Secret Shopper Summary

I approached the person at the circulation desk and asked if she could help me locate a book to read.  I explained that I just finished the Jack Reacher series and I was looking to switch to something lighter, like romance. She seemed taken by surprise with the question but she recovered nicely.  She was friendly and asked what type of books do I like to read.  I told her again that I was interested something light such as a romance novel.  She said that this was not a type of book that she is familiar with but she will try to help me locate something to take home.  She asked about my preference in authors and I said I have read many authors and I was looking for someone new.  She began typing on the computers, searching the catalog.  I told her I was looking for historical romance, maybe something in the 18th or 19th century.  She seemed at a loss as to where to search. 

A second staff member approached the desk.  She was the person I saw in the youth program room.  She asked what I was looking for and I repeated my request.  She began typing on the computer and asked if I am familiar with Goodreads?  I told her I was but she let the reply drop as she continued searching.  She was able to locate a few possible authors but I read those books already.  I explained that I am looking for a newer author with original publishing dates from the past five years.  I explained that I probably read the older books. 

As the second library staff member searched Goodreads, the circulation person went to the stacks and searched the books by the cover art and possible key words in the title.  She pulled several books by unfamiliar authors, but they did not fit the search criteria that I gave her.  She pulled at least nine titles that were not at all what I requested.  The titles included contemporary fiction, mysteries, suspense and thrillers.  She was certain the book titled The Amber Room by Steve Berry was the perfect choice.  I told her I read the book and it was not a romance novel. 

I will admit that I was very uncomfortable at this point because I felt like an imposition and too picky.  Both women were trying very hard to find a book and I was willing to accept any title that would have come close to what I requested.  The first women continued to pull books off the shelf and offered Philippa Gregory and I told her that I already read those books.  Since I was uncomfortable and I wanted the process to end.  I wandered over to the paperback section and I pulled two books by an author I haven't read and brought them to the counter.  The first woman handed me another book with flowers, top hat and gloves on the cover. I later discovered that the book was a mystery and did not fit with any of the criteria of my request.  I told her that I will take the book along with the two I had in my hand.  Both librarians seemed relieved and helped me with the process of renewing my library card. 

I felt the staff could have done a better job if they had a little training on how to search their catalog and website such as of Goodreads or Fantastic Fiction.  The library system does not subscribe to Novelist so that valuable website was not readily available. Their catalog is very user friendly and could be used as a great resource in locating books by genre and appeal.  I also felt the interview could have went better if the staff would have turned to me and just talked, instead they began typing and did not stop to look at me or converse with more than short sentences.  I feel they would have better understood what I was looking for and make me (and themselves) more comfortable with a conversation.  I do not think the second librarian understood that I was looking for a newer author in that genre or a new book even though I specifically stated my request.  It would have saved time if she did not depended on the old standby authors that have dominated the genre twenty years ago.

I was able to use their catalog once I returned home and typed historical romance in the search engine and clicked the tab with that particular branches' collection.  It was very easy to find appropriate titles.  The process would have been smoother if they would have turned the computer screen so I could view it and allow me to give my input or lead me to a catalog computer to search myself.  They also could have suggested other  alternative formats such as audiobooks or ebooks through Overdrive.  I did have hope when the second librarian asked if I ever heard of Goodreads, then we would be able to work together.  In retrospect, Goodread would not have been a great solution because I would have to take extra steps to find a book/author on the website and compare it to the collection at the library branch.  That would not be very efficient. 

Even though the staff was friendly and willing to help, they failed miserably.  The whole search process took over 25 minutes and I found my own books when I walked over to the paperbacks and searched.  I was not expecting this outcome.  I felt confident that the staff would have a better familiarity of the collection and the search capabilities of the catalog computer.  I would not go back to that library for another book recommendation.  In fact, I don't feel confident asking anyone at a library for recommendations.

Novelist Questionnaire

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

Lunatic Cafe is the next book in the Anita Blake series.  I found the answer by typing the author's name under keywords in the search box on Novelist.  I chose the series tab and a list of her books organized be series appeared.  I clicked on the cover of the Anita Blake Series and the series was arranged in the order. The fourth book was Lunatic Cafe.

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

I chose Quick Links from the options tab at the top of Novelist.  I then chose Author Read Alikes from the drop down menu.  I added Barbara Kingslover in the selected field and hit search.  Two books were recommended by Kaite Mediatore who is the Readers' Services Librarian at the Main Library of Kansas City, Kansas Public Library and chair of the Metro Area Reader's Round Table.  The two books that she recommended are A Chance to See Egypt and Walking Dunes both written by Sandra Jean Scofield.  I checked Goodread for other titles and Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart by Alice Walker was recommended.  I also typed Prodigal Summer in the keyword search box and hit enter. On the left hand side of the webpage I clicked on the pace option and Evan Help Us by Rhys Bowen and Death in Paradise by Robert B. Parker appeared as additional reading options.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I was not sure what genre the request was for so I search a sampling of books from suspense, thriller and romance catagories. I typed the words historical-suspense-Japan in the keyword search box and several titles appeared along with a brief summary of the book contents.  I found The Iris Fan: a novel of Fuedal Japan by Laura Rowland and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell.  I found The Snow Fox by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer and Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka for Japan historical romance. The Solomon Curse by Clive Cussler and The Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai by Barbara Lazar were recommended under Japan-historical-thriller search.

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

I chose the advance search option and typed Gentle Reads in the first box and chose mystery for the second search option and hit enter.  On the left side of the page I was able to choose subgenre, character types, pace, tone, writing style, subject and location. Several suggestions appeared such as books written by M.C. Beaton, Terrie Farley Moran and Donna Andrews.

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

I came up with I am Legend by Richard Matheson, Blackout by Mira Grant, and The Dead Run by Adam Mansbach after typing World War Z in the keyword search box and checked adult for audience type on the left side of the screen.  I clicked on the Read Alike link under the book title and the above suggestions appeared.

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

I went to Goodreads to find books that were made into movies at https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/books-made-into-movies.  The quickest way to find the link is to type books made into movies 2012 in the Google search engine and a link to the URL address appears.  I searched for recent titles such and found Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and Paper Towns by John Green.

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

I check the advance search option and typed Gentle Reads in the first option box and chose GN (Genre) in the second option box and typed thriller for the genre of choice. Hit enter and a list of possible titles appear.  I could then fine tune my choices by selection options on the left side of the page.  Choice selections include subgenre, storyline, tone, writing style, time period, subject and location. The selections available were books by Jodi Lynn Anderson, Mary Jane Behrends Clark, Lisa Scottoline, and Rick Moody.

Reading Resources:
My main source for books are referrals from friends and family, Booklist magazine, Goodreads, Fantastic Fiction and the New York Times Best Seller List.  I never really used Novelist until this assignment and I have found it quite useful. I will add it to my arsenal of resources.

Suspense

Title: Memory Man

Author: David Baldacci

Hardcover: 405 Pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publisher (2015)

Language: English

Genre: Suspense

Summary:

 Amos Dekker's life drastically changed twice in his short 42 years on this earth. The first time happened at the age of twenty-two when he took a massive hit on a football field that knocked him unconscious.  When he awoke from the comma, Amos discovered he developed unusual cognitive and perception abilities as a result from his brain injuries.  To help him adapt to his new eidetic memory and synethesia, (the ability to see emotions in color), Amos was sent to a special facility outside of Chicago where he encountered other individuals with unique disabilities.  Once released, Amos moved back to Burlington, Pennsylvania and joined the police force and settled down with his wife and child.  Amos earned the respect and admiration of his fellow officers by solving difficult cases through his ability to see details in his investigations that others would miss.

Everything was going great until the day death entered his house and took his brother-in-law, wife and child with him.  The murders destroyed everything that Amos held dear in life.  Unable to cope, Amos' life went spiraling out of control to the point where he found himself without a job and living in a dingy hotel.  He supplemented his income by working as a private investigator, until the day when a mass shooting occurred at the local high school. Dekker found himself embroiled in the investigation when it was discovered that the gun used in the killing spree was the very same one that was used to kill his family.  Following the clues the killer left to taunt him, Dekker was on a mission to find the person behind these attacks and find justice for the victims.

Genre: Suspense

The story begins with the ordinary life of Amos Dekker. The story hooks the reader in by describing the debilitating injury that occurred in his early adulthood which gave Dekker unique cognitive abilities that would eventually propel his career into law enforcement.  The reader is hooked again in the story when Dekker comes home from an ordinary day on the job to find his family murdered.  Dekker becomes frustrated that his eidetic memory fails to deduce who could be the killer and why he was the target. 

The tension continues to build and the story moves quicker as more people are placed in danger and the immediacy to find the killer accelerates.  The hero gains knowledge to the possible killer as he interviews different characters and travels to different locations to unravel the clues. The story unfolds quickly, leaving the reader engrossed in the story from beginning to end.  The main character is able to surround himself with key allies that help with the investigation.  The story eventually unfolds as the villain's motivations are explained, thus leading to the inevitable confrontation with the protagonist at the conclusion of the book. As with most suspense novels, the hero triumphs over evil and lives to solve other cases.

Series:  Amos Dekker

1. Memory Man (2015)

2. The Last Mile (2016)

3. The Fix (2017)

Relevant Fiction:

 A Window into Time by Peter Hamilton

Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs

Mind Reel by Unter Grimschrund

Relevant Non-Fiction:

 A Different Kind of Mind: Growing up with an Unusual Memory by Babe Burke

Are You Living Under the Jackfruit Tree by Shannon Panzo

Wednesday Is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia by Richard E. Cytowic

My Personal Reading Profile

It is all about the mood.  Like every other person on the planet, I feel a variety of emotions: happy, sad, excitement, envy, surprise, joy, anxiety, etc. The spectrum of my emotions are conveyed in the book I choose to read at any given time.  Saricks (2009) organizes the appeal of genres in four categories: Adrenaline Genres, Emotions Genres, Intellect Genres, and Landscape Genres.  My preferences span all four categories and are determined by my mood throughout the year.

I like to read anything by Jane Austin or Diana Gabaldon when I am in a nostalgic, romantic mood.  I usually reach for historical fiction during the winter months when I want to be swept away from the snow and ice and embark on a journey in a distant time with characters developing close attachments. In the spring and summer, I feel more excitement and energy so the books I am drawn to are usually action packed suspense/thrillers/adventure.  There is nothing like getting the heart pumping and the mind working trying to figure out the outcome of a situation.  I am drawn to authors such as, Lee Child, Douglas Preston, Clive Cussler, Steve Berry, Dan Brown, Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins.  When I have time to binge read, I choose a series with interesting characters (Pendergast, Jack Reacher, or Dirk Pitt) and read as many books in a series as I can before summer comes to an end. If I do not finish a series, I know it will be waiting for me the next time I am in the mood to jump back into that genre.

I like to read horror stories, think Stephen King and Dean Koontz, when the weather starts to turn into fall.  There is something about the wind whistling and pushing against the windows that sets the tone for a good scare.  I will follow up with fantasy novels such as Harry Potter or the Hobbit to counter the perpetual chills I get from reading horror stories.  Fantasy stories help to glide me away from reality for a little while and helps to bring a fresh perspective to real world events when I am ready to rejoin the world of muggles. 

Lastly, I have to admit that I love non-fiction.  I read non-fiction books all the time, I can't help it.  I am interested in anything health related, computers/technology, science, politics, photography and history, whatever piques my interest at the time. I am also open to suggestions and recommendations from family, friends and library staff.  I find it very beneficial to listen to people I know to give advice on what to read next.