Children's Writers Workshop Log 10-16-01

Tonight's topic: WHAT DO LIBRARIANS LIKE?

Guests: Becky Hoover, Jessica Swaim, and Diane Zoller.

Tuesdays

9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT), Writers Workshop

Children's Writers chat - writers and illustrators of children's books meet for specific topics and special guest speakers, moderated by HOST WRTR WBABE & HOST WRTR CGaley, with HOST WRTR sUe & HOST WRTR Neely (Greeters).

<HTML>Children's Writers Workshop 10-16-01

Tonight's topic is WHAT DO LIBRARIANS LIKE?

Guests: Becky Hoover, Jessica Swaim, and Diane Zoller.

WriterBabe: Tonight, I'm delighted to welcome three of our favorite

professionals to the chat--

WriterBabe: librarians Becky Hoover, Jessica Swaim, and Diane Zoeller.

WriterBabe: Welcome, gals!

OtterBabe3: Thanks for inviting me!

WriterBabe: Let's start off with the burning question--what do you like and

why?

CT Booky: Thanks.

WriterBabe: Who wants to answer first?

WriterBabe: GA

WriterBabe: Don't all jump at once. LOL

WriterBabe: Becky, may I start with you?

CT Booky: Okay, I'll start.

CT Booky: I like historical fiction, because it's an entertaining way for

children to become immersed in history.

CT Booky: I've learned so many things I never knew before by reading

historical fiction.

CT Booky: ga

WriterBabe: How about you, Jessica? GA

Authoress4: i like pb's which are funny and silly, rhyme when it's well done

Authoress4: i like lots of individual titles, esp contemp fiction that gets

Authoress4: overlooked all too often bec kids like series

Authoress4: GA

WriterBabe: And you, Diane? GA

OtterBabe3: Love all good books! Favorites are Karen Hesse because she is so

creative. I love fantasy also. L'Engle, T.A. Barron.

OtterBabe3: Just all books that are written from the heart. ga

WriterBabe: What a wide range of tastes you all have! Cool!

CT Booky: I like humor, too. ga

WriterBabe: How much influence do you have on what the libraries buy? GA

Authoress4: at our library we have about 8 children's librarians, some

parttime,

Authoress4: and we each order for certain parts of the collection

Authoress4: we go through journals every week and mark selections, GA

WriterBabe: What part of you responsible for, Jessica? GA

Authoress4: the zeros, the 780s and 790s. weird, huh? <G> not necessarily

my choice...

Authoress4: but we're going to redivide the areas soon

Authoress4: so right now I have computer books, the arts, sports

Authoress4: GA

WriterBabe: LOL

WriterBabe: Becky and Diane, how about you?

OtterBabe3: I buy everything in a school library. Make all final decisions

but get lots of input from students & staff. I rely on book reviews from

various journals for help and love to get prepub copies from publishers so I

can read in advance

OtterBabe3: and then promote the books to our students. ga

CT Booky: My library works like Pamela's. Since I'm part-time I'm not part

of the process, but because I have exposure to authors at writers'

conferences I often make suggestions that get purchased.

CT Booky: So become my special friend and I'll make sure your book is in my

library! :) ga

Authoress4: at our public library we also rely heavily on patron

suggestions, ga

WriterBabe: Do you all go to conferences, meet authors, etc.? GA

CT Booky: I do because I'm also a writer. ga

WriterBabe: How about you, Jessica and Diane?

Authoress4: ditto, becky, I belong to scbwi and feel I'm at conferences more

as a writer but there's definitely crossover :-), ga

OtterBabe3: Definitely as they are one of the best ways to learn about what

is new. Ohio State University sponsors a great Children's Literature

Conference each year. I learn so much there. I also go to ALA, whenever I

can. ga

WriterBabe: Great!

WriterBabe: Which review media do you respect the most? GA

Authoress4: probably SLJ

Authoress4: GA

WriterBabe: Diane and Becky? GA

OtterBabe3: I look at everything I can get my hands on. Use SLJ, Booklist &

Horn Book regularly. Also look at Book Link for curricular ideas.

OtterBabe3: ga

CT Booky: Booklist, SLJ, Horn Book as well. ga

WriterBabe: Thanks.

CT Booky: Also Publisher's Weekly.ga

WriterBabe: How do you "sell" a book to kids? How do you match a book with

a child? GA

OtterBabe3: I also look for local info on authors in our area. ga

Authoress4: in my experience the librarian is often the last person kids

take recommendations from, LOL

Authoress4: but that's more one-on-one, not talking about through book talks

WriterBabe: Oh, dear. Really?

Authoress4: some are very turned off to reading, they're there to see the

accelerated reading list for school...

OtterBabe3: I start by asking them to tell me the title of the last book

they really enjoyed. Then I try to find a match based on my knowledge of

literature.

Authoress4: or because Mom wants them to read more

Authoress4: yes, I agree, Otter, asking what they've read recently and liked

works well, GA

WriterBabe: Actually, I wouldn't take advice from my librarian either when I

was a kid--she kept trying to get me to read horse stories. I was totally

uninterested. LOL

CT Booky: Ditto. ga

CT Booky: About asking what they like. ga

WriterBabe: How do you work with the community to promote reading? GA

Authoress4: some books are just tough sells, no matter how many awards they

earnex

Authoress4: ga

OtterBabe3: I love books so much that I find myself "selling books" very

easily.

OtterBabe3: I try to find connections and the best in every book.

Authoress4: we prepare subject bibliographies on common topics and that

helps computer shy people locate books

OtterBabe3: ga

WriterBabe: Let me get back to the easy and tough sells a moment (jumped the

gun on myself).

WriterBabe: Which books are easy sells these days? GA

OtterBabe3: I do booktalks, booklists, displays, tuck special bookmarks in

books, have book fairs too. ga

CT Booky: Anything remotely to do with Harry Potter. :) ga

WriterBabe: Why am I not surprised, Becky? :->

Authoress4: well, anything by Paula Danziger is an easy sell <g>

OtterBabe3: Any book that tells a good story.

WriterBabe: Hey, Paula, you hear that?

Authoress4: Amber Brown, very popular

Authoress4: girls ask for Snail Mail No More, etc.

WriterBabe: Whoohoo! Excellent!

Authoress4: way to go, Paula!

Pauladanz: yup....thanks

OtterBabe3: My students love Margaret Peterson Haddix.

CT Booky: Series books are always popular. We can't keep Magic Treehouse on

the shelves, or Captain Underpants.

Authoress4: our kids love the Dear America series, captain underpants,

lemony snicket

WriterBabe: Because she's not only good, but also from Ohio, Diane?

Authoress4: oh, yes, magic tree house, very big

OtterBabe3: Having a book fair today. Was there till 8:15 p.m. and last book

sold was I Am Amber.

Authoress4: kevin henkes has a small but loyal following

OtterBabe3: Both Marilyn. But they just love her books.

Authoress4: I just read What a Trip, Amber Brown, very cute

WriterBabe: What kinds of books are tough sells? GA

OtterBabe3: But Joan Holub's Haunted States of America is a big hit with my

group now!

Authoress4: anything with a "literary" look, I know that's nebulous, but sad

to say even Cynthia Rylant

WriterBabe: Go, Joan!

CT Booky: Yeah, covers have a lot of influence.

Authoress4: boys don't like girl books, surprise surprise

JOANWRITE: (Hooray!)

CT Booky: Anything thick.

Authoress4: kids want short books, they wait too long for school

assignments, another big surprise

WriterBabe: Except for Harry Potter.

OtterBabe3: Covers do have a lot of influence. But that's when I start

talking about the story. :-)

WriterBabe: Well, I have many more questions to ask, but I'd better give the

audience a shot.

WriterBabe: Folks, I'm opening this to you.

Authoress4: as far as market gaps, if I may, it's very hard to find books in

between easy reader and beginning chapter books

Authoress4: GA

WriterBabe: Start typing ? or !

WriterBabe: I don't think there are books in between easy reader and

beginning chapter books, Jessica.

WriterBabe: Do we need a new genre?

Authoress4: yes! we need more Amber Browns at the What a Trip level,

perfect

Pauladanz: !

WriterBabe: Paula, go ahead.

Pauladanz: thanks....two more coming in the spring

OtterBabe3: Oh, hot news. I love it!

Authoress4: :-)))))

WriterBabe: Paula, wouldn't you call the Amber Browns chapter books?

RoxyanneY: ?

WriterBabe: GA

WriterBabe: Paula?

Pauladanz: the later ones yes....the A is for Ambers are easy to reads

WriterBabe: Okay.

WriterBabe: Roxy, your turn.

Authoress4: it's confusing sometimes to know what kids mean when they ask

for chapter books, GA

RoxyanneY: How has your purchasing budget been affected by the lagging

economy, and how has this influenced the purchasing and promotion decisions

you make in regard to the titles you choose for storytimes, etc? GA

OtterBabe3: Funny you should ask.

OtterBabe3: I just calculated my book budget at $8.27 per student and was

feeling so bad. Then I talked to a high school librarian who has a $700 for

the year! For books! Awful!

RoxyanneY: (Are quiet books being moved down the Buy list in favor of books

that will be more crowd pleasers?)

WriterBabe: That's terrible!

OtterBabe3: She told me her school spends more on office supplies!

WriterBabe: Jessica, how about your library? GA

OtterBabe3: She is in another school district in our county. ga

Authoress4: our bldg is barely a year old, so we have a healthy budget but

that will

Authoress4: change as more new libraries are built in our district

Authoress4: at the risk of having my two colleagues throw cyber tomatoes at

me...

Authoress4: I'd have to say we're rich, LOL

WriterBabe: Rich is good! Becky, any take on the budget in your library?

WriterBabe: GA

CT Booky: Our library is in an affluent area, and ALL our materials are

purchased by patron contributions. I think we're unique in that respect. I

know we're buying less than in the past, but we keep up with what our patrons

want pretty

CT Booky: well. ga

OtterBabe3: There is an article in the latest SLJ regarding more $ for

technology & less for books. Depressing. ga

WriterBabe: Yes, that's happening in the Brooklyn library system, I know.

Authoress4: yes, pressure's on to buy DVDs now, ga

CT Booky: We have 11 computers in our children's room alone.

WriterBabe: DVDs? Movies? GA

OtterBabe3: You bet.

OtterBabe3: Even in schools!

WriterBabe: Sigh.

Authoress4: we have five catalog computers, four internet stations and four

CD-ROM computers

Authoress4: ga

OtterBabe3: I have 50 computers in my library and 4 catalog computers.

WriterBabe: What are we poor authors to do? GA

CT Booky: We circulate CD-ROMs, too.

Authoress4: our CD-ROMs are always checked out

FrancoBe: ?

WriterBabe: Betsy, go ahead.

FrancoBe: Can we talk some more about gaps in subject matter and genres and

difficulty levels?

OtterBabe3: All 50 have Internet access but are 6 years old and not able to

keep up with technology. ga

WriterBabe: Sure, what do you want to ask about that, Betsy? GA

FrancoBe: Any subjects for picture book age that missing?

OtterBabe3: Yes, I am looking for biographies that are appealing and

appropriate for middle school and more than 128 pages.

Authoress4: there's never enough train books, truck books, dinosaur books

Authoress4: and early chapter books, as I mentioned before, GA

CT Booky: I just had someone looking for a book for her kindergartener who

is too shy to talk in class.

WriterBabe: Really, Jessica? I think publishers think there are enough of

those.

OtterBabe3: Yes, I have middle school students who want books on trucks and

cars too.

CT Booky: I agree with Jessica.

Authoress4: there's a gap for, I would guess, the average third grade

reader, you think, becky?

Authoress4: just a big gaping hole

Authoress4: lots of preschool boys want things that go!

WriterBabe: Interesting. 8-year-olds.

CT Booky: I think you're right. I also think there's a gap for books for

boys in that early elementary group.

OtterBabe3: Very true from my public library experience. So many series for

that age.

Authoress4: historical fiction is very popular, and all kinds of series

Authoress4: fantasy, along the lines of magic tree house, ga

CT Booky: We don't have a lot of historical fiction for the early chapter

book readers.

WriterBabe: This is fascinating!

Authoress4: also seventh grade boys who don't like to read. there's nobody

like gary paulsen, we need to clone him

CT Booky: One boy wanted a book about tattoos.

OtterBabe3: Very trendy tastes in the middle school.

CT Booky: Will Hobbs!

Authoress4: it'd be great to have more books that could compete with some of

the TV tie-ins...

Authoress4: (yes, Hobbs!)

OtterBabe3: Will Hobbs visited our school and was fantastic!

Authoress4: clifford is big, so is Arthur, Mary Kate & Ashley, ga

CT Booky: Ugh, we avoid those as much as possible.

Authoress4: i know, but it's all some kids will read

WriterBabe: More questions, folks?

OtterBabe3: Just keep them reading - it's so important.

OtterBabe3: Many respond to books on tape.

Pauladanz: !

WriterBabe: Paula, go ahead.

Pauladanz: i like arthur, why avoid him?

CT Booky: We don't avoid him, but there's so many other good books, too.

Authoress4: i just meant he's popular, we could use more books along those

lines

CT Booky: There are so many good books, I mean.

OtterBabe3: Remember Arthur was a book before a TV icon.

Authoress4: in other words kids have trouble finding anything else

OtterBabe3: And books are always better.

Authoress4: they want "books like" such and such and there aren't any

RoxyanneY: ?

CT Booky: Parents always want their kids to read what they read when they

were kids.

CT Booky: Bo-ring!

Authoress4: yes, becky, usually goes over like a lead balloon, huh? <g>

Authoress4: GA

WriterBabe: You've mentioned many well-known books and authors. How can you

get kids to read lesser known books? GA

OtterBabe3: I found that you also have to "sell" new books to the parent

audience.

OtterBabe3: Promote, promote, promote Marilyn.

Authoress4: some kids are very receptive to suggestion, but our kids read

off the accelerated reading list their schools use so that's a main focus for

them

Authoress4: sad to say, many are only interested in point value, and finding

the shortest book

Authoress4: ga

OtterBabe3: You have to know the books yourself and share the essence with

the kids.

Neely f: <>?><?<><?><<> 15 MINUTE WARNING ?><>?<><?><?><><

CT Booky: We have lots of reading lists and bibliographies in a binder that

we refer people to when they're searching for good reads.

OtterBabe3: So glad we did not go the AR route.

Authoress4: yes, we do too, and people use the bibs a lot, ga

WriterBabe: Meaning, Diane? What kind of promotion works? GA

Authoress4: yeah, I've got a bad attitude about AR, in case you can't tell,

LOL, ga

WriterBabe: And what is the AR route? GA

OtterBabe3: Give them the personal touch. Know the books and talk about

them. AR =Accelerated REader.

MaryCronk: (I'd love to hear pros & cons of AR my kids just got it this

year in school)

Authoress4: i'm sure there's pros, at least they're reading, many of the

books are classics

CT Booky: I lead a book discussion group for 3rd-5th graders and 6th-8th

graders. We present all the new books we get in and booktalk them. The kids

are very enthusiastic about the new books and fight over them!

OtterBabe3: There are many articles written about it. It is quite expensive.

Authoress4: but so many kids seem focused on points rather than finding a

book they'll like

OtterBabe3: Yes, that's the way Becky. Booktalks do it every time.

Authoress4: yes, new books are sometimes an easy sell just because they're

new, ga

WriterBabe: I don't know what Accelerated Reader is. Can you explain

briefly to us? GA

Authoress4: i'm probably not the best person, should defer to a school

librarian...? ga

OtterBabe3: I call it Weight Watchers for Reading. (Sorry)

CT Booky: lol

Authoress4: LOL

WriterBabe: Oh, my!

OtterBabe3: There are lists of specific books that students must read to

earn points.

PBRwriter: ?

WriterBabe: And what happens with the points? GA

CT Booky: The more challenging the book, the higher the point value.

Pauladanz: !

Authoress4: then they take a computer test, right? and if they pass the test

they earn points

Authoress4: some schools use the points to award special privileges to the

kids

Authoress4: your basic operant conditioning

Authoress4: GA

OtterBabe3: Yes, there are rewards but no reward for enjoying a good book.

WriterBabe: Ah.

WriterBabe: Roxy, you have a question.

RoxyanneY: I have really nostalgic feelings toward libraries - the library

in my home town was one of those ancient buildings with creaky wooden floors

and it smelled like a library is supposed to smell

OtterBabe3: Sorry, I'm showing my bias here.

RoxyanneY: (books, books, books, and just a hint of lemon Pledge), but my

local branch is is all glass and chrome and the architecture is very angular

and when I walk in, it feels more like a community

RoxyanneY: rec center with scads of computers (work stations and checkout

stations like you described before) and local school art projects at the

entrance that you have to get past to find the books,

SarahStNy: Isn't that wat education is about now d?ays

RoxyanneY: and those are on metal shelving - sort of cold and not really

inviting me to curl up and read within these walls. What sort of physical

changes do you see in your libraries, and how do you keep your space

"feeling" like a library?

RoxyanneY: ga

Authoress4: our public library is just over a year old. we have bright

colors in the kids dept,

Authoress4: floor cushions, a puppet stage. we have two fireplaces in the

library

Authoress4: and a quiet reading room with couches and chairs.

Authoress4: it's modern but still warm. oh, yeah, and an outdoor reading

deck, my fav! GA

RoxyanneY: (oh, I'm melting at the thought of a fireplace in my library - it

would be hard to leave)

WriterBabe: It sounds divine!

Authoress4: it is!! GA

CT Booky: Our magazine room has comfy chairs, a window seat, and a

fireplace.

Neely f: @^@(^@(^(@^(@^@(^@ 7 MINUTE WARNING @^*@^*@@^*@^@^^@

OtterBabe3: My school and library was renovated six years ago but I was not

there at the time. It is too sterile for my taste but I try to provide bean

bags for a cozy area. We're really taken over by computers.

MaryCronk: !?

WriterBabe: Thanks. Pam, you're next.

PBRwriter: Since the mass market series titles are not often reviewed, how

do you select what to buy for your patrons?

PBRwriter: What journals do you read to decide where your $ goes for the

"literary" books?

OtterBabe3: I love to display student-created projects to warm things up.

CT Booky: The children's room has colorful carpeting and matching chairs.

Our picture book area is "corralled" by shelves to set it off from the

computers. We have a puzzle table and rocking horse, stuffed toys and soft

chairs for parents

CT Booky: to cuddle with their tots.

PBRwriter: Thanks- Pamela- GA

WriterBabe: Pam, I believe that was answered earlier--SLJ, Booklist, Horn

Book.

WriterBabe: Correct, gals? GA

OtterBabe3: Ditto

Authoress4: yes, ga

Authoress4: PW

Authoress4: ga

PBRwriter: (Oops) But do negative reviews translate into non-purchases?

CT Booky: Pretty much.

CT Booky: Unless someone requests it. Or we really like the author.

OtterBabe3: Not always. I look at several sources. Also consider curriculum

needs too.

Authoress4: not necessarily, depends on need, I always regard reviews as one

person's opinion, GA

WriterBabe: What about conflicting reviews--and I mean wildly conflicting?

GA

Authoress4: we consider the need if it's non fiction. GA

CT Booky: We consider the subject matter and the author.

WriterBabe: GA?

Authoress4: some series we have a standing order in our district, GA

PBRwriter: So it pays to be friendly with your local librarians. THANKS

OtterBabe3: I question the reviewer. Often I buy the book myself and decide

if it is questionable but I really think it might be good for our collection.

OtterBabe3: :-) Send us those pre-pub copies.

WriterBabe: Paula, you have a comment.

Authoress4: we also go to bookstores a lot to see for ourselves, ga

Pauladanz: it's ok....about AR....just that i think it's awful

OtterBabe3: Thanks Paula!

WriterBabe: Okay. Last question, Mary.

MaryCronk: I'm really steamed because when my kids go to the library, the

first thing they do is go to the computer to look up an author they like, or

subject or specific title. Browsing the shelves was my way of picking a

book.

Neely f: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 3 MINUTE WARNING -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

MaryCronk: Any suggestions for getting them to actually go to the shelves

and look at books???

WriterBabe: So, the fine art of browsing is disappearing.

Authoress4: browsing is alive and well in our library. I'm glad your kids

know how to use the catalog :-)

MaryCronk: They sure do!

CT Booky: Does your library put up displays?

Authoress4: people have less time to browse but it still works, GA

OtterBabe3: I put the books on top of the shelves to draw them in.

MaryCronk: They walk right by displays.

Authoress4: yes, we do very attractive displays of books and we also have

local citizens display things like doll collections and trains, ga

Authoress4: put up a sign that says BANNED BOOKS, gets their attention every

time, LOL, ga

WriterBabe: Well, we're about out of time. Any final thoughts, librarians?

GA

OtterBabe3: There are some great resources by Gale. What do young adults

read next?, etc. Very helpful in getting readers to find new authors, books.

CT Booky: LOL

Catalyst8: Hi all!

Authoress4: yes, don't hesitate to ask your friendly librarian about market

gaps she sees...

Authoress4: there's lots of books that need writing!

OtterBabe3: Just keep writing the good stuff so I can stay in business! I

love my job!

CT Booky: Me too!

WriterBabe: Thank you so much for a really enlightening and lively chat!

Authoress4: me three!

Authoress4: thank you!

WriterBabe: I hope you'll do it again because we've got plenty more

questions!

WriterBabe: A round of applause, folks!

OtterBabe3: Thanks for the invitation - you are always a great group!

Pete n Gun: Thanks guests!

CT Booky: Thanks for asking us.

Authoress4: any time

CGaley: Thanks all you librarians!

RoxyanneY: Bravo, everyone.

Corrielb: Thanks!

MaryCronk: Thanks!

Pauladanz: librarians are great?

Neely f: )()()()()()()()()()) CLAPPING ()()()()()()()()()()()(

WriterBabe: They are great!

Pauladanz: that was an !!!!!!!

PBRwriter: Thanks for talking to us. (And p.s people don't whisper in my

local library. Those were the days..) Thanks for coming by.

WriterBabe: Next week our guest will be author/editor Amy Ehrlich of

Candlewick. See you all then!

JOANWRITE: Thank you librarians

WriterBabe: Night!

CT Booky: Mine either, PB.

END

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