The first book of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series is being made into a movie. City of Bones has a tentative release date of 2013 and filming has begun. The cast includes Lily Collins as Clary Fray, Lena Headey as Jocelyn Fray, Robert Sheehan as Simon Lewis, Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace Wayland, Jemima West as Isabelle Lightwood, and Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane.
What do you think about the casting choices? If you disagree with a particular casting decision, who would you pick instead and why?
Rumor has it that Clare has been very involved with filming, so we can only hope that the movie does the books justice. More information when we have it.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
You Oughta Be at the Library This Autumn!
September and October are exciting months in the library community! September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. It's a great opportunity to register for a card unlike any other, one that gives you access to a wealth of resources (many of them accessible from home)! I also think it's a great opportunity to learn about what the library has to offer. We try to promote our databases and programs, but I'm still surprised at the number of people who don't know that we offer homework help, foreign language instruction, online book clubs, downloadable e-books, downloadable music, anime movie nights, and more!
And don't forget about Banned Books Week, September 30th-October 6th. It's a celebration of literature that has been challenged over the years, and a collective statement on the importance of free access to information. We should all be able to read what we want, and we should allow others to do the same! Different perspectives on things encourage conversation and make the world a more interesting place. Need some help selecting the perfect title? We've got you covered!
And finally, October 14th-20th is Teen Read Week. Get caught with a great book and check to see what your library has going on. We librarians love to celebrate literature wherever we can, however we can. There's guaranteed to be something cool happening in your area. And don't forget: your opinion counts. Have a great idea for a program? Let your favorite librarian know!
Many librarians also have awesome things planned for Halloween, so as you get geared up for the 31st, keep the library in mind. We've also made an effort to collect great books and movies that will be sure to make your blood run cold!
Happy autumn, and we'll see you at the library!
And don't forget about Banned Books Week, September 30th-October 6th. It's a celebration of literature that has been challenged over the years, and a collective statement on the importance of free access to information. We should all be able to read what we want, and we should allow others to do the same! Different perspectives on things encourage conversation and make the world a more interesting place. Need some help selecting the perfect title? We've got you covered!
And finally, October 14th-20th is Teen Read Week. Get caught with a great book and check to see what your library has going on. We librarians love to celebrate literature wherever we can, however we can. There's guaranteed to be something cool happening in your area. And don't forget: your opinion counts. Have a great idea for a program? Let your favorite librarian know!
Many librarians also have awesome things planned for Halloween, so as you get geared up for the 31st, keep the library in mind. We've also made an effort to collect great books and movies that will be sure to make your blood run cold!
Happy autumn, and we'll see you at the library!
Paranormal Romance
It seems that paranormal romance is in the cards for me lately! I'm working my way through two right now. The first is the 5th installment in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare: City of Lost Souls. The second is the conclusion to Alexandra Adornetto's Halo trilogy, Heaven. I plan to make some head way on both of those today. Hopefully I'll have awesome things to say about both!
Claire's characters capture me for some reason. The immortal warlock whose lover questions the issues his own mortality poses in their relationship. The young artist whose long-hidden past causes her to enter into a word beyond her imagining. An intense romance that blinds both parties to reason. A best friend cursed with the Mark of Cain after his transformation into a vampire. The inner workings of a group charged with keeping the forces of evil at bay. The rights of the law-abiding "downworlders" whose more ambitious counterparts are often the ones being punished by the Clave. Claire's world-building and character development are enviable in my opinion. I curl up with her books when I want to escape from reality, while away the hours with familiar friends.
Adornetto first drew me in with her writing style rather than her story. The romance that is at the forefront of the Halo trilogy is a bit overdone. Still, the premise is intriguing. The idea of angels having to adjust to a mortal world is entertaining. The idea that a newer angel is closer to humanity felt novel to me. There is also the sense of something greater happening behind the scenes. A desire to know what that is and what it might mean for the central characters makes me intent on finishing the trilogy. The word choice, flow, and pacing are what first stuck out to me while reading the first book in the series though!
More reflections to come as I have more to offer!
Claire's characters capture me for some reason. The immortal warlock whose lover questions the issues his own mortality poses in their relationship. The young artist whose long-hidden past causes her to enter into a word beyond her imagining. An intense romance that blinds both parties to reason. A best friend cursed with the Mark of Cain after his transformation into a vampire. The inner workings of a group charged with keeping the forces of evil at bay. The rights of the law-abiding "downworlders" whose more ambitious counterparts are often the ones being punished by the Clave. Claire's world-building and character development are enviable in my opinion. I curl up with her books when I want to escape from reality, while away the hours with familiar friends.
Adornetto first drew me in with her writing style rather than her story. The romance that is at the forefront of the Halo trilogy is a bit overdone. Still, the premise is intriguing. The idea of angels having to adjust to a mortal world is entertaining. The idea that a newer angel is closer to humanity felt novel to me. There is also the sense of something greater happening behind the scenes. A desire to know what that is and what it might mean for the central characters makes me intent on finishing the trilogy. The word choice, flow, and pacing are what first stuck out to me while reading the first book in the series though!
More reflections to come as I have more to offer!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
ALA 2012
I have a confession to make. I was more than a little bit nervous when I set out for Anaheim, California last week. In hindsight though, that nervousness is downright silly. I had one of the greatest experiences of my life!
A little backstory: I'm on YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults selection committee. Over the past several months, we've all been reading feverishly, nominating those titles we felt were worthy of discussion. We then met in Anaheim to debate the merits of the books we'd nominated. Certain titles were universally loved. Others turned out to be popular with only a few committee members. And there were, of course, plenty of times when we were evenly split. It became clear that we are products of our environments. The gritty work of street lit that was nominated was readily embraced as necessary by the librarian from Brooklyn, New York, but the small-town South Carolinian felt uncomfortable putting it on the shelf. The illicit affair depicted in one title would be grounds for a challenge in one library system but would probably be accepted in another. Our discussions showed us all that, when it comes down to it, we have to consider multiple cultures and perspectives when we're deciding what goes onto the final list. It's a daunting task!
It's not over yet. In January, I'll be traveling to Seattle, Washington for ALA's Mid-Winter Meeting where the committee will be finalizing its work, selecting those titles that teens, librarians, teachers, and caregivers all over the country will turn to when making reading recommendations. It's great to be a part of something so important!
Outside of meetings, I had the opportunity to visit Disneyland for the first time ever. If you go sometime, you simply HAVE to check out Star Tours. It's a Star Wars-themed simulator, and it's awesome! I also got to attend a dinner sponsored by the sci-fi/fantasy publisher Tor. George R.R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series that includes Game of Thrones was in attendance. Sadly, I didn't get his autograph. Sorry!
The trip concluded with a tour of Hollywood (apparently the rock icon Alice Cooper was among those who donated money to help save the famous Hollywood sign on the mountain) and the Printz Awards. The video above isn't from ALA, but Daniel Handler performed it at Printz, too! It does a good job of defining the role of libraries in our lives, don't you think?
I can't wait to see what Seattle has in store! I also wanted to remind everyone that anyone can submit a title for consideration by our committee. We'd also love to hear teen feedback, since, you know, this list is for teens. Don't be shy!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Choose Privacy Week
May 1st-7th is Choose Privacy Week. It's the perfect opportunity to learn about securing your personal information, and it all begins with evaluating how and what you communicate. Most of us maintain a Facebook account, and when we update it, we assume that those updates will be available only to individuals we've added as friends. It's an imperfect system though, even when we select the highest level of privacy under our account settings. Friends can share information with people we don't know. Third party creators of quizzes and applications often require access to one's Facebook account. And how many other sites out there allow you to log in with Facebook? It's convenient, but it's also insecure. A wealth of information is collected and much of this is sold to marketers seeking to sell you products that match your interests and lifestyle, as determined by data you never meant them to have.
Does this mean you should stop using Facebook? Not necessarily. What it does mean is that you should be careful about what you post. You can also help your peers by asking their permission before sharing status updates or responding to a message that is also being sent to another contact.
Facebook is just the beginning. In general, it is best to assume that anything you share over the Internet can be intercepted and read unless it has been encrypted. Websites that require you to share personally identifying information should be making use of encryption software. If you're not sure whether or not a site is secure, look for an "s" after "http" in your address bar.
Try to use different passwords for the sites you use most frequently, and change these often. Be sure to pick something that's easy to remember but difficult to guess. It's always a good idea to use a combination of letters and numbers.
It's also important to remember that no upstanding company will ever ask for your social security number, password, or other sensitive information via e-mail. If you receive an inquiry along these lines, disregard the e-mail or contact the company directly to verify the request. Identity theft is more common than you think, and it can wreak havoc on a person's life.
These are a few things you can do to protect your personal information, but at some point, you are going to have to share sensitive data with another organization. A good example is the bank. Banks require a social security number to create a new account. Insurance companies and hospitals manage large numbers of accounts containing sensitive information. So do libraries. Those managing these records must promise to keep them secure. Failure to comply can lead to severe repercussions.
This attitude toward privacy hasn't gone unchallenged though. Section 215 of the U.S. Patriot Act of 2001 mandates that libraries turn over to the Federal government the records of patrons being investigated for high crimes. However, the mandate does not require federal agents to show probable cause.
Librarians have been proactive in fighting for legislation that protects the user's right to privacy. Many libraries also keep no record of a user's checkout history. The idea is that democracy functions best when we're all allowed to make our own choices, when we don't have to worry about being judged by our peers or a higher authority.
It's important for everyone to take an interest in privacy, and to remain knowledgeable about the many ways in which it is being threatened in the United States and abroad.
For more information on key issues and resources, visit PrivacyRevolution.Org.
Does this mean you should stop using Facebook? Not necessarily. What it does mean is that you should be careful about what you post. You can also help your peers by asking their permission before sharing status updates or responding to a message that is also being sent to another contact.
Facebook is just the beginning. In general, it is best to assume that anything you share over the Internet can be intercepted and read unless it has been encrypted. Websites that require you to share personally identifying information should be making use of encryption software. If you're not sure whether or not a site is secure, look for an "s" after "http" in your address bar.
Try to use different passwords for the sites you use most frequently, and change these often. Be sure to pick something that's easy to remember but difficult to guess. It's always a good idea to use a combination of letters and numbers.
It's also important to remember that no upstanding company will ever ask for your social security number, password, or other sensitive information via e-mail. If you receive an inquiry along these lines, disregard the e-mail or contact the company directly to verify the request. Identity theft is more common than you think, and it can wreak havoc on a person's life.
These are a few things you can do to protect your personal information, but at some point, you are going to have to share sensitive data with another organization. A good example is the bank. Banks require a social security number to create a new account. Insurance companies and hospitals manage large numbers of accounts containing sensitive information. So do libraries. Those managing these records must promise to keep them secure. Failure to comply can lead to severe repercussions.
This attitude toward privacy hasn't gone unchallenged though. Section 215 of the U.S. Patriot Act of 2001 mandates that libraries turn over to the Federal government the records of patrons being investigated for high crimes. However, the mandate does not require federal agents to show probable cause.
Librarians have been proactive in fighting for legislation that protects the user's right to privacy. Many libraries also keep no record of a user's checkout history. The idea is that democracy functions best when we're all allowed to make our own choices, when we don't have to worry about being judged by our peers or a higher authority.
It's important for everyone to take an interest in privacy, and to remain knowledgeable about the many ways in which it is being threatened in the United States and abroad.
For more information on key issues and resources, visit PrivacyRevolution.Org.
Friday, April 20, 2012
STEM and Dystopia
In case you hadn't noticed, we don't live in a perfect world. We're engaged in a war for resources. Unemployment is alarmingly high. Our education system is in dire need of reform. The list goes on and on. The way things are goes a long way toward explaining the explosion of dystopia in young adult fiction. When we consider the motivations of the characters in these books, some part of us is also thinking about ourselves. How would we find food if we had to? How far would we go to survive? Is security preferable to freedom or is it the other way around? What's the point of making friends when they might soon become our competition?
I've noticed another trend though, namely the element of science. Think about it. How do things fall apart? What so often determines who has the upper hand? Who has the ability to change things? With great power comes great responsibility, and time and time again, we see technology as creating a divide between the haves and the have nots. Scientific endeavor can lead to catastrophe.
Consider the technological terrors of the arena in The Hunger Games. Tracker Jackers are genetically modified wasps whose venom can cause delirium and death. The Gamemakers can place muttations in the path of the tributes at will. The elements are controlled from a series of consoles for the entertainment of the masses. And before the rebellion was put down, jabberjays repeated the plans of the Resistance to Capitol ears.
Yet, we must also acknowledge that, when the rebels learned what the Capitol was doing, they started to feed the jabberjays lies. When the genetically engineered birds were abandoned, they bred with mockingbirds, creating mockingjays, which had the attributes of both jabberjays and mockingbirds. The rebels made use of the new breed, and while they were initially defeated, they still triumphed in an important way. The Capitol's own technology was used against them. Technology can be used to gain the advantage, but it can also work against those it initially empowers.
The Hunger Games provides good examples of the element of science and its role in dystopia, but there are a multitude of other such works. In James Dashner's The Maze Runner, a group of teens find themselves in the Glade, tasked with navigating a maze whose walls change every day. Memories slowly return to the main character Thomas, and they hint at his role in the dire experiment that landed the group there in the first place. The Maze Runner is succeeded by two more novels though, and it quickly becomes clear that the experiment was meant to be a last-ditch effort at saving the world. Who is right? Does the end justify the means? It's a valid question.
One also questions science in Ian MacDonald's Planesrunner. Everett watches his father, a known quantum physicist, disappear into a dark car. After discovering a secret message he left for him, he goes through a gate into another world. His pursuit of his father leads him into an alternate version of London, one where oil was never discovered and steam-powered airships fill every inch of the sky. He carries with him the Infundibulum, the map of the different parallel universes theorized to exist. It's a major complication to the crew of the Everness, who offer Everett refuge. The information Everett carries endangers the people he comes to care for. Just when the highly unlikely happy reunion seems imminent, one of the devious agents who kidnapped Everett's father shoots the scientist with a gun that sends him into any of an infinite number of alternate worlds. Technology seems to accomplish nothing but heartache. The novel ends with Everett investigating the strange weapon, which he has come to possess. He admits to suspecting that it serves some other function, and the reader is left wondering if it has the potential to grant some kind of technological advantage.
Are we really so uncertain about the role of technology? Would we rather fear it than embrace it? Do these works warn about dependence on it or development beyond a certain threshold? What is that threshold?
I think we can all agree that science can be dangerous in the wrong hands, but what might it accomplish in the right ones? If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, then will technology always lead down a dark road, one we'd prefer not to travel too far down?
STEM and its role in dystopia provides a great jumping-off point for discussion. When we really think about it, we wind up talking about who we are, what we want for the world, and what means are acceptable to achieve that end.
I've noticed another trend though, namely the element of science. Think about it. How do things fall apart? What so often determines who has the upper hand? Who has the ability to change things? With great power comes great responsibility, and time and time again, we see technology as creating a divide between the haves and the have nots. Scientific endeavor can lead to catastrophe.
Consider the technological terrors of the arena in The Hunger Games. Tracker Jackers are genetically modified wasps whose venom can cause delirium and death. The Gamemakers can place muttations in the path of the tributes at will. The elements are controlled from a series of consoles for the entertainment of the masses. And before the rebellion was put down, jabberjays repeated the plans of the Resistance to Capitol ears.
Yet, we must also acknowledge that, when the rebels learned what the Capitol was doing, they started to feed the jabberjays lies. When the genetically engineered birds were abandoned, they bred with mockingbirds, creating mockingjays, which had the attributes of both jabberjays and mockingbirds. The rebels made use of the new breed, and while they were initially defeated, they still triumphed in an important way. The Capitol's own technology was used against them. Technology can be used to gain the advantage, but it can also work against those it initially empowers.
The Hunger Games provides good examples of the element of science and its role in dystopia, but there are a multitude of other such works. In James Dashner's The Maze Runner, a group of teens find themselves in the Glade, tasked with navigating a maze whose walls change every day. Memories slowly return to the main character Thomas, and they hint at his role in the dire experiment that landed the group there in the first place. The Maze Runner is succeeded by two more novels though, and it quickly becomes clear that the experiment was meant to be a last-ditch effort at saving the world. Who is right? Does the end justify the means? It's a valid question.
One also questions science in Ian MacDonald's Planesrunner. Everett watches his father, a known quantum physicist, disappear into a dark car. After discovering a secret message he left for him, he goes through a gate into another world. His pursuit of his father leads him into an alternate version of London, one where oil was never discovered and steam-powered airships fill every inch of the sky. He carries with him the Infundibulum, the map of the different parallel universes theorized to exist. It's a major complication to the crew of the Everness, who offer Everett refuge. The information Everett carries endangers the people he comes to care for. Just when the highly unlikely happy reunion seems imminent, one of the devious agents who kidnapped Everett's father shoots the scientist with a gun that sends him into any of an infinite number of alternate worlds. Technology seems to accomplish nothing but heartache. The novel ends with Everett investigating the strange weapon, which he has come to possess. He admits to suspecting that it serves some other function, and the reader is left wondering if it has the potential to grant some kind of technological advantage.
Are we really so uncertain about the role of technology? Would we rather fear it than embrace it? Do these works warn about dependence on it or development beyond a certain threshold? What is that threshold?
I think we can all agree that science can be dangerous in the wrong hands, but what might it accomplish in the right ones? If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, then will technology always lead down a dark road, one we'd prefer not to travel too far down?
STEM and its role in dystopia provides a great jumping-off point for discussion. When we really think about it, we wind up talking about who we are, what we want for the world, and what means are acceptable to achieve that end.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Lauren Myracle Responds to Being Most-Banned Author
If you want to make a book popular, ban it. Some of the greatest classics have been highly criticized over the years. And why do we love them? We love them because they're bold, daring, innovative. They challenge the way things are done. They drag our secrets out into the light. They make us uncomfortable. They change us. We are made better by our exposure to them!
According to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom, Lauren Myracle's TTYL is this year's most challenged book. Myracle confesses to crying when she received the news. She assumed that there were forces out there that wanted her to go away for her gratuitous openness. The feeling slowly faded as she noted that OIC's e-mail had congratulated her. Being banned was an honor. Still, she admits to feeling sad about being banned. Sad for the close-minded adults who would keep truth from their children, sad for caretakers who, in an attempt to protect their children, keep them from knowing the world and growing.
I invite you to read Myracle's response and form your own opinion of her work and the outcries of those so opposed to it.
What are your thoughts?
According to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom, Lauren Myracle's TTYL is this year's most challenged book. Myracle confesses to crying when she received the news. She assumed that there were forces out there that wanted her to go away for her gratuitous openness. The feeling slowly faded as she noted that OIC's e-mail had congratulated her. Being banned was an honor. Still, she admits to feeling sad about being banned. Sad for the close-minded adults who would keep truth from their children, sad for caretakers who, in an attempt to protect their children, keep them from knowing the world and growing.
I invite you to read Myracle's response and form your own opinion of her work and the outcries of those so opposed to it.
What are your thoughts?
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