Whichbook

     Whichbook.com  is a UK based site, but still can be used by anyone who is looking for something different and new to read.   The interesting thing is when you find a book, it will give tabs  to buy ( links to Amazon and helps them support the site ) or  to borrow( links to local UK libraries) which is fun  and great for those in UK.

      Now back to the site: if you like to browse around different books  this is for you.  You can find similar books that match your choices.  WhichBooks offers choices  a bit different from regular genres  such as  mood, plot shape, emotion, types of main characters.
 
     There is a team of 70 people who create the entries about the books.  Theses people are real readers who love to read. They concentrate on books that most will not find by themselves. The books on the site are fiction and they are not Best Sellers.  They are lesser known but intriguing  titles.

    Use the MY lists tab to store books you come across that you want to keep track of.  You can also note on this Want to read/ Have read.  Also browse the author list and the guest lists/
    

Fantastic Fiction.com

   Fantastic Fiction is a web site  for librarians and book lovers .  Through this site you can find  information about authors and  their books.   The site is easy to use  and you can click on a title to see the book cover, the description , and the details on the publication of the book.
  There are also links to book awards,  books from different countries( it is a UK based site),  Series books, and Year. There are also links to hardcover, paper back , audio books, and kindle editions where visitors can  click and search.

 Along the right side you can also see  information about books that are coming out in the next several months  This will be a great source for librarians looking to see what is coming up by their  favorite authors.

 There are also genre pages ( towards the bottom) which includes: science fiction, fantasy, YA, horror,  mystery, historical, western, romance, sagas  just to list a few ..

The Staff Recommends

  This site provides recommendations to great and memorable books.  The staff receives books from publishers all over the US.  The staff then reads and decides if the title is worthy to be placed on the site. Only then does the publisher pay to have their books placed.  ( This is great advertising for great books!)

 The Staff Recommends  site reaches half a million readers and it help  readers to find a book they are bound to love.

  So to keep up with the latest and best  this is the site you want to  check out.  You can read reviews of their current picks.  Also check out their past selections which gives short review of many of their favorites

  

Gnooks- Discover New Authors

  Gnooks is a community bases system of the gnod engine.  On this site you can discover new authors , discuss your favorites and learn new titles that are similar to your favorites.

  The gnod engine also provides similar links to music, movies, and art.

  There is a search block for Gnods suggestions when you can impute your favorite authors. The site will give you a list of  suggestions of authors and titles to try.

   Under the "Map Of Literature" block you can type in an author. The site pulls up a 'wordle" of authors that write similar styles to your favorite.  The closer the name is to your favorite the more similar they are to the style and genre. When you click on an author it takes you to another 'wordle" of authors.

  The literature forum gets you into a discussion of a certain author and their works  The latest discussions are listing on the right hand side of the main screen.

  If you want to participate in all the functions of the site you need to be registered and logged in. They use Florke as the systems that provides members with the discussion community.

RA For All - great Blog!

   The blog I  just discovered is "RA for All" and it is a great resource for public librarians who want information on good reads for their patrons.  Part of the mission of this blog is to help librarians in their quest to provide advice to both fiction and non-fiction readers.

  The author provides links, lists , and news about Readers Advisory.  He teachers a class in Readers Advisory( Dominican U- Graduate School of library and Information Science.) so he also shares some of his students work.

   There are also book review,s and links to other book review blogs to provide even more reviews.

 On the right hand side, three are links to book discussions, links to ideas for elementary librarians,( Sturdy for Common Things)  and other blogs with interesting content and book reviews.

The content here is interesting , informative , and addictive. I think you will find a lot of content to give you ideas and inspiration!

Esstablishing Routines- Floor time Part 4

There are many other activities that I do during floor time: Yes I want to be available to assist patrons and help them find answers to questions.  However , since I am never sure when that may occur I have some routines that I do while I am waiting for patrons to need help.

 One of the  first things I do on a daily basis is check the bathrooms for needed items and I keep my eyes open for anything I think may need attention.  I will also straighten shelves, put in book supports,post flyer's, and rearrange brochures in the stands.

 Another item I do at least once a day is straighten up the newspaper stand, and check on the magazines.  I have an old magazine rack which always needs straightening.

 During "floor time" I will also keep my eye out for  bulbs that need replacing, plants that need watering, and  anything out of place that needs to be put back right.

 Also during floor time, I can fill the copiers with paper,  work on book displays,  and  go over items with my staff that need to be addressed.

So "floor time" is a busy time but I can be on deck to help patrons and also get a lot accomplished!

Establishing Routines- Part 3 - Floor Time

 "Floor Time" is when I am Not in my office( that is Desk Time- see Establishing Routines- Desk Time).  Each day I try to spend as much time as possible  on 'Floor  Time". Why?  because I want to be viable to the patrons and the staff and I want to be available for help  when needed.

  This is a time when I am really 'being' a librarian by assisting patrons with reference and reading questions. During this time, I can help patrons locate books,  provide computer help, and discuss reading   suggestions and preferences.

   There are many other tasks and activities that I also do during floor time which helps me keep tabs on the physical site of the library building. This is a challenge  because we are in a 100 year old bank building so something is almost always is needing attention.

Readers Advisory- Indirect

   In the last couple of posts, I have talked about Readers Advisory's.  But we can also indirectly advise and advance students and patrons reading .Some patrons and students might actually prefer this indirect way to direct conversations.

    Here are some simple indirect readers advisories;

1. Displays of certain genres- with a slogan "Looking for a Good Book?"

2. Reading Guides( If you liked_____(an author or genre) then try these!) the student or patron can pick it up on their own ad read it with out speaking or asking a librarian or reader's advisor.

3. Annotated Book lists- again the patron can read brief blurbs about books. Our library provides a monthly list of new titles this way.

4. Book Marks- This is another indirect way to show books in a specific genre,

5. Staff recommendations. Display or list what the library staff is currently reading .This makes it way for staff and patrons.

  Where should we have these displays or lists? How about near the entrance of the library , in high traffic areas, at the end of stacks , or other areas where people congregate or meet. This is where patrons and students will see the displays and are more likely to catch a quick book to read. These books on display usually circulate quickly.

 So if you are new to readers advisory, this may be the way to start!