Summer Reading 2015

Summer Reading 2015 @ Monroeville Public Library!

Monday, June 8 kicks off our Summer Reading Programs here at MPL -- for kids, teens, and adults alike. Read on to find out more about our programs for you and your family this summertime season!



For Kids:

Discover that Every Hero Has a Story with this year's summer reading theme! Children who have not yet started first grade can sign up for the Read To Me Club, where parents keep a list of at least 20 books that they share with their child. Older students can participate in the Summer Reading Club, where the goal is to read at least 10 books throughout the summer. There will be activities for all ages, contests, and prizes.

Check out all of our Children's Programs at MPL's website!



For Teens:

Unmask your inner superhero with this year's annual Teen Summer Reading (TSR) program!  TSR is open to all students finishing grades 5-12. Read all summer to earn tickets for our TSR raffle drawings -- and be sure to attend one of our great summer events, which include gaming programs, a mini comic-con, robotic crafts, book clubs, science spectaculars, a stargazing party, and a great wrap-up with our annual End-of-Summer party. There are special weekly drawings for extra prizes, and every teen who reads at least 5 books or writes 3 book reviews will win a special gift card. Stop by the Welcome Desk to get your book tickets and program packet starting this Monday!

Check out all of our Teen Programs at MPL's Facebook Events Page!



For Adults:

Escape the Ordinary with our Adult Summer Reading Program! Join us for great prizes -- including the grand prize, a Kindle Fire HD awarded August 10th!  Other prizes will also be given away on June 22, July 6, July 20, and August 3, so be sure to turn in your raffle tickets often. ALL entries will be eligible for the Grand Prize.

No minimum reading requirements!  Open to adults 18 years and older.

The Big Read 2014: "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

The Big Read 2014: Fahrenheit 451

Cosponsored by Community College of Allegheny County

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of twentieth-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. The protagonist is Guy Montag, a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities -- the printed book -- along with the houses in which they are hidden.

So what is the Big Read?  It's a month-long celebration of reading, literacy, and community engagement, focusing this year on Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Events are being held across the county (and, in fact, the nation) to explore this science fiction classic -- including speakers, book discussions, and film showings.

Read on to see what Monroeville Public Library is doing to celebrate this year's Big Reads event. Be sure to join us!

Click here to request Fahrenheit 451 from the Catalog

Click here to request the Fahrenheit 451 audiobook from the Catalog

Click here to request the Fahrenheit 451 film adaptation on DVD from the Catalog

(Or, just stop into the Library and pick up one of our Display copies!)

Upcoming Big Read Events:



Ray Bradbury: The Man, The Writer, and Mentor
Monday, October 13, 2014
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Gallery Space

Gregory Miller, English teacher at Fox Chapel High School, will give a presentation about his friend and mentor Ray Bradbury, and how Bradbury shaped his writing and outlook on life. Miller's presentation will include personal items that Ray Bradbury gave him, such as manuscripts, jewelry and clothing.


Fahrenheit 451: Film and Discussion


October 15, Wednesday
6:30 - 8:45 p.m.
Gallery Space

Come for a viewing of Fahrenheit 451, the 1966 dystopian science fiction drama directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner, Julie Christie, and Cyril Cusack, followed by a discussion.


Fahrenheit 451: Book Discussion
October 20, Monday
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Gallery Space

Participate in an engaging discussion about the themes of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and its relevance today.






All Library programs are free, and no registration is required. The Monroeville Public Library is a free, comfortable public space, centrally located for access to all. For more information about upcoming adult programs at the Monroeville Public Library, call the Adult Reference Desk at 412-372-0500 ext. 4.

Have You Zine the News?

Pictured above is the front cover of the first-ever issue of "The Barcode Project," Monroeville Public Library's teen-created zine.

What is a zine?  It takes its name from the shortened form of "magazine," and it is, in essence, a mini-version of a magazine in itself. Zines feature collections of stories, poems, essays, and artwork by independent artists and authors, and are usually distributed (often for free) to the local community.

"The Barcode Project" was a labor of love from MPL's Teen Writing Group, featuring poetry, interviews, humorous essays, pictures and comic strips -- and short stories that ran the genre gamut, from historical fiction and adventure to sci-fi and parody. The first issue was published this spring and offered for free here at the library, allowing the teens' original work to be enjoyed across the community. (You can still stop in at the front desk to pick up your free copy!)

July 21st is International Zine Day (part of July's International Zine Month celebration). In honor of the occasion, read on to discover a little about the history and culture of zines.

And if you know any teens who would like to submit their work to The Barcode Project?  Tell them to drop by MPL's Owl Post to submit a story or ask a question about our next issue!

Denver Public Library's zine display

All About Zines:

-- Stolen Sharpie Revolution - More about International Zine Month.

-- The Zine Pavilion - A librarian-run page all about the world of zines.

-- Zines @ CLP - A great list of resources on zines, including some zine recommenations.

-- Brooklyn Zine Fest - The Brooklyn Historical Society held a "zine fest" this year. Read all about it!

-- The History of Zines (on ZineWiki) - Straight from zine fans themselves, read about the history of the zine.

-- Rookie Mag: How to Make a Zine - A do-it-yourself guide for making your own zine.

Volume 2 of "The Barcode Project," coming this fall to Monroeville Public Library

-- Post by Ms. B

Summer Reading 2014

Summer Reading 2014 @ Monroeville Public Library!

Monday, June 9 kicks off our Summer Reading Programs here at MPL -- for kids, teens, and adults alike. Read on to find out more about our programs for you and your family this summertime season!

For Kids:

Fizz, Boom, Read with this year's summer reading theme! Children who have not yet started first grade can sign up for the Read To Me Club, where parents keep a list of at least 20 books that they share with their child. Older students can participate in the Summer Reading Club, where the goal is to read at least 10 books throughout the summer. There will be activities for all ages, contests, and prizes.

For Teens:

On June 9th, Monroeville Public Library will kick off its annual Teen Summer Reading (TSR) program. TSR is open to all students going into grades 6-12. Students read all summer to participate in a Chinese auction of prizes -- as well as getting the chance to attend a variety of summer activities, from movie marathons and stargazing parties to science crafts and Doctor Who events. There are special weekly drawings for extra prizes, and every teen who reads at least 10 books or writes three book reviews will be eligible for a special gift card. We'll wrap up the summer with our annual ending program party.

Stop by the Welcome Desk to get your rating slips and program packet, or register online starting June 9!

Login here starting June 9th to register and track your Summer Reading.

For Adults:

What elements make up a great summer? Check out Monroeville Public Library's "Literary Elements" Adult Summer Reading Program to find out! The Adult program will run concurrently with the children’s and teen’s programs, so get your whole family involved.

For every book read or audiobook listened to, receive a ticket good for this year's prizes. Our Grand Prize is a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet! Be sure to turn in your raffle tickets often -- we're giving away prizes on June 23, July 7, July 21 and August 4. ALL entries will be eligible for the Grand Prize, drawn August 11.

Also, the first 30 people to register will receive a small prize!

The more you read, the more chances you have of winning!

Login here starting June 9th to register and track your Summer Reading.

The TARDIS, Weeping Angels, and BBC America ... all @ MPL!

Watch it on BBC America right here at the Library!

You might recall that we here at Monroeville Public Library are big fans of the long-running sci-fi adventure series, Doctor Who. That's why we're so excited for this Saturday -- when we're having a day-long celebration of the Doctor's 50th Anniversary!

Best of all, at 2:50 p.m., we'll be watching "The Day of the Doctor" -- the all-new 50th anniversary special airing on BBC America!

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Program Room

FREE and open to all ages!

We'll have a life-sized TARDIS on display, as well as a life-sized Weeping Angel! (Taking photos will be welcomed and encouraged.)

At 2:50 p.m., we'll watch the 50th Anniversary Doctor Who special, "The Day of the Doctor," on BBC America right here at the Library! Be sure to come before the airing so that you can:

- Get your picture taken with our life-sized TARDIS and Weeping Angel
- Enter our costume contest
- Compete in our Doctor Who Trivia challenge
- Snack on Gallifreyian finger foods
- Try your hand at Whovian crafts
- Enjoy a "Doctor Who" marathon (of new and classic series)
- Win prizes
- Have fun!

All this leading up to "The Day of the Doctor" at 2:50 p.m. on BBC America!

Any questions, you can contact the Library at 412-372-0500, ex. 19. Just ask for the Teen Librarian.

Hope to see you there. Allons-y!

-- Post by Ms. B

Summer Reading 2012

Summer Reading 2012 @ Monroeville Public Library!

Monday, June 4 kicks off our Summer Reading Programs here at MPL -- for kids, teens, and adults alike. Read on to find out more about our programs for you and your family this summertime season!

For Kids:

We are very excited to announce that MPL is one of 20 libraries to pilot Questyinz -- a  brand-new, interactive, online game that engages students entering K-5 in reading and exploring their own interests. Children can read, write, and complete discovery quests to win badges and points towards virtual rewards for their avatar, and even real-world rewards for themselves!

Stop in the Library beginning June 4 to get all the details -- and to pick up your password, which will let you log in and be part of this exciting new program.


*Students entering 6th grade are not eligible to play the game, but can be part of the Children's Room's traditional SRC or join the Teen Program.

Play Questyinz now!

For Younger Kids:

June 4 is also the kick-off for Think Big -- Read, the Read-to-Me Club for younger children. Parents keep a list of the books they share with their child over the summer. Kids get stickers and rewards for returning their completed list. Pick up the list and other details at the Library!



For Teens:

OWN THE NIGHT @ YOUR LIBRARY: TEEN SUMMER READING PROGRAM at MONROEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

On June 4th, Monroeville Public Library will kick off its annual Teen Summer Reading (TSR) program. TSR is open to all teens (or any students who have completed grades 5-12) to participate.

Students read all summer to participate in a Chinese auction of prizes -- as well as getting the chance to attend a variety of summer activities, from movie marathons and writing workshops to rock concerts and book clubs. There are special weekly drawings for extra prizes, and every teen who reads at least 10 books or writes three book reviews will be eligible for a special gift card. We'll wrap up the summer with our annual ending program party. (Keep up to date on our teen programs here.)

Login here starting June 4th to register and track your Summer Reading.

For Adults:

Check out what’s “Between the Covers” this summer!  Join Monroeville Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading Program about all things nocturnal. The Adult program will run concurrently with the children’s and teen’s programs, so you can get your whole family involved.

Starting June 4th, adults can register at the Library or online. Spend your summer reading (or listening to audiobooks), and you'll be eligible to win prizes from fine forgiveness coupons to an iPod shuffle!  Just record your books and audiobooks online (or on paper) -- the more you read, the better your chances of winning. (You can find out all the details by stopping by the Adult Reference Desk at the Library.)

Login here starting June 4th to register and track your Summer Reading.

Friends of the Library Book Sale @ MPL

Book Sale Dates:
Thursday, November 3 ~ 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday, November 4 ~ 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 5 ~ 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 6 ~ 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.


"This is the 12th Annual Library Book Sale," says Barbara Martinelli, Vice President of Monroeville Public Library's Friends of the Library. "And the quality of donations is really wonderful this year!"

The Friends of Monroeville Public Library are holding their Annual Used Book Sale from November 3 through November 6. Items for sale will include books, DVDs, CDs, games, craft and cooking magazines, children's books and games, and plenty more. And the Friends, Barbara included, have already been hard at work preparing for the sale since the summer.

"Once a week, we'd sort through the donations [to the library] and box them up by genre," Barbara says. "The week before the sale, we open the boxes and start setting up the donations."

In fact, the volunteers work from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon for at least six days straight, arranging ... and arranging ... and arranging. It's a lot of hard work, but the volunteers always seem happy to be there (and happy to be helping) -- it is, after all, for a good cause!

"Last year, the Friends raised $10,000 for the Library through our book sales," says Barbara. "We want to reach that goal again this year!"

This year's sale features something special -- a collection of vintage, antique books, donated by an anonymous source. "A Friends volunteer worked hard to price them all," says Barbara, adding that these antique books range in price from $4.00 to several hundred. (See below for pricing on the more recent items.)

While the vintage books will be available for purchase throughout the sale, those who want first crack at these special antiques (as well as the rest of the items up for sale) should consider attending this year's Preview Party, held this Wednesday from 6:30–8:30 p.m. (More details about the Preview Party are also below.)

Having seen the sale set-up firsthand, I can say the amount of books -- and the level of organization for them -- is beyond impressive! "Most patrons love our sale, in part, because it's so well-organized," Barbara tells me. "Items are alphabetized, so it's easy to shop. Come and shop!"

The Preview Party will be held Wednesday, November 2 from 6:30–8:30 pm. There will be a $5 donation per person to enter the Preview Party.

Hardback books are priced at $3.00, large (trade) paperbacks at $2.00. Small mass-market paperback books are $.50. DVDs are $3.00, CDs are $2.00.

Sunday will feature the Bag Sale. Donate $10.00 for a bag the Friends provide and fill the bag with as many items as you can fit!

Proceeds benefit the Monroeville Public Library. Our thanks to the Friends of the Monroeville Public Library for their incredible hard work and dedication!


-- Post by Ms. B

Meet Rick Riordan!

Rick Riordan -- author of the popular young adult series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, and The Heroes of Olympus -- is coming to Pittsburgh!

Riordan will be coming to Carnegie Library's Lecture Hall on Wednesday, October 5, at 7:00 p.m. as part of his Olympian Week Tour to promote his new Heroes of Olympus novel, The Son of Neptune (released the day before).

To celebrate, Monroeville Public Library is giving away two FREE passes to this event! From Monday, September 12 through Monday, September 19, you can stop by the Library and enter our raffle for the passes.

How to get your hands on raffle tickets? Easy! Simply come into the Library and check out at least one Rick Riordan item (a book, audiobook, or DVD copy of the Percy Jackson movie). If you check out at least one Riordan item this week, you'll receive two raffle tickets for the drawing.

Stop by the Adult Reference Desk or the Children's Desk to enter the raffle. (When you do, you can also receive one additional raffle ticket by saying the codeword HALF-BLOOD.)

A winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, September 20, and notified by telephone. Good luck!

Tickets also go on sale at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 12. Call 412-622-8866 or go to pittsburghlectures.org to purchase. Tickets are $20 each.

Stitches in Time

One of our ongoing projects at MPL is our continual efforts to make our Library open, bright, engaging, and -- above all -- welcoming. And when it comes to the latter, our beautiful new Library Quilt goes a long way towards achieving just that.

For a long time, our Library displayed a wall hanging by the staircase leading down to the children's room. The hanging had been especially handmade by the mother of Kathy Kennedy, Ms. Kennedy being a former director of the Library. But over the years, the hanging had been damaged with water stains, and unfortunately it was not possible to have to repaired.

In 2007, Christy Fusco (our current director) asked Carol Olson (a library clerk) for help. Carol is a member of the Quilt Company East Quilting Guild, as well as being a member of the Appliqué Mini-Group within the Guild. Carol suggested speaking with her group to see if its members might be interested in creating a new library quilt.

The appliqué group was interested and immediately began planning the new library quilt. Carol suggested a combination of two patterns -- one titled "Getting in a Good Book" (which featured the dragon and wizard design seen above) and the other featuring a row of school children reading books. In order to make the quilt truly unique, it was decided that each "reader" character that was created would be personalized in some special way by the quilters.

The finished product features 21 individual "blocks," each one featuring a hand-sewn picture of a person reading a book. Each character was specially designed by the person who created it and represents something in each member's life. Geri B. made two blocks representing her parents' history, while Karen W. created one to honor breast cancer awareness. And one very special square features a hand-embroidered memorial to former Library director Kathy Kennedy -- as well as to her mother, Vivian Kennedy, who had created the original Library wall hanging that was being replaced.

The centerpiece of the quilt features 448 two-and-a-half inch squares in a checkerboard pattern, surrounding the hand-stitched dragon and wizard (the centerpiece was created by Carol and Lorrie M.).

The completed quilt makes for a positively beautiful tapestry that will be sure to hang in the Library for many years to come.

The Guild has been meeting at the Library for years. "The Library has been a great tool for the Guild in general," says Carol. "We have many different groups within the Guild, and the Library's been a great place for all of them to meet. We wanted to show our appreciation for being able to use the Library on a continual basis."

The specialized blocks are naturally a particularly personal touch to the quilt. "The members of the group eagerly took on the challenge of creating the quilt," Carol adds. "Not only did we have fun making it, but I believe our creativity and excitement shows in our blocks."

For the Library staff's part, our deepest thanks go out to the members of the Appliqué Mini-Group who worked so hard to create this beautiful gift: Denise D., Lorrie M., our own Carol Olson, Celeste M., Geri B., Kay R., Karen W., Donna P., Pat van D., LuAnn U., Sally G., and Janet S. We also want to especially acknowledge group member Sharon K., who also contributed to the quilt and passed away before its completion. Our deep thanks and appreciation to all of these ladies for their time, effort, and library love!

The quilt will be formally dedicated to Monroeville Public Library on Monday, July 18, 2011, at 10:00 A.M. in the Library. We hope you'll join us there.


-- Post by Ms. B

Self-Checkout Your Books @ MPL

Our newest feature at MPL -- Self-Checkout!

We're always looking for ways to make your visits to the Library more simple, easy, and convenient. The addition of the self-checkout option to our Front Desk services (and it is an addition, not a replacement) is our way of continuing to do just that!

Located in our cafe area beside the Front Desk, our new self-checkout station features everything you'll need to check out your own books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, graphic novels, games, and more. Simply use the scanner to the left of the monitor to scan in your library card barcode number, then scan the barcodes on each of the items you're checking out. Run each item over the flat silver desensitizer (this will keep you from "beeping" on your way out the door!) and you're good to go!

Not sure how to get started?  Be sure to flag down a library staff member to help you through the process. Or, when you get to the Front Desk to check out, let us know that you're interested in learning to use the self-checkout. We'll be happy to help you!

We've still got two checkout stations, manned by staff members, at our Front Desk. But we welcome you to try out our self checkout station. Let us know what you think!

Travel the World @ Your Library This Summer

Summer is one of our busiest -- and most favorite -- times of year here at the Library. Because summer is, of course, when we kick off what may be our biggest event of the year: MPL's Summer Reading program.

In recent years, this has become a program for people of every age, from our Read to Me Club for the youngest children to our Adult Summer Reading program. And of course there's our Summer Reading Club for older children and Teen Summer Reading for all our junior high and high school students.

Why do libraries hold summer reading programs? For kids, this is a no-brainer: studies have shown that student achievement test scores tend to decline over summer vacation. Good news, though: studies also show that reading over the summer break combats what some call the "summer learning loss" -- and even reading books that are pure recreational "entertainment," and not "educational," do the job.

For adults, summer can be a chance to catch up on your reading. Take a book with you on vacation to the beach or camping. Or, if you find yourself (as so many of us do!) only busier during the summer months, check out our brand-new Playaways -- portable, lightweight audiobooks about the size of half a deck of cards. (You just plug in your earbuds and go -- check out our last post for more information.)

Why else do Summer Reading?  Well, it's a great chance to become eligible for some great prizes! From sticker sheets to free books to t-shirts to gift cards to an iPod Nano (that last one is featured in the Adult Summer Reading program), we've got a great line-up of prizes this year -- including a special Family Prize for one lucky family (your family will be eligible if at least one parent and one child have signed up for the programs).

There's no "assigned" reading -- you can read whatever you best like (and audiobooks count)! Science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, historical fiction, romance, non-fiction, and even graphic novels and manga all count for the program.

So please stop by the Library or our website. Happy Reading this summer!

A New Audio Format at MPL - Playaway

Do you like to listen to audiobooks while you walk, clean around the house or on your drive to work, but are tired of having to change CDs? Here's the answer - listen to your next book on a Playaway!

What is a Playaway? It's a small device (half the size of a deck of cards) that comes preloaded with up to 80 hours of HD audio content on each unit. All you need is a battery and headphones and you're all set to listen to your favorite book! You can also listen to a Playaway in your car. If you have an auxiliary jack in your car to listen to your MP3 player, you can listen to a Playaway. It's that simple.

A Playaway is easy to use. It has clearly marked buttons which give you the ability to move back and forth within or between chapters and alter the speed of the narrator's voice. It even has an automatic bookmark feature that remembers where you left off. It's also lightweight - it only weighs 2 ounces!

Last Thursday we launched this new format at Monroeville Public Library to great success. Take a look at our Adult and Teen selections. There are several other libraries in the county that also carry Playaways, so if you don't see something that interests you in our list, you can always search the entire county for it. If you have any questions, you can leave a comment here or give us a call at 412-372-0500 ext. 4.

Subject vs. Keyword

You may recall a previous post in which I mentioned that I'd use an entry to explain what, exactly, the difference is between keywords and subjects. The distinction is not an intuitive one, but it's an important distinction just the same, one that will vastly change what kind of results you'll get in the Catalog searches that you do.

New @ ... EIN?? -- Part II

Hello again! We're back to talk a little bit more about Monroeville Public Library's official merging with the eiNetwork and The Catalog -- the countywide connection of libraries. Hopefully our last post about The Catalog helped to answer a few of your questions and give you a good idea of what the eiNetwork is all about.

Today I want to take a moment to explain to you one of the best benefits of MPL now being a part of The Catalog: how to request an item.

Reading Counts @ MPL

If you're the parent of an elementary school or middle school student, then you probably know all about Reading Counts, an educational program designed to promote children's literacy. Gateway school district students in grades K-6 all take part in a Reading Counts program; students read books from the Reading Counts list and then take a short quiz about what they've read. If they successfully complete the quiz on the book they've read, the student receives Reading Counts points. (Books are individually assigned a number of points based on difficulty or lexile.) Once the student earns enough points, they are eligible for various prizes.

What you may not know is that Monroeville Public Library carries many of the books from the Reading Counts list. The Children's Room staff is in the process of searching through the collection for such titles. A sticker listing the lexile level and points is being placed on the first page of each book.

To make it easier to find these books, many of them have bookmark "flags," and there is even a display set out in the bins as you enter the Children's Room. Not all the books have been checked yet, so if you are interested in a book that does not have sticker, just ask the Librarian to check to see if it's eligible for Reading Counts.

For more on how Reading Counts is used in our local schools, check out some additional information here:

Ramsey Elementary School's Reading Counts Page

Dr. Cleveland Steward, Jr. Elementary's Reading Counts Page


-- Contributed by our Children's Librarian

New @ ... EIN??

So we've missed a couple of blog entries over the last week and a half. If you're wondering what could be so important as to keep us from our promised prompt updates, I've got two words for you: Catalog merger.

Yes, that's right. Monroeville Public Library has officially joined the eiNetwork and The Catalog!

Now, let me back up and explain this a bit.

Patrons Who Read This Also Liked ...

One of the most challenging and most enjoyable part of being a librarian -- at least for me -- is Reader's Advisory.

Most of you are probably aware of Amazon.com's "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" feature. Find an item on Amazon, and halfway down the page you'll see a list of further suggestions for you based on what you're already viewing. Look up a Harry Potter book, for instance, and Amazon will suggest the rest of the series to you -- along with books from the Twilight, Lord of the Rings, and Charlie Bone series. The idea is that, if you're looking up Harry Potter books, you're probably a fantasy fan to boot -- and Amazon will suggest similar products to you in the hopes that, y'know, you'll buy a few more things in addition to what you'd actually come to the website for. What you may not know is that we here at the library have our own methods of "suggesting similar items" to our patrons.

Many Monroeville Public Library patrons do know that they can ask us librarians and library staff members for book recommendations. And if you've never tried it before, keep in mind that at the library, you've got the added bonuses of:

A.) a real live person thinking about what you might like to read next, and

B.) no need to purchase your selection. We won't try to talk you into buying something here, after all -- we're happy just to have you leave with a (free) book in your hands that you're excited to try. And so, to that end: Reader's Advisory.

Reader's Advisory is part reference, part service here at MPL. We've got an actual Reader's Advisory guidebook section (located near the Front Desk), where you can find guides to reading suggestions like Read On Historical Fiction: Reading Lists for Every Taste, The Real Story: A Guide to Non-Fiction Reading Interests, Blood, Bedlam, Bullets, and Badguys: A Reader's Guide to Adventure/Suspect Fiction, and many more guides to suggestions of what you might like to read next in your favorite genres.

But we've also got a building full of librarians and library staff who are eager to help you find your next great read. There are all sorts of recommendations we can make to you, too. Ask us about the last great book we read. Or, if you find a staff member whose reading tastes are a bit different from yours, tell us about your favorite titles and authors and we'll think up some "read-alikes" for you -- read-alikes being, of course, books that are similar to each other (like our Harry Potter example up above).

Suggesting books that people might like to read can be challenging -- and also a lot of fun. As the teen librarian, I find that sometimes it's quite simple to come up with a title my teen patrons might like. ("Do you have any books about vampires?" is pretty easy to answer!) But sometimes, I've got my work cut out for me -- particularly if someone is looking for a good western or romance, two genres I myself don't read particularly often.

Of course, that's part of the fun and the challenge, to come up with a good book suggestion that might be outside our individual realm of expertise. At that point, we'll probably turn to outside help -- pulling up database listings of read-alikes for your perusal, or flagging down a fellow staff member who we know happens to share an interest in the genre you're looking for. (My co-workers know that I'm the Go-To Gal when it comes to science fiction recommendations, for instance -- and, hey, if anybody out there is looking for a great graphic novel suggestion, I'd be more than happy to help!)

So if you're looking for something just like the book you finished ... or for the latest great thriller ... or for something different entirely ... stop by our library and check out everything our Reader's Advisory services have to offer. We'd love to help you find your next great read!