Top Circulating Fiction - Adult & YA

“Knowledge is like money: To be of value it must circulate, and in circulating it can increase in quantity and, hopefully, in value.”
― Louis L'Amour, Education of a Wandering Man  

In the library, "circulation" means a lot of things.  What's sometimes called the "library card desk" is also known as "circulation".  When we look at a book's record, we count how many times it has checked out as its "circs". The library's collection floats (items checked out at one branch and returned at another stay at the branch at which they are returned), but its items circulate.

Are you ever curious about which titles get checked out the most in the library system? We've generated a couple of lists of the top recently circulating titles and authors for adults and young adults. Lots of mystery and thriller readers in our system! We like that Agatha Christie is still in the top ten.

Top Circulating Titles for Adults	Top Circulating Authors for Adults
1.  Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins	James Patterson
2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr	David Baldacci
3. Gray  Mountain by John Grisham	Nora Roberts
4. Personal by Lee Child	John Sandford
5. Memory Man by David Baldacci	Stuart Woods
6. The Stranger by Harlan Coben	Agatha Christie
7. Burning Room by Michael Connelly	Janet Evanovich
8. Gathering Prey by John Sandford	Danielle Steel
9. Miracle at Augusta by James Patterson	Debbie Macomber
10. Insatiable Appetites by Stuart Woods	John Grisham
11. Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance	Michael Connelly
12. Motive by Jonathan Kellerman	M.C. Beaton
13. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd	J.A. Jance
14. Private Vegas by James Patterson	Clive Cussler
15. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler	Alexander McCall Smith

It's also unsurprising to see the oeuvre of Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and James Dashner so strongly represented!  You can find the movies in the library catalog too - The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner. Not to mention The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, and If I Stay!

Top Circulating Young Adult Titles	Top Circulating Young Adult Authors
1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green	Veronica Roth
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins	James Patterson
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth	Suzanne Collins
4. The Maze Runner by James Dashner	James Dashner
5. If I Stay by Gayle Forman	John Green
6. Allegiant by Veronica Roth	Cassandra Clare
7. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins	Gayle Forman
8. Theodore Boone by John Grisham	Richelle Mead
9. Insurgent by Veronica Roth	Sara Shepard
10. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins	Darren Shan
11. The Death Cure by James Dashner	Amanda Hocking
12. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak	P.C. Cast
13. 99 Days by Katie Cotugno	John Flanagan
14. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner	Chris Lynch
15. Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord	Meg Cabot

Summer Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

At the beginning of the summer, I decided to challenge myself with my summer reading. You can read my first post about here. I wrote an update a few weeks later to see where I was with my reading goals, which you can read here. Today, I'm wrapping up my challenge, which I officially ended yesterday.

To refresh my memory (and yours!), here's what I said I was going to read this summer:

El Deafo by Cece Bell
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Ensnared by A.G. Howard
Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord
My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
The Mistborn series (only the first four books) by Brandon Sanderson
Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson
Analyzing Mad Men: Critical Essays on the Television Series edited by Scott F. Stoddart

So, how did I do? In terms of following my list, I did okay. I read El Deafo, Ensnared, Better Than Before, and Lumberjanes. I tried the Mistborn books, but I couldn't get into the series, so I have officially crossed those off my list of things to read. Last, since I'm not done watching Mad Men, I decided not read Analyzing Mad Men.

I read far more than that this summer, but most of what I read wasn't on my list of books to challenge myself. Here's what I read in addition to the few books I got through on the official list.

Sparks:The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S.J. Adams
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgendered Teen by Arin Andrews
Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong edited by Jessica Bacal
How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life by Joanna Barsh
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman
City Love by Susane Colasanti
Columbine by Dave Cullen
The Devil You Know by Trish Doller
Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition by Katie Rain Hill
Violent Ends edited by Shaun David Hutchinson
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher
Revival by Stephen King
Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby
Splitting an Order by Ted Kooser
Craftfail: When Homemade Goes Horribly Wrong by Heather Mann
Freshman: Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations, and Other Nonsense by Corinne Mucha
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider
A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T. Smith
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer Smith
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I read several other books, but can't name them because I read them for an award committee I'm on. Needless to say, I did a lot of reading, and I enjoyed most of what I read. Do I wish I had done a better job sticking with my challenge and reading the books I said I would read? Yes and no. I do wish I had gotten around to some of them, but I'm glad I didn't force myself to read all of them, because then I wouldn't have enjoyed my summer reading nearly as much as I did.

What books did you read this summer? Is there anything you think I should add to my list of books to read? Tell me in the comments!

New & Novel: Christian Fiction

Nielsen BookScan, which tracks print book unit sales, reported that "religion fiction had one of the steepest unit declines last year, with sales down 15% at outlets that report to BookScan". Libraries, however, are not seeing the same downturn - an article in Library Journal asserts, "If my public library is any indication, the books are still as popular, if not more popular than ever. I receive weekly requests for 'uplifting' and 'inspirational' fiction that will make people 'feel good.'"

Indeed, Christian fiction, for one, is appealing to increasing audiences with more and more "crossovers" with mainstream appeal - you can find religious epic fantasy, romance, science fiction (particularly apocalyptic), mysteries, novels dealing with contemporary issues, self-published novels, historical fiction set in the era of Downton Abbey - that try not to dilute the values of Christian literature but "are expressing their faith and the interpretation of it through their writing in fresh new ways". Sometimes this means publishers will provide books with an overtly religious message "alongside books that are clean, fun, and inspiring but not overtly religious". You are also more likely to see authors marketed to millenials, especially, on Facebook and Twitter and books about Friends-style groups.

Here's a list of some new and novel Christian fiction from the library catalog, from a variety of genres. Why not try one out and see what you think?
 

Hope Remembered by Stacy Henrie

Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton

The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray

By Your Side by Candace Calvert

Taken by Dee Henderson

Once Upon a Summertime: A New York City Romance by Melody Carlson

On Shifting Sand by Allison Pittman

Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

One Last Thing by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue

The Crimson Cord: Rahab's Story by Jill Eileen Smith

The Trouble with Patience by Maggie Brendan

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck 

A Love Undone: An Amish Novel of Shattered Dreams and God's Unfailing Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

 

 

Happy Birthday, Ernie Pyle!

How much do you know about Ernie Pyle, Pulitzer Prize-winning WWII war correspondent?  Did you know that there is an Albuquerque library and middle school named for him? Did you know that in 1945, the New Mexico Legislature approved a resolution declaring his birthday (August 3rd) to be Ernie Pyle Day? Have you seen the 1945 movie based on Pyle's writings, starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum?

If you would like to learn more about Ernie Pyle, the library catalog features several books by and about him, including:

Ernie Pyle In The American Southwest by Richard Melzer

The Story of Ernie Pyle by Lee G. Miller 

Ernie Pyle's Southwest illustrated by Bob Bales ; trail-notes by Ed Ainsworth

Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II by James Tobin

Ernie's War: The Best of Ernie Pyle's World War II Dispatches edited with a biographical essay by David Nichols 

Brave Men by Ernie Pyle 

Home Country by Ernie Pyle 

The Ernie Pyle Library has organized some events this year in celebration of Ernie Pyle's birthday, including a movie (to be shown at the Special Collections Library), a memoir workshop, and a reading discussion.  You can find out more about Ernie Pyle Day events on the library's event calendar.

The Ernie Pyle Library is one of the three branches in our library system named after a famous New Mexican (or New Mexico transplant) - the others are Erna Fergusson and Tony Hillerman.

Links

Ernie Pyle [Indiana University School of Journalism]

America's Most Loved Reporter: Ernie Pyle Organized by The Albuquerque Museum [City of Albuquerque]

Erna Fergusson: First Lady of American Letters [New Mexico Office of the State Historian]

Tony Hillerman, Novelist, Dies at 83 [New York Times]

What's New in the Eurozone - Economics and More

There has been a lot in the news lately about hot-button issues in the European Union, especially the Eurozone (i.e. the collective group of countries which use the Euro as their common currency). We can't pretend to be experts on the issues affecting our friends across the pond, but the library catalog does offer some reading material that might help all of us get more clued in!  Here are some of the most recent selections:

What Does Europe Want?: The Union and Its Discontents by Slavoj Zizek, Srecko Horvat

Tragedy of the European Union: Disintegration or Revival? by George Soros with Gregor Schmitz

The Passage to Europe: How a Continent Became a Union by Luuk Van Middelaar

Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea by Mark Blyth

Austerity: The Great Failure by Florian Schui

Wages of Rebellion by Chris Hedges    

Putinism: Russia and Its Future With the West by Walter Laqueur

Buying Time: The Delayed Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by Wolfgang Streeck 

The French Intifada: The Long War Between France and Its Arabs by Andrew Hussey

The Shifts and The Shocks: What We've Learned -- And Have Still to Learn -- From the Financial Crisis by Martin Wolf 

  

Every Hero Has a Story

Our Summer Reading Program, Every Hero Has a Story, is winding down!  The last day to participate is Saturday, July 25th. We hope you and your family have enjoyed yourselves! Don't forget to fill out our Customer Survey and let us know how we're doing!

The theme for each year's Summer Reading Program is different, but we've particularly enjoyed this one. Merriam-Webster defines a hero as a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities; a person who is greatly admired. Who are your heroes? We grew up on stories of Helen Keller's triumph over adversity; Eleanor Roosevelt's outspokenness and activism ; Amelia Earhart's derring-do. "Every Hero Has a Story" has included its fair amount of superheroes and the like; but we still enjoy celebrating everyday acts of courage.

If you would like to continue celebrating heroes after July 25th, we have some items in the catalog you might enjoy! Or, just let us know in the comments who your heroes are.

Adults 

Wildlife Heroes: 40 Leading Conservationists and the Animals They Are Committed to Saving by Julie Scardina and Jeff Flocken [eBook]

Heroes: From Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar toChurchill and de Gaulle by Paul Johnson

Autism Heroes: Portraits of Families Meeting the Challenge by Barbara Firestone [eBook]

Dog Heroes: Saving Lives and Protecting America by Jen Bidner

Young Adult

Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics by Kathryn J. Atwood [eBook]

Women Heroes of World War II : 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue by Kathryn J. Atwood

Women Heroes of the American Revolution: 20 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Defiance, and Rescue by Susan Casey 

Kids

War Heroes: Voices From Iraq by Allan Zullo

Heroes For All Times: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #51- High Time For Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce  [eBook]

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

Portraits of Jewish American Heroes by Malka Drucker

Amazing Heroes: Spend a Day with Firefighters, Police Officers, Rescue Workers [DVD]

Baseball Heroes by Glenn Stout [eBook]

Native American Heroes: Osceola, Tecumseh & Cochise by Ann McGovern [eBook]

Alaska's Dog Heroes: True Stories of Remarkable Canines by Shelley Gill

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera [eBook]

A Standing Ovation For Misty Copeland

On  June 30, 2015, Misty Copeland became the American Ballet Theatre's first African-American principal ballet dancer. Misty's autobiography, Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina chronicles her struggles and triumphs, from the first ballet class she took at a community center. Misty began taking ballet at the ancient age of thirteen and was en pointe within three months; a feat that normally takes several years of training to accomplish. That same year, Misty began to perform professionally, despite the hardships of her personal life. She succeeded in achieving her highest goals, despite not fitting into an elitist mold of what some extremely myopic companies desired.

Misty Copeland's commercial for Under Armour featuring her dancing prowess to a voice over of her reading a ludicrous rejection letter has received over 8 million hits on YouTube. Her interview on 60 Minutes also touches on her book's themes of perseverance and an inherent love of ballet that she wants to share with other young dancers in need of enthusiastic mentoring, needed to break obsolete barriers.

Even though she was battling six stress fractures, Misty's breakout role in the Stravinsky ballet Firebird, was her first full lead role in an American Ballet Theatre production. Misty has also written a children's book Firebird: Ballerina Misty Copeland Shows a Young Girl How To Dance Like the Firebird, illustrated by Christopher Myers.

For additional inspiration, check out the following books and DVDs about the lives and legacies of various ballet dancers, choreographers, and ballet company directors.

Ballet 422 directed by Jody Lee Lipes

The Visual Dictionary of Ballet for Children  produced by Rosemary Boross

Balanchine  (DVD): The Father of American Ballet

Like a Bomb Going Off: Leonid Yakobson and Ballet As Resistance in Soviet Russia by Janice Ross

First Position (DVD)

Nureyev: The Life by Julie Kavanagh

Dancing On My Grave: An Autobiography by Gelsey Kirkland with Greg Lawrence

Nijinsky by Richard Buckle
  
Holding On To The Air: An Autobiography  by Suzanne Farrell 

Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance (DVD)