Collection Reflection

So, last day of November, what say ye? Smartphone reading is on the rise (I'm in awe of those who can do this. It's just too small for me) Eating in? It's the new eating out!  Best Brit "cookery" books of 2012 . American Gods on HBO?   Possibly..... Confirmed: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell for tv miniseries.   LJ talks to us about Holiday Fiction  Just for fun: Into my "What the hell?!" file -- U.S. had plans to nuke the moon . And just because I can't stop laughing at this commercial ---  really, zombie clowns should be outlawed.  Also, if you don't dig zombies, you might want to take a pass on this. Happy Friday!

( new! ) It's based on a book?   Early Word links Cogan's Trade and Brad Pitt's Killing Them Softly   You just know (or hope) this will look BEAUTIFUL on iPad  --  George R.R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire for iPhone and iPad . It's that time of year, folks...... NYT talks the 100 Notable books of 2012 . Kirkus talks about the  BEST fiction of 2012 . Kirkus ALSO talks about the best SF/F of 2012 . Kirkus on the best Thrillers of 2012 . Kirkus on the best Mysteries of 2012 . Kirkus on the best Historical Fiction of 2012 . Kirkus on the best "Fiction about Love and Sex" of 2012 . (ummmm, can we not call it Romance anymore?) Kirkus on the best Short Story Collections of 2012 .   The Reader's Bill of Rights, Illustrated . (I love this!) Random House the latest to announce digital-only imprint . The Richard Burton diaries . (next on Lifetime?) Just for fun: ( new! ) Goodreads presents: the Hipster Lit Flow Char t....

The 2012 Utopiales Awards announced . I confess, I hadn't heard of these awards before, but hey, more awards! The Encyclopedia of Fantasy is now online . Enjoy it! Barnes & Noble Decides that purchased ebooks are only yours until your credit card expires  (Alternatively titled: what in the ever loving hell?!) Happy Wednesday!

Does your library carry books in foreign languages? Not just language learning, but actual text in different languages? Many libraries do and yet, people are often surprised to find books in German, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, etc. on the shelves. We carry books in a variety of languages, from the very popular (Spanish) to the more obscure (Urdu). We have 18 titles in Urdu text, all of which have circulated more than once. We have 247 Korean language books in the collection, many of them new titles, with varying circulation stats. Some have gone out multiple times, some not at all. Because we have a floating collection, we do not have to assign books to certain branches around the city. This is a great thing for foreign language books because we haven't found any good ways to find out, in branch service areas, what languages are most popular. There is anecdata about this part of town being heavy with Russian speakers, and that part of town having lots of Chinese speakers. Spanis...

An interview with Simon Tolkien . Salon asks an interesting question:  Has the Apocalypse Gone the Way of Vampires ? Flavorwire talks 10 TV Shows better than the books they were based on . This should be interesting... Attention copyright nerds: Another fair use victory for libraries . Harpercollins launches digital-only YA imprint . The Guardian asks: Which books could lure a 13 year old boy from his Xbox ? (what about a 31 year old boy? I'm asking for a friend...) Filed under Very Cool: From the archive, Mary Shelley on the origins of Frankenstein . Futurebook interviews Charlie Redmayne, CEO of Pottermore . The Digital Reader talks about " The Merger Apocalypse ." And, just for fun: I am APPALLED that the Game of Thrones/Seinfeld mashup made me laugh my fool head off. But, it did. Happy Monday!

Cold Days will be released next week.  But YOU can have a Jim Butcher interview right now  (aren't you lucky!) The All-TIME 100 Video Games . Do I really trust Time Magazine on something this important? I love infographics!  Check out the best-selling SF books of all time . November 20th is the Africa in Science Fiction Symposium in London. Penguin expands library ebook lending with B&T . Yes, library patrons really DO buy ebooks: 3.2/month . E-reading isn't reading ! And the wonderful response . How readers discovered a debut novel: A case study . File this under: Of COURSE they are.  "Ebooks are tracking your reading habits ." And, in case you missed it, the " All About Romance Audio" chat from Tantor Audiobooks .  I'm talker #2.  And just because it made me laugh: The top 10 evil monkeys in Geekdom .  Happy Monday.

Flipboard (one of my favorite apps) adds a Books section . Anyone can give you a list of National Book Award winners . But,  check out the cool timeline of the event from the Daily News . Avid library ebook borrowers claim it doesn't affect their book buying.  As an avid library ebook borrower, print book borrower, and ebook and print book buyer, I claim this is the truth. Gillian Flynn signs on for two more books . (I think the hold lists at my library have already started!) Utah district sued for segregating children's book about lesbian moms . Happy 80th Birthday, Babar ! Sir Terry Pratchett wants to leave fate of Discworld up to his daughter . Happy Thursday!

Simpler: the future of government   I don't think this book is a fairy tale.... When I told everyone that T.S. Eliot's wife died on Monday, the confused looks were priceless .  It was his second wife, and there was a 40 year difference in their ages. Hear the 2012 National Book Award nominees . I'm disappointed this wasn't called "Wanna be Starting Something", but this MJ bio looks like it will garner huge interest. Rum is actually one of my favorite words.  Thanks, Dennis Lehane! Nobody puts Pippa in the bargain bin!   Retirement?  Not hardly!  Herman Wouk pubs new book at age 97 . From Page to Screen: Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk EW has the first look at Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones"  (wheee!) The Babysitter's Club is coming to ebook......but probably not to your library's ebook collection . Mother Jones interviews Philip Pullman  The ABC's of Game of Thrones deaths .  (how ...

Following up on Publishers Weekly's recent announcement of their best books of 2012 (top 10 and various genres), Amazon weighs in with its top 10 books of 2012 . No real surprises, although I'm sure the John Green fans will be happy. Barack Obama and Elie Wiesel will collaborate on a book "of two friends ." Is Horror a genre " doomed to literary hell? " How about adding a soundtrack to your reading experience ? Starz will be developing Diana Gabaldon's Outlander  series for television . There's a new Bridget Jones novel in the works from Helen Fielding. Two Ray Bradbury pieces coming this fall . Travel through the United States with a Young Adult book for every state! The United States of YA . A question you probably weren't worried about: Why do we take books on vacation ? People of the Bookshelf : Pulitzer-prize winner Geraldine Brooks on a shelving obsession. Just for fun: Every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in ...