MLA notes Day 1

The 2008 MLA conference began with Peter Forni addressing the general session on civility. He stressed that life is a relational experience that is defined by our connections. The quality of our life depends on the quality of these relationships and thus the relational skills that we possess. He was an excellent and engaging speaker and now I want to delve into his books. This topic translated well to the library world since by performing reference services, we are aiding in creating connections whether it's through computer access or programs or community information.


He shared some useful information for us on how to deal with incivility. First of all he stressed that you must be prepared - don't be surprised when confronted with rudeness. You aren't supposed to expect it and therefore send out the wrong vibes but that in order to counteract rudeness you can't be taken off guard. Second, don't take it personally and third decide how you will react. As public librarians, knowing how to act is such a necessary skill that it's good to be reminded of this.

Some other tips:
Be secure - think of yourself as an accomplished person who doesn't need to prove anything
Practice empathy
See others as ends in themselves
Financial gain is a means not the end
Diffuse stress
Get to know people - end anonymity which encourages inattention and careless attitudes
Don't be hostile and shift hostility to others

IDK! Teen Service Made Simple - Stephanie Ewell & Jessica Smith-Harper from Wicomico Co.
This session discussed how the county obtained a grant to improve their teen services. It was good to hear the experiences of another system but much that they did would just be to difficult to staff or find a location in the library for. I did really like the "rave card" model they used to promote their programs which they said was their best response method. In addition, they put on a program even with one teen or else that kid may never want to come back., however, this seems to be a rare occasion for them. They explained out they set out high interest materials to draw the teens during the programs and didn't prep ahead of time but let the kids set up and be part of the process.

Using Ipods to get students and staff to tune in to reading - Lisa McKenney & John Taube from Allegany Co. and Mike Fiscus from NE Elementary
The last session of my day made us all very envious. The library and the school partnered to create book backpacks with an Ipod preloaded with the audiobook and added literary content. This was a really cool project but a bit pricey for many of us to dream about without a grant. They showed how the audio aided the students in fluency and expression and the content hat they created increased the understanding of the stories.

The coolest thing was PhotoStory 3. This is a software package that allows you to take still digital images and create a slide show with text and audio. This impressed many of us and the presenter of a Day 2 session mentioned that she was more excited about what they could do with that. Allegany County used similar technology to create online computer classes and info about their wifi. I wondered about introductions to the library and it's services presented in other languages (a colleague had recently mentioned that we should have a video for our new Spanish speaking customers so that they fully understand what we can do). So many cool possibilities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnxsCKC6Lsg Photostory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUtk8alria4 Audacity clip

MLA - Maryland Library Association Annual Conference

I went to Ocean City for the first time to attend this year's MLA conference. This was a wonderful two days of ocean and bay views coupled with library learning, networking and fun! I promise to post session notes in the coming week but click HERE for a taste from another colleague.

The new Ocean City library was lovely and the staff were great hosts for a conference reception. Great atmosphere and music! Check out the brand new building:
http://www.worc.lib.md.us/library/newoclib.htm

The Complete Jane Austen pt. 2

Yes, yes, I am very behind in posting this but just watched the new Sense & Sensibility again last night (a wonderful Mother's Day present) and am looking forward to the bonus disc of Miss Austen Regrets. I thoroughly enjoyed my Austen evenings on PBS (followed with the bonus David Starkey's Monarchy) and missed them as soon as they were done. The short new ones had their drawbacks in time constraints or casting but nonetheless were fun in their own way. The new S&S was really good but Andrew Davies knows how to interpret these to film. Since it was a two parter, much of the rushed feeling of the other adaptations is lost and we get much more nuanced characters. Despite any liberties, I think this was excellently cast and very well directed and produced. I still love Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman but this version is a great update and good for a grey Sunday afternoon.

The Complete Jane Austin on PBS pt.1

I have to confess that I've caught the first three weeks of these but did miss the last one. I've instructed the family that at 9 each Sunday I will be watching PBS and to not disturb. It's been a nice little break but Sunday night I was too much of a football fan to remember poor Jane.

Even though I missed one I did want to add a few particular comments on the ones I had seen. I will begin by saying that I enjoy any Jane adaptations but there are two things that have bugged me about these.

Since these are SO short they do feel rushed. I know a colleague who hadn't read one of the books was a bit lost as much isn't explained and charachters or plot lines are completely elimated. She's also reading P&P now and commented that the themes are so similar she keeps getting the characters confused.

I recently finished rereading Mansfield Park prior to the airing and I was more disappointed with this one. I really love this book but their Fannie was all wrong! She needs to be soft spoken; I think this actress would have been better as Maria.

I am looking forward to catching the rest of these and seeing how the S&S and Emma are done. I own the Firth/Ehle P&P and can watch it anytime but it's always fun to see on TV so can't wait for that to begin. Happy Viewing!

Books for the Beast

I know I haven't posted in a while and then two in one day - well I actually have something to say. On Saturday, I went to the biannual Books for the Beast conference near Baltimore. It is a Young Adult Literature conference where participants read a group of books from two genres and then get together to discuss them. They even recruit teenagers to come free to event. I picked Real Life and Science Fiction/Fantasy. I found that it was very interesting to discuss these with professionals from Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and beyond. There was only one teen in my Real Life discussion but I enjoyed getting a better handle on some books for reader's advisory.

I wasn't able to get or read all 10 books, and found that like the teen lit I remember, they are pretty predictable but enjoyable.

Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci
Victoria, a.k.a. Egg, is living in a fantasy world of her own creation. Living in Hollywood with an actress mother and creature creator father, she idolizes her movie heroine and is a loner until she meets the new boy Max and realizes that there's more to life than being "boy proof."

Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson
This was the steamiest of the books on the list and I think my teen audience may really like it despite the happy ending. Good looking, popular and sporty Jason happens to actually be smart and falls for Kyra. Kyra smart, happy and actually pretty (once you get past other characters prejudices) falls for Jason. Once the girlfriend is out of the picture, the relationship story centers on sex, trust and forgiveness.

Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Lubar
This book had me laughing out loud. It's always hard to pick books for guys unless they are SF/Fantasy but I think this one may work. Scott Hudson and his friends are beginning high school and trying to stay friends, get a girlfriend and survive the year. This story hinges on the fact that life changes and that you can't control where it goes just find out how to enjoy the ride.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez
Xio (C.O.) and Frederick are locked in that first relationship figuring things out struggle. Set in a Latino community, Frederick arrives from Minnesota and begins to worry if he is really gay. Not an easy book to recommend to someone who's in the same situation but a good read for anyone as it deals with stereotypes and uncertainties. The story gains by alternating chapters told by the two main characters. Much is unresolved but so much always is.

Tithe by Holly Black
An interesting modern faerie tale as the subtitle announces. Kay is going along semi-happily with her wannabe rock star mother until an odd attack leads them back to her grandmother's in a dying New Jersey town. She has always known faeries but gets drawn into their world and finds everything is not as it seemed as a battle ranges between faerie courts and subjects. The writing style is overdone at times and some scenes feel forced but some in our group said Black's other books in the series get much better.

The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber
This was a major fractured fairy tale. The beginning had me stumped as to where we were going but I enjoyed the ride. Lump, a very ugly baby, is found and raised by a witch. He is spoiled and ungrateful and spends the rest of the novel on his journey to redemption. The cast include Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, a little Midas and more.

Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
I read this book first as it was short stories and I thought it would be a nice starting place for my Books for the Beast journey. The stories were very odd though. Some I really liked (My Lord's Man and Wooden Bride) and wanted so much more and others (Red Nose Day) were just too strange. I also felt that the story unfolded too quickly while still leaving details out; it felt like when you catch a movie in the middle and not knowing how the story got there. Many in our group reread them several times to find the details. As a group we thought that it should be recommended for teens to read the ones that they liked but not necessarily the whole. The stories are so different that there is a little for everyone touching on prejudice, hatred, greed, betrayal, sacrifice and loss.

E-Austen

I get a little email every day called Library Link of the Day with link to a news story of interest to libraries. Yesterday I found this one in my mail and thought it was a great mashup of my favorite things: libraries, technology and Austen. Two comments even let readers know that they can get these things FREE from the public library - YEAH!!!

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/technology_internetcritic/2007/10/reading-jane-au.html
Reading Jane Austen on a BlackBerry -- Reader, I Liked It [Chicago Tribune]



To get your own Library Link of the Day http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/

A few good books

I know it's a bit after summer but here are a few of my good reads to take us into fall. Many of these are on my LibraryThing but I wanted to add my thoughts on these. I hope to add a few more posts like this soon.

Austenland by Shannon Hale
This is a book published this year which was a great fun read. I am a Jane Austen nut so the story was right up my alley. The main character, Jane Hays gets to live out her Jane Austen fantasy at a period strict resort. A little contrived but fun all the way through.

Pride and Prejudice And Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
OK, I can't write about my good reads without including my favorites.

P&P is the classic romance tome with the wonderful language and wit of Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennett as they struggle with and against pride, prejudice and love. I have read and watched (many versions) so many times my husband doesn't know what to do with me. Each perusal bring something new so I just can't resist and it's just such a nice relaxing read.

Mansfield Park is such a different book. Romance and marriage are a key themes but there is much more to explore. Fanny Price is the poor offspring of a family with too many children sent to live with wealthy relations. Class divisions are very evident in this book but it creates a wonderfully woven story speaking to class, love, lust, and finding one's true self. I love this book for the triumph of goodness and for making the reader think about consequences of one's actions.

Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged by Carrie Bebris

I am a purist and don't always like to go beyond the story, but this was very different. A mystery story beginning right after Elizabeth Bennett becomes Mrs. Darcy. The plot isn't a classic who-done it but contains magical themes and grabs the reader with the familiar characters with a little bit more development.