Fan Fiction…again.

We’ve talked in the past about Fan Fiction. If you enjoy writing, or if you just want to read some alternate stories based on your favourite TV series, movie or books, Archive of Our Own is a great site to visit. It’s well organized by subject and then broken down into smaller chunks so you can find exactly what you want to read.  And if you’ve always imagined a world where Edward and Bella moved into the apartment next to the Jeffersons (okay, maybe a wild idea), this is the place to share that adventure. Just register and upload your story and wait for the reviews to roll in!

You probably won’t become an overnight sensation, but who knows?  Try it for fun! If people like your writing, maybe you’ll be inspired to write that novel you’ve been thinking about for years, and you’ll already have a fan base! Good luck!

Read the Book, Listen to the Audio

We have a lot of people who use the library exclusively for audiobooks. They’re a great way to get some “reading” in if you travel, or if you have sight problems.  They’re also fun to use when working out, and make the time pass quickly. And we’re adding more to our collection at the library everyday (or you can use OverDrive and download free audiobooks!)

If you’ve never listened to an audiobook, you’re in for a treat.  While most don’t contain sound effects or music, many are read by actors who really make the stories come to life. And often, if you find it difficult to get into an actual book, an audiobook can change all that.

But here’s something you may not have thought of: listening to an audiobook either before or after reading the book. If you have reluctant readers at home, using audiobooks with children can make a huge difference. Children love to revisit their favourite stories, so popping in an audiobook version of Charlotte’s Web, let’s say, can be great incentive for the child that just doesn’t feel like he can make the transition to larger chapter books. If they can listen and follow along in the book, even better. It’s just another way to use audiobooks to promote reading.

Drop in to see the great audiobooks we have for all ages!

Blink a book?

Google Glass (Photo credit: Stuck in Customs)

Ereaders and eBooks are a commonplace thing now. Just about everyone has a smartphone, tablet or computer and can access eBooks in some format or other. We see a steady stream of eBooks being taken “out” of our library through OverDrive, and those are just our patrons who use the free eBooks. There are probably plenty more patrons who purchase eBooks as well. It’s a great way to read books, whether you use it for travel or just an easy way to pick up that 400-pager before bed.

Recently, I read an article wondering about the coming of hands-free books and how it would impact our society. Author and social media manager at CNET, Nathan Bransford, had an idea about the new Google Glass device and the possibilities of hands-free books.  Haven’t heard of  Google Glass? You can read more here, but essentially, they are an experimental device–a wearable computer–that will act as a recording device, a camera, an information center and entertainment piece….all under the guise of a simple pair of glasses.  The Google Glass is still in the development stages, but Google has started a project where it is loaning out the glasses to people who presented them with creative ideas about how they would use them.  So, we’ll have to see if this moves to a stage where everyone can purchase a pair and start using them!

Now, the concept of reading on the Google Glass is something Mr. Bransford was concerned about, but for different reasons.  The viewing area is apparently quite small, and wouldn’t work well for doing a lot of reading.  He was most excited about the thought of being able to read (hands-free) while walking or traveling on the train. It really is an interesting concept, one where you might control flipping the pages with a blink of an eye or some other simple gesture. 

But as some of his readers pointed out, there are implicit dangers here. Of course, we’re thinking of using this as a reading device in the best possible ways, but what about people who will try to read while driving? (You know someone will do this!) Even the idea of reading while walking could have HUGE problems, with people not being aware enough of their surroundings already when they walk with iPods or other listening devices etc. There are just so many applications where using the glasses would be dangerous.

The Google Glass is very well designed, so much so that it isn’t all that noticeable when a person has them  on.  They could easily be mistaken for a regular pair of glasses. The possibilities here for reading are probably very real, and it’s only a matter of time before someone develops an idea to make books available for people who will own them. But along with using common sense, there should probably be some safeguards so that they won’t be misused. What do you think?  Would reading a book hands-free using a device like Google Glass be something you’d want to try?

Read. It’s good for you!

We’re almost at the end of February, and while many of us have long since forgotten our New Year’s Resolutions, there is still plenty of time to add to your life. If you aren’t a reader, why not become one? Today. NOW! It’ll change your life in ways you can’t imagine.

We often hear suggestions as to how to “raise a reader”.  Great ideas to get the young ones reading: talk about books, read a story before bed, read words everywhere, encourage them to read newspapers and magazines, reward great reading habits (with more books, of course!). So why is it that many adults don’t follow those ideas themselves?

I don’t have time to read.

I prefer to watch movies.

I’ll read when I retire.

These are all common excuses not to read. But when you think about the benefits of reading–stress reduction, entertainment, education etc.–it’s hard to understand why someone wouldn’t do it.  Just like incorporating a new habit like eating better or getting exercise into your life, reading has to become a learned behavior as well. You probably shouldn’t start an exercise program by running a marathon. The same can be said for reading—-don’t start with War and Peace or you’re bound to give up.

So, if you really think you don’t have time to read, how can you change your behaviors to incorporate a reading lifestyle? Try a few of these ideas to get started.  Then, before you know it, you’ll be going to the library and getting your own library card!

1.  Start small.  Only read the newspaper or magazines.  Pick a favourite…something you’d like to read each week or each month…and get a subscription.

2.  Read book reviews in those magazines or newspapers.  Does anything sound interesting? Do you see yourself leaning toward biographies or self-help books more than the latest James Patterson thriller?  Maybe you’re just a non-fiction reader! (That’s okay, too, you know! There are many great readers out there who never pick up a best-selling novel. )

3.  Ask friends for recommendations. Or go to your local bookstore and ask someone for a good read. You can also drop by a library and pick a librarian’s brain for a while. If they’re smart, they’ll ask you what you enjoy reading. (You can say you don’t, of course.)  Then, they might ask you what types of things you do in your spare time….hiking, crafting, cooking….and maybe they’ll steer you toward a great memoir. If they can’t determine what you might be interested in, walk around the store (or the library) and just “surf” the shelves.  You probably don’t have any trouble doing this on the internet.  Try it with real live books.  You might stumble upon a favourite section.

Start small, read every day and before you know it, you’ll be the one telling your friends about “that great book”!

With Bubbles

Saturday, February 9th is National Read in the Bathtub Day!

While we don’t really want people reading library books in the bathtub (yes, there have been MANY accidents and lots of puffy books brought back to us), why not grab a book from the sale table and get out those bubbles!

Happy Reading!

Downtime

A big thing we hear from people is “I can’t wait until retirement so I’ll have time to read.”  Why are our lives so busy that we can’t find a few minutes each day to just unplug and unwind? Why should reading be delegated to our retirement years? What has happened to relaxing??

If you’ve noticed how wired our world has become lately….we’re hardly ever away from being in touch with information (phones, iPads, tablets, computers, game consoles)…everywhere we go, we have access.  What does access mean exactly?  It means we have information at our fingertips. We have constant news, entertainment and social connections available to us almost our entire waking day. You’d think more connection would give us extra time, but it does the opposite, in fact.  Being connected all the time keeps us busy, keeps us going, never gives us a moment to stop.

But it wasn’t always like this.  Once upon a time, we could pick up a book and take a few minutes to “escape” the world. And the invention of ebooks has made it more difficult to unwind, I think, not easier. We’re still not unplugged.  We could be interrupted by an email or get distracted by a Facebook update while we’re reading on our devices.

In order to get some “me” time back in your life, it’s a very good argument to put away the electronic devices and take out an actual book. Sit down in a corner, turn the pages, become immersed in something that won’t interrupt you, won’t notify you, won’t ring, beep or vibrate to let you know something is happening.  So my challenge to you today is to put down that device and pick up an actual book.  Don’t wait for retirement!