Week 15 Prompt

 When it comes to marketing our fiction section, word of mouth/providing readers advisory services have been successful for our small library. Since we are able to get to know our patrons we are able to help them find new books to read based on interests. Another way we promote our fiction books is through our programs and displays. We have had book tastings, blind dates with a book, and we even had a book display where we put “shirts” on romance books with shirtless men. We also promote new fiction books on our library newsletters and social media pages. These are most of the ways we market our fiction books to our patrons and so far it has been pretty successful. However, we also make sure to market our fiction collection during Summer Reading programs since it is our most popular time of the year, especially with our seasonal visitors. 

Week 14 Prompt Response

 If I was part of the collection management committee at my library I would not separate LGBTQ fiction or Urban fiction, at least not for the the reasons on them being about LGBTQ or Urban Fiction as a genre itself. However, I may separate them for other reasons. For example, my library’s children’s department separates some books because they talk about death, terminal illness, and racism. We do this to let the parents have a head up in case they are not ready to have that talk with their children yet OR if they are ready and want to find books that would help their children have a better understanding of it. However, with adult books I would not put LGBTQ and Urban fiction books in a separate place away from the general collection. My three reasons for this is that:

1. These are adults who, if interested in a book, can easily read the description of what it is about on the book or look up other resources to see if it is a good fit. Or even ask a librarian!

2. I feel like this would be considered as suppression and censorship of these books just based on what their topic and themes are. 

3. The ALA’’s Library Bill of Rights says “I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” This would mean that separating these books based on the LGBTQ themes and the themes and views within Urban Fiction would go against the Library Bill of Rights. 

"Library Bill of Rights", American Library Association, June 30, 2006.

            http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill (Accessed April 12, 2024)

Week 13 Prompt.

Both personally and as a librarian, I believe that YA/New Adult books and graphic novels are very legitimate choices for adults to read. I myself read YA/New Adult books because even though I am 25 years old and considered an “adult”, I still relate more to that genre than I do with normal adult books. With graphic novels I believe that there is a unique way of storytelling and importance to them. One you will not find in regular books. Not only do you read the words but you are also able to experience things in more detail because of the art that is with those words. Many of the adult patrons I serve at my library would also agree with me. 

I feel that we can work to ensure that people who love these genres are served by created more understanding on the importance and beauty of these genres. We can do special book programs that allow patrons to try these genres they otherwise wouldn’t read or pick, we can create displays that show graphic novels can be for adults (for example, including Maus I & II in a WWII display in the adult department), and many other ways. Basically I feel that if we can integrate more of these genres into regular adult programs/displays/exposer, maybe more people will understand why others love these genres.