Reading maps / Les cartes de lecture

Il était un fois…

• Presentation at PLA 2006 entitled Readers' Maps: Blending Fiction and Nonfiction Readers' Advisory Through Reading Itineraries.

• It outlined the idea of a map as a marketing tool for a specific book that defied "read-alikes."

• The map would "chart the themes or associations in a book," and act as a whole collection readers' advisory tool, tracing links from the chosen book to items in various library collections.

A map is…

• “A diagram of the internal life of the book” (Wyatt).

• “Enables readers to follow threads of interest that stem from any particular part of the work” (Wyatt).

• Not every book can be a map• A map is an excellent option for titles that

defy “read-alikes” (Wyatt gives the example of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell).

À Montréal

• Ann Moffat, former director of the Westmount Library, brought the idea home…

• A committee of local librarians (Westmount, Côte-Saint-Luc, TMR, Baie d’Urfe, Kirkland, Pierrefonds) was formed to come up with a reading map template.

“Reading maps remake RA”

• Later in 2006, Neal Wyatt wrote a column for the Library Journal series, "Redefining RA", entitled "Reading maps remake RA."

• http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6383011.html

“Choosing and reading one book does lead to another. I like the idea of building on what you have read. It also helps you realize what it is which makes you enjoy a book.”

Basics first….“Appeal was a groundbreaking concept because it shifted the focus away from material to its experience.”

Duncan Smith Appeal = Areas of change

Other areas of change:

• Fine-tuning of terms used to express feelings a book evokes: affect, mood and tone• Design issues encompassing layout and format (audiobook? graphica?)

New concepts• Genre sliding• Nancy Pearl’s “doorways”

See “An RA Big Think” Library Journal 7/15/2007 (tagged RA_background_reading on Del.icio.us)

• Story line New aspects related to story line: content, genre, subject, theme and type

• Frame Unpacking frame: description, language, learning/experiencing, setting and style

• Pacing

• Character

How to make a map• Start with a topic or a specific title. • Decide what elements you want to include

(annotations, read-alikes, book discussion questions, reviews, links into your catalog, links to e-resources, links to electronic texts, and interviews with the author)

• Consider the internal world of the book, any major threads, and the appeal factors (character, story line, setting and detail).

• Brainstorm about the book's associations and list all the associations

How to make a map

Resources:• Romans@lire:

http://www.banq.qc.ca/ressources_en_ligne/banque_romans/index.html?language_id=3

• Pause lecture: http://www.pauselecture.net/index.php

• Guide lecture: http://www.guidelecture.com/

How to make a map

• Break the list of associations into working groups and start expanding each group with titles, authors and ideas

• Stand back and look at what you have done: – Areas with the richest content, as well as the

elements that will be standard in any reading map, should be what you initially include.

– Focus on these aspects first. – Then go back and decide whether to include the

areas with less content.

How to make a map

• Decide on your opening element. This choice determines what kind of map you will make.

• Try to match the journey to the form of the map.

• Try to include as much texture and varied elements as you can.

• Play with font, color, mouse movements, jacket images, pictures, sound files, and video files.

• Really, really great source for photos: http://www.sxc.hu/

7 Reasons to make maps

1. Maps bring the whole collection together. RA is about the reader not our organizational structure.

2. Think message not medium. Maps help to narrow the gap between formats.

3. They provide guidance as to which books to try next.4. They offer patrons the best of the library in terms of

resources, expertise, and imagination – and may change their appreciation of your services.

5. They help the RA librarian contextualize the collection and practice skills on a deeper level

6. They are visually interesting: 1. have the potential for high-quality production 2. are richer in terms of what they can offer, 3. can be updated immediately (online versions)

7. They are fun!

Ideas for maps• The Templars • Arthurian legend• Food novels• Artists • The development of a genre or a reading tour

to a genre • A reading tour to any location (local or

abroad!)• Programs at your library• Local events: Celebridée?

Appeal factors

• Mood/tone/atmosphere

• Pacing

• Characterization

• Setting

• Language/style

• Learning/experience

Michel Tremblay: Série Les cahiers

• L’histoire de Céline Poulin, jeune serveuse au restaurant Le Sélect, à l’angle des rues Sainte-Catherine et Saint-Denis, au coeur du quartier latin.

• La nuit, elle y sert des hamburger platters à une faune bigarrée d’étudiants, de putes, travestis, folles et autres vedettes nocturnes.

• L’action se déroule au milieu des années soixante, juste avant l’année de l’Expo.

• Le cahier noir, c’est un journal, celui où elle confie le récit intime de son rapport à sa mère et de sa libération.

• Les informations capitales à la compréhension du personnage de Céline et de sa psychologie ne sont en effet livrées qu’avec retard, comme si, effectivement, certaines évidences (de taille…) ne méritaient pas d’être dites en préambule par une narratrice qui n’écrit que pour elle-même.

Irène Némirovsky: Suite française

• Suite de 5 livres• Commence en juin 1940 - dépeint la vie française à cette

époque. Au début du mois, l'armée allemande a envahi le nord de la France, mis l'armée française en déroute et rapidement avancé sur Paris où elle entre le 14 juin.

• Le premier roman, Tempête en juin, représente la fuite de nombreux habitants de Paris dans les heures qui précèdent l'entrée de l'armée allemande dans la capitale et dans les jours qui suivent. Le deuxième, Dolce, peint la vie étrangement calme d'une petite ville de campagne, Bussy, dans les premiers mois de l'occupation.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Mange, prie, aime

Ideas for 2010…

• Emphasis on native Francophone authors

• Auteurs de l’Ontario français: le 25 sept.• Tirée des palmarès…

• Thème: éco-cite• Les bienvaillantes + autres romans

historiques…• Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt• Dany Laferrière et le Haïti