April 2016

Coming June 14th, Love Wins is the thrilling and deeply emotional recounting of the LGBT Americans, plaintiffs, legal teams, and judges involved with the landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage in the United States.

In a starred review, Booklist raves, "Told with a novel’s narrative drive, this recounting…is taut, tense, and highly readable…This book would make a great movie, and in the meantime, it is an excellent choice for book groups looking for exciting nonfiction."

Library Journal calls it a "fascinating look at the fight for gay marriage and at the experiences of gay couples and families. Recommended for public libraries."

Not only have Debbie and Jim done a marvelous job recounting this historic moment in American social justice, they also happen to really REALLY like libraries.  Take a moment to watch their special message just to you…

A word to the wise: I'd avoid taking in a fresh mouthful of coffee as you start reading the hilarious Karen Alpert, bestselling author of I Heart My Little A-Holes and creator of the Baby Sideburns parenting blog. The inevitable giggle fits will likely end with you covering the nearest book, screen, or innocent bystander with a Pollock-esque smattering of java. Her latest, I Want My Epidural Back, just went on sale this month, and as a busy mom and a serious library lover, she'd like offer a kind suggestion…

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Dear librarians,

I am imploring you. Begging you. I am literally down on my knees asking you for one very simple thing. Can you please please pleeease start putting GPS tracking devices on library books?

Because here’s the thing. I’m a mom, which means when we go to the library my rugrats are basically like kids in a candy store, only they don’t walk out of the place with crazy hyper activity disorder and 9,000 cavities. They walk out with books. Awesome, educational, wonderful, creative books. A huge stack of them that are free. I’m like, “See? This is way better than a bookstore where you only get one.” And then we go home and they devour them. We sit on the couch and read them together. We take them in the car and read them while we’re waiting. We schlep them all over the place.

And then suddenly it’s three weeks later and here’s what happens. Aggghhh, the books are due! The books are due!! And I’m running around the house like a mad woman trying to scrounge them all up. Where’s Knuffle Bunny?!!! Has anyone seen Sleeping Beauty?!! Okay, everyone stop what you’re doing and look for Barbie’s Magical Pearl (made up name but it was something annoying like that). And yeah, I know you librarians love your Dewey Decimal system, but that shit doesn’t help you find a book when someone shoved it under the washing machine, or left it in the seat pocket of the car, or buried it at the bottom of the hamper.  

And I know GPS tracking devices on every book might sound a little expensive, but with the amount of late fees I paid you from that one Berenstain Bears book that we eventually found crammed in between the dollhouse and the wall, I’m hoping you can afford it.

Sincerely,

A mom who loves the library    

Happy National Library Week!

We’ve got exciting news to share!

HarperCollins has joined the American Library Association in celebrating Money Smart Week—a campaign created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago back in 2002 to help consumers better manage their personal finances.

Money Smart Week runs from April 23-30, 2016. HarperCollins will offer libraries unlimited access to seven finance-focused ebooks published for one month beginning April 15 and ending May 15, 2016. The price tag for all seven titles combined is $100.00.
 
If your patrons are looking for information on finance, these carefully chosen titles will offer good, solid advice on everything from investing, women and finance, and even kids and money!

Libraries should contact their vendor for further information.

For more information regarding Money Smart Week events and financial tips, visit www.moneysmartweek.org/resources

Click here to view ALA’s press release.

I hope everyone is enjoying their time so far in beautiful Denver for the PLA 2016 conference!  We kicked off this morning with a multi-publisher book buzz, and a big thank you to everyone who attended!  If you did not attend and would still like to learn about the books we talked about, or if you attended and weren't able to get a handout, please see below.

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Attention PLA Buzz Attendees!Read More »