Friday Memes

Courtesy of Parajunkee's View

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?

1. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (I am being good and only picking 1)
3. Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
5. A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
6. Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block (Ha! it's 5 books in 1)
7. What We Carry by Dorianne Laux
8. Are You There God It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume
9. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
10. The History of Love by Nicole Krause

Courtesy of Crazy For Books

Question of the week: 

 "Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer

 release are you are most looking forward to?"

Surprisingly, I am looking forward to an adult title. I cannot wait to read the newest tale in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Reckoning. Second is Passion by Lauren Kate, but I haven't even finished Torment yet...

Info

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Harry Potter! For the very last time...

That's right, it's budget crisis time!

I feel like I talk about this a little bit each year with colleagues or concerned friends.This year it's constant. That's right, it's budget crisis time!

I was recently introduced to someone going into library school this semester. My first reaction was to ask him why he was doing it (it was a career change). Next I asked if he planned on working full-time when he finished school (valid question/joke).  It ended up being a very interesting conversation: I got to talk about my “library experience” to someone brand new. Somehow, this was the accidental point I got across to him… I have been certified librarian since September 2008 and I did not receive my first professional title until 4 months ago. I know others in a similar circumstance. I don’t mean for this to be a sob story; I do take a burden of the blame. I had a great job while in school and after, I wasn’t in a rush to leave, (seriously, I played with toys). I was also not flexible enough to move to a new city. I'm sure there are other reasons I wasn’t hired at the other positions I interviewed for, I'm not perfect. BUT, I also blame it on the availability of jobs. In Rochester there is a civil service list that feels a mile long. Next, you have to factor in the amount of graduating students every semester. This means that you have a huge pot of competition for approximately 6 jobs a year. Maybe 2 of them are full-time. And here is the second “but”. This is not discouragement to go into this field. Even in Rochester.

The economy sucks. Still. And libraries are still getting sucked into it. Even though more people are using the library because they're becoming money conscious... We’re not getting any more funding because we’re needed more. We're getting it taken away. The scariest thing I have read was an article in which it compared Rochester to Detroit, saying that "quality-of-life services were the first thing to go." It was the beginning of the end for Detroit, does that mean we're next?

I refuse to let myself get in a tizzy about the budget problems. I believe our city will always find a way. Every year there is a scare for the community and library staff and every year they fix it. I'm 10 years in; I am fluent in the language of budget distress. I was all good until one night when I was in a meeting with other YA librarians from the city branches. There are 3 libraries on the chopping block, Highland, Charlotte and Winton Rd. One of Highland's librarians was at that table. Winton Rd is where I grew up, where I went to story time, where I returned my overdue books. It's where I spent almost 5 years working. Where I have always wanted to work again. Charlotte is that library for the other librarian at the table... At the end of the conversation this question crept in... "How would we even dismantle a library?" And my heart broke. 

What I've Been Watching

Burlesque- This was exactly what it was supposed to be, a bunch of people singing and a happy ending. I read a lot of different reviews, but I am suspecting they were expecting more from this movie. It had a great cast to boot.

Tangled-I liked this, good songs and decent amount of adult level entertainment.

Love and Other Drugs- This movie kind of bored me. It was just another love story, I was hoping that the characters would make up for the boring plot, but Anne Hathaway can only do so much.

Did You Hear About the Morgans- This was a decent romantic comedy. Hugh Grant was Hugh Grant, the same character he plays in every movie. And Sarah Jessica Parker was Carrie Bradshaw.

Make it or Break It- I haven't decided if I love/hate this show, or just watch it for the noise. Only thing I am really wondering is what about school? They make mention of home schooling once in a while, but I barely see these girls actively educating themselves in more than tumbling and boys. And Lauren is evil.

Drop Dead Diva- I watched about 10 episodes of this one week. Cuteish idea, that is cutely executed, I guess. I got bored of it though, it fell to quickly into that "legal show" category. It was nice to see Margaret Cho though. And then I immediately got in the mood for my favorite legal show Ally McBeal, so I have been watching that for the last 2 weeks.

I watched The Voice last night and actually kind of liked it. I'm not a huge fan of the generic coaches they picked, they could have done better. I mean really, one country, 3 pop stars (unless Cee-Lo is supposed to be R&B)? I would of like to see more of a rock god, rap god and well, I guess we'll keep Christina for her divaness. No matter how I feel about them (PS I love Adam Levine), I'm still hooked.

Waiting on Wednesday...

Courtesy of Breaking The Spine

This doesn't come out until Jan 2012, but I saw it somewhere during my blogging travels and thought it looked great.

I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really. 
Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will. 
It’s probably hopeless. 
But he has to try.

What are you waiting for?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

(It's a very good possibility I am getting addicted to meme's, real entry by weeks end)

Courtesy of Book Journey

Last week I only read one book. I am a little ashamed of myself. I am blaming crocheting and Ravenwood Fair on facebook for my laziness. I made up for it, because at least I read If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I threw the book across the room the minute I finished reading it. IT JUST ENDS! Why do books keep doing that? Real review later in the week.

This week I have great big intentions, I'll read 2 out of these 3 books... 

What are you reading?

Random Things I Find Interesting

History: The Ultimate Fandom

Librian with book in bed, Scandalous!

And from one of my favorites... The Effing Librarian: Save America. Close Your Library. Read the article, you kind of have to admit, he has a point. People would spend a whole bunch of money if we weren't around.

And always a popular topic to debate: Sex in YA courtesy of YA Highway.

Waiting on Wednesday...

Breaking the Spine

Today has to be perfect.

Magic.
I look at the clock.
10:14 AM.

Ten fourteen. One plus one is two plus four is six plus ten is sixteen minus one is fifteen minus two is thirteen. OK.

I turn from the clock and walk into the hallway. "Ready."

Saturday will be the third state soccer champion­ship in a row for Jake Martin. Three. A good number. Prime. With Jake on the field, Carson City High can't lose because Jake has the magic: a self-created protection generated by his obsession with prime numbers. It's the magic that has every top soccer university recruiting Jake, the magic that keeps his family safe, and the magic that suppresses his anxiety attacks. But the magic is Jake's prison, because sustaining it means his compulsions take over nearly every aspect of his life.

Jake's convinced the magic will be permanent after Saturday, the perfect day, when every prime has converged. Once the game is over, he won't have to rely on his sister to concoct excuses for his odd rituals. His dad will stop treating him like he is some freak. Maybe he'll even make a friend other than Luc.

But what if the magic doesn't stay?

What if the numbers never leave?

I usually enjoy books that are about mental disease. I don't know how to justify that statement so I'll end it there.... I'll be looking forward to this one when it comes out on May 3. 

Review: If I Stay

If I Stay 

(April 19, 2011)

This was another book I threw across the room when I finished it. I guess I have a habit of doing that. 

I think that if I hadn't just ordered the next in the series for my library the other day... If I was just a normal reader the way this book ended would have annoyed me. IT JUST ENDS! 

I didn't find myself being very emotionally linked with this novel. After all the reviews I've read about this title, I thought I would be on an emotional roller coaster and I wasn't. Not to say I was disappointed. It was a beautiful novel. The characters were all likable and I found their story to be endearing. I was just set up for more, I guess. 

On the other hand, I'm looking forward to Where She Went...

Waiting on Wednesday

From Breaking the Spine

There are only two adult series I really follow, this is coming out next month and I can't wait to see how it is. The last one was disappointing, so I have high hopes for this one.

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...