Writers Live! Libraries Bringing Authors and Readers Together

Wednesday May 6, 2009 4:00pm-5:15pm

A very informed and frank panel discussion of how to bring writers, known and unknown to your library and to make it work!  

Virgina Stanley Director of Library Marketing for HarperCollins started us off with these tips.

• There are many ways to spread the word.  For your first author event, start small with local authors.  The bigger the author the bigger the expectations.  Chapple Langemack has written a great book on how to host author events.
• One of the best ways to stay in contact with patrons is to collect email addresses. http://www.constantcontact.com is a great way to create a database of patrons to email, especially if an event happens last minute.  In some cases this has tripled attendance at events.
  
• Don't expect to get the big names if you've never done an event before.  Star small. Possibly with a local author.  Get to know your audience.

Judy Cooper, coordinator for Public Programs at Pratt County Library in Baltimore had this to say:  

• Although it may be easier to get authors to larger cities, it might be worthwhile to make partnerships with people at the larger city libraries to funnel authors to smaller libraries. A followup comment from the audience was that often times in big cities, there is a lot of competition for people's attention.  Something that might fail in a large city might do really well in a small city where there is less going on. 
• http://www.programminglibrarian.org. is a great resource for programming library events.
• Why should libraries host library programs?  It is very important to connect readers to writers and would-be writers to writers.  
• A successful author program must happen with other institutions in the community such as a college, the ACLU, whatever.  
• Programs help sell books!  A writers series is very good PR for your library.
• Bookstores are not competitors.  It's good to work with a local bookstore to sell books at an author event.
• Before you call a publisher, have an idea for an event.  Describe your community and why the event will be sucessfull.  Know what will work in your community.

Talia Sherer, Library Marketing Director from Macmillan.  

• Who is the target audience? How well do you know your patrons and what they are reading?  What kind of events do local bookstores host?  Are they successful? Do research.
• Work with speakers bureaus.  It can't just be you alone.  Everyone on staff needs to be in on it and excited about the program.  
• Sometimes panels of authors from different genres can attract a wider range of interested readers.  
• Get in contact with a publisher to discuss possible collaborations.  
• Go on websites and ask to recieve seasonal catalogs to see authors tours, addresses, etc.  Some authors can be contacted directly.  
• In New Caanan, CT, author events are videotaped and circulated in the library collection.

Audience comments

Academic Librarian.  Felt it was difficult to get people to come to events in an academic setting, even with a wonderful lineup.  Virginia suggested programming events with more of a popular cultural appeal. Students won't go out at night to learn, they want to be entertained.  

Public Librarian.  Sometimes regular times and events can build up an audience.  At their library they hold book events every Monday morning and there is a regular crowd.

Q: How do libraries find out about book tours?  

A:No easy source.  Get in touch way ahead of time.  Book tours are usually booked a year in advance.  Develop relationships with library marketing people at publishing houses.  Don't be discouraged.  Don't give up.  Keep coming back and something will eventually work out.  

Links

harpercollinscatalogs.com for "up to the minute" catalog info.

librarylovefest.com Virginia's blog

talia.shererATmacmillan.com

virginia.stanleyATharpercollins.com

Liberating the reading habits of children

Speakers:
Roger Sutton, editor an-in-chief, The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide
Maggie Bush, Children’s literature Professor at Simmons College

History of access to reading for children
ALA and state library associations have protected the reading rights of children
1967 – “age” was included into the Bill of Rights
Parents and only parents may restrict their own children’s reading access
With these additions we strengthen the responsibilities of parents in what their children read

The problem:
Who are we as librarians responsible for serving?
The parents or the children

Scenario:
Janey want to read Harry Potter books
Her parents believe these books are manuals for satanic rituals
What is our responsibility in this situation?

Maggie Bush’s answer
We must advocate for the child first and foremost
Then address the parent’s concerns

One important point mentioned was that librarians need to offer any books that children may need. These may be controversial but necessary. Some librarians have made these books available without the children needing to actually check the books out. This may be in the form of a specific shelf or box in a private area.

Book Buzz

Nancy Pearl moderated a lively discussion with 3 talented authors. The session was formated around the questions we all want to ask our favorite authors.

Q: What are you reading?
Various answers include: Hold Tight by Harlen Coben, Without a Map by Meredith Hall, Red Breast by Jo Nesbo, One Drop by Bliss Boyard, The Nine by Jeffery Toobin,as well as various works by Peter Gomes, and Denise Mina. There seemed to be a major concentration for nonfiction.

Q: Who is your ideal reader?
A giggle was elicited by the comment: a reader who buys the book! In actuality the best readers are involved, informed, and active in learning more about the story and characters.

Q: What is your writing process like?
The authors mentioned that the story comes as a surprise even to them as it unfolds. Some mentioned listening to the voices (inside their heads)of the story. Medwed told the audience about becoming a master eavesdropper in order to add to the voices of her characters.

Q: If you could change one thing about the publishing world what would it be?
Medwed: That the book is what matters, not author looks, not marketability
Page: Publishers are not giving enough chances to new authors
Barnes: Eliminate franchising

Q: If a reader asked for books like yours, who would you recommend?
Medwed: Elinor Lipman, Steve McCauley, Tom Parotta,
Barnes: Michael Connolly Laurie King
Page: Valerie Wilson, Margaret Maron, Robert Barnard, Craig Rice

Q: Why is humorous fiction not taken seriously?
They are considered “light”
People think without serious issues the book is not worthwhile

Q: How do you feel about having your books categorized into specific genres?
Like being sent to the children's table at dinner. It was a general consensus that in order to open up the library's collection to all patrons,we should not house books by genre. Watch out I think there might be a wave of change. Nancy Pearl even mentioned eliminating the Dewey system from libraries.

Nancy Pearl: the key to matching readers to the "right" book

Imagine reading a book is like entering a doorway...

Doorways
•Story -Every book tell a story (with some exception in the 500’s – 600’s)
•Characters - read of the people
•Setting - time and place
•Language Uses language to tell the story

Imagine these are doorways and all equal to 100% all added together

We don’t all agree on the size of each doorway

When people talk about books that they love they are talking about the doorway that they too into that book

Story Doorway – the reader describes the action words in their description, they couldn’t put it down, they couldn’t wait to see what happened next. This is the most popular doorway. Ex. The Da Vinci Code, John Grisham, James Patterson, Dick Francis, Jodi Picoult, look for white space with a lot of dialog that keeps the story going. Nonfiction- True Crime

Character Doorway- the characters seemed so real to the reader, they came alive for me, this is a sign that the reader like character driven books, Ex. John Irving – look for a book with a character’s name, The World According to Garp, or a description about the character- Nick Hornby - About a Boy. Nonfiction - Memoirs and biographies.

Setting Doorway- the reader felt like they were there, have the desire to visit the setting of the story, Ex. A Thousand Splendid Suns, Annie Proulx, Jacqueline Winspear, Devil in the White City. If the setting is considered one of the characters, Nonfiction ideas - Travel section, History

Language Doorway- The reader will say the book was well written, the reader says: I had to stop and think about how the author could put the words together, these are the awards winners, Pulitzer etc. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, John Updike, Terry Pratchett, Nonfiction ideas - Poetry and Drama

Imagine using this method to determine your patrons preferred method of entry into their pleasure reading. This will open up your collection to many new readers.

Nancy Pearl - Recomending vs. Suggesting: the Shoe Store Example

Years ago, shoe salesmen used to bring several pairs of shoes to each customer.
One exactly like the shoes you are wearing
One similar but a different brand
And one that is completely different in style and brand

If we as librarians use this format to help us suggest a book to a reader we will put less pressure on our patrons and open up their worlds to different literature.

Nancy Pearl: In Love With Books

Nancy presents Doorways to Enjoyment at 8:45 a.m. in Ballroom 1. There are two of us - Susan Mello and Charlotte Canelli - blogging Nancy's talk today. The photo is from Nancy's website, BookLust.
Two tips for being a good Reader's Advisor? (1) Remembering that 'it's not about me' - meaning you the reader's advisor. It's about the reader; and (2) that while you don't need to have read everything you recommend, you do need to stretch your reading tastes. Pick up one book a month that you might not have read ... and try it.

Another suggestion? Have every staff member do a 45 second booktalk at each staff meeting. Scholastic Inc. starts every meeting with a booktalk! Grow your knowledge of books this way.

Nancy's Doorways to Reading categorizes books according to Story, Character, Setting and Language. a Email me mzlibrary@aol.com for a Word copy of the handout.

Nancy Pearl

The care & feeding of Book Groups

Many people ask librarians for assistance with their book groups. Many groups are dysfunctional in one of two areas; group dynamics, and book choice.

Best practices:

Meet once a month

Pick a day – like second Monday of the month and stick to it

10-15 members – if larger then not everyone will have a chance to speak

Don’t have a book group smaller than 5

Remember: A book group is not SCHOOL!

5 “don’ts” and 2 ‘dos” for book groups

“Don’ts”

1. Select a story-driven books

The best books for discussion are ones where the author does not tell you everything. Need to look for books in which the ending is ambiguous. Or the main character makes a decision that will please many people or infuriate many people. Remember that any book a person hasn’t read is new to them.

2. opt to have meetings without a leader

The responsibility of a book group leader

Not necessarily the librarian

Help people feel empowered

Leader deal with group dynamics

Leader keeps the discussion going

Many may not want to lead because of the research behind the job. It is not necessary to look at reviews- it does not matter what anyone but the group. The leader may look for some information on the author but only where it pertains to the story. Any knowledge should not be announced upon beginning of the meeting. It should flow during the discussion if it fits the discussion. To take some pressure off the leader you can have each member come to the group with one question that they want answered. The possible to rotate leaders works well too. This allows for a different perspective and less responsibility on one person.

A leader or group needs to develop some rules by analyzing what has worked and not worked in the past. A balance must be established.

3. Go around the circle and ask for everyone’s ideas

This may put too much pressure on someone to come up with an educated answer. They won’t speak from their heart.

Reluctant Speakers

Most members can take a couple of moments to find an answer

Some may take much longer to decide what to say

And they may not like to interrupt someone’s when they are talking

Notice the body language when some one wants to speak

Leaning forward, opening their mouth

Call on them when you see this, otherwise they will not make their ideas heard

Those who talk toooooo much

One person dominates the conversation

It is hard fro members of the group to confront that person

Leader sits with dominate person to their right if the leader is right handed

Allow that person to speak once

The next time they speak the leader should stop the person, lets let some one else talk by gently touching their arm.

4. begin with the question “ What did you think of the book?”

It forces people to take sides

Examples of better beginning questions:

What is the significance of the title?

What if the author had chosen to tell it from a different characters point of view?

Which character seemed the most real? Best developed?

What do you think the author wanted us to get from this book?

How would you rewrite the ending?

Members should:

Participate

Listen

Read books you might not enjoy

What do you do with people who never read the book?

This is not that big of deal

In fact discussion may intrigued them to read the book

What if your members hate the book

Many may not attend the meeting

Yet, the best discussion take place when some enjoy and some dislike the book

Encourage them to come, whether they like it or not

5. Choose books on a month-by month basis

One meeting should be dedicated for choosing all books for the group for six months or a year in advance. You may choose themes. You can choose a variety of fiction and nonfiction. Ex. Iraq or Middle East…Broken Verses, Maps for Lost Lovers, Mineret ( not sure on the spelling of this one), The Long Road Home.

“Dos’

1. Enjoy the experience of reading new books an discussing them

Reasons for being in a book group

To read and discover new books

Have opportunity to explore these books in different ways

2. Recognize the importance of silence

Don’t worry about a small amounts of time (it feels longer than it truly is)

Some one will always answer…(Nancy guaranteed this!)

Realize that these questions are making people think…

You need to give them that time to think

Book Buzz Encore

Ooooh, this is why I wanted to come to the conference on Wednesday! Nancy Pearl is here to reprise her popular book preview. I'm going to try to capture below anything remotely history-related including historical fiction and literature.

HarperCollins--Fall 2007 forthcoming titles

Hotel de Dream by Edmund White
Historical fiction, turn of 19th century, New York
available Sept. 4, 2007
will be great with new book called Heyday: A Novel by Kurt Anderson

The House on First Street by Julia Reed
available August 21, 2007
described as A Year in Provence meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Two Histories of England by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens
available Oct. 2, 2007
two unpublished pieces by these two authors

William Shakespeare by Bill Bryson (Eminent Lives series)
available Oct. 30, 2007
Great for high school biography assignments--well-written, concise, readable for high school students

The President's Table: 200 Years of Dining and Diplomacy by Barry Landau
available Oct. 30, 2007
Presidential entertaining--menus, memorabilia, over 300 images. Includes traditions of White House dinners and functions.
also good with Presidential Doodles by David Greenberg

Ike: An American Hero by Michael Korda
available Sept. 18, 2007
biography of Dwight Eisenhower--relationships between Ike and Mamie, his advisors, vice president and others.

I'm looking forward to these books about the Presidents. The one on Presidential entertainment memorabilia and traditions sounds really cool and could be great for classroom and student use to learn about the presidency.