What do you do with a Dead Author?

          That’s not a question most people would ask but hardcore series readers sadly must cope when their favorite author passes.  No more joyous hours immersed in plots and favorite characters that draw you into settings and situations far from your present reality.  A comfortable or startling world that has enhanced your life from the moment you read the first word…. now silenced.  Favorite authors should live forever. 

            Librarians around the world share that sentiment, but not for the same reasons!  Why should librarians care if a popular author passes … because they often get resurrected and books begin to appear “in the style of” the dearly departed author.  Messy at best.  How can a dead author write more books?  He can’t.          

            Case in point:  The popular and prolific author Robert B. Parker writer of detective and mystery stories as well as westerns, creator of the characters Spenser, Jesse Stone and Monte Walsh.   Parker is a favorite author of many of our Azalea residents, or I should say he “was”, Mr. Parker died in 2010. And yet there they are, books “in the style of” Robert B. Parker sitting on the cart ready to be cataloged. 

            Two authors have started writing "in the style of" novels featuring the Parker characters:  Ace Atkins now writes the Spenser series and Michael Brandman writes the Jesse Stone novels.  So now Parker fans can enjoy once again these favorite characters -- if only they can remember who the new authors are!

            So librarians create extra cards or additional online entries to link the reader to all three authors, the “In the style of” title, and information entries to “See also” all the other possibilities.  They must also explain to devoted readers that new Parker books are found under the name of the new author and no they aren’t shelved under the dead author’s name… Wishing all the while that popular authors could live forever.

DVD check outs: You Asked - We Listened!

A resident told me the other day that she really enjoyed the DVDs in the Azalea Library.... however, checking them out was problematic for her because often she can't get to the library in the mornings before we close.

Her question: 

Could the library add an afternoon check-out time for DVDs? 

Resident volunteers commit to staff the library office Monday - Friday 9:30 to 11:30 each morning.  

After discussing the request several library volunteers agreed to add an afternoon time commitment to help residents check out DVDS.

Beginning in November the library office will be open  Friday afternoons for one hour from 4:00-5:00 specifically to check out DVDs to our residents.

November will be our trial run.... if residents do not take advantage of the Friday afternoon check out time we will go back to morning check outs only.

See you Friday November 3rd - come check out the DVDs!!