Looking for a book...list?

Well, then look no further than Morton Grove Public Library's Fiction_L Booklists. These lists are compiled from the Fiction_L listserv content which provides subscribers with advice/discussion on readers' advisory issues that arise in libraries. If you enjoy a challenge, look for a post where someone is trying to determine a book title based on a vague description. It is very entertaining, especially if you try to find the answer yourself. In this way, this listserv functions as a haven for assistance with difficult questions. Now, back to the point of this post. The Fiction_L Booklists are divided into the following categories: Genre, Character, Setting, Subject, Author, Audience, "Best of", and Miscellaneous. Even if you don't have a specific request to fill, one can certainly pick up some knowledge of authors/titles within the lists of each category.

If you enjoy these booklists, then I highly recommend subscribing to the Fiction_L listserv. If you're a Gmail user, like me, you can filter the listserv posts, and then they are available for easy searching in the future. If not, then just check out the Fiction_L Archives.

Lit from the urban streets

After having several requests for "urban fiction", I felt I should further investigate the genre to locate some resources. During my initial searches, I uncovered some info through Library Journal. Although the article entitled "Collection Development 'Urban Fiction': Streetwise Urban Fiction" was written in 2006, it provides a thorough description of the genre and its themes. This article also provides links to many best seller lists as well as book review for urban fiction.

Another great resource from LJ is their monthly "Word on Street Lit" column. Each month a different aspect of the urban fiction is examined. For example, the most recent "No. 5" column discusses the male perspective of relationships in this genre. This column allows one to keep track of upcoming releases and is well worth checking out each month to stay familiar with urban fiction publishing.

Other online resources for urban fiction:

Urban Fiction/Street Lit/Hip Hop Fiction Resources

Urban Fiction/Street Lit - GRPLpedia

Are you bookless?

Most people do not have to look far to find something to read. Waiting rooms of all types are almost always fully stocked with a wide variety of popular magazines. I wonder how often people find themselves without a book to read. Perhaps they are simply waiting for a serendipitous encounter to bring a new title their way, which often happens.

Booklessness seems to place everyone at an equal level. Avid readers and occasional readers now share a common dilemma of being without reading material. Of course, social networking sites, like Goodreads, help minimize the amount of time one remains bookless, by providing a method for documenting future reads. So are online sources the end of traditional readers' advisory? Not at all.

Before coming into the public library realm, readers' advisory was not commonplace to me in the academic/research library realm. This blog is my continuing journey in readers' advisory with a focus on the resources/topics I find helpful as expand my knowledge of this area.