2016 North Texas Teen Book Festival: information + a giveaway!

There's less than two weeks left until my library's biggest event of the year: the 2016 North Texas Teen Book Festival. Months of hard work will culminate into 15 hours worth of festival time (over 2 days) that include 69 panels/conversations/keynotes/educational sessions featuring 75 authors, 4 YA BookTubers, 3 YA reviewers/writers, and 2 YA podcasters. This post will contain information about the festival (setup, panels, components, etc) and at the very bottom is a giveaway so keep reading to get to that part!
 

Who's coming?

Well, in addition to librarians, teachers, teens, tweens, and readers from North Texas, Other Parts of Texas, and even Other States That Aren't Texas, there are those 75 authors. 

Download a copy of the list here (PDF)

And, as I said above, there are 4 BookTubers featured in a special panel to help attendees learn the art of being a YouTuber. 

Sarah Enni of First Draft and Sara Roberts of Adventures in YA will be leading a YA podcast panel (featuring a couple guest authors), and Katie of Mundie Moms, Mandy Curtis of A Nerdy World & Forever YA, and freelance freelance writer Rachel Paxton will be discussing reviews and other ways to "write about writing" in a non-author writing panel. 

 

What are the panels about?/What's the schedule?

This year, the festival is two days long instead of just one. Friday, April 22 is dedicated to providing professional development opportunities to educators of tweens and teens, and Saturday, April 23 is the main festival that's open to the public.

Friday Schedule:

12 PM: Author luncheon hosted by Forever YA featuring Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, and Ruta Sepetys. Tickets are available for purchase here (link available until Saturday, April 16). Meet & greet/signing with the authors to follow lunch. This is open to anyone who buys a ticket.

The following professional developments are part of Books Books Books: A Symposium for Educators, and will feature guest authors in discussion with professors of library science from Sam Houston State University. These sessions are open to educators of tweens and teens.
1 PM: Diversity is More than a Hashtag
2 PM: Is Any Book Ever Safe? Selection vs Censorship
3 PM: Label Making vs Label Breaking

More information about the sessions can be found here (PDF).

Saturday Schedule:

8 AM: Convention center opens. Book sales, swag sales, and the passing out of Speed Dating begins
8:15 AM: Middle Grade Keynote
9 AM: Panels
10 AM: Panels, Speed Date with a Book round 1
11 AM: Panels, Speed Date with a Book round 2
12 PM: Panels
1 PM: Panels, Speed Date with a Book round 3
2 PM: Panels, Speed Date with a Book round 4
3 PM: Young Adult Keynote
3:30 PM: Signing starts
5 PM: Convention center closes, festival ends

As for what the panels are about, there are 66 panels on Saturday featuring 2-6 authors or other presenters.

8:15 AM

MG Keynote

9 AM

Where's My Super Suit?

School Days, School Daze

Clean Slate

3 Witches, 2 Zombies, and a Werewolf

*"Just a Small Town Girl"

Tickle Your Funny Bone

Fiercely Fantastic

Quarantine

New Kid on the Block

Alternate History

A Class of Their Own

10 AM

Tick Tock

The Pawn

*Boarding Pass

A Tyranny of Petticoats

"867-5309/Jenny"

Zootopia

The Research Lab

Paranormal Tendencies

Where the Action Is

Oh, the Horror!

Lean on Me

You've Got a Friend in Me

11 AM

Lone Star All-Stars

The Book Boyfriends

The Maze Writer: A Conversation

Time Turners

"We're Young and We're Reckless"

Angels & Demons

I'll Be There for You

Final Edit

Do You Believe in Magic

Podcast Discussion Panel

12 PM

Dystopia Dynasty

My Lady Jane

All the Feels

A Little Bit of Magic

"Now That I'm Without Your Kisses"

Double, Double Toil and Trouble

Southern State of Mind

1 PM

Pass the Popcorn

TAYSHAS Spotlight

*Daring Reads

Middle Grade Mania

"Cause This is Thriller, Thriller Night"

All the World's a Stage

One Story at a Time

When Alex Meets Alex: A Conversation

Feel the Heat

Getting Graphic

The Here and Now

BookTube Discussion Panel

2 PM

*Hi-Fi Sci-Fi

Flights of Fantasy

Books That Rock!

Reimagination Station

"But Now We're Stressed Out"

Touch of Paranormal

Reading the Rainbow

Superhero Origins

Is This the Real Life?

History Repeats Itself

Tragic Circumstances

Writing About Writing Discussion Panel

3 PM

YA Keynote

For full panel information, including recommended target audience (MG or YA), descriptions, and authors, click here (PDF). But if you look hard, you'll see four panels have been starred. That's because I'm moderating them! That's right! You can visit me during "Just a Small Town Girl" at 9, Boarding Pass at 10, Daring Reads at 1, and Hi-Fi Sci-Fi at 2!

My attempt to organize all the books I want/need to read before the festival.

Some are for the panels I'm moderating, others are just for fun.

 

What else is there to do aside from the panels?

In addition to the panels, the festival will include speed date with a book (a program that allows teen attendees to take home a free book written by a festival author), swag and book sales, and a massive book signing. You can find an overview of all these components here (PDF). You can find a list of swag shop items here (PDF)—includes fast passes for the signing line!!!—and food available for purchase here (PDF). Unfortunately there is not a list of books that will be available for purchase, but books will be sold by Half Price Books, and you can count on each author's most recent work being available.

 

Basically, the festival is going to be a giant meeting of YA and MG fans, and it's going to be tons of fun. For advice about attending NTTBF 16, check out the Irving Library's recent advice post. If you have any questions, festival staff (yeah, this includes me) is always available via social media or email.

 

  



 

Giveaway opportunity:

If you are attending NTTBF, you can enter to win a fast pass for the signing line! All you have to do is take a picture, post a video, a poem (book spine poetry or just text), a blog post (like this one), or some other imaginative creation and post it on Twitter or Facebook. Tag the festival's account and use #NTTBF16, and you'll be entered to win! For full details, see here.

 

Upcoming Events:

The Irving Public Library hosts many author events for both tweens and teens! Here's a look at the upcoming event schedule:

April 22-23: NTTBF
April 24: Soman Chainani @ Valley Ranch Irving Library
May 5: Amy Tintera & Julie Murphy @ South Irving Library
May 7: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff @ Southlake B&N (not a library event, but I'm moderating)
May 15: Meg Cabot princess party @ South Irving Library
May 16: Jenny Martin Marked launch party @ South Irving Library
TBA May event
June: Matthew Quick @ South Irving Library
TBA summer reading panel in July
 

Actual Giveaway !



Congratulations on making it through this epic post! Your reward is the opportunity to win a box of books! This giveaway is open to the US because of the astronomical cost of shipping a massive box of books. Must be 13+ to enter. Ends at midnight on Thursday, April 21. Prize includes ALL the books in the picture below PLUS any book by any one of the authors listed above, not including preorders (so you can choose The Winner's Kiss, The Glass Sword, The Mirror King, etc). Also, all of these books will be signed. Good luck!

 

shiny prizes!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Please note this giveaway is hosted by me, Mary, NOT the North Texas Teen Book Festival.

 

Book Blitz: The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler

Beware the king who rules with a bloodstained hand.

Author: Jeff Wheeler
Release Date: April 1, 2016
Publisher: 47North
Genre: young adult fantasy
Status: book 1 of the Kingfountain series

Summary: As usurper of the throne, the rule of King Severn Argentine’s is already highly contested. To keep his power, King Argentine rules with an iron fist and destroys any opposition. In a failed coup attempt the Duke of Kiskaddon loses his son as a permanent prisoner to the king to ensure his loyalty.

The Queen's Poisoner follows the Duke’s young son Owen on his journey for redemption and revenge as he figures out how to survive the court of Kingfountain. In order to keep his head and gain the merciless king’s favor, Owen must delve deeper into the world of mystery and secrecy that surrounds him. Readers will be clamoring for the next installment of The Kingfountain Series.

Available from:

   

Excerpt:

“But the king’s army prevailed after all,” Eleanor said weakly. “And now he thinks you a traitor.” 

“From where I sat, it looked like Horwath would be destroyed. The men were fighting slothfully. No one’s heart was in it to defend Ceredigion from the invader. But then the king summoned his knights and rode into battle himself. The conflict was raging below them when they made their charge. I watched it, Eleanor. There were only twenty . . . maybe thirty knights in all, but they came like a flood. As if the very Fountain were driving them. They clashed with lances and swords. The king himself unhorsed his enemy and then jumped from his injured horse and killed the man with his own sword. The invaders swarmed him, but he fought as if he had the strength of a dozen men. They fell away from him, and when they saw his triumph, Horwath’s men became demons!” His eyes were wide with shock and amazement. “Severn defeated them by himself. Even with his twisted leg and his hunchback, he was unstoppable. I rode hard to join the fray and helped capture the fallen army. The king’s crown had fallen from his head during the fighting and I found it in a hawthorn bush. I told him . . . I told him that I was loyal.” His face went white. 

Eleanor felt her knees losing strength. She clutched to her husband, as if they were alone on an island and the waves of the sea were crashing around them, trying to drag them into the surf. Her ears were ringing with the words.

“The king ordered Jorganon’s death. He mocked me, saying perhaps I still had sons to spare. And so he sent Horwath with me to bid you the tidings. Thus sayeth King Severn Argentine to the Lady Eleanor Kiskaddon: Choose you another son to be hostage, to live in the palace of Kingfountain under His Majesty’s wardship. Prove your good faith and obedience. Pick the son who will stand as surety for your house.”

Lady Eleanor would have fainted, but she somehow managed to keep her feet. She looked up at her husband. “I must trust that man with another of my children?” Her heart hammered violently in her chest and she quailed under the weight of her grief. “That . . . that . . . butcher?” 

“Stiev Horwath has come to bring the child to Kingfountain,” her husband said, his look full of misery. “If we do not choose, he will execute our entire family for treason now.” 

Lady Eleanor sobbed against her husband’s chest. It was a choice no mother should be forced to make. Should she sacrifice one child so that all the others might live? But King Severn was ruthless and cunning. Would the child she selected be the only of her children to survive?

She wept bitterly, swallowed by grief and unable to think. Who could she part with? Why had the choice even been given to her if not to make her suffering more acute? She hated the king. She hated him with all her passion, all her grief. How could she decide such a thing? How would she hand one of her boys over to a man who had murdered his own brother’s sons? The king’s hands were so wet with blood a trail probably dribbled wherever he went. 

In her grief, she did not hear the door open or the soft padding of feet. She did not notice until Owen’s arms wrapped around their legs. 

He squeezed them both so hard, and though she could not hear any words, she could imagine his thoughts, his childlike attempt to comfort them. There, there, Maman, Papan. There, there! It will be all right, Maman, Papan. There, there! 

She stared down at her son, her innocent son. And then a memory stirred. 

A memory of the royal midwife who had saved his life. 

Her chest became tight with anticipation. Perhaps she could get a secret message to the sanctuary of Our Lady, a plea to protect her son, the boy who had been saved once before. She could endure the separation, the despair, so long as she could cling to a thread of hope. 

She knew that a thread was all she could expect.

About the Author:

Jeff Wheeler took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to become a full-time author. He is, most importantly, a husband and father, and a devout member of his church. He is occasionally spotted roaming among the oak trees and granite boulders in the hills of California or in any number of the state’s majestic redwood groves. He is the author of The Covenant of Muirwood Trilogy, The Legends of Muirwood Trilogy, The Whispers from Mirrowen Trilogy, and the Landmoor Series.

Author Links:

    

Giveaway:

5 copies of The Queen's Poisoner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Glittering Court Preorder Deal

Today I've got information about bestselling author Richelle Mead's upcoming series The Glittering Court and the special preorder bonus Penguin is offering to readers who register their preorder!

Pub Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: young adult fantasy
Status: Book 1 of the Glittering Court trilogy (each book can stand alone)
Summary: For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him. 

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else's property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

 

Preorder Links:

   

I'm not usually a fan of historical-esque fiction, but Richelle is one of my favorite authors and her books are always must-buy for me regardless of genre or age category. I can't wait to get my hands on The Glittering Court! Preorder the book to receive a welcome kit AND  enter to win the chance to skype with Richelle, gift cards, and more! 

^click on the banner to register your preorder!

Blog Tour: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Rating: 4 stars

Pub Date: March 29, 2016

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: ARC, from a friend/DRC, from the publisher

Status: Book 2 of the Thunder Road companion series

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. This did not affect my review. 

Summary:

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life. 

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules. 

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

Get Up Offa That Slump: What I'd Give a Kidney For

Today is Day 2 of Beauty & the Bookshelf's Get Up Offa That Slump blogging extravaganza, and today's theme is

Bookish Things I'd Give a Kidney For

I'll get to the stuff in a minute, but first, I'd like to get a little bit personal and tell you about my family. See, my brother-in-law had failing kidneys, and my sister actually did give a kidney to her husband (a one-in-a-million match) to save his life. So while I think it's fun to joke about what I'd give up for a book/a sequel/a new series from a favorite author, please keep in mind how important organ donation really is and how much it can save a life. I definitely recommend, if you are able, to register as an organ donor. It's important. And check out this adorable video my brother made for my sister and her husband. (warning: it might make you cry)

Okay, so now onto the fun stuff!

Book Wishlist
Gemina

The Beauty of Darkness

The Goal

All Closed Off

Defending Taylor

The Rose and the Dagger 

Movie Wishlist

Just One Day

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Dumplin

Illuminae

These Broken Stars

Abstract Book Wishlist

more Jennifer Echols books

more books with religious characters

more diversity in NA

more fluffy contemporary romance in YA

I Space Ship It blanket
from Gillian's Society6 shop

Harry Potter kitchen set

from Etsy

Library pillow

from Etsy

What's on your current bookish wishlist? And feel free to share your links if you're participating in Get Up Offa That Slump!

Get Up Offa That Slump: Interview with a Mary



Lately the bookish community has expressed a communal lack of inspiration for our blogs. Even Twitter, a longtime oasis for us bookish weirdos, has felt off somehow. So Rachel of Beauty and the Bookshelf has created a short blogging challenge called Get Up Offa That Slump and created a series of post themes to help jog the old brain box. The challenge is still open if you're interested in joining. Today's theme is

Interview with me!

Mary: What's your name?
Mary: Mary. I will also answer to Marg (if you are one of about 10 people), Mare Bear (if you're my family), knoxdiver, and {insert all my siblings', niece's, and former pets names here}oh-what's-your-name-again (if you're my mom specifically).

Mary: How old are you?
Mary: A recently minted 28. 10 year high school reunion, here I come!

Mary: Are you sure you're 28?
Mary: I mean, physically I'm 28. If you ask my sense of humor, though, she'll say she's a 13 year old boy.

Mary: Where are you from?
Mary: Originally, Tennessee, but currently I'm sitting pretty in Texas, y'all.

Mary: Did you really say y'all?
Mary: Yeah. It's kind of a southern thing. I rarely say it irl though.

Mary: Do you have a southern accent?
Mary: Mmmm, not really. Sometimes you can hear it, but compared to other southerners, mine is tame. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Mary: So what do you do in Texas?
Mary: I used to blow stuff up, but now I work at a library, and I also attend as many book events as possible, sometimes traveling to Austin, Houston, or even San Antonio.

Mary: Traveling? That must be—hang on, did you say BLOW STUFF UP?
Mary: Yep! I used to work at a science museum for kids, and setting things on fire and esploding them was literally in the job description. The only things I refused to do were dissections (EW) and hold the snakes (EWWW).

Mary: Um, snakes?
Mary: Yeah. There were two of them. The first was Salazar, and the second (I named him) was Draco.

Mary: Are you a Slytherin?
Mary: Nope. According to Old Pottermore *glares at New Pottermore* I was a Ravenclaw, but I think I have the heart of a Hufflepuff.
Mary: Why's that?
Mary: I'm big on loyalty.

Mary: Let's do some fun facts!
Mary: Hit me. OW, not literally. This isn't Fight Club, you monster.
Mary: Sorry.
Mary: You're forgiven.

Mary: Favorite color
Mary: Blue
Mary: How original
Mary: What can I say? Blue loves me, and I love blue!

Mary: Coffee or tea
Mary: Hot chocolate. I don't drink coffee OR tea.
Mary: Weirdo
Mary: I'm Mormon. It's a Mormon Thing.
Mary: Really?
Mary: Yeah.

Mary: Pet peeve
Mary: I HATE when people pronounce mischievous as "miss-CHEE-VEE-ous." Hate it. If I hear a narrator do it in an audiobook, I will knock a star off, I kid you not. There is no I after the V. The proper pronunciation is "miss-chuh-vuss." Get it right, or I'll judge you. Also, Texas drivers are the worst. Learn how to drive, idiots!
Mary: Harsh!
Mary: I regret nothing. The roads are awful, construction is non-stop, and Texans are awful behind the wheel.
Mary: And you drive to other cities because....?
Mary: Authors, duh. And all my non-Dallas friends.

Mary: Furthest you've ever gone for a book event?
Mary: I once took a bus from Dallas to Knoxville (my hometown) and drove down to Atlanta for a signing. That was roughly 18 hours worth of drive time. Another trip I drove with my sister to Nashville for a signing, home to Knoxville for a couple days, down to Atlanta for a signing, and then back to Nashville for a third signing before heading back to Dallas. I went to a signing the day after I got back.
Mary: That's dedication, and also, you're a weirdo.
Mary: It's been established, thanks.
Mary: How many miles are on your car?
Mary: 195,000-ish.
Mary: Wow. Poor car.
Mary: Percy's a Honda so he can take it.
Mary: Um...Percy?
Mary: My mom's fault.

Mary: Strangest food you've ever eaten?
Mary: Cheetos dipped in chocolate pudding. My eight year old self thought it was a good idea at the time since I didn't have time to eat both at lunch. She was right; it was amazing.

Mary: Okaaaaaay, favorite movie, book, song, album.
Mary: Blech, these questions are the worst.
Mary: Stop whining and at least attempt it.
Mary: You're the worst.
Mary: We're ridiculous.
Mary: Movie is She's the Man. Classic Amanda Bynes, baby Channing Tatum, plus soccer and Shakespeare. Yes, please!
Mary: I heard you can quote the whole thing.
Mary: Yeah, once I had my back turned to my roommate who borrowed it and was watching with earplugs. I was quoting along despite not seeing it or hearing it. She made me stop.
Mary: So don't watch movies with you is what you're saying.
Mary: Yeah, I kind of like to talk and if I've seen it before, I might quote or sing along.
Mary: You're a monster.
Mary: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Favorite book always changes, but young adult is Fangirl and my favorite series is Harry Potter, Gallagher Girls, Vampire Academy/Bloodlines, and Artemis Fowl. New Adult is probably The Deal because I read it all the time.
Mary: How many times?
Mary: Like...four in less than a year?
Mary: Wow.
Mary: Such is the power of Garrett and Hannah. Favorite song... is it cheating to say "Bohemian Rhapsody"? It's probably not my favorite OF ALL TIME, but it always makes me happy. Favorite album... At the moment, it's Hamilton, obviously, but ever.... I'm a huge fan of classic Taylor Swift so maybe Speak Now (although my favorite Swift song is actually an unreleased one that's not on any of her albums), and as far as movie scores go, I love a lot, but probably The Fellowship of the Ring. Howard Shore is incredible. And for funsies, my favorite audiobook is probably Libba Bray's Beauty Queens because she reads it herself, and her voices for each character as well as all the production...things are ON FREAKING POINT.

Mary: This has probably gone on long enough.
Mary: I think you're right. Weird that you didn't think you'd come up with enough questions.
Mary: Right??? Anyway, what if someone wants to know something we didn't talk about?
Mary: I mean, there's a comment section RIGHT THERE. They can use that, or we're literally always on Twitter.
Mary: Literally? Are you literally always on Twitter?
Mary: It's pulled up right now, and I have a phone that blinks at me whenever someone @s me so yeah. Literally always on.
Mary: Fair enough!

So....this was the weirdest thing ever, but Rachel was right: it was really fun. And if you read all the way through to the end, bless you. I'd say I'm not this odd regularly, but that would be a lie. Thanks for reading, and yeah, if you want to ask me something I didn't ask me, feel free to drop a comment or tweet me or something. And if you're up for it, join Get Up Off That Slump. It's fun!

Mary in the Library: Book Donations

I've talked about what I do in the library and what goes on behind the scenes of a book signing, but wanting some more inspiration for Mary in the Library, I took to Twitter to get an idea of what you guys want to know about life in a library. Today's question comes from Jaylee James: 

This is a very common question, but the answer is going to vary from library to library depending on system policies so I can only tell you what MY library does with donations. On paper, here's our official policy:

If you notice, it says in the very first sentence that "gently used" donations will "possibly" be added to the collection. A lot of people assume everything they donate will be available in the collection immediately. That's not how it works, and no matter what library you use, you should NEVER assume that's going to happen. Check the second paragraph. Reasons your item might not be added to the collection include "condition, need, or the item not falling within the collection development guidelines." Basically, the item might not be in the physical condition we require, we might not need a copy (Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight, and Harry Potter and other movie adaptations are probably automatically not going to be added because the library already has a ton of copies), OR based on the selector of that collection, it might be turned down for another reason. Plus, most libraries receive a LOT of donations. Not everything can be added simply because there isn't enough space.

This is our donation station & it looks like this ALL. THE. TIME.

What is a selector? A selector is the person "in charge" of a particular area of the total collection. For instance, there are two of us at my branch who are in charge of the YA collection. My boss is the official selector, but she's so busy with higher job duties that many of the aspects of maintaining the collection have fallen to me. The other day someone donated about five of the House of Night books along with three Mortal Instruments books. They were all in decent collection, but none of them can be added to our collection. Why? We already have a ton of copies. 

This is a screenshot taken directly from our catalog page. The numbers on the right indicate how many of each item we have in the collection. While that number also includes any items that have been lost or withdrawn, we still have plenty, as you can see. This also doesn't include ebooks or audiobooks. 

However, Shadowhunters is picking up steam and maybe new fans are finding their way to the books through the show or because they have seen ads for Lady Midnight. So we decided to keep them to use for something else.

In comparison, House of Night is a 12 book series (with a few extras), and the final book came out two years ago. There is also no reason to add more copies to our collection. At this point, we probably need to start weeding out the extras. I withdrew a damaged copy just yesterday, and if we had needed to replace it, I might have used one of the donated copies, but at this point, it's redundant. While HoN is a bestselling series, vampire books have been on the decline for years.

Meanwhile, the other day a patron came in with an audiobook he'd been given for Christmas. It was by a popular author of adult fiction that even I could recognize as a major player with our patrons. I checked the catalog, and while we own many of this author's books (including this one), we didn't own a physical audiobook of this particular title. So I took it directly to the librarian in charge of the adult collection. She was thrilled to have it, and I'm betting in a couple weeks, that audiobook will be on our shelves after it has been processed.

So what will we do with the Mortal Instruments books we kept? What about the House of Night books we didn't? We have a staff member whose job it is to go through all the donations and keep them organized. Some he tosses immediately because of quality or item (VHS and cassette tapes do not make the cut, ever). Some, he gives to the selectors (like the books in question), and some he earmarks for sale. House of Night, along with any that he has already set aside, will go on to our Friends of the Library, who will sell it either in one of their large warehouse sales, at a cart sale they hold at our branch or another once a month, or go on a cart we keep at our location. This upsets people because they want to "support the library" better. Honestly, don't be upset if you find out your items went to the Friends, especially our Friends. They do a great deal for us, both financially and physically. Our Friends are the ones who finance programs like summer reading or purchase equipment and furniture. They often help us at author signings. They have provided amazing support for the North Texas Teen Book Festival, again through funding and volunteers. If your items go to the Friends, they WILL support the library, just in a different way.

Carts full of books for our monthly Friends sale last week.

As for the TMI books that our teens may want, they will actually go downstairs in our basement to a series of shelves full of YA books of all types. We have arcs, hardcovers, paperbacks, manga. Some are signed, even. What do we do with them? We save them. Hoard them like Scrooge McDuck and his vault of gold. And each summer and occasionally throughout the school year, we use them as prizes. 

I live in a city in the DFW metroplex, and it's not one of the particularly wealthy cities in the area. We're lucky that our city maintains an excellent library system and supports NTTBF, but the families and individuals who use the library need us for very basic resources. Computer access, because they don't have internet at home. Help printing out resumes, help with job searches, ESL classes, literacy classes, basic Microsoft Word and internet classes. We participate in a snack program in the summer because local kids don't have access to subsidized school food during those months. So for us to reward kids and adults for reading with books they can take home and keep or sell or whatever they want is a huge deal. And not only do they get to to take a book home, they get to pick it out themselves, out of a massive shelf of really freaking good titles. They love arcs because, hello early books, and they also love signed books. 

One of the reasons NTTBF was created and why author events are so strong in my library is because it's a special experience for our community. Authors and signed books mean something extraordinary to our teens and tweens. They're celebrities, but attainable and real celebrities. Yes, they will also fawn over anyone who comes in town for Comic Con or concerts, but they don't always have the funds for those events. Author events are free. The books we give them during the summer are free. It may sound like a MasterCard commercial, but the feelings that they get from these books are priceless.

Once again, this is just MY library. If you want to know what happens to book donations at YOUR library, check their website or just ask a staff member. I worry the general public is afraid their library staff will bite. Even if the little old lady behind the desk looks like she belongs in Monster's University,

I promise we won't throw you through the window if you ask a question. And don't apologize for asking or for "interrupting" or "bothering" the staff. You're not. The library is providing a public service. It's literally our job to help you and answer your questions. :)

Have a question about life in the library? Let me know in the comments!