Meeting People Where They Are

 By Elaine L. Orr

In a discussion about books, libraries, and reading the other day, a small group discussed what they would most like to see libraries do. A dedicated reader said she wished libraries had space for small groups of people (such as family members) to use for quiet time reading together or reading aloud. I don't disagree, but I wished for a way to pull teens into the world of digital reading.

Why digital rather than "actual" books? Experience as a middle school sub lets me see the passion young people have toward all forms of digital access. Yes, games are popular, and social media is the king (or queen) of life for many. I don't see that changing.

Some kids like to read. In a class of 25 there could be three or four who pull out a book when they are done with a test or are in study hall. Some students will also say, "I don't read," if you suggest they pass time with a book.

When I monitored a study hall last week I did something I've never done. I put an earbud in one ear and listened to an Agatha Christie audiobook on my phone. I explained I'd done so because I usually have a book for down times, and had left it in my car. Several students asked how that worked and we talked about it for a minute. 

Though they can't have phones in class in middle school, they all own them. They can get fee audiobooks from the local library. I mostly use Chirp, because I can keep the books. Why couldn't the students use either of those?

I've decided to meet the students where they are, which is using their digital devices. I need to do some research -- for example, could they order digital audiobooks through the school library or does it have to be the public library? There's no point suggesting they do something if I can't answer the ensuing ten questions.

Then, what's the best book to recommend? Could I get a few kids to read the same one and talk about it? I'm going to talk to a few other authors and parents. Book suggestions are welcome.

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I Must Be Falling for Fall

By Elaine L. Orr

I’ve set a few books in summer and winter, but my season of choice is fall. It may have to do with the beautiful colors, but the temperatures are also pleasant after 90-plus degree weather. 

I'm not sure it's a good thing that I only recently realized that books three, nine and ten aren't set in the fall. Books nine and ten are in winter (because I wanted a certain wedding to take place New Year's Eve), and book three is in spring and summer because I wanted a Fourth of July event.

Here are my fall Jolie Gentil books (with Amazon links).

The prequel – Jolie and Scoobie’s High School Misadventures starts with Jolie's junior year, her only school year in Ocean Alley. It does span the year.

Appraisal for Murder – Jolie passes out Halloween candy as she solves a murder

Rekindling Motives – trouble starts at Jolie and Scoobie’s 10th high school reunion on a Thanksgiving weekend

Any Port in a Storm – think Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19^th) and hurricane remnants

Trouble on the Doorstep – starts with Super Storm Sandy, the late October storm that wasn’t officially a hurricane

Vague Images – Jolie manages to hit a deer during fall mating season

Ground to a Halt – kidnapping at a Halloween party!

Underground in Ocean Alley -- a nurse is murdered and Aunt Madge runs for mayor

Sticky Fingered Books – October is a time for murder in the daycare center

New Lease on Death – early October blends pumpkin spice coffee with murder

Phoning in a Murder – football season at the high school is not good for the marching band leader

I'm going to have to do some serious planning about books 15 and forward. Future books will occur as Jolie and Scoobie stay in their mid-thirties. Among the reasons is because Aunt Madge couldn't run a B&B into her mid-nineties! Or perhaps she could, but there are steps...

It's now fall in Illinois, where I live. Time to enjoy the mums and plan a new book.

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Never Forget

By Elaine L. Orr

On September 11th each year, the words "never forget" appear in thousands of articles and cross many more thousands of lips. September 11, 2001 seems like an impossibly long time ago and as if it all happened yesterday. 

I was in Washington, DC, in a building a few blocks from the White House to the West and U.S. Capitol to the East. Our fear of "what's next" was nothing compared to the fear of those stuck in the Twin Towers above the floors where the planes struck. Still, I wouldn't go on the subway, and was prepared to walk to Kensington until a colleague offered a ride.

The photo at left is a thank-you note to police, firefighters, and the Red Cross from a 2nd grade class in Arlington, Virginia. It hung on a fence surrounding Arlington National Cemetery (where my parents now are), across from the damaged portion of the Pentagon. I visited there soon after.

The message is, "Thank you for helping the people at the Pentagon. You are great people for saving others. We know that your job is hard and dangerous. Thank you for protecting us." You can see the other flowers, and there were more spread on the ground. 

Thousands volunteered to give blood most of which, sadly, was not needed. For a brief time we came together as a nation. People were polite while boarding airplanes, we nodded or smiled at strangers.

I hope we never have such an event in our country again, but I wish there could be a way to create the spirit of generosity that followed that terrible day.

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