Early Word On This Blog Is All Positive

Ever been surprised when the book you want is right there on the library shelf?

When you say,“Wow! You have it!” the librarian smiles. She may look serene, but inside she’s fist-pumping and chest bumping and shouting “Yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ about.” It’s what librarians live for.

So how do librarians know what you want? How do those books get there?

Well, they’re professionals. It’s their business to keep track of what’s going on in the literary world. They’re also trendspotters. They have to know what you want before you do. Everybody knows an Oprah pick will be popular, but a top librarian anticipates what Oprah will pick.

Mic Golden is the Collection Development Coordinator for Great River Regional Library (GRRL). She is responsible for what you see on the shelves. She uses the skills of other GRRL librarians as well as journals and online sources to determine what she should buy. One of those sources is EarlyWord.com. EarlyWord alerts Golden to new releases, books that are picking up steam, award-winners and other library chat.

When EarlyWord reported that a little known British author named Hilary Mantel had won the Man Booker prize for fiction with “Wolf Hall,” Golden didn’t hesitate to put in an order. Good thing, too. Online requests are piling up for this thick book about 16th century British politics.

You can find what the library is buying by going to the New & Best Lists in the search bar on top of the library’s catalog pages. Books, DVDs, CDs and audiobooks are listed. You can link straight to the catalog entry from the list and place your hold.

Libraries are so much fun!