People often ask "where do you get your books" or "how do you choose books for the library?"
Yes, we do have different sources than would be available to you as an individual. For the most part we buy our books from a book jobber that specializes in sales to retail stores and libraries. Our book jobber sends us catalogs with reviews of books expected to be popular in libraries. We also receive many specialty catalogs every day in the mail. I choose the adult books and the children's books are chosen by Jill Pratt, our Children's Librarian. I have to admit that book selection is one of the best parts of my job.
When I look through the catalogs, I try to find items that you will be interested in and try to keep the collection balanced to reflect the interests of our library patrons. When selecting books for a library, it is always hard not to let your personal interests influence your choices. My favorite books are mysteries and also science/nature books. I always have to remind myself not to get too carried away in these areas or the library could be chock full of these kinds of books!
Recently I just read an article in "Library Journal" that focused on some non-fiction books that are very popular right now. I'd like to share with you some of the recommended titles. Some of these are new; while others are older favorites.
One of the oldies is "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich. This book was first published in 2001 and has been popular with reading clubs across the country. Ehrenreich traveled from Florida to Maine working as a waitress, hotel maid, nursing home aide, and Wal-Mart salesperson as she joins the millions of Americans who work for poverty-level wages holding down two or more jobs to survive. Is hard work really the ticket out of poverty? Read "Nickel and Dimed" and decide for yourself!
"A Perfect Union" by Catherine Allgor details the intriguing life of Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison. If you combine Jackie Kennedy, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Martha Stewart, who do you get? Dolley! While best known for saving the portrait of George Washington from a burning White House, Dolley was a force to be reckoned with. She was elegant, sophisticated and an immensely popular and a skilled hostess. Henry Clay proclaimed, "Everybody loves Mrs. Madison" and all of Washington coveted invitations to her parties. But Dolley was more than the "hostess with the mostest"; she was also a master politician who used her social skills to advance her husband's political ambitions. Allgor's book brings this fascinating woman to life!
"Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey: The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard details Roosevelt's most incredible adventure. Following his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt determined to embark upon his greatest challenge – to explore the Amazon, one of the most dangerous of the worlds' rivers. Roosevelt and his son Kermit, joined an expedition led by Brazil's most famous explorer, Candid Mariano da Silva Rondon to map unexplored regions of the Amazon. The team faced starvation, Indian attacks, and even a murder within their group. And Roosevelt himself hovered on the edge of death, the victim of a fierce infection with a raging fever of 105 degrees. This book is a must read for all of you armchair adventurers.
"Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson is the real life story to two very different men whose lives converge. The first is Guglielmo Marconi the inventor of wireless communications. Marconi's invention allowed messages to be sent anywhere in the world. The second man is Dr. Hawley Crippen, a peddler of patent medicines, accused of murdering his shrewish wife. Crippen and his lover flee England by ocean liner with the intent of arriving in Quebec to start new lives. They are chased on a faster boat by a Scotland Yard detective. And unbeknownst to both Crippen and the detective, newsrooms on both sides of the Atlantic follow their pursuit via Marconi's wireless communication. This is a fascinating turn of the century true story of love, murder, and genius. CSI fans take note!
These are just a few of the many fascinating true stories you can find at the library. And if none of these sound like your type of read – well, we have over 90,000 other books from which to choose. Visit us soon at the Greensburg-Decatur County Library!