as a reader's advisory opportunity, it come quickly become one just by one patron asking for reading suggestions.  Even though we are talking about adult programming this week, this very thing happened to me last week during a Percy Jackson program for teens in celebration of Teen Literature Day.  We ended up having a great conversation about The Ranger's Apprentice and Harry Potter and it just took off.

Readers' advisory is an opportunity waiting around every corner when you're a librarian. Even when you don't want to, you've probably found yourself jumping into a book discussion.  I know I have!

Works Cited

"April, 2015 Holiday Bizarre and Unique Holidays." holidayinsights.com.  Premier Star Co., 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Week 14 Prompt

I struggle with my decision of whether to separate out or keep titles in with the regular fiction.  At the library where I work, we've separated out the urban fiction collection and we've noticed an increase in circulation for these items.  Most patrons are thrilled that they can just go to one section and not have to remember authors, titles, etc. and can truly browse the genre they want all in one place.  We have only had one complaint about separating out the urban fiction because they did feel like it promoted segregation.  That is one reason why I would not separate out LGBTQ fiction - I encourage people stumbling upon a book that they may not have read otherwise.  I just don't know if I have a good reason why I feel one way about one collection and another way about a different collection.The reasons I have for separating out urban fiction are:

• It's a popular genre in our community - more popular than for say Westerns, which are also separated out.

• It's a collection patrons like to browse, but get frustrated if they have to browse shelf after shelf to find one or two scattered among Evanovich and Patterson. A great NoveList article I found warns that libarians should "Be aware that many readers of urban fiction will be new to the library -- and if they discover that there is no separate section for urban fiction books (most libraries don't have one), they may be frustrated or unwilling to return" (Zellers).

• Patrons are sometimes embarrassed to ask a librarian where to find urban fiction, especially if they don't know the genre is CALLED urban fiction. For example, I had a patron come up to me after circling around the desk waiting for our male librarian to leave and ask (in a whisper) if the library had any 'African American steamy books...y'know the ones with lesbians, drugs, money...' When I showed her the urban fiction section, I told her I had read a couple, and talked to her a few moments. She began to laugh loudly, gave me a hug, and proclaimed me the most awesome librarian ever and our library as the best ever.  No small feat! 

• Urban fiction accounts for a good number of our missing books. We often find covers torn and stuffed away in shelves. By pulling the collection together in an area that is covered well by the security cameras, we've seen less instances of defacing.

Even though stumbling across an urban fiction book in the regular fiction section is a benefit, sometimes patrons will still turn away.  One way that we have gotten staff trying out urban fiction is to make it a required spot on our Winter Reading Bingo.  We also want to try this with our patrons in the future. This way, we're not requiring it, but for people that are willing to read outside their zone (and are competitive!), this might be a way to snag new, unexpected readers.While the YA rooms do not have large urban fiction collections, I have pulled out the titles and made a small display.  Before we separated out the adult urban fiction collection (and ordered a great deal of new books to make a great starting collection), I would see adults browsing my small display.
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I don't believe that LGBTQ fiction should be separated and I know that sounds so contradictory to what I just wrote!  But, just like I wouldn't put a book in the urban fiction section for having an African American or Latino character, nor would I put a book in a whole separate section just because of sexual preference.The reasons I have for not separating our LGBTQ fiction are:

• Keeping titles within the regular fiction (or in which the appropriate genre - mystery, adventure, sci-fi, etc.) allows patrons to pick up a book and read the synopsis without automatically putting a sexual slant towards it.  Many books with LGBTQ are not sexual in nature, but some people's minds automatically "go there."

• Those patrons who may not have 'come out' yet would not feel comfortable hanging out in a collection with a large sign over it to search for books. I found a really nice article from Lambda Literary by blogger Lucas J.W. Johnson who summed it up perfectly: "I don't think most LGBT books would be particularly less appealing to straight readers. I read about straight characters all the time" ("Rethinking the LGBT Book Shelf"). He also wishes that books could be in a separate section and together, but for libraries will small budgets, that would prove too costly ("Rethinking the LGBT Book Shelf").  This reasoning is especially true for young adults and the YA room.

• The library aims to be an inclusive place.  By separating out LGBTQ fiction, which is oftentimes a small collection, the library could be seen as an exclusive place instead.

The reason I would have for separating out the collection is just the same as Urban Fiction - to make it easier for people to find the books they want about the subjects they want to read about.  Then again, I feel that if we segment every part of our collection, we are doing more disorganization than organization because so many books can fall into multiple 'niches' and who is to say that one 'niche' is more important than another?  I also think that genres should be based on a theme rather than the individual characters.  This is the primary reason why urban fiction is distinctive in my argument from LGBTQ fiction.  Urban fiction is about the grittiness and realness of urban life.  LGBTQ fiction can be any genre and LGBTQ characters can get a starring role or just a small scene.The main reason I have for not separating out urban fiction is because I don't want anyone to feel that we're segregating a race.  Urban fiction has primarily African American characters and situations, but many of the books also feature others such as Latinos and occasionally Caucasians.  Urban fiction is more about the landscape and the common issues of living an urban life and I don't know that a lot of people realize that distinction.

Works Cited

Johnson, Lucas J.W.  "Rethinking the LGBT Book Shelf."  Lambda Literary. 27 Jan. 2011.  Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Zellers, Jessica.  "Getting Up to Speed in Urban Fiction."  NoveList.  EBSCO, 2013.  Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Week 13 Prompt

This week's discussion particularly hits home for me because I am passionate about graphic novels as well as Young Adult literature.  Until I started in my position as Young Adult librarian, I had no idea just how important graphic novels were to teens and adults.  As a Children's Assistant, our collection was popular and I knew it helped draw in reluctant readers, but talking to the teens opened up a whole new world of possibilities.  Manga especially has been a huge learning experience for me this year.

I truly believe that adults should read graphic novels and YA lit.  Graphic novels aimed towards adults are not just little cartoon strips to pass the time.  Some of the titles published are truly works of art.  For example, Gene Luen Yang's Boxers & Saints has a fantastic story and the artwork is crisp and lends itself well to drawing the reader in and sparking emotion in a way that text alone could not.  Some of today's popular TV series such as The Walking Dead also started out in graphic novel format.  While some might turn up their nose to 'reading with pictures,' graphic novels provide an inclusive experience and entertainment value.  While discussed more in support of children's graphic novels than adult graphic novels, the vocabulary and language found within graphic novels tends to be higher as artists and writers must choose words carefully so as to create the perfect balance between dialogue and artistry.

One of the best ways that we can support adults graphic novel reading experience is to maintain a current thorough collection.  Perhaps the comment I receive most often is that libraries will start a graphic novel series and then just stop ordering leaving the patron in the middle of a series and forced to wait for interlibrary loans or purchase items themselves.  Often libraries will stop ordering when series grow extremely large, common for many manga titles.  I once took a webinar that mentioned that libraries need to take into consideration the possibility that a series will grow large and should commit themselves to following along for the ride. If patrons begin to feel like the library will continuously end a series they may stop checking out graphic novels as they won't feel their reading interests are supported. Another great way to promote and encourage reading of graphic novels is to have a ComicCon at your library.  MPHPL will be holding our first ComicCon in June (organized by yours truly) and I have already seen more than one adult freak out excitedly when I've mentioned it.

As for YA fiction, as someone who reads across all levels, I struggle to think that some people would look down on adults that read teen fiction. Then again, I remember that over in England during the Harry Potter explosion, the publisher created 'adult' covers for those adults reading the book on the train so they wouldn't feel judged.  As an avid reader, I can sometimes forget that people might think someone reading a teen book might be a struggling reader and have to 'read down.'  The truth is that "A survey in 2012 showed that 55% of YA readers are actually adults" (Howlett).  This promising statistic alone is proof that we should ensure that adults are welcome and encouraged to read teen fiction.  So many people don't realize that teen fiction can be just as intricate, if not more, than adult reads (Harlequin, I'm looking at you!).  This past year, a fellow YA librarian and I started a YA Lit Lovers Goodreads club for teens and adults.  Unfortunately, we couldn't gain interest via Goodreads, but patrons said they would have been interested in a face-to-face book club.  Another way that I would like to see YA integrated is for a title or two to be added into the rotation of our regular adult book clubs.  The overarching reach of books like The Book Thief and The Fault in Our Stars shows that the demand is there across age groups. A recent article from The Guardian explains that "A dominant part of any book's success is its escapist appeal, and YA excels at providing this" (Howlett). Another great reason that adults are reading YA books is that "they can often remind older readers of their childhoods and teenage years, making them a comforting presence for those who just refuse to grow up and embrace their boring, often excitement-free adult lives" (Howlett).  While my exterior may grow older, I am a proud member of the group who will always internally clutch their childhood tight.  Children's and YA fiction is just one of the ways that I can keep that youthful spirit and memories alive.

Works Cited

Howlett, Georgina. "Why Are So Many Adults Reading YA and Teen Fiction?"  The Guardian.  Guardian News, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 8 Apr. 2015.

Week 12 Prompt

I had to pause and think about the last nonfiction book I've read.  It's been awhile due to school work, but I do enjoy reading nonfiction.  There I remembered that I did a review late last year on The Possibility Dogs and it appeared in a local monthly publication Boom Magazine (http://issuu.com/michianafamilymagazine/docs/boom_october_2014_web?e=3297611/9538150 -- check out page 9).  I've always thought readers' advisory for nonfiction would be difficult, but completing the matrix was helpful.  The matrix showed me that many of the categories that we use to lead people to their next fiction title can work for nonfiction.

Below is my Readers' Advisory Matrix for the book The Possibility Dogs: What a Handful of “Unadoptables” Taught Me About Service, Hope and Healing by Susannah Charleson.

1.       Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

a.       A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose)

2.       What is the subject of the book?

a.       The subject of the book is dogs and their use as recovery dogs for those not only with physical disabilities but also emotional issues such as post traumatic stress disorder.  Susannah not only talks about the dogs, developing their personality as she recounts their stories, but she also talks about how her own life was forever changed by each and every one of the rescued dogs.  The fact that Charleson benefits from having a service dog herself makes the story even more impactful.

3.       What type of book is it?

a.       The book is part-memoir and a testament to the benefits of animal rescue.

4.       Articulate appeal

a.       What is the pacing of the book?

                                                               i.      Some of the stories go especially quick, particularly the most intense stories/rescues Susannah recounts, but overall it is a leisurely read.  A person can put down the book between stories and sometimes you need to as some of the segments are extremely emotional.

b.      Describe the characters of the book.

                                                               i.      The main character is Susannah Charleson, a search and rescue worker and dog trainer.  Secondary characters include the tales of the various dogs she encounters and rescues as well as people that aid her in each adventure.

c.       How does the story feel?

                                                               i.      The story is heartbreaking, uplifting, eye-opening, and hopeful all rolled into one.

d.      What is the intent of the author?            

                                                               i.      Charleson wishes to shed light on the need for training therapy dogs as companions to those that have emotional disorders such as soldiers with PTSD, those with depression, and more.

e.      What is the focus on the story?

                                                               i.      The main focus is on Charleson’s road to healing after a particularly emotional search and rescue operation and the learning process she embarks on to select the right dogs to train.

f.        Does the language matter?

                                                               i.      The conversational language is appealing.

g.       Is the setting important and well described?

                                                               i.      Yes, every story is extremely detailed right down to the various settings the various dogs are found in.  One of the most emotional passages is Charleson’s retelling of finding a graveyard kennel of skeletons of abused and abandoned dogs.

h.      Are there details and, if so, of what?

                                                               i.      The details are too numerous to list.  Details include sights, sounds, smells, funny moments in the training process, funny moments between dogs, and details of her own internal struggles.

i.         Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear?

                                                               i.      None are available or needed.

j.        Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?

                                                               i.      All three are stressed.  Mistakes are turned into learning moments.  Understanding is found through tales of those whose lives have been changed by having a therapy dog.  As Susannah becomes more experienced in selecting and training animals, this shows through in her writing.

5.       Why would a reader enjoy this book?

a.       1.  Subject (animals-dogs)            2.  Details            
3.  The Casual/Personal Tone

4.  Inspiration     5. Human-Animal Relationships

Week 11 Prompt

Hope everyone had a terrific Spring Break!  I spent mine working and trying to stay caught up with the 4 classes I'm taking.  I see the light at the end of the graduation tunnel!

eBooks are appealing for a multitude of reasons  The PowerPoint presentation in this week's resources touch on a lot of the main benefits of eBooks including the ability to change the print to a variety of sizes, privacy, more opportunities to find free books, better (or no) covers, and ability to check them out of the library even when the library is closed.  Many people read eBooks right before bed because no extra light is needed.  For those that do not have ample space for a multitude of bookshelves, eBooks are ideal because they can hold hundreds, sometimes thousands, of books on virtual shelves.  Without the bulk of the book, individuals are not so daunted about the size of a book and often say it seems like eBooks go faster than regular print books (my mom falls in this category).  eBooks take the problem of needing regular or large print out of the equation.  For those who have sensitivity to the bright white of the page, books can actually be converted to a black background with white text.  Enlarging the text means the reader can also flip through pages faster, giving a greater sense of completion.

Many popular authors are now creating novellas that are only published in eBook format.  This has been frustrating to many diehard fans of authors such as Debbie Macomber.  For some people, internet access, technology know-how, the dislike of having to read a book on a PC, and lack of money to purchase an eReader make it next to impossible to brace eBooks.  Also, eBooks are not user-friendly for those patrons that like to flip through a book to see if they like it.  Katie Dunneback notes that "It is not easy to jump between points in the book if you do not know exactly where you are going" (328).  Other difficulties include the "need to rely entirely on narrative drive to feel the pace of the story. Pacing is also affected by how much text is visible on the screen, so the larger the text, the less there is to indicate how quickly the story is moving" (Dunneback 328).  For librarians, remembering to include eBooks into the readers' advisory interview is crucial.  This can be difficult if the eBook vendor the library uses isn't compatible with the library's online catalog.  At the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library, seeing what books our 3M Cloud Reader displays has been a challenge as the records have difficulty working with our ILS, Sierra.  Librarians also must feel comfortable in showing the patron how to download the library's eBook app, search for books, and place holds.  Some titles only have 28 circulations before expiring due to publisher restrictions. These typically tend to be the most popular titles.  Librarians need to stay on top of these restrictions to make sure eBook offerings remain appealing.

Audiobooks are also important and very popular among patrons.  With those with poor or no eyesight, audiobooks is the way that they can continue to read.  Just like print books, audiobook listeners develop 'reading' preferences.  Even those patrons that are voracious readers listen to audiobooks "'as a supplement to visual, text-based reading'" (Mediatore 318).  Asking the patron what eBooks they've enjoyed before and why is an important part of the interview.  If the patron enjoys a particular narrator, they might not care what type of book they are given as long as they enjoy the narrator's voice and pacing.  I must admit that I am not a fan of audiobooks.  I can't concentrate on the storyline because I'm too busy doing a million other things.  The ability to read print books is my cherished time.  The one exception is Harry Potter.  As Kaite Mediatore mentions, "One of the superior narrators of the moment is Jim Dale...[who] adopts different voices, tones, and pitches for all the characters in the series" (319).  Dale makes the story come alive, the action filling the entire room.  It's a truly incredible experience.  Things to take into consideration include track length and number of CDs.  Many patrons don't have the patience or time to go through 20-30 CDs. Audiobooks from the library can sometimes be frustrating due to mild scratches that result in skipped tracks.  Typically the genre a user likes from print will also be one that they like in audiobook. One big consideration that libraries have faced in the last 5-10 years is a change in format.  The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library has withdrawn all of our audiotapes.  Even our audiobooks on CD are not getting checked out like they used to.  Many new cars are no longer coming with CD players.  Online applications such as Hoopla (streaming eAudiobooks) may very well take the whole medium by storm in the upcoming years.  Streaming media is convenient because patrons do not have to juggle a pile of CDs, but it can also be inconvenient is the patron does not have reliable internet access (or internet access at all).

Works Cited

Dunneback, Katie, and Barry Trott. "E-Books And Readers' Advisory." Reference & User Services Quarterly 50.4 (2011): 325-329. Library & Information Science Source. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

Mediatore, Kaite. "Reading With Your Ears: Readers' Advisory And Audio Books." Reference & User Services Quarterly 42.4 (2003): 318-323. Library & Information Science Source. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.