That’s A Wrap

Posted December 20, 2021 by William Crouch

I am almost done with my last paper for the year.  I just need to double check that all my citations were done correctly, and then I’ll be all set to turn it in!  I had to choose six books (three nonfiction and three fiction) to include in my library’s collection.  To do this, I read fiction and nonfiction book reviews from the January 2020 issues of Booklist and School Library Journal.  It was a much more daunting task than I had anticipated.  A lot of books were reviewed, especially fiction books, and it was overwhelming.  Luckily, I printed out the reviews so I could write myself some notes.  I highlighted the most important parts of the reviews and noted my overall impressions of whether to book would make a good addition to the collection or not.  Otherwise, all the reviews would have run together. 

I was impressed with the variety of books that were reviewed.  There were many genres and books that featured diverse or marginalized voices.  I recognized several of the titles, but there were many more that I didn’t know about.  I added several books to my “to be read” list, which I was really happy about. But I wasn’t reading the reviews for my own interests.  I had to think about what the library and its patrons need and want.  In narrowing it down, I chose a few books that I myself personally was not interested in, but that I knew would be good for the library.  That was an eye opening process, and one that I would like to learn more about.  

I’m sad this class is over because I really enjoyed learning about young adult materials.  There is so much out there for teens and tweens, and I feel like I just scraped the surface of it.  But I’m definitely ready for a bit of a break.  I’m going to enjoy the next few weeks and relax.  I’m looking forward to 2021, and my last (!) class at Simmons.  Happy holidays and happy new year to all!