2018-2019 Genre Study Schedule

Teen/YA arc, bracketed by Graphic Novels and Narrative Nonfiction!

This year, we will lead with Graphic Novels (a FORMAT, not a genre!), move into a Teen/YA arc, and wrap up with Narrative Nonfiction.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018, 9:45 am to Noon
Graphic Novels
MLS Northampton
Benchmarks (pick 2):
My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
Black Panther: World of Wakanda by Roxane Gay with Ta-Nehisi Coates
All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (both volumes)
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DATE CHANGE Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 9:45 am to Noon
Teen/YA Speculative Fiction
Wilbraham Public Library
Benchmarks:
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
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Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 9:45 am to Noon
Teen/YA Relationships
LOCATION CHANGE South Hadley Public Library
Benchmarks:
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
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Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 9:45 am to Noon
Teen/YA Realistic Fiction
Hatfield Public Library
Benchmark:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019, 9:45 am to Noon
Narrative Nonfiction
Jones Library, Amherst
Benchmarks:
The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantú
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
REGISTER

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2017-2018 Genre Study Schedule

Diverse Fiction 

This year, we are taking a page from the Southeastern MA RART, we are looking at different fiction genres through the lens of diversity.

September 19, 2017, 9:45 am to Noon
Diversity in Fantasy
MLS Northampton
Benchmark: The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
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December 5, 2017, 9:45 am to Noon
Diversity in Romance
Hatfield Public Library
Benchmarks: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole; A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
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February 6, 2018, 9:45 am to Noon
Diversity in Mystery
MLS Northampton
Benchmark: Detective Elouise Norton books by Rachel Howzell Hall
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April 3, 2018, 9:45 am to Noon
Diversity in Science Fiction
Griswold Memorial Library, Colrain
Benchmarks: An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon; The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
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June 5, 2018, 9:45 am to Noon
Diversity in Historical Fiction
Jones Library, Amherst
Benchmark: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
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About Us and Welcome!

Advising readers on their next book is one of the most intimidating and exhilarating aspects of library work. Helping readers with their reading needs builds an ongoing and treasured relationship between library staff and their users. Readers’ Advisory (RA) is a skill that grows over time and with practice.

Meeting every other month, the Readers Advisory Round Table – West (RART-W) participants read from one genre—and then discuss the appeal of that genre emphasizing the building of a skill set of appeal categories and familiarity of genre particulars. Participants read the same benchmark title plus a second title of their choice within the genre. The Round Table began covering a different genre every meeting allowing each of the participants to be introduced to the discipline of reading for appeal as well as an initiation to broad genre categories. We are now reading genre arcs in a series of 3 meetings. Everyone participating will be able to share analysis of titles and authors in unfamiliar genres that will stretch their capacity as Readers’ Advisors.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion statement: RART-W encourages all library staff to use leisure reading as a way to connect with the community, with a particular focus on reaching the underserved and promoting “own voices” authors. Throughout our discussions we will explore ways in which library staff can provide services, collections, and programming that puts EDI concerns at the forefront. Examples include but are not limited to, delivering the same information in different formats, advice on how to diversify your displays, and ways to include more staff voices in basic RA service [more voices leads to more equitable, diverse, and inclusive offerings]. Library staff attending RART-W must be interested in allowing all staff [not just professional and/or public service staff] to participate in serving all populations, not just the ones most represented by staff or as identified in a local census.

New members are always welcome! No previous experience required!

To subscribe to the discussion list send email to rart-w+subscribe@googlegroups.com

The Discussion Leaders are: Alene Moroni, Forbes Library, Northampton (amoroni@forbeslibrary.org) and Jan Resnick (njrezz@comcast.net). RART-W is modeled on the Readers Advisory Round Table conducted by Leane Ellis in the northeast section of the Commonwealth.

2016-2017 Genre Study Schedule

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 9:45 – Noon
Location: Pelham Library
Genre: Urban Fiction
Benchmark: The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah.
Register

Tuesday, Nov 15, 2016 9:45 – Noon
Location: Massachusetts Library System – Northampton
Genre: Historical Fiction – Prehistory to Tudor (1485)
Benchmark: Pompeii by Robert Harris.
Register

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2017 9:45 – Noon
Location: Jones Library
Genre: Historical Fiction – Tudor to World War II
Benchmark: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.
Fill out and bring your Reader Profile — great practice to put your reading preferences into words.
Register

Tuesday, March 21, 2017 9:45 – Noon
Location: South Hadley Public Library
Genre: Historical Biofiction vs. Biography
Benchmark: Choose 2 of your own titles, on the same person.
Register

Tuesday, May 16, 2017 9:45 – Noon
Location: Hatfield Public Library
Genre: Alternate History
Benchmark: His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Register

2015-2016 Genre Study Schedule

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: Amherst Room, Jones Library
Genre: Science Fiction
Benchmark: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Register

Tuesday, November 3, 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: South Hadley Public Library
Genre: Mystery Genre Arc I – Police Procedural
Benchmark: A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie
Register

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 9:45 – Noon
Location: Hatfield Public Library
Genre: Mystery Genre Arc II – Amateur Detective
Benchmark: Murder, with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
Register

Tuesday, March 29, 2016 9:45 – Noon
Location: Sunderland Public Library
Genre: Mystery Genre Arc III – Genre Blends
Benchmark: Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Register

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 9:45 – Noon
Location: Forbes Library
Genre: Horror
Benchmark: Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
Register

2014-2015 Genre Study Schedule

Here is the schedule for our 2014-2015 genre study meetings in Western Mass: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 9:45 – Noon
Location: MLS Whately
Genre: Historical Fiction
Benchmark: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
Register

Tuesday, December 16, 2014 9:45 – Noon
Location: South Hadley Public Library
Genre: Steampunk
Benchmark: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Register

Thursday, February 26, 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: Sunderland Public Library
SNOW DATE – Tuesday, March 3, 2015 9:45 – Noon
Genre: Literary Fiction
Benchmark: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
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Thursday, April 16 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: Coolidge Museum, Forbes Library
Genre: Adventure
Benchmark: The Templar Legacy by Steven Berry
Register

Tuesday, June 16 2015 9:45 – Noon Location:
Pelham Library
Genre: Fantasy
Benchmark: Mort, Guards! Guards!, or Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Register

Tuesday, September 15 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: TBD
Genre: Science Fiction
Benchmark: TBD

Tuesday, November 17 2015 9:45 – Noon
Location: TBD
Genre: Genre Arc begins
Benchmark: TBD

Meeting every other month, the Readers Advisory Round Table – West (RART-W) participants read from one genre—and then discuss the appeal of that genre emphasizing the building of a skill set of appeal categories and familiarity of genre particulars. Participants read the same benchmark title plus a second title of their choice within the genre. The Round Table covers a different genre every meeting allowing each of the participants to be introduced to the discipline of reading for appeal as well as an initiation to broad genre categories. Everyone participating will be able to share analysis of titles and authors in unfamiliar genres that will stretch their capacity as Readers’ Advisors. The Discussion Leaders are: Molly Moss, Forbes Library, Northampton (mmoss@forbeslibrary.org) and Jan Resnick (njrezz@comcast.net). RART-W is modeled on the Readers Advisory Round Table conducted by Leane Ellis in the northeast section of the Commonwealth.

Tuesday, February 25 is the first meeting of the Readers Advisory Round Table – West genre study.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 9:45 – Noon Location: Pelham Library
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Benchmark: Everyone reads Louise Penny’s Still Life.
Register

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 9:45 – Noon Location:  Sunderland Public Library
Genre: Romance
Benchmark: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Register

Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:45 – Noon Location:  Jones Library, Amherst
Genre: Gentle Reads
Benchmark:  Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani
Register