Sponsored by Lerner Books
In real life, eighteen-year-old Beth is overweight, shy, and geeky. She’s been bullied all her life, and her only refuge is food. Online, though, she’s a vicious troll who targets the beautiful, vain, oversharing “It Girls” of the internet. When she meets Tori, a fellow troll, she becomes her online girlfriend-slash-partner-in-crime. But then Tori picks a target who’s a little too close to home for Beth. Unsettled, Beth decides to quit their online bullying partnership. The only problem is, Tori is not willing to let her go.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
- A new ALA report cites incidents of abusive pricing and delay of sales to libraries by major publishers.
- Meanwhile, Macmillan CEO John Sargent says that Macmillan “isn’t trying to hurt libraries” with its ebook embargo. Which may be true, but the fact remains that the ebook embargo DOES hurt libraries, regardless of what Sargent’s intention is.
- Boston Public Library eliminates late fees for children under 18.
- Maia and Alex Shibutani will be speaking at ALA Midwinter 2020 about their upcoming middle grade mystery series. If those names sound familiar, the Shib Sibs won the bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in ice dancing, and I absolutely LOVE them!
- 80 years after five black men were arrested for staging a sit-in at a whites-only library in Alexandria, VA, those charges have been officially pardoned.
- Scotland’s first lending library (established in 1680!!) gets a funding boost of £100,000!
Cool Library Updates
- The Salt Lake Main Library in Salt Lake City offers tai chi classes for the homeless.
- This Hawaiian library paired with the Revive & Refresh mobile shower van to provide a safe, comfortable place for people experiencing homelessness to shower.
Worth Reading
- Eric Klinenberg writes for LitHub that libraries are essential to contemporary communities & should be funded accordingly.
- Forbes presents a case as to why libraries need to continue eliminating late fees.
- How does your library deal with bedbug issues? This library may end up banning patrons who bring back infested items.
- Noncitizens with non-English language skills can possibly be hired for 2020 census jobs.
- Disaster can strike without warning, so you should probably make a point to update your disaster plan soon. Here are some tips.
- 9-year-old Vihaan Khera built an app for kids to easily exchange books!
- Pedro Reyes, a Mexico City artist, created an Instagram-based library.
Book Adaptations in the News
- Lee Pace is starring in Apple’s adaptation of Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
- Hugh Laurie is planning another Agatha Christie adaptation.
- Darius the Great is Not Okay is getting a film adaptation.
- Netflix purchases the rights to Jojo Moyes’ The Last Letter From Your Lover, starring Felicity Jones and Shailene Woodley.
- Here’s an update on the HBO MAX Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragons, which will be based on the book Fire and Blood.
Books & Authors in the News
- Ronan Farrow is launching a podcast companion for Catch and Kill, which will feature new audio material and interviews.
- Sheila Weller, author of the unauthorized Carrie Fisher biography, Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge, speaks about the controversy surrounding the book and the statement made by Carrie Fisher’s family
Numbers & Trends
- Slate picks the Democratic presidential candidate based on the popularity of candidate’s books at various American libraries. The results may surprise you.
- Bernardine Evaristo, co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize reports that her lifetime sales numbers have DOUBLED in the five days since the winners were announced!
- If you have $6 million to spare, you could purchase the former Oxford home of J.R.R. Tolkien himself!
Award News
- The winners of the Kirkus Prize have been announced.
- The Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Award winners are announced.
Pop Cultured
- Did you see the Rise of Skywalker trailer yet??
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
- Penguin Random House is hosting a book fair for adults reminiscent of the Scholastic book fairs so many of us grew up with in elementary school!
- Halloween may be over, but you can always start planning for next year with these hardcore Harry Potter costume ideas.
- How to determine the reading level of a book.
- Life in a traveling bookstore.
- What words were first used in print the year you were born? My birth year words include “caffeinate,” “intersectionality,” “right-click,” “puggle,” “air quotes,” and “cyberporn.” Quite a list!
Thanks for hanging! See everyone on Tuesday!
–Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.