Multiple Copies of Bestsellers in Public Libraries: How Much Is Enough?

How do public libraries develop their collections of high-demand materials for the “I want it now” generation? Ten public libraries’ holdings of fiction and nonfiction bestseller titles were observed over a four-week period. The number of copies rose fairly consistently, with the five fiction titles having roughly about twice the number of copies as the five nonfiction titles. The ratio of holds to copies averaged 2.7:1 and ranged from 0.8:1 to 6.5:1. Demand for e-books was consistently higher than the number of copies available, averaging more than 4:1 across all libraries.     

Fiction in Nigerian Public Libraries

This article reports the results of a survey of the provision and use of fiction in Nigerian public libraries. Evidence shows that, despite carefully framed acquisitions policy statements regarding fiction, in actual fact the public libraries allocate only a small percentage of their meagre book funds to fiction. Consequently, the fiction collections of these libraries are very small, and library clients borrow much less fiction than nonfiction. Nevertheless, Nigerian public libraries have a special interest in acquiring and promoting the reading of indigenous fiction.     

The self-publishing phenomenon and libraries

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the concept of book self-publishing for fiction and nonfiction began to loom large in the North American publishing universe. As traditional mainstream publishers consolidated and were often loathe to take chances on unknown writers whose books might not turn immediate profits, some authors found that fewer and fewer publishing venues were open to them. As a result, new self-publishers—collectively called “author services” or print-on-demand (POD) publishers—appeared alongside subsidy (or vanity) publishers. Against the background of an increasing corporatization of mainstream publishing, book self-publishing can theoretically be situated as one of the last bastions of independent publishing. This article examines how academic and public libraries dealt with the book self-publishing phenomena during 1960–2004. To what extent did libraries collect fiction and nonfiction published by self-publishing houses? Can any patterns be discerned in their collecting choices? Did libraries choose to collect more titles from “author services” publishers than subsidy publishers?     

Bestsellers and the British book industry

The article considers the concept and significance of bestsellers in British publishing. There is a brief historical summary, noting the trade's objections to the idea. This was overcome in 1979, whenThe Sunday Times started to publish a weekly list. The methods used to compile it are described. The successive improvements to the methods, and their limitations, are analyzed. The authoritative lists published inThe Bookseller since 1979 are analyzed in terms of format, authorship and subject. It is concluded that paperback is the principal medium for popular fiction, but that hardback is still more important for nonfiction. It is further concluded that the range of subjects of bestsellers is limited, and predictable, leading to the creation of formula books. A link between popular television programs and media personalities and successful books is noted.     

Foot in the Door: A Typology of Salesmen

The authors developed a grounded model of face-to-face salesmen. The first part of the study involved analysis of 2 films on sales: 1 fiction and 1 nonfiction. Then, the researchers interviewed salesmen in a variety of contexts. Finally, the film analysis was compared with the interviews to create a conceptualization of the contemporary salesman.     

The Influence of Fiction Versus Nonfiction on Political Attitudes

An experiment was conducted to test the influence of fictional versus real events portrayed in videos (defined by the fiction versus nonfiction labels of the videos) on political attitudes. It found that the labels interacted with individual differences in need for cognition (NC) to influence participants' support for social welfare programs such that introducing the videos as fictional films versus documentaries produced more support among low-NC participants but had little impact among high-NC participants. The interaction effect was explained by the extent to which participants argued against the videos. The findings not only shed light on the relative persuasiveness of fictional and nonfictional media messages but also suggest how people may process these messages.     

Trade books and the social studies curriculum

Historical fiction, fiction about contemporary people of other cultures, and nonfiction trade books can increase children's interest in social studies and enhance their knowledge. Dianne Monson and Kathleen Howe discuss the ways that these books appeal to young readers and lead them to seek further understanding of historical events, foreign cultures, and Americans from different cultural backgrounds. They offer numerous examples of books that serve this purpose for several social studies topics. Kathleen Howe completed her doctorate at the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation dealt with the use of children's literature trade books in the elementary social studies curriculum. Dianne Monson is a past president of the U.S. Board on Books for Young People and has written and lectured on children's literature throughout the curriculum.     

What we know about nonfiction and young adult readers and what we need to do about it

Nonfiction for young adults is enjoying a rebirth of interest among publishers, librarians, and teachers with the emergence of an approach that uses facts as information to be shared with children trying to make sense of their world. Reading interest studies disclose patterns in young readers' preferences in nonfiction. Suggestions are offered to encourage the reading of nonfiction, to help teachers use these books effectively in classroom discussion, and to help select nonfiction for reading aloud. He has been president of the National Council of Teachers of English Assembly on Adolescent Literature. He and Betty Carter edited the 1988 edition ofBooks for You: A Senior High Booklist for NCTE, and the two also publishedNonfiction for Young Adults: From Delight to Wisdom from Oryx Press. Address for correspondence: Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204. Betty Carter, a former junior high reading teacher and school librarian, is now an assistant professor at Texas Woman's University in the School of Library and Information Studies, where she teaches classes in young adult and children's literature. She has chaired the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults Committee and is president-elect of NCTE's Assembly on Adolescent Literature.     

Exciting nonfiction

Nonfiction for children and young adults long suffered from a reputation for dullness in both content and presentation. In recent years, however, the genre has been re-created with entertaining writing, focused treatment of subjects, supplementary backmatter, and an emphasis on design and illustration. In this article, a nonfiction writer describes some methods for making such books exciting and readable. James Cross Giblin is the author of eleven, nonfiction books for young readers, many of which have won awards and honors. His two most recent titles areThe Truth About Unicorns andThe Riddle of the Rosetta Stome: Key to Ancient Egypt. Mr. Giblin is also contributing editor at Clarion Books, and he lectures frequently at conferences of librarians, teachers, and writers.     

The Rowing Collection in the Free Library of Philadelphia OPAC

Abstract

An evaluation of the Free Library of Philadelphia's (FLP) rowing collection by the checklist method is reported. A literature review demonstrates that the checklist method has been used for multiple purposes for over a century and a half, but no evaluations of library rowing collections by the checklist or any other method were identified. In this study, an ad hoc70-item list, compiled by a rowing expert, was checked against the FLP's OPAC from a remote location in Indiana. The FLP held 53% of the listed items and no fewer than 40% in any of six topical categories. A keyword search found that the FLP holds over 100 fiction and nonfiction rowing books. An analysis of those titles by publication date shows considerable depth in the FLP collection and a correspondence between its collecting patterns and broader trends in publishing and rowing. It is concluded that the FLP has an in-depth, high quality rowing collection. A number of problems encountered while searching the OPAC are discussed and questions for further research are proposed.     

Popular with whom? Usage demographics of popular science nonfiction at an academic library

Abstract

There is a large body of nonfiction written for a general audience which is infrequently promoted in popular reading collections at academic libraries. The aim of this research is to look at the usage of nonfiction science literature at a large university library in comparison to the science collection as a whole. This information can help librarians to not only determine how best to prioritize the collection of nonfiction science literature, but it can also be used to provide insight into how popular nonfiction science books can be most effectively promoted to library patrons.     

Who reads nonfiction?

A survey of readers of nonfiction estimates the size of the market, compares the demographics of the survey group to those of readers of “literature,” and describes the respondents' reading habits: how much they read, what other kinds of books they read, what magazines they read, and where they read. It then examines how these readers select books and what influences their choices. Their reasons for reading serious nonfiction are also explored. Finally, these readers are compared with two other groups that have been studied in depth: readers of romance novels and female readers of self-help books. Beth Luey is director of the Scholarly Publishing Program at Arizona State University and author of Handbook for Academic Authors (3rd ed., Cambridge University Press, 1995)     

George Gallup and Ralph Nafziger: Pioneers of Audience Research

In keeping with end-of-century biographies of great leaders, this essay traces the careers of opinion pollster George Gallup and journalism educator Ralph Nafziger. They inadvertently overlapped in 1930, by publishing the first Journalism Quarterly articles on newspaper readers. Gallup became internationally recognized as creator of the Gallup Poll and other media audience enterprises. He invented some standard questions that are used in academic as well as commercial research today, and "a new form of journalism" built around public opinion on current events. Nafziger, as a professor and administrator, built research centers and graduate programs in 2 leading journalism schools. He was central to the establishment of research as an integral component within education for journalism and mass communication.     

Issues in Collecting Post‐Soviet Crime Fiction in Academic Libraries

This article draws attention to a segment of the Russian literary market that is underrepresented in American research library collections, namely light popular fiction and particularly the titles that belong to the detektiv genre. The results of an informal survey of scholars and bibliographers are presented and collection patterns are briefly discussed. Following an exposition of the available collection development tools for Russian light fiction, the article concludes with a call for greater emphasis on collecting these materials in North American research libraries.     

Fishing for Future Ratings: Can a New Documentary Initiative Save CNN?

After the ratings success of the documentary film, Blackfish, CNN launched a new documentary initiative branded as CNN Films. Looking back at the history of the documentary genre on broadcast and cable/satellite television, one can see that the medium has had a troubled past in terms of ratings generation, although there have been notable exceptions. Unfortunately for documentary enthusiasts, a number of channels that once embraced documentary programming have since abandoned the genre and replaced it with nonfiction reality shows. Incorporating expectancy-value theory, one can assess that in order for a documentary initiative to be a successful ratings generator, the content must build a high amount of expectation among viewers and deliver a high amount of value. But it has been quite difficult for programming executives to successfully predict which documentaries will generate the solid ratings they seek. Given these factors, this article argues that the CNN Films push is a risky move by CNN President Jeff Zucker, and it is doubtful that the strategy can deliver the ratings surge the embattled network needs to beat its competition.     

Immersive Audio Storytelling: Podcasting and Serial Documentary in the Digital Publishing Industry

Structural shifts behind the rise of podcasting have led to programming aimed at sustaining audience attention, a development coinciding with the sharp increase in engaged time with digital longform content among mobile users. This study industrially and culturally situates 3 case studies: True Murder (a pioneering precursor to This American Life producers’ Serial), S-Town (Serial’s successor that far exceeded its listenership), and Ear Hustle (Radiotopia’s experiment in subject-produced content made by two inmates at San Quentin State Prison). Each case illustrates how distinct sectors of the podcasting industry approach the production of absorbing nonfiction through transparent journalism featuring self-reflexive metanarrative.     

Examining a Spanish nonfiction collection in a public library

Many areas of the country have seen large growth in their Spanish speaking community. Libraries and other public agencies have redesigned their practices to better serve the needs of these new segments of the population. The urban area chosen for this study has experienced one of the fastest growing Spanish speaking populations in the country in the last 10 years. In this study, a needs assessment was created for the Spanish speaking population served by a branch library in a large, urban area. The needs assessment was created with the use of demographic data and an analysis of current library literature. Using the assessment, the current Spanish nonfiction collection of the library was evaluated for both size and content and then compared to the size and content of the English nonfiction collection. This assessment technique is useful to libraries wishing to conduct a needs analysis on a specific group in their population served.