YA Fiction Collection YA/Author, Pb/YA, Pb/YA/Mystery Pb/YA/Horror, Pb/YA/Romance The Collection: The YA fiction collection serves patrons ages 12-18, the range prescribed by YALSA as young adult. In truth, kids ages 10-15 are the heaviest users of the collection. There is some overlap with the Children’s Room’s grade 5-7 shelf, and the YA collection. It is not possible for every book to be “appropriate for every age, every child; therefore, a wide range of reading levels and subject matter are included in the collection. One should bear in mind that all teens wish they were older, and prefer to read about older teens, thus, a 10 year old prefers books about 13-15 year olds, a 13 year old prefers books about 16 year olds, and 16 year olds tend to prefer adult fiction. Genres include mystery, classics, science fiction/fantasy, mystery, horror, romance, and realistic/historical. Purchasing Method: Order slips are written up from review sources such as Voya , Booklist , and Kliatt , as well as word-of-mouth type sources, such as the NMRLS book review group, YALSA listserv, local YA lib listserv, chapter-a-day book club and graphic novel listserv. Lastly, YALSA lists are relied upon; “best of” lists of materials selected by librarians in committee come out every January. Slips are occasionally received from children’s room staff, who read Horn Book , Kirkus , and SLJ . If I have 2 requests for the same title, based on reviews or recommendations, I purchase the book. Award winners such as the Printz Award, Alex Award Newbury award, Coretta Scott King Award, Pura Belpre Award, National Book Award for Young People, Edgar Award for YA Mystery, Siebert Award, and more are near-automatic additions. Popular materials such as series fiction are purchased according to demand. Occassionally books are purchased based on publicity from amazon.com, teen magazines, and Baker & Taylor Advance. Patron requests are given highest priority; I received over 150 requests for books CDs and videos in the 2000-01 FY. I keep patrons in mind when ordering, and know who to place on hold for the next book in a series, Christian fiction, etc. The collection is developed as there is a need. For example, when school assignments to read civil war novels or Christmas stories create demand, more items of that nature are purchased. Occasionally adult books for teens, such as Stephen King, summer reading list items, Alex Adward winners, or MTV books, are included in the collection. I personally read as many books in the collection as I can, and follow the advice of peers on staff and the examples of other libraries when in doubt as to where to place an item. Circulation shows that paperbacks are preferred by teen readers. Large print items are provided upon request; the small collection is intershelved with hardcover fiction. Audio books and comix have appeal to reluctant readers. Summer reading list items are provided in multiple copy and extras are stored during non-summer months. The self-help collection is a small browsing collection. The YA Fiction Book budget was $6000 in FY 2000-01. Approximate breakdown is follows: Audio – 15% Paperback 30% Comix 15% Hardcover 15% Replacement/Add copies/Retro 10% Summer Reading 10% Self Help 5% NOTE: A separate line item for audio was created in 2001, resulting in a $2000 line item for FY 2002. The 2001-2002 YA Fiction Book Budget is $7000. YA CD’s The Collection: Genres include rap, pop, metal, ska, hiphop, grunge, alternative and r&b. There is some overlap with Bob, so we synchronize our lists and he does the ordering. Note that we are one of the only libraries that has a cutting-edge CD collection. We purchase PA (parental advisory) albums. If more money were donated to this line item, we could multiple copies of popular items and purchase PA and “clean” versions of all PA CDs. To date, no patrons have complained about CD content. CD’s are high theft items, and are often checked out and never returned. Burning copies and keeping the original disc on file is recommended. Most artists have a shelf life, but we rarely need to withdraw old CDs, because they get ripped off before they are out of date. Purchasing: Bob Wilson shares approximately $3500 of his CD money with me. CD’s are chosen mainly on the basis of popularity. Review sources include Rolling Stone, Vibe, Spin, Billboard and teen magazines. Other sources consulted include local radio stations WBMX, WBCN, JAMN, KISS, WFNX, as well as MTV and amazon.com. I try to purchase CD’s before patrons request them. YA Magazines YA Magazines are primarily a browsing collection. The collection began in 1996 thanks to the efforts of Sue Bonenfant. The magazines have quadrupled in number since then, and another 6 titles will be added this fall. Last year’s additions include a creative writing magazine, a young men’s health magazine, and a fanzine; this year, we will add a Spanish title and a sports bike title. YA magazines are read to tatters and occasionally stolen. Purchasing: Of high appeal to reluctant readers, popularity is a large factor in magazine purchasing. New titles are selected by patron request, personal review, and recommendations from other librarians on listservs such as YALSA listserv, local yalib_yak listserv, teen advisory board and graphic novel listserv. I will be paying for YA serials this year from my book budget, which has increased.
If you think that kids play games instead of reading, you haven’t looked at a video game lately. There is a lot of reading within the game itself. Environmental print is part of the background to many video games, in the form of signage, ads, labels and more. Chat between the players, game instructions, and information must be read on the screen for successful play. At a glance, player chat in MMOGs might look like gibberish: “WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g” translates to “I want to sell 10 stacks of Mage Weave cloth for 15 gold pieces.” In fact, it is a whole new language, created and understood only by the residents of the space. Gamers have a whole language all their own.
If you think that kids play games instead of reading, you haven’t looked at a video game lately. There is a lot of reading within the game itself. Environmental print is part of the background to many video games, in the form of signage, ads, labels and more. Chat between the players, game instructions, and information must be read on the screen for successful play. At a glance, player chat in MMOGs might look like gibberish: “WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g” translates to “I want to sell 10 stacks of Mage Weave cloth for 15 gold pieces.” In fact, it is a whole new language, created and understood only by the residents of the space. Gamers have a whole language all their own.
If you think that kids play games instead of reading, you haven’t looked at a video game lately. There is a lot of reading within the game itself. Environmental print is part of the background to many video games, in the form of signage, ads, labels and more. Chat between the players, game instructions, and information must be read on the screen for successful play. At a glance, player chat in MMOGs might look like gibberish: “WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g” translates to “I want to sell 10 stacks of Mage Weave cloth for 15 gold pieces.” In fact, it is a whole new language, created and understood only by the residents of the space. Gamers have a whole language all their own.
South Huntington Public Library Digital Audio Book Borrowing Terms and Conditions As a library service to South Huntington District residents, the South Huntington Public Library staff will, upon request, download a library-owned audio book or music file to a patron’s personal iPod for a three-week loan period. This procedure requires that the patron’s iPod be connected to the library’s computer for file transfer. If the patron owns an iPod Shuffle, it must be “linked” to the library’s audio book computer before audio files can be transferred. This procedure requires that the contents of the iPod Shuffle be deleted before transferring files. After the audio book is returned to the library, the patron can connect and re-link their iPod Shuffle to their personal computer to restore their own personal content. Loan Period: Digital Audio books and music can be checked out for 3 weeks. Returning digital content: To return the audio book or music file, the patron must bring their iPod to the library and allow library staff to delete the audio book files from the patron’s iPod. Deletion of the title by the patron does not relieve the patron of his/her obligation to return to the library with their iPod to allow library staff to verify that the title has been deleted from the patron’s iPod. Overdue fine: The overdue fine for digital audio titles is 5 cents per day. IMPORTANT: Complete loss of the patron’s personal data is possible if a patron’s personal computer should crash during the audio book loan period, and the patron’s personal files are not backed up. Borrower’s waiver statement: I wish to have library-owned audio books and music files downloaded onto my personal iPod and agree to hold the South Huntington Library harmless in the event that my iPod or personal computer malfunctions. I have read and understand the Digital Audio Book Borrowing statement, and agree to borrow digital audio book titles from the South Huntington Public Library according to terms and conditions listed above.
REVIEWING GRAPHIC NOVELS The term "graphic novel" was coined by Will Eisner in who used it define book length stories told in comic panel format. They are unique combinations of text and artwork and like picture books, the elements should be judged for how the words and pictures work together to tell the story. The white space between the panels is meant to convey the passage of time, allowing the reader to imagine what happens in the gap, and in some ways, according to artist Scott McCloud, direct the pace of the action. In addition to considerations for TEXT covered earlier in the course (such as plot, character, setting, literary devices), consider these further questions for evaluation: Is the writing style appropriate for intended audience in terms of reading level, word choice, sentence or non-traditional text structure, clarity, length, and interpretation? Is the subject matter, concepts, and vocabulary relevant to students' ages, developmental levels, and abilities? Is the narrative true to it's genre such as fantasy, short story, etc? In addition to considerations for ILLUSTRATION and DESIGN covered earlier in the course (such as medium, style, tone), consider these further questions for evaluation: Is the cover attractive and appealing, with a clear indication of the topic/theme of the graphic novel? Are the art and text interdependent and aesthetically pleasing? Does the artist effectively use color and shading and convey mood and tone? Are the art and text appropriate and relevant to graphic format and content? Does the artist use a variety and appropriate symbolic art, such as text bubbles and graphical representations of sound effects and emotions Are the images appropriately sized and easy to see? Is white space (panels and gutters) used skillfully for effective transitions? With graphic novels, you may also want to address: What are the potential uses for the graphic novel? How does this book relate to similar titles, or the writer/artist's body of work as a whole? Is the graphic novel reasonably priced in comparison to similar books?
REVIEWING AUDIOBOOKS Audiobooks are the recordings of the text of a book, produced on cassette, CD or in digital format. Audioboks encompass every genre, including nonfiction. Audiobooks may be unabridged (complete) or abridged (edited or censored for length or content). They may be narrated by a single voice actor, or a full cast. In addition to literary merit (good storytelling, complete worldbuilding, strong character development), narration, sound quality, and background music and sound effects should also be considered for evaluation of audiobooks. NARRATION is the act, or process, of delivering a story. For audiobooks, narration goes beyond simply reading the text aloud. Questions for evaluation: Does the reader (or readers) have good voice quality, diction, and timing? Is the reader (or readers) believable and convincing? Does the reader (or readers) distinguish between characters by changing pitch, tone, and inflection? Are accents or dialects used and if so, are they handled authentically and consistently? Are all words, including proper nouns, locales, foreign terms, character names, and others pronounced correctly and consistently? Does the reader (or readers) avoid condescending vocal mannerisms and style and is the reading believable and convincing? Is the performance dynamic and does it reflect the expressive nature of the text? SOUND QUALITY is about the degree of good/bad of the audio output of the material. Questions for evaluation: Is the sound sharp and clear with no obvious humming, distortion, or electronic interference? Does the sound quality remain consistent throughout the recording? BACKGROUND MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS are audio added to enhance the performance, make the story come alive, or serve are transitions. Questions for evaluation: If music and sound effects are used, do they enhance the text and support the vocal performance? Does the music represent the emotional and structural content of the text? With audiobooks novels, you may also want to address: What are the potential uses for the audiobook? How does this audiobook relate to similar titles, or the writer/artist's body of work as a whole? Is the audiobook reasonably priced in comparison to similar audiobooks? Is the audiobook delivered in sturdy quality packaging to withstand library use? If the audiobook is in a physical format, is there a replacement plan for lost or damaged cassettes or CDs?
PLOT is the events that take place to tell the story. Plot drives storytelling and requires a beginning, middle and end. All elements of the story should work together to further the plot to it's resolution. Questions for evaluation: how believable is the plot? if it's unlikely, how does the author make it convincing? Are there subplots? how does the subplot work to move the main story along? STRUCTURE is the architecture of the story, and describes how the story is put together for effective telling. Questions for evaluation: Is there a format to the story? How is it organized? What devices does the author/illustrator use? NARRATIVE is the telling of the story. Questions for evaluation: How does the sequence of events unfold? Whose point of view is the story from? What is the central conflict? How well does it maintain the tension and get resolved? CHARACTERIZATION is the process of developing traits of the people in the book, presented by means of description, or through their actions, speech, or thoughts. Questions for evaluation: Does the book realistically, accurately and honestly portray the culture? How are details of appearance, action, thought, and dialogue revealed to develop the characters? Are they realistic? dynamic? consistent? How well are supporting characters developed, and what is the author's purpose in including them? Does the book contain groups that cross lines religious affiliations or sexual orientations? Is racial/cultural/ethnic/religious/gender stereotyping avoided? VOICE is the tone of the narrative. Additionally, voice can be applied to each unique character. Questions for evaluation: Is the voice authentic? Consistent? Do you believe the thoughts and actions are age-appropriate? AUTHORITY is about the credentials of the author, and does sometimes come into play in evaluating fiction writing. Questions for evaluation: Who is the author? Look for biographical information. Check the acknowledgments. What about the author's background makes him or her an authority on the theme, characters, setting? SETTING is the time and location where the events of the plot take place. In some stories, setting becomes a secondary character. Questions for evaluation: What is the setting? How does the choice of setting work to further the plot? Are details realistic, accurate (historical fic) or convincing (scifi/fantasy). THEME is the central idea of the story. Questions for evaluation: What is the story about? What is the overall idea? How do the plot, setting, and characterizations reveal the theme? Does the book foster awareness, understanding or appreciation for people who at first glance may seem different from the reader? WRITING STYLE is the way the author tells to the story to bring it to life. Questions for evaluation: Is the writing distinctive? Unique? Is the approach creative or original? Is there writing clear, flowery, complex? How are the underlying themes presented? LITERARY DEVICES are elements introduced by the author to enhance the storytelling. They include alliteration, metaphor, simile, flashback, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia, irony, etc. many of these terms are defined in the course glossary. Questions for evaluation: What literary devices does the author employ? How (well) are they used? ILLUSTRATIONS are drawings or graphics that enhance the narrative by depicting a scene from the story. Questions for evaluation: what is the medium and style of the illustrations? Are characters and events shown as described? How do the pictures enhance the story? COVER ART refers to the image and graphics on the book's jacket. It is primarily a marketing tool. Questions for evaluation: How does the cover illustration market the title to its audience? Does it convey the story within the pages? Does it authentically illustrate the characters or setting? What is the appeal factor of the cove r?
SCOPE Scope refers to the parameters of the subject, and speaks to the author's ambition to cover a topic, as well as the intended audience's grasp on the subject. Questions for evaluation: What is the scope of the book? Is it for the beginner with no background in the subject? ORGANIZATION In information books, it is particularly vital that there is a logical sequence to the content, and that the information is easy to access. Questions for evaluation: Is the information presented in some kind of order? Do concepts build on one another? Is there a table of contents? Is there an index? AUTHORITY The credentials of the author may indicate whether s/he is an expert on the subject. Look for biographical information, and check the acknowledgments - this is where non-experts will give thanks to the experts consulted. Questions for evaluation: What is the author's background? Who does the author cite? who does the author thank? ACCURACY Information books must contain correct, factual material that is verifiable. While use of fiction techniques (narrative, dialogue, etc) maybe used, invented details and fictional content should be avoided. Questions for evaluation: Is the information accurate and up-to-date? Is anything fabricated? Are facts sensationalized? Are scientific processes clearly and precisely presented? DOCUMENTATION Because information must be verifiable, it's important for authors to cite their sources. It's also beneficial for students to see works cited in the books they read. Undocumented information may be erroneous information. Questions for evaluation: Is there a bibliography of sources (indicating primary or secondary)? Are the sources up-to-date? Are popular or scholarly sources used? Are there lists of further reading? Are photos credited? ILLUSTRATIONS Illustrations provide information by supporting or extending the text, and may include drawings, diagrams, maps, charts, and/or photographs. Questions for discussion: What type of graphic enhancements does the book contain? How do images relate to the text? Are they merely decorative? Or do they enhance and add? Are they up to date? Clear? Accurate? Free from bias or stereotype? DESIGN Design clarifies the sequence of ideas and shows how the parts are related. Questions for evaluation: Is the appropriate size type used? Are different styles and sizes used? Why? For what purpose? How are the illustrations placed? How much white space is on the page? WRITING STYLE Style brings the subject to life. Voice is often missing from informational books. Look for creativity, vivid writing, active writing, and enthusiam. Questions for evaluation: Is there precision? Clarity? Was the approach creative or original? How are the underlying principles presented? What is the tone? Is it appropriate for the subject matter? Does the author fictionalize or anthropomorphize? BIAS Even in informational book, preferences can sneak in. Good information books maintain an objective point of view. Questions for evaluation: Are the materials free of religious and political bias? Is the presentation of controversial issues balanced and sensitive? Does there seem to be a distinct point of the view of the author or organization publishing the book? EQUITY Equity is a form of equal representation, where gender, capability and ethnic background are represented equally and without stereotypes in text and image? Questions for evaluation: Are images composed of diverse people? Is the material relevant in a wide number of geographic locations and to a wide spectrum of students from diverse backgrounds? Are suggested activities or experiments accessible to all students? VALUE Consider what makes it this book worth it's purchase price. Questions for evaluation: It is high quality? Does it have wide appeal? How does it compare with similar titles?How might this book be used? ALSC's Sibert Medal for Informational Books is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. Reviewing the Sibert Medal terms and criteria may be helpful as you begin to look at informational books more critically. The next reading, from School Library Journal , looks at the Sibert award in more depth. YALSA's Excellence in Nonfiction for the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 – October 31 publishing year, available in English in the United States. Reviewing the Excellent in Nonfiction Policies & Procedures may also be helpful as you begin to look at information books more critically.
SCOPE Scope refers to the parameters of the subject, and speaks to the author's ambition to cover a topic, as well as the intended audience's grasp on the subject. Questions for evaluation: What is the scope of the book? Is it for the beginner with no background in the subject? ORGANIZATION In information books, it is particularly vital that there is a logical sequence to the content, and that the information is easy to access. Questions for evaluation: Is the information presented in some kind of order? Do concepts build on one another? Is there a table of contents? Is there an index? AUTHORITY The credentials of the author may indicate whether s/he is an expert on the subject. Look for biographical information, and check the acknowledgments - this is where non-experts will give thanks to the experts consulted. Questions for evaluation: What is the author's background? Who does the author cite? who does the author thank? ACCURACY Information books must contain correct, factual material that is verifiable. While use of fiction techniques (narrative, dialogue, etc) maybe used, invented details and fictional content should be avoided. Questions for evaluation: Is the information accurate and up-to-date? Is anything fabricated? Are facts sensationalized? Are scientific processes clearly and precisely presented? DOCUMENTATION Because information must be verifiable, it's important for authors to cite their sources. It's also beneficial for students to see works cited in the books they read. Undocumented information may be erroneous information. Questions for evaluation: Is there a bibliography of sources (indicating primary or secondary)? Are the sources up-to-date? Are popular or scholarly sources used? Are there lists of further reading? Are photos credited? ILLUSTRATIONS Illustrations provide information by supporting or extending the text, and may include drawings, diagrams, maps, charts, and/or photographs. Questions for discussion: What type of graphic enhancements does the book contain? How do images relate to the text? Are they merely decorative? Or do they enhance and add? Are they up to date? Clear? Accurate? Free from bias or stereotype? DESIGN Design clarifies the sequence of ideas and shows how the parts are related. Questions for evaluation: Is the appropriate size type used? Are different styles and sizes used? Why? For what purpose? How are the illustrations placed? How much white space is on the page? WRITING STYLE Style brings the subject to life. Voice is often missing from informational books. Look for creativity, vivid writing, active writing, and enthusiam. Questions for evaluation: Is there precision? Clarity? Was the approach creative or original? How are the underlying principles presented? What is the tone? Is it appropriate for the subject matter? Does the author fictionalize or anthropomorphize? BIAS Even in informational book, preferences can sneak in. Good information books maintain an objective point of view. Questions for evaluation: Are the materials free of religious and political bias? Is the presentation of controversial issues balanced and sensitive? Does there seem to be a distinct point of the view of the author or organization publishing the book? EQUITY Equity is a form of equal representation, where gender, capability and ethnic background are represented equally and without stereotypes in text and image? Questions for evaluation: Are images composed of diverse people? Is the material relevant in a wide number of geographic locations and to a wide spectrum of students from diverse backgrounds? Are suggested activities or experiments accessible to all students? VALUE Consider what makes it this book worth it's purchase price. Questions for evaluation: It is high quality? Does it have wide appeal? How does it compare with similar titles?How might this book be used? ALSC's Sibert Medal for Informational Books is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. Reviewing the Sibert Medal terms and criteria may be helpful as you begin to look at informational books more critically. The next reading, from School Library Journal , looks at the Sibert award in more depth. YALSA's Excellence in Nonfiction for the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1 – October 31 publishing year, available in English in the United States. Reviewing the Excellent in Nonfiction Policies & Procedures may also be helpful as you begin to look at information books more critically.
The library's selected service responses and resultant goals • The needs and demands of the library's community of users • The availability of more suitable material • The ability of the budget to provide funds to purchase more satisfactory items • The relationship of a particular item to others on that subject • Cooperative agreements with other libraries and the ability for patrons to use other libraries in the area • The degree to which the library serves as an archive or local history center • The possible future usefulness of a particular item • The availability of more current information on the Internet • The ability of the library to borrow the item through interlibrary loan
Copyright date Last checkout
MUSTIE in the title of this page means items should be discarded when they are M isleading, U gly, S uperseded by newer editions or better books, T rivial, I rrelevent to patron interests, easily obtained E lsewhere through interlibrary loan. Date—when was the item published? When was it added to the collection? • Author—is the author still read or likely to be read in the future? Is the book a lesser work? • Publisher—was the book self-published or published by an ‘instant’ press that may not have taken care in editing and printing? • Physical condition—are there any factors that make the item unattractive? • Additional copies—are more copies available that may be in better condition? • Other books on the same subject in the collection—if this book is discarded, what else is available? CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries. http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew Texas State Library and Archives Commission Page 18 of 93 • Expense of replacement—can the item be replaced? Was this an expensive item that might benefit from rebinding or refurbishing rather than replacement? • Shelf-time—how long has the item sat on the shelf without circulating? • Relevance of the subject to the community—is the material of interest to anyone in the community? For juvenile and young adult materials, also consider: • Format—paperbacks are preferred by many young adults; board books get a lot of wear in tiny hands. • Reading level—is the level too high or too easy for young patrons who would be interested in the item? • Current interest in the subject matter—are young people interested in the subject? Is the treatment of the subject engaging? • Visual appeal—are the illustrations in color? Are photographs clear? Is the layout of the book open (white space) and inviting? • Jacket art (contemporary vs. outmoded)—does the book look like something your great-grandmother read? • Use in school curricula—are books available for the grade level