Prompt Response Week 11

When it comes to ebooks and audiobooks, the vibe of Readers Advisory certainly does change.

A job I used to have at my library was a Library Technician, which consisted of me helping patrons with all technological issues and situations. I only worked on Friday and Saturday, and I had appointments with patrons who needed help learning a device or downloading our digital distributors OverDrive and Hoopla. Before this position I did not know how to access ebooks or how the apps worked. I taught myself how to use it so I can teach my patrons. This has helped me understand how ebooks worked and why they appeal to readers. This being said, I have no issue accessing ebooks and understanding how they work. I can find authors for patrons easily.

But the main problem is that many of those patrons I helped were older patrons who had a hard time using technology. It was sad when I found a book someone wanted, or a book I recommended, but all we had was a digital version. Even when people have devices, both the devices and users are of different age and capacity, so even if they wanted ebooks and could access them, the look and feel of the ebook experience may be difficult to grasp.

I remember one time I had a patron ask for books by an author we do not have because they are ebook-only. However, the patron did not know what that meant. I had to explain that we had no way of accessing their work. I was reminded of this moment reading the article “E-books and Readers’ Advisory” by Katie Dunneback. It discussed how some publishing companies won’t sell to libraries, whereas some are. One of those companies that is doing this is “Carina Press [which] has made a splash in the romance genre with authors already popular in the e-book market as well as authors with print publishing histories” (Dunneback 327).

I have yet to have someone ask me for ebook-specific recommendations (on purpose) because I have not read an ebook (although on March 22nd I began reading my first one. I am rereading The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom), and I am completely unaware of ebook-only authors. At one library branch I worked at I had a couple regular patrons who discussed ebook authors often. They commented that they love how there are so many books they can read for free or cheap because these authors release their work independently and are unknown. It would be extremely hard to know much about ebook authors since I am not exposed to them regularly. Even though I have not read many physical books by popular authors, I at least know books by them and what genre they usually write.

I also do not listen to audiobooks. I do not know if there are people who narrate several books, or how long a typical CD lasts, etc. I also do not know how to tell if a narrator does voices for each character or not. This is apparently a major appeal according to the article “Reading with Your Ears: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books” by Katie Mediatore. (Mediatore 319). I know how to look up most of this information for patrons, but I cannot offer personal recommendations or input on the format. Currently I suggest audiobooks to parents with children who do not like to read. If we have both the book and audiobook available, I recommended both to use at the same time.

I feel like someone reading me a book would take away from the experience. I would like to read it in my own voice, imagining all the character’s voices how I interpret them. Personally I wouldn’t mind listening to an audiobook for a book I’ve already read.

Work Cited:

Dunneback, Katie and Barry Trott. "E-Books and Readers' Advisory." Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 50, no. 4, Summer2011, pp. 325-329. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=503017488&site=ehost-live.

Mediatore, Kaite. "Reading with Your Ears: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books." Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 4, Summer2003, pp. 318-323. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=502907815&site=ehost-live.

Annotation #4: Western

Savage Country

by Robert Olmstead

Release Date: September 26th, 2017

Genre

Western

Appeals of the Book

• Strong Characters

• Richly Detailed

• Dramatic Situations

Synopsis

Michael Coughlin returns to Kansas to attend the funeral of his brother, David. Michael’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth, wishes to go south on a major buffalo hunt her husband had planned to earn his family a fortune. Michael assists Elizabeth on this expedition, with the help of several friends and hired workers, but where they go is a savage land where you risk your life. Beware not just the animals, but the people you meet as well. Who are the real animals among them? 

Characteristics That Fit Into Western

• Setting is the Great Plains of the West in the time period between 1865 and 1900.
• Storyline involves buffalo hunting, but at the same time trying to survive in the harsh West and has a sense of resolution (Saricks 318-319)
• The hero “arrives to right wrongs” (Saricks 315). However, the hero’s motives go beyond this traditional aspect. He wants to use his skills to help family, using “strategy before guns to win arguments” (Saricks 315). Saricks explains that some main characters have a mythic aspect to them, which this main character has because he has been all around the world and has so many skills that he can do almost anything and knows almost anything. (Saricks 316-317).
• Reflections on the past, both good and bad, are present. Therefore, it has a bit of nostalgic tone, but features a dark tone at time (Saricks 320).
• Rich details of the western landscape.
• Midway between leisurely and fast-paced. Not too much action happening.

Read-A-Likes

The High Divide by Lin Enger*

The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe*

Mudbound Hillary Jordan**

Devil's Dream by Madison Smartt Bell**

* Recommended by NoveList

* Recommended by Kirkus Review

Works Cited

Saricks, Joyce G. The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2009.