Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Information Network

Another successful MARRT workshop was held on May 2, 2006 at the Community of Christ Church in Independence, MO. An audience of approximately 49 library staff laughed, cheered, and practiced readers’ advisory skills as the speakers presented this exciting program on the the adventure/suspense genre.

Michael B Gannon, author of the book Blood, Bedlam, Bullets & Badguys: The Extreme World of Adventure & Suspense and Branch Manager with the Anne Arundel County Public Library in Maryland, was the main speaker.

Evan McNamara, author of Fair Game and Superior Position, entertained us with his presentation about writing and researching novels.

Bob Lunn, AV Librarian for KCPL, was our luncheon speaker and gave us a lot of information about what books are currently hot in the adventure/suspense genre and what will be published in the future.

Finally, Shelle Rosenfeld, Reference Librarian at Lawrence Public Library, and Amy Fisher, Branch Manager of Mid-Continent Public Library’s Parkville Branch, used guns that “banged” and a timed bell during their fun Adventure & Suspense Quiz. All participants tested their knowledge of the genre. Chocolate was given as prizes.

We also enjoyed the taco bar and other refreshments while learning all about the adventure/suspense genre. Everyone left the workshop with many good titles to read or recommend to our patrons. A good time was had by all!

I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county, to consist of a few well-chosen books, to be lent to the people of the county, under such regulations as would secure their safe return in due time.

The state of Kansas has chosen THE LEARNING TREE by Gordon Parks as the all state read.

The following is part of an article written by JCCC English faculty member Dr. Carmaletta Williams:

It is altogether appropriate that The Kansas Reads Committee and the State Librarian chose Gordon Parks’ THE LEARNING TREE for the statewide one book, one state reading project for adults. Gordon Parks (1912-2006) was born and raised and now is buried in the state. But the value of the choice lies far deeper that that. Gordon Parks’ novel is a wonderful portrayal of a young boy’s growing up in the land of uncertainty that was early-twentieth century Kansas.

Published in 1963, the book tells a fictionalized version of what it was like for Parks to grow up in Fort Scott. Newt Winger, the Parks character, lives in Cherokee Flats, which “ain’t a all-good place and it ain’t a all bad place. But you can learn just as much here about people and things as you can learn any place else.” More that just learning about the Parks family, the readers of this book will learn much about life in their state. This is not a book simply about race, although Parks certainly addresses racial issues in a straight-forward, though sensitive manner. Parks includes such an incredible variety of situations, characters, issues and emotions that every reader of this novel, regardless of race, class, gender, or sensibilities, will find something that draws them into the text.

Submitted by Andrea Kempf, JCCC

DEATHS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF AUTHORS

Two international superstars in the world of fiction died recently. From Indonesia came notice of the death of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Toer, who was regularly nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature, was an unapologetic leftist who endured years of imprisonment under the Dutch colonists in his homeland, and later under the regime Suharto. His books were widely translated throughout the world and many are available in English. The most famous of his works was the BURA QUARTET, written while he was in prison. The novels which include, CHILD OF ALL NATIONS and THIS EARTH OF MANKIND, chronicle the life of Minke an ambitious young man in the waning years of Dutch rule. Some of his other books include THE GIRL FROM THE COAST which looks at the abuse of women under Islam and THE FUGITIVE about a political fugitive who is betrayed by members of his own village. Toer was 81 at the time of his death.

From Israel came the announcement of the unexpected death from lung cancer of mystery author Batya Gur. Gur, whose Michael Ohayan mysteries have been popular with lovers of police procedurals in exotic locations, was only fifty-seven. Her most recent novel, MURDER IN JERUSALEM is being published in English posthumously. The hallmark of her mysteries was murder committed in a closed society. The first novel, THE SATURDAY MORNING MURDER, took place in a psychoanalytical institute; MURDER ON A KIBBUTZ was set in one of

Israel

’s communal farming communities; LITERARY MURDER occurred in an academic literature department at a university. Most people who read her mysteries tend to become addicted to them. She died in May 2005.

Getting Graphic: Using Graphic Novels to Promote Library Services

Location: KCKPL- West Wyandotte

Nuts & Bolts- Reader’s Advisory I

Location: KCKPL- West Wyandotte

Faith in Fiction: Inspirational Fiction of all Religions

Location: MCPL-Administrative Headquarters

More information to come in later issues about all of these workshops.

LINKS TO OTHER READERS ADVISORY WEBSITES:

Send in you favorite readers advisory websites to: pv_librarian@mcpl.lib.mo.us

JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE:

http://library.jccc.net/reference/guides/index.html

JOHNSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY:

http://readerscorner.jocolibrary.org

MORTON GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S WEBRARY:

http://www.webrary.org/rs/FLbklistmenu.html

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS PUBLIC LIBRARY:

http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/refdept/reader.htm

HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY:

http://www.hclib.org/pub/books/iyl/

WHAT CHA BEEN READING?

These are the current books read by individual members of the MARRT committee.

BLACK SWAN GREEN by David Mitchell

PEOPLE’S ACT OF LOVE by James Meek

WEATHER MAKERS by Tim Flannery

THE GIRLS by Lori Lansing

REBEL ANGELS by Libba Bray

SOFIE METROPOLIS by Torri Carrington

SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION by Lauren Willig

HIGHGATE RISE by Anne Perry

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (graphic novel) by Hiromu Arakawa

GASA-GASA GIRL by Naomi Hirahama

DON’T LOOK DOWN by Jennifer Crusie

ZORRO by Isabelle Allende

BARNEY ROSS by Douglas Century

Donna Jo Atwood-Olathe Pub.

HEY GOOD LOOKING by Fern Michaels

LAKESIDE COTTAGE by Susan Wiggs

1,000 WHITE WOMEN by Jim Fergus

THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath

EDWIN OF THE IRON SHOES by Marcia Muller

V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore

12^th CARD by Jeffery Deaver

MERMAID CHAIR by Sue Kidd Monk

SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne

BROKEN PREY by John Sanford

THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS by Sophie Kinsella

THE INSPIRATION by Nancy Moser

NOBODY’S KATE by Carol Duerksen and Maynard Knepp

AUNT DIMITY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA by Nancy Atherton

RED LILY by Nora Roberts

MADONNA’S OF LENINGRAD by Debra Dean

TWO MINUTE RULE by Robert Crais

MARRT is a group of librarians, library staff and individuals who are interested in developing their reader’s advisory skills and in promoting literature and reading for pleasure.

Are you looking for information on the current best sellers? Have you been wondering what titles have recently hit the shelves? Did you just finish reading a wonderful World War II book and are looking for another? Is it baseball season and you are in need of a reading suggestion? Do you have a little free time that you would like to devote to a book discussion group? Would you like to share a great book you’ve just read? Looking for read alikes from you favorite author? Display ideas?

JOIN MARRT TODAY. Membership is only $10 a year. All MARRT members will receive special discounts to all MARRT sponsored activities and access to book lists, book reviews and author connections. To join contact by email or fax to KCMLIN:

I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county, to consist of a few well-chosen books, to be lent to the people of the county, under such regulations as would secure their safe return in due time.

--Thomas Jefferson