Fiction_L Archives Fiction selection sources/user needs Dates: 5/14/02,4:21 PM  through  8/3/02,10:44 AM  (25 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to May 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: Mary K Chelton <[removed]@optonline.net>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 4:21 PM

I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
following:

Kirkus
PW
LJ
Booklist
Number of holds
Circulation
Author's prior track record
Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows

Thanks,

Mary K.
****************************************************************************
Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).

Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
****************************************************************************

FROM: Lucy Lockley <[removed]@mail.win.org>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 4:59 PM

Mary K.:

Would you include vendor pre-pub publications such as Baker & Taylor's
'Booking Ahead' or 'Paperclips' (not as much of a pre-pub item but useful
for titles only published in paperback)? I also try to stop in the local
book stores off and on to see if they are promoting any 'other' titles that
haven't shown up somewhere else. This can be useful for titles of specific
local interest. Then there is always the local newspaper - reviews and any
articles esp. in the entertainment section of the paper, which often list
books.

Hope this is what you had in mind.

At 05:08 PM 05/14/2002 -0700, you wrote:
>I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
>and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
>following:
>
>Kirkus
>PW
>LJ
>Booklist
>Number of holds
>Circulation
>Author's prior track record
>Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
>Thanks,
>
>Mary K.
>****************************************************************************
>Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
>Associate Professor, Graduate School of
>Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
>Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
>Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
>3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
>Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
>Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
>E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
>****************************************************************************

Lucy M. Lockley Phone: 636/441.2300, Ext. 1563
Collection Development Manager FAX: 636/441.3132
St. Charles City-County Library District
425 Spencer Road
P.O. Box 529 e-mail: [removed]@mail.win.org
St. Peters, MO 63376-0529 Library website: www.win.org/library

"Demons after money!?! Whatever happened to the still beating heart
of a virgin?! No one has ANY standards anymore!"
Giles, the Librarian ('Buffy, the Vampire Slayer')
___
| \
| \
[removed]@############]==========================================================>
\\ | /
\\ ____/ / Touche!
\________/

FROM: "Jeanne Etling" <[removed]@nsls.info>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 5:32 PM

Mary K,

I use these sources, but you didn't really say anything about knowledge of
the community one serves, or is that just assumed?

also: New York Times Book Review

Jeanne Etling
Dundee (IL) Township Public Library District

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary K Chelton" <[removed]@optonline.net>
>
> I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
> and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
> following:
>
> Kirkus
> PW
> LJ
> Booklist
> Number of holds
> Circulation
> Author's prior track record
> Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mary K.

FROM: Lisa DavisCraig <[removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 5:42 PM

I purchase romance titles for my library and find so few mainstream
reviews I have to look elsewhere.
We subscribe to Romantic Times (although their reviews tend to be
too generally favorable), and every week I check the Romance Reader
website (www.theromancereader.com) and the All about romance website
reviews (www.likesbooks.com).
To keep up with the trends and the "buzz" on particular authors
and/or titles, I subsribe to 2 e-mail lists. Romance Readers Anonymous
and AAR-L (the All about romance list).

Lisa D-C, [removed]@metronet.lib.mi.us

On Tue, 14 May 2002, Mary K Chelton wrote:

> I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
> and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
> following:
>
> Kirkus
> PW
> LJ
> Booklist
> Number of holds
> Circulation
> Author's prior track record
> Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mary K.
> ****************************************************************************
> Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor, Graduate School of
> Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
> Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
> Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
> 3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
> Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
> Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
> E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
> ****************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

FROM: Lesa Holstine <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 6:04 PM

I subscribe to a number of lists that discuss books,
including Dorothy_L for mysteries. I use their
Forthcomin Books, which is available through the list
server at Kent State, or through Cluelass.com. I use
the hot titles on Overbooked. I also subscribe to a
couple monthly lists that do forthcoming books.

We also take patron requests because they see or
listen to all the talk shows. Our patrons request
from USA Today, the local newspaper, New York Times
and NYTimes Book Review, Imus, Today Show, Regis and
Kathy Lee, etc.

Lesa Holstine
[removed]@yahoo.com
Ft. Myers, FL

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
http://launch.yahoo.com

FROM: Kaite Mediatore <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 6:36 PM

I'd like to say I hate to admit this, but I don't. I
regularly read the book section in Entertainment Weekly. I
find I've usually heard of the fiction selections
elsewhere, but they have a tendency to review unusual, yet
engaging, nonfiction that would appeal to readers at KCKPL.
Without knowing it, the EW reviewers hone in on some appeal
factors and I like their "Big Screen Bound" or "Upcoming"
side bars.

kaite

--- Mary K Chelton <[removed]@optonline.net> wrote:
> I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction
> for your readers
> and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to
> any of the
> following:
>
> Kirkus
> PW
> LJ
> Booklist
> Number of holds
> Circulation
> Author's prior track record
> Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mary K.
>
****************************************************************************
> Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor, Graduate School of
> Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
> Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
> Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
> 3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
> Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
> Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
> E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
>
****************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

=====
Kaite Mediatore, Reader's Services Librarian
KCKPL Main Branch
625 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
913.279.2067 fx 913.279.2032
[removed]@kckpl.lib.ks.us

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
http://launch.yahoo.com

FROM: "Alison Hendon" <[removed]@vabish.com>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 6:58 PM

Hi Mary - when I was purchasing some adult material, I used:
Romantic Times
Locus
2 African-American review sources, one quarterly, one bimonthly
(Sorry, the exact names escape me)
Lambda Book Review
Blackboard Bestseller List (usually in Essence magazine)
catalogs from small presses like Poisoned Pen
as well as the sources you mentioned..

HTH,
Alison Hendon

> I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
> and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
> following:
>
> Kirkus
> PW
> LJ
> Booklist
> Number of holds
> Circulation
> Author's prior track record
> Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mary K.
> ****************************************************************************
> Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor, Graduate School of
> Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
> Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
> Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
> 3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
> Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
> Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
> E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
> ****************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

Alison Hendon
[removed]@vabish.com
"Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
"Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
"Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
"I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned."
(Dirge Without Music, Edna St. Vincent Millay)
9-11-01

FROM: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 7:51 PM

I use BookSense, BookPage, even take a look at what People Weekly is
recommending. I love the magazine Book and browse the bookstores and
their online websites. I try to catch the book reviews in Christian
Science Monitor. I get e-newsletters from Powell's, New York Times,
Borders, Booksense and subscribe to the fiction/non-fiction book clubs
of Chapter-A-Day. Like other have replied I visit Romance Writers of
American periodically to see who is winning awards. I belong to
fictionchat and non-fiction chat (though I'm lurking more than
contributing these days. If they suggested titles on the back of cereal
boxes I'd be reading those
regularly too!

I also receive many wonderful suggestions from this group!

Just wish I had the budget to purchase all these wonderful books.....

--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Columbia/Saxton B. Little Free
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569

FROM: "BookBitch" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/14/02, 8:44 PM

-----Original Message-----
I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
following:

Kirkus
PW
LJ
Booklist
Number of holds
Circulation
Author's prior track record
Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows

Thanks,

Mary K.
-----
In addition to the other sources that have already been mentioned, I go
through all the publisher's catalogs I can get my hands on. There is a ton
of information in there if you know how to discern it, like sometimes they
will give you the size of the first printing, author tour information (local
versus national), and a lot of it is a judgment call, I give more credence
to a title that has a two page spread versus half a page, etc. Random House
has their catalog on their website if you don't get the print ones, and I
actually prefer that layout. On the website it is divided more by sales
potential while the print catalogs are divided by imprint. Time Warner is
now putting forthcoming books up on their site about 2 months in advance.
Hyperion also has their catalog online, through next year!

I subscribe to several online newsletters that may be geared more towards
booksellers, but that is my background, including the two most indispensable
ones, PW Daily Online, and Publishers Lunch - both Daily Lunch and Deal
Lunch. I also get PW Newsline, but find that it is usually repetitious of
PW Daily. Also most of the larger publishing houses have online
newsletters, some geared specifically towards librarians (Random House and
Time Warner) and others just have more genre specific newsletters like Simon
& Schuster. Nan Talese at Doubleday has her own online newsletter too.
Random House also sends out a publicity newsletter, letting you know where
and when their authors are going to be on TV or interviewed etc. You can
get weekly book news from USA Today online as well as the NY Times.
Overbooked.com is fabulous, and you can subscribe to Ann Theis's newsletter
and she'll let you know as she updates the site.

I also subscribe to a couple of online booksellers that have genre specific
newsletters including Amazon.com and Borders.com. Powells.com sends out a
newsletter called Review of the Day, which is not just their reviews but
includes reviews from a variety of sources including Salon.com, Christian
Science Monitor, etc. Bookmuse.com and Bookbrowse.com both have online
newsletters.

There's probably more but that's all I can think of at the moment. If you
need URL's for any of that, let me know. Yes, I get a lot of email but in
general I find reading emails a lot quicker than print sources. And to
throw in a little blatant self promotion, have you checked out my website?

Stacy Alesi
Southwest County Regional Library
Palm Beach County Library System

I am the BookBitch
www.bookbitch.com

FROM: Mary K Chelton <[removed]@optonline.net>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 9:53 AM

Thanks to all who responded to my cryptic request for fiction selection
sources. One of my assignments in the RA class is the following (anybody who
wants to see the entire syllabus, let me know):

"Make an appointment with the person who selects adult fiction in a public
library of your choice and interview them about how they do it‹specifically:
a. how they determine user interests,
b. what RA tools they find most helpful and why
c. what review or vendor sources they use
d. how they allocate the budget for fiction
e. how they decide among formats such as hardback, paperback, audiobook,
etc., and
f. what percent of their circulation comes from the fiction collection.
After the interview, walk around the library and note their ways of
promoting the fiction collection.
Record your answers in a brief paper to hand in and discuss in class. Do not
name the specific library."

I was amazed at the limited answers they got back, if indeed they could
track anyone down to interview, and I began to wonder what was wrong with
me, since I would never suggest limiting oneself to the sources listed by
those interviewed. Just an an example, library sources are notoriously
terrible in terms of SF and original paperbacks. This was just another
reality check and frustration over possibly sending good RA students into
somewhat frozen institutional cultures.

End of semester blues, I guess, or just another localized example of the
seemingly eternal library school and practice divide.

Mary K.
****************************************************************************
Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).

Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
****************************************************************************

FROM: "Kathleen Marszycki" <[removed]@rathbunpl.libraryofconnecticut.org>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 10:05 AM

In addition to those you listed, I like to cruise the publications
of Borders, B&N, Media Play, etc. Also, Bloomsbury Review, Hungry Mind
Review, and online bookstores such as Harvard Bookstore (great for
non-fiction/business), RJ Julia's (CT), Northshire (VT) and Booksense.
A few times a year, I try to check out the websites for mysteries,
historical fiction, sci-fi, etc. Once or twice a year, I pick up
magazines that focus strictly on its genre (Romance Review, Loci
(sci-fi)), even the odd Shambala Sun, Renaissance, etc. -- these often
have book review sections and/or links to sites.

Kelly Marszycki
Rathbun Memorial Library
East Haddam, CT 06423

FROM: "karin boughey" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 10:15 AM

My very favorite website in the whole wide world is Arts and Letters Daily
www.aldaily.com, which provides articles of note and a comprehensive list of
international newspapers. I check the book pages of the major international
papers every day. This really gives me a heads up from papers like The
Guardian, the Globe and Mail and The London Times of books that are big in
the UK or Canada and might be hitting the US fairly soon.

Karin Boughey
Head of Adult Services
Milford Township Library
Milford, MI

_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

FROM: David Wright <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 10:37 AM

In addition to many of the genre & specialty
sources already mentioned by others (Locus,
Romantic Times, Roundup, Lambda, etc.), we keep
tuned in to any fiction put out by local or
in-state publishers (via catalogs), and we also
keep an eye on reprints in both mainstream and
reprint publishers' catalogs.

David Wright
Seattle Public Library

--- Mary K Chelton <[removed]@optonline.net>
wrote:
> I am interested in what sources you use to
> select fiction for your readers
> and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN
> ADDITION to any of the
> following:
>
> Kirkus
> PW
> LJ
> Booklist
> Number of holds
> Circulation
> Author's prior track record
> Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mary K.
>
****************************************************************************
> Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
> Associate Professor, Graduate School of
> Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal
> Library,
> Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing,
> NY 11367;
> Phones: (718) 997-3667
> (direct/voice/voicemail),
> 3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
> Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY
> 11772.
> Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
> E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
>
****************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
http://launch.yahoo.com

FROM: "Marla" <[removed]@orion.mtgr.mtlib.org>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 10:37 AM

Hi. I also use suggestions I get from staff. They all know that I will
take very seriously the titles they suggest. (Plus I feel we get so
few "perks" around here, that if I can afford it, why not purchase a
book that he/she wants to read -- but I also do that for public
requests so no one really gets "special" <wink wink> treatment") (-
;

It amazes me sometimes how staff and public come up with a title
suggestion that somehow I totally missed. I consider them my
"back up reviewers."

BYE!

Marla/Great Falls Public Library/Acquisitions
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls MT 59401-2503
[removed]@orionl.mtgr.mtlib.org

*************
For reason will convince us that what is necessary to be
performed in the heat of action should constantly be
practised in the leisure of peace.
Vegetius, EPITOMA REI MILITARIS

FROM: [removed]@middlesbrough.gov.uk
REC'D: 5/15/02, 10:58 AM

Have you tried the following web pages.

http://books.guardian.co.uk
http://www.the-tls.co.uk
http://www.bookmagazine.com
http://www.scotbooksmag.demon.co.uk
http://www.bookends.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/books/
http://www.publishingnews.co.uk/
http://www.thebookseller.com
http://www.orbitbooks.co.uk

FROM: "Lucie Holzemer" <[removed]@duluth.lib.mn.us>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 11:20 AM

Hi Mary K. I guess I would say that beyond the ones you listed we use Ingram Advance and B & T's Booking Ahead (Using Author's track record) I check the publisher's catalogs from Tyndale, Bethany and other for titles I feel we don't catch otherwise. In my department another person is assigned paperback selection, so he looks at Locus magazine and Romantic times (If he sees a hardcover he thinks we should get he lets me know and if I see paperbacks he should consider, I send the information his way.) We also use Romance sells by the Romance writers of America. We also have several series subscriptions. Any local newspaper article about a local author is a source. of course. We also get Bookpage for distribution and I check that as well. Also our library is part of the Online book club, so I try to make sure that we have at least one copy of the ones on the Romance list. A 3rd person in our department has the large print collection. We use several standing order programs for that and she then fills in the holes using publishers catalogs. We have a Homebound delivery program and the interests of the clients strongly influence our selection decisions in large print. Library staff are considered library patrons and their reading interests often are simply advance indicators of the interests of the entire community. I use as a measure of my success the very few requests for purchase that I receive.
The 4th person in our department is the Media selection person and is on this list so I'm not going to try to answer this for her.

>>> [removed]@optonline.net 05/14/02 07:08PM >>>
I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
following:

Kirkus
PW
LJ
Booklist
Number of holds
Circulation
Author's prior track record
Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows

Thanks,

Mary K.
****************************************************************************
Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).

Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
****************************************************************************

FROM: Sandy Westbrook <[removed]@crlc.org>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 11:20 AM

Mary K,
Our collection development librarian uses:
Patron requests
Interlibrary loan requests
Staff requests
Fiction catalog's (and other) "best" lists
Award winning books
Best seller lists (our town readers LOVE the best sellers)
Publisher's catalogs
in addition to what you mentioned.

Sandy Westbrook
South Windsor Public Library
South Windsor, CT 06074
Ph 860-644-1541
Fax 860-644-7645
[removed]@crlc.org

At 05:08 PM 5/14/2002 -0700, you wrote:
>I am interested in what sources you use to select fiction for your readers
>and how you keep tabs on trends and needs IN ADDITION to any of the
>following:
>
>Kirkus
>PW
>LJ
>Booklist
>Number of holds
>Circulation
>Author's prior track record
>Media tie-ins, book clubs, and talk shows
>
>Thanks,
>
>Mary K.
>****************************************************************************
>Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
>Associate Professor, Graduate School of
>Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
>Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
>Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
>3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).
>
>Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
>Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
>E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
>****************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: "Warner, Deb" <[removed]@co.durham.nc.us>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 11:52 AM

I select the science fiction and fantasy in our library. Actually, PW, LJ
and Booklist are better in the real world then you might expect. Patron
requests are also good, as is just wandering through the local B&N
occasionally. Reading at local book stores are also helpful. Locus and
some other Science fiction/fantasy websites feature note on new publications
and old favorites, including reissues of old favorites and "best of 200?"
lists.
Additional useful sources are:
A magazines/catalogs such as Ingram's Paperback Advance. Not only is
good for paperback originals and reissues, their "best of the Backlist" can
be used for helping to fill out series
B features at Amazon .com such as lists posted by readers and the "people
who bought this also bought that" notes

FROM: "Karen Traynor" <[removed]@midyork.lib.ny.us>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 12:14 PM

I haven't seen anyone mention online book discussion groups--I find them a
great source for books I often miss in other selection tools, especially
things that are published in other countries first--Corelli's Mandolin by
Louis de Bernieres, for example.

Karen Traynor
Sullivan Free Library
519 McDonnell Street
Chittenango, NY 13037

FROM: "Sarah L. Nesbeitt" <[removed]@eiu.edu>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 3:04 PM

On the subject of sources for information on genre fiction... I
couldn't resist a quick note. At the risk of sounding somewhat biased -
I'm one of the journal's editors - the Historical Novels Review reviews
all currently published historical fiction in both the US and UK. The
reviews are written by a group of historical fiction enthusiasts,
including librarians, authors, and readers. I'd be happy to mail a
sample copy to librarians who are interested (bearing in mind that I
have a limited number of back issues on hand). For this, you're welcome
to e-mail me directly rather than to the list. Thanks.

Sarah L. Nesbeitt
Librarian & Assistant Professor, Reference Services
Booth Library, Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL 61920, USA
[removed]@eiu.edu | (217) 581-7538

FROM: Vicki Novak - LIBRARYX <[removed]@MAIL.MARICOPA.GOV>
REC'D: 5/15/02, 3:56 PM

Besides the other fiction sources mentioned, if Christian fiction is popular
in your library, be sure to check the Christian Booksellers Association
bestseller lists: http://www.cbaonline.org/BestSellers/bestsellers.html

Some book reviews are available on the site with more in their journal "CBA
Marketplace".

Vicki Novak
Adult Services Librarian
[removed]@mail.maricopa.gov

North Central Regional Library
Maricopa County Library District
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FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 5/16/02, 10:37 AM

>From: "Kathleen Marszycki" <[removed]@rathbunpl.libraryofconnecticut.org>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: selection sources
>Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 11:05:22 -0400
>
> A few times a year, I try to check out the websites for mysteries,
>historical fiction, sci-fi, etc. Once or twice a year, I pick up
>magazines that focus strictly on its genre (Romance Review, Loci
>(sci-fi)), even the odd Shambala Sun, Renaissance, etc. -- these often
>have book review sections and/or links to sites.
>

Kelly, could you possibly list the specific sites you visit? You may know
of some that others on this board don't.

_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

FROM: "Roberts, Julie" <[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 8/1/02, 1:55 PM

Gee, Mary, I wish you were teaching your course at Rosary College (now
Dominican University) in IL when I was there 7+ years ago! Your course
sounds soooo interesting. It seems much more realistic and current than
some of my former teachers, who may be "out of sync" with library practices
today. How long is the syllabus? I might be interested, as I'm sure
others on the list might. Thanks, Julie A. Roberts
[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary K Chelton [[removed]@optonline.net]
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 8:39 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Thanks for fiction selection sources

Thanks to all who responded to my cryptic request for fiction selection
sources. One of my assignments in the RA class is the following (anybody
who
wants to see the entire syllabus, let me know):

"Make an appointment with the person who selects adult fiction in a public
library of your choice and interview them about how they do
it?specifically:
a. how they determine user interests,
b. what RA tools they find most helpful and why
c. what review or vendor sources they use
d. how they allocate the budget for fiction
e. how they decide among formats such as hardback, paperback, audiobook,
etc., and
f. what percent of their circulation comes from the fiction collection.
After the interview, walk around the library and note their ways of
promoting the fiction collection.
Record your answers in a brief paper to hand in and discuss in class. Do
not
name the specific library."

I was amazed at the limited answers they got back, if indeed they could
track anyone down to interview, and I began to wonder what was wrong with
me, since I would never suggest limiting oneself to the sources listed by
those interviewed. Just an an example, library sources are notoriously
terrible in terms of SF and original paperbacks. This was just another
reality check and frustration over possibly sending good RA students into
somewhat frozen institutional cultures.

End of semester blues, I guess, or just another localized example of the
seemingly eternal library school and practice divide.

Mary K.
************************************************************************
****
Mary K. Chelton, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Graduate School of
Library and Information Studies, 254 Rosenthal Library,
Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367;
Phones: (718) 997-3667 (direct/voice/voicemail),
3790 (general office), 3797 (fax).

Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772.
Phone: (631)286-4255, no home fax.
E-mail: [removed]@optonline.net
************************************************************************
****

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FROM: "Kelly Benson" <[removed]@three-rivers-library.org>
REC'D: 8/3/02, 10:33 AM

> Gee, Mary, I wish you were teaching your course at Rosary College (now
> Dominican University) in IL when I was there 7+ years ago! Your course
> sounds soooo interesting. It seems much more realistic and current than
> some of my former teachers, who may be "out of sync" with library
practices
> today. How long is the syllabus? I might be interested, as I'm sure
> others on the list might. Thanks, Julie A. Roberts
>

Just so that anyone on this list who is considering going to Dominican
doesn't completely get the wrong idea, I think things have changed majorly
in the past few years. Yes, there are professors who live in the past that
still teach there (like any university, trust me, I have degrees from three
universities, I've been around), but in recent years there's been an influx
of forward thinking, hands on professors at Dominican. My RA class for
example consisted of us reading several books in many genres including some
I'd never read before (the odd thing is, I ended up loving the books in the
genres I never read and wondering why on earth I picked the book in the
genres I do read all the time!) and doing book talks on them and reviewing
libraries and their RA programs. I think you have to learn to look for a
professor that interests you. Sick of writing papers, I looked for the ones
that had us do hands on work, pathfinders, bibliographies, answer the
reference question scaveger hunts.

Of course, my primary interests in library school were adult reference and
technology (computers, networks) so I can't speak for every professor in
every department. If I knew now what I knew then, though, I would have taken
business reference(about the only ref class I didn't take and the one that I
most needed to take!) and one class in something related to children.

Kelly Benson MLIS Dominican University 2000
Adult Services Librarian
Three Rivers Public Library District
Channahon-Minooka, Illinois

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FROM: Julie Roberts <[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 8/3/02, 10:44 AM

Hi Kelly & everybody. I graduated from Rosary College (now Dominican
Univ.) 7 years ago now. I think they started an RA class a year or two
after. RA wasn't recognized as important until then. I LOVE Reference &
RA "scavenger hunts" and "trivia searches"!
When I worked at the Bartlett Public Library in the DuPage Library System
(DLS), I participated in a FANTASTIC Mystery (& other) genre study for RA's
and found out a lot about books, authors, etc. I too liked reading
something different from my "usual" preferences, and discussing them with
other RA Librarians. Unfortunately, my "books to read or listen to" list
is sooo big now, I may never get it all read! Oh well...maybe when I
retire many years from now! (:-)
Julie A. Roberts [removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly Benson [[removed]@three-rivers-library.org]
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 9:07 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: Thanks for fiction selection sources

> Gee, Mary, I wish you were teaching your course at Rosary College (now
> Dominican University) in IL when I was there 7+ years ago! Your course
> sounds soooo interesting. It seems much more realistic and current than
> some of my former teachers, who may be "out of sync" with library
practices
> today. How long is the syllabus? I might be interested, as I'm sure
> others on the list might. Thanks, Julie A. Roberts
>

Just so that anyone on this list who is considering going to Dominican
doesn't completely get the wrong idea, I think things have changed majorly
in the past few years. Yes, there are professors who live in the past that
still teach there (like any university, trust me, I have degrees from three
universities, I've been around), but in recent years there's been an influx
of forward thinking, hands on professors at Dominican. My RA class for
example consisted of us reading several books in many genres including some
I'd never read before (the odd thing is, I ended up loving the books in the
genres I never read and wondering why on earth I picked the book in the
genres I do read all the time!) and doing book talks on them and reviewing
libraries and their RA programs. I think you have to learn to look for a
professor that interests you. Sick of writing papers, I looked for the ones
that had us do hands on work, pathfinders, bibliographies, answer the
reference question scaveger hunts.

Of course, my primary interests in library school were adult reference and
technology (computers, networks) so I can't speak for every professor in
every department. If I knew now what I knew then, though, I would have
taken
business reference(about the only ref class I didn't take and the one that
I
most needed to take!) and one class in something related to children.

Kelly Benson MLIS Dominican University 2000
Adult Services Librarian
Three Rivers Public Library District
Channahon-Minooka, Illinois

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