The book starts with Bindu, who’s this very glamorous, larger than life woman who’s described as “trouble” at the beginning of the novel. Can you talk about Bindu and what appealed to you about her as a main character?

Absolutely. I think for one she was the seed for this novel. There’s a reason why. I grew up in India and I grew up watching Bollywood films. My earliest memories of the Bollywood films are from when I was very young. These were films of the sixties, seventies and eighties, which were very over the top, very larger than life. There is some stylistic influence on all my writing from this, but specifically with Bindu, there was this phenomenon in these films that I watched growing up where the heroine character was always the good girl. This was often a sari-wearing, long-haired, doe-eyed, modest woman who was definitively the good girl, the girl you took home to your family. Then there was the vamp—that was the word for these women. The vamp was the slinky-dress-wearing, whiskey in one hand, cigarette in the other, hyper-Westernized, hyper-sexualized character. It was always never the twain shall meet. It was an insidious message being given to me as a young girl—and to all the other young girls who were watching this, or to all women—about what makes the kind of girl who has a family and who’s respectable as opposed to a girl who exists for the enjoyment of men.

Even before I could identify it, it struck me as something was wrong here, or something was off. As I grew up I started to be fascinated by this kind of woman, because I knew a lot of women growing up, including my mom, who were very comfortable with who they were, who were comfortable with their bodies, and were comfortable with their sexuality, yet there was nothing in society telling us that was okay. I was fascinated by this vamp trope. I wondered about the women who played these vamps, and the interesting thing was I’d read interviews where once you got typecast into that role, on either side of the divide, you could never make the crossover. If you wanted to be a heroine in Hindi films of the time, if you took a role as a vamp you were never going to be a heroine. You were always going to be relegated there, because In the audience’s mind there was no crossover between those two women.

I was fascinated by these actresses who were playing these women who were comfortable with their sexuality, who were comfortable in the role of being the “bad girl.”  I was really fascinated with what kind of person you had to be to thwart society’s rules in that way, to throw off the norms of that period, or to take on this person who you think had the right to exist. Going from there, future generations of women in India had these role models. and over time these two [archetypes] have mixed. That would never have happened without these women. I was very fascinated with what the mental makeup of a woman in the fifties, sixties, and seventies might be, because I think it took a certain kind of courage and a certain kind of comfort in your skin. I think that’s where Bindu came from for me. That ownership of your body and the price you sometimes had to pay and what that meant for the rest of your life. Bindu is an exploration of that and a result of me being fascinated by this way that society labeled women.

Bindu has a very complex relationship with her former daughter-in-law, where their lives are still very intertwined despite Aly no longer being married to Bindu’s son. Can you talk about how you came up with the relationship between these two women, who still have this incredible bond and support system?

There are a few things there. For one, I think we live in a time when divorce is such a common thing. Obviously when two people stop getting along, all the other people in their lives don’t automatically break relationships that they’ve taken time to build. There’s that obvious piece, but I think specifically making the choice to make this a story about a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, as opposed to the story about a bond between a mother and a daughter, which we see so much more of and which has more of the commonality across experience. For me this was an important thing to speak to, because I feel like we’ve been lied to so much about that relationship. In Indian culture, not very long ago, maybe just a generation back, when a woman got married, she left—and I’m italicizing all the words as I say them—she left her parents’ home and became a part of her husband’s family. It was actually a break and kind of reassignment in your entire identity about where you belong—that happened. Women were largely given only the space of their domestic life, the home and the kitchen, as the place for them to prove themselves and as a place to build their identity. In that realm, you were always in competition with your mother-in-law, because she was the boss of that space. When you went in there, your life arc was becoming the boss until your son brought his wife home.

That was the only choice women were given. When there was any kind of disagreement there, you were laughed at and you were blamed for putting other women down, for being competitive, when it was simply a matter of having the space where you wanted to excel and the standards of excellence were the other people who had already existed there. This happened in day-to-day life for men in their workplaces. Because [the home] was the woman’s workplace, it just so happened that it was also her whole life.

I feel like so much of that context gets lost. The characterization of that relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, where it’s given that one note of being a competitive relationship, or being a negative kind of bond. That’s absolutely not true. In my own life, my mother-in-law and I have had vastly different life experiences. I’ve had so much more opportunities, I’ve had so many more choices, I’ve had so many more avenues to prove my identity, to do my work. She had far less choices, yet in every interaction we have what I get from her is “you can now do this and you absolutely should.” There is no pulling down, there is no holding back, when that would be natural given that you didn’t have the same opportunities.

This is what I’ve seen in my real life. This is what I’ve seen between my mother and her daughter-in-law, and my mother and her mother-in-law, where women have understood the natural progression for them and also the unnatural progression that they’ve had to fight for. These women have fought for us and one piece of that has been watching the next generation have what you didn’t have. That’s why I think the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship is where this can really be shown. In terms of story, it’s really rich for showing what women want for other women, because traditionally the story told is often adversarial, when that’s not always the case. That’s only the case because of certain reasons where the context is often lost, and that’s why it was important for me to make this a story about that.

Cullie is a brilliant coder and app developer, and we get to see her process of developing several apps throughout the book. What was your research process like to capture the intricacies of her profession?

I think my life has really prepared me for that. I worked in technology for twenty years as a technical writer. Before that, in grad school I’d taken a few coding classes. My son is a programmer and codes, my nephews do, a lot of my family does. That piece was really easy for me in terms of the detail. As I was telling the story, when I had to think about what would Cullie do in a particular situation, all I had to do was pick up the phone and ask my son, “She’s trying to do ‘xyz.’ What would happen? What is the language I would use?” Even with the details of the app itself, I did interviews with my nephews who are programmers, my son who’s a programmer, and friends who have done this for a living for a very long time.

We actually watch her go through the creative process. When I was writing the book that was not actually in there. I will often give my books to subject matter experts and sensitivity readers to make sure I’m getting deep enough into the topic and really nailing it. I have a programmer friend who said to me, “There would actually be notes and papers and flow charts.” I was able to look at the ones she actually did while she was coding a product, so then it was easier for me to roll that into the story. It was just personal connections and then a whole lot of talking to friends who do this for a living.

Even when I’m writing stories, [there’s] that creative process of thinking you’re trying to do something and then realizing that you can’t do it until you fully understand what you’re trying to do. Until you fully understand what you’re trying to say, the story just feels off. There’s this moment when you’re writing any story that everything falls into place, because you’ve finally understood what it is you’re trying to say. It’s the same cycle for Cullie with these projects, where as long as she doesn’t know what she wants to do, she can’t do it. As soon as she knows what she wants to do, she can do it. That was again a very close thing to my heart, because I do it on a daily basis.

All three women go on some truly horrible dates that are laugh out loud funny. Were those scenes as fun to write as they were fun to read?

I have to first say that I have benefited from the pain of some of my closest friends a little bit. Every one of my single friends who have been doing this whole whatever this modern dating thing is, the stories are the kind of stuff that make you say, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” because really they’re so horrific. I couldn’t make up a situation as bizarre as the situations some of my friends were actually encountering. It was so much fun to just come up with something, because nobody’s going to read this and say, “Oh, that stuff never happens.” If you’ve been on a dating app, you know that absolutely anything can happen. (laughs) I did have a lot of fun with that.

I literally sat down and thought, “What would be my nightmare? What would be the worst thing that could happen to me?” Specifically with Aly, she’s so guarded, what would be the worst thing for someone who takes herself so seriously? And it would be to have that protective shell ripped off in the funniest possible way. The same thing for Cullie. In many ways she takes herself so seriously, what would be the most ridiculous thing to happen to her? And Bindu who thinks of herself as this earth mother who is so open minded, what would be really funny about that? I did actually list a whole lot of wild scenarios, but then these were the ones that—specifically for these women—were ripping their specific shells off. I just had a blast with it. I will say that, to date, I will read those scenes and crack myself up. That is the best feeling in the world! My husband will laugh at me, “Are you laughing at your own book?” I’m like, “Yes it’s so funny!” (laughs)

The book takes place in Naples, Florida, and is so specific in terms of its sense of place. How did you arrive at setting the book there?

I get that question a lot. Of course, if you’re thinking about retirement communities in America, your mind goes to Florida first. It was the obvious choice. On a personal level, I have a very dear friend whose aunt and uncle migrated to America from India back in the sixties. They have done remarkably well for themselves and have this rich, big life. About five years ago, they retired and moved into this really luxurious retirement community in Naples where I visited them. When I did, I had so many feelings about immigration and fitting in. So much of my own life experience and my stories are about making your adopted home a home. That journey is very unique. It’s filled with fun, ambition, and seeking out adventure, but it’s also a displacement about trying to find your space and constantly dealing with an outside gaze that gauges whether or not you have a right to that space. That’s always happening in the immigrant experience. Who you come up against either treats you like you’re part of the space and you have the right to be there, or there’ll be confused by what you’re doing there, which is telling you essentially that this space is not for you. Whether we block it off or whether we let it in, it’s part of the immigrant experience.

This was a very interesting thing. This couple has been here for more than forty years now. They have children and grandchildren who were born and raised here and have contributed an incredible amount to life and the country and all of that. Yet there was a slight—and I hate saying this—but there was this slight disconnect between them and their space. For one it’s a new space; I’ve always seen them in their home in Chicago. It was a very interesting experience for me. It fed this story a whole lot and that’s where the setting came from specifically. I wanted to really get into what it means when people with one experience encounter people with another experience. Often it’s, “Oh my gosh, I’m so lucky! I’m so glad that didn’t happen to me.” Or often it could be, “Oh, I’ve missed out on this. Why didn’t I know this existed? Why didn’t I know I could be this?” We’re constantly doing that, and age is no barrier to that, because we’re constantly gauging ourselves against everything outside of us. That’s why I picked Naples. That thing struck me so much as being such a unique and rich experience that would feed the story.

And finally, what role have libraries played in your life?

I love that question. I grew up in India and let me just say we do not have a public library system that is anywhere near what we have in this country. When I first moved here, it was one of my most delightful discoveries and one of my greatest joys. I remember walking into a public library and thinking, “What, this is all free? I can just be here and I can take anything out of here?” I remember having this moment of almost operatic gratitude. I was completely blown away.

Since then, I raised my children almost inside a public library. We were in Ypsilanti. They built this beautiful library walking distance from home. My punishment for my kids for not finishing homework was, “We’re not going to the library!” (laughs) They would do anything—literally anything—to go to the library. We had this tradition that went from their toddler years all the way through middle school. We would come back with piles of books, get in bed, lotion our feet, and read as long as we wanted. That was the greatest treat. Imagine the three of us cuddled up in beds, under the comforters, lovely smelling lotion on our feet, socks on, and piles of books. My kids are home for Thanksgiving and—I’m not making this up—they are at the library picking up my holds for me! It’s just a part of our life. For our family, it’s been a second home. Anytime I’m able to speak at a library or do anything it’s such a special thing. I can never say no to anything I do with public libraries.

The post Sonali Dev On Bollywood Cinema, Writing Complicated Relationships, And The Scenes That Still Make Her Laugh Out Loud first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Both the film and its website, Popular Romance Project, are products of the partnership between the Library of Congress’s Center for the Book and Blueberry Hill Productions. According to the production company’s press release for the film, “Love Between the Covers is the fascinating story of the vast, funny, and savvy female community that has built a powerhouse industry sharing love stories. Romance fiction is sold in 34 languages on six continents, and the genre grosses more than a billion dollars a year—outselling mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy combined. Yet the millions of voracious women (and sometimes men) who read, write, and love romance novels have remained oddly invisible. Until now.

For three years, we follow the lives of five very diverse published romance authors and one unpublished newbie as they build their businesses, find and lose loved ones, cope with a tsunami of change in publishing, and earn a living doing what they love—while empowering others to do the same. During the three years we’ve been shooting Love Between the Covers, we have witnessed the biggest power shift that has taken place in the publishing industry over the last 200 years.”

About ten libraries have already signed up to host a screening at their locations and there are more reservations being processed at the time of this article’s posting. Jennifer Lohmann, Adult Services Manager at Durham County Southwest Regional Library, is not only a librarian but also a romance novelist and a previous Romance Writers of America Librarian of the Year. Needless to say she is eagerly supportive of hosting a screening. “Given the large number of romance authors in the area and the community of romance readers at the library, it seemed natural for us to host the event. It follows in a long line of programming the library has hosted aimed at the romance community.”

Laurie Kahn, the documentary’s director, agrees that libraries are the perfect place for a screening. “Seventy-five million Americans read at least one romance novel per year, and 46 % of romance consumers read at least one book per week! These voracious readers have not always felt welcome in public libraries, and screening the film will send a clear message, welcoming romance readers into the library to watch a film about the romance community with an audience of other people who love the genre, or are curious about it. A public screening will also help librarians establish good relations with local romance writers and these relations could lead to future popular events at the library.”

There is a rental fee for the film that includes promotional material such as fliers, posters, and postcards. Kahn’s team at Blueberry Hill Productions is super nice and ready to help plan your library’s LBtC event. Details of screening procedures are available online or via e-mail at screenings@lovebetweenthecovers.com.

Start planning your Valentine’s Day events now and include this award-winning flick! (The director would love to have 100 or more public libraries have a showing on or near February 14^th, 2016!)

Editor’s Note:  PLA will be screening this film at PLA 2016. Watch for more information on dates/times at placonference.org.

The post Love Between the Covers Documentary first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

That’s right. In its third year, Read a Romance Month (RARM) has turned August into a month of not only sultry summer heat but also sultry romance advocacy. RARM is the brainchild of Bobbi Dumas, a Kirkus Review and National Public Radio contributor. “I wanted an event that truly celebrated romance,” says Dumas. She found several happenings that were related to the genre but usually only through certain publishers or organizations. She wanted a place for the writers themselves to promote and celebrate the genre.

Beginning on August 15, the Read a Romance Month site there will feature daily posts by romance novel authors. This year’s specific theme is “The Joy of Romance.” Currently scheduled novelists include Mary Jo Putney, Lori Wilde, Elizabeth Hoyt, Jill Shalvis, and Lisa Kleypas, just to name a few. Since there will be ninety-three diverse and successful authors contributing, there is sure to be diverse thoughts on what the joy of romance novels really is. “I try very hard for RARM to be about romance, and that writers have the freedom to express their feelings about the genre and each theme in their own unique and authentic way,” says Dumas. Also included with each author’s essay is a bio, a Q&A section, and recommendations. Giveaways will also be given out where available.

This year, three of the posts will be by librarians who support and relish the romance genre. Yes, this year RARM advocacy and community now include librarians who get to tell their stories as well. According to Dumas, “Librarians are so cool! Librarians can have a really powerful effect on readers when they don’t make them feel judged for their reading choices.” SuperWendy writes the blog, The Misadvenutres of Super Librarian, and Monique Flasch is a librarian who started the Facebook page, Romance in the Stacks. Yours truly will also be contributing to Librarians Day, which is August 21^st.

As for thoughts of only February being the most romantic month, Dumas’s research showed differently. Folks are relaxed from vacations and therefore more ready for a romantic beach read. There are no national holidays in the eighth month of the year either. So the month can be an uninterrupted flow of romance and romance genre advocacy.

The post August is Read a Romance Month first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Perkins has written a trilogy of related romantic tales, and it all kicked off with Anna’s story. Anna’s family decides she should spend her senior year attending school in Paris, and she is less than thrilled until she meets St. Clair. Unfortunately, St. Claire already has a girlfriend. This is a sweet and funny story with great characters.
2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This romance about two misfits is a 2014 Printz honor book. It tells the story of first love between Eleanor and Park through one school year.
3. Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford. This is American Pie for teens. Carter is a boy just entering high school and this book is all about his hilarious (and often disastrous) adventures in the search for love and sex.
4. Playing with Matches by Brian Katcher. This is the story of how Leon found his dream girl, except she wasn’t exactly how he pictured her. Melody Hennon was horribly burned as a child, but she fulfills everything Leon wants in a girlfriend. This book focuses on Leon dealing with his emotional connection to Melody, and his purely physical attraction to the gorgeous Amy Green. It’s a great book with realistic romance and humor.
5. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman. This Sci-Fi Romance is about two literal star-crossed lovers. Stuck alone with each other on an abandoned planet, Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Marsden must work together to survive and to find out the secret behind the whispers they hear when no one else is there.

Cover Photo Credit: fly (CC BY 2.0)

The post Get Ready for Valentine’s Day: Romance for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

“The BookMatch program launched quietly about two weeks ago. [This quote is from August 2014 – Ed.] It’s completely free: just fill out the online form telling the nice librarians what you like to read, and they’ll come back to you in about a week with a list of five or six recommendations. You can even specify what type of format you prefer (book, ebook, audiobook, or large print)” (Merlan, Village Voice 2014). In addition to filling the requests, the lists are also anonymously posted on the library’s website, allowing other patrons to browse at their own convenience. Among the topics that already exist are:

• Drama/Suspense
• Historical romance
• Great Gatsby read-alikes
• Father and sons
• All kinds of books/no mushy stuff
• SciFi-Fantasy with strong females and diversity

Since the beginning of this program, the 35 librarians who maintain the website have been inundated with patron requests. This has been a successful launch of a new program, and it may actually prove to be too much for just the 35 librarians to complete each list in under a week if it keeps growing in popularity. This watershed moment of customer service shall work as a tableau for public libraries at large.

I began to think of how this may grow while researching this topic. Many public libraries have more items than books. I’m thinking about music, movies, and even periodicals. This program could increase its scope and therefore its ability to accommodate more patrons. It’s an amazing idea that truly comes from the basics of librarianship and adapting to the current times. Haven’t all librarians at one time or another given recommendations based on one book or movie? This is just taking that customer service to a new and more convenient level for patrons who may be living a hectic lifestyle and don’t have the time to browse the stacks.

This is definitely a program that can work in public libraries all over the world. Thanks, New York; you managed to inspire us once again with your indefatigable efforts at cultural programming!

Works Cited

Merlan, Anna. “A Brooklyn Librarian Will Now Make You a Personalized Reading List, and You Don’t Even Have to Put on Pants.” Village Voice. August 26, 2014.  (accessed September 20, 2014)

The post I’ll Tell You What to Read: Online BookMatch Program Connects Readers to New Books first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Novel Engagement (NE) has four basic components: Authors, Books, Events, and Reader Zone. The best part of the app may be the Books section, which not only allows a search for books by title, but also by subgenre and theme. Keywords such as “cowboys” or “vampires” can be entered to narrow down a search. Looking for just a romance novel is often not enough for today’s educated romance reader. Romance novel enthusiasts have their own specific tastes and this app could help a librarian narrow them down.

The application also includes contests and giveaways, both online and live. In addition, readers can sign up to be notified through the app when their favorite author has a new release coming up. An author’s entry in NE often includes a bio as well as a list of titles, website addresses, social media connections, and any awards the author has received.

Allison Kelley, RWA’s executive director, strongly believes this app will be of value to librarians. “The app is a great tool for…romance readers to use to find books they can then go check out via their library or request that their libraries add to their collections. We think this will be a great resource for librarians to use for romance readers advisory.”

The app, which is free, is still in the process of being updated. “We have a website version on the way,” Kelley says.

It’s up to RWA members to apply to be part of NE. Some of the authors currently listed include Sandra Brown, Sylvia Day, Sabrina Jefferies, and Susan Wiggs.

According to a press release, the app lists 1,000 authors and over 5,000 romance novels. With RWA’s membership of 10,000 worldwide, those listings are certain to increase in the future. And with an estimated $1 billion in sales of the genre, this app is sure to help librarians and readers find the perfect romance reading fit.

To learn more about the app and download it, visit www.rwa.org or www.novelengagement.com.

The post Need More Romance? There’s An App for That first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Romance novels are certainly a common feature of libraries’ collections. A 2006 survey of public libraries indicated that 99.7 percent of responding libraries developed their romance collections through purchase or donation or both.³ However, libraries do more than simply make books available. They also promote reading and encourage people to meet with others who enjoy reading. We wanted to find out if libraries were promoting the romance genre, and if they were, how they were going about that promotion.

The Literature on Romance Promotion

While most of the works published in the LIS literature have provided extensive explanations of the romance genre, its appeal, and its subgenres, a closer reading indicates that some librarians have been looking toward romance promotion as a necessary supplement to collection development.

Kristin Ramsdell’s Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre makes several suggestions for romance promotion.⁴ Her suggestions range from informal (introducing romance readers to each other) to formal (establishing a romance reader interest group at your library), including displays of romance and related works of nonfiction, keeping a romance review file for readers. She even recommends promoting romance in the local media, through means of book review columns in the newspaper or romance booktalks on local radio and TV shows.⁵

Ann Bouricius’ Romance Reader’s Advisory: The Librarian’s Guide to Love in the Stacks suggests passive reader’s advisory service such as making available bookmarks of romance authors and titles, posting lists of award-winning romance titles, and displaying romance novels prominently near the circulation desk.⁶ She also suggests more interactive ideas like sponsoring romance-reading programs, creating bulletin boards for romance-reading patrons to share ideas, and encouraging book discussion groups to read romance.⁷

Ramsdell and Bouricius both emphasize the importance of knowing the genre and its readers. They also emphasize the importance of making your library “romance reader friendly,” and developing an encouraging, positive attitude among staff toward romance fiction and romance readers.

Cathie Linz, Ann Bouricius, and Carole Byrnes offer suggestions for shelving and display of romance novels in order to increase their visibility within the library.⁸ They also cite examples of romance book clubs held in public libraries and providing resources such as romance trade magazines and Internet resources.⁹ John Charles and Cathie Linz mention several methods that can be used to promote romance, “. . . booklists or bibliographies, displays, programs, or even book discussion groups.”¹⁰

There is also evidence that some libraries have already been working to promote romance. The Romance Writers of America (RWA) conducted a 2007 contest called “Libraries Love Romance.”¹¹ The contest had two categories, one for romance programming and events, and the other for romance collection and display. The multiple candidates for both of these awards suggest that at least some libraries have been actively promoting the romance genre in a variety of ways.

Research Questions

A survey of public libraries in the United States in 2006 asked about libraries’ collection development practices and attitudes relating to romance novels and the romance genre.¹² Two questions on that survey form asked about book promotion and cultural programming related to romance novels.

The first question asked, “How does your library offer romance-related book promotion?” Respondents were given the following possibilities as choices:

• displays of romance novels;
• readers’ advisory (RA) assistance with romance novels;
• provides general RA tools (such as NoveList or Genreflecting);
• provides romance-specific RA tools (such as What Romance Do I Read Next? or Happily Ever After: A Guide to the Romance Genre);
• provides romance-specific magazines, e-zines, or journals (such as Romantic Times Magazine); or
• other.

The second question asked, “Does your library offer romance-related cultural programming?” Respondents were given the choices of:

• romance-oriented book discussion groups;
• romance author visits or book signings; or
• other.

Results

Surveys were sent to 1,020 directors of public libraries identified in American Library Directory using a purposive sampling technique in which we randomly selected libraries from each state. By December 2006, 396 usable surveys were received for an effective return rate of 39 percent.

As table 1 shows, RA services are the most commonly offered method of romance genre promotion, and general RA tools are available at over half of all responding libraries. Slightly fewer libraries use romance novel displays, though this was still a popular method of promotion. Romance-specific RA tools and magazines were less commonly provided. Some of the respondents who used “other” methods of promotion described the methods they used. These included separate shelving for romance titles, romance-specific spine labels, bibliographies and booklists, promoting romance in the library newsletter, and a Popular Authors Club promotion.

Of the programming options we provided, romance author visits and book signings were provided by over 10 percent of the responding libraries. Romance-oriented book discussion groups were only provided by 6 percent of libraries. Some of the “other” means of romance-related programming were a special Valentine’s Day romance book sale held by the Friends of the Library, romance booktalk presentations to local associations such as Rotary Club, and one library said they had a chapter of Romance Writers of America meet at their library. Only 3 percent of libraries (12) indicated offering more than one type of romance-related programming.

When asked whether romance was a high-circulating, popular genre at their libraries, 53 percent (210) “agreed” and 31 percent (121) “strongly agreed.” Ten percent (41) had no opinion, while 6 percent (23) of respondents “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed.” There was one missing response. The “no opinion,” “disagree,” and “strongly disagree” responses were collapsed into one category, leaving three categories for analysis: “strongly agree,” “agree,” and “no opinion or disagree.” Results in table 2 indicate that as perception of romance popularity increases, so does the percentage of libraries using various methods of romance promotion. For instance, romance novel displays were used at 27 percent of libraries where romance was not perceived to be popular. That figure increases to 38 percent of libraries agreeing that romance is popular at their library, and increases again to 55 percent for libraries that strongly agree. This relationship of increased use of promotion methods with increased perception of romance popularity holds for all methods of romance promotion suggested.

Looking at romance promotion and programming based on mean collection size provides another way to look at the relationship between library commitment to the romance genre and their promotion of that genre. As indicated in table 3, 77 percent (303) of responding libraries offered at least one type of romance promotion. Many offered multiple forms of romance promotion: 56 percent (222) offered at least two forms of promotion, 35 percent (139) offered at least three, and 16 percent (63) offered at least four types of romance promotion.

Table 4 provides mean collection size of libraries using multiple methods of romance promotion. Those libraries that use no promotion methods have smaller mean collections than libraries that use one or more methods. Libraries using four promotion methods have the largest collections of all. Those libraries that invest more of their collection funds into romance novels seem also to use more strategies to get those novels into the hands of readers.

Total romance collection sizes reported by our respondents varied from 0 to 75,000. This wide variance in collection size made for large standard deviations in table 4. In general, however, libraries that used fewer methods of romance promotion also had less variability in romance collection size.

Looking at both scenarios, romance collection size and perceptions of popularity, methods of publicizing the romance genre appear to be more widely used in libraries where the romance genre is more firmly entrenched. The fact that romance promotion increases with increased perception of the popularity of the romance genre does not necessarily imply that one factor causes the other. It is difficult to say whether the librarians answering this survey saw multiple methods of promotion being used, and from that evidence, decided romance was popular; or whether they knew romance was popular, so developed multiple methods of promoting the genre to take advantage of that popularity.

Being Seen Promoting Romance

Part of the challenge of promoting romance is being seen promoting it. It’s not enough to provide romance RA and expect readers to use that service. As Ramsdell and Bouricius note in their books, readers may not feel comfortable seeking assistance in finding good romances unless they see that romance RA is as commonplace a library activity as mystery or science fiction RA.

Libraries can provide this atmosphere by developing romance book displays, making romance RA tools visible in their collections, and providing information on their websites about romance. Ramsdell suggests making contacts with romance readers and with bookstores, becoming a visibly “romance-friendly” librarian in the community.¹³

Providing the Tools for Romance-Specific RA and Collection Development

Most general RA tools contain information about romance among their offerings. Genreflecting, NoveList, and What Do I Read Next? all include romance-oriented content. However, romancespecific RA tools might also aid libraries in being seen to promote romance within their libraries. Some of the more common romance-specific RA tools include Ramsdell’s Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre or Ann Bouricius’ Romance Reader’s Advisory: The Librarian’s Guide to Love in the Stacks. Using and displaying these sources helps readers to know that romance reading is considered as worthy as any other kind of reading.

Book Displays

Kristin Ramsdell’s romance review columns for Library Journal list romances that follow a particular theme or plotline. It would be easy for a library to create small displays using these suggestions and local wisdom. Because these lists are available at the Library Journal website, a library could easily link to these reviews on their own webpage. Many libraries also make reviews available in their online catalogs via Syndetic Solutions, Inc. or LibraryThing for Libraries.

Ramsdell suggested displays of romance novels alone and with other related materials (e.g., travel guides for location-specific romances), provision of bookmarks and flyers, and cross-referenced files featuring reader reviews of romance novels. In another form of book display to reach an audience outside the library, she suggests writing romance review columns for the local newspaper, review shows on theradio or television, and booktalks or author panels at local libraries.¹⁴ Additionally, RWA makes promotional posters available for bookstores and libraries to download and use through their website at www.rwanational.org/cs/booksellers_and_librarians/rwa_poster_gallery.

Virtual Romance Promotion

Libraries can promote the romance genre virtually, too! Many libraries publish read-alike lists for their patrons. When these lists are used in bookmark form, there isn’t much space to waste. Posted on the Web, however, these lists can include annotations and personal reflections. The St. Louis Public Library website features romance novels recommended by staff members, including annotations, at www.slpl.org/slpl/gateways/article240094736.asp. Lists can also be individual to the library. For instance, the Northbrook (Ill.) Public Library provides an annotated list of romance novels by Illinois authors at www.northbrook.info/lib_illinois_romance.php.

Many public libraries’ webpages link to RA databases like NoveList or What Do I Read Next?, where Web patrons can seek additional reading recommendations. Those libraries that do make RA databases available online can create links to these databases on their pages for each genre, including romance. Those libraries that cannot make these databases available can still provide content for romance readers. The Internet Public Library has a list of romance resources on the Web, with annotated links to sites such as All About Romance, The Romance Reader, and the Romance Novel Database. Many libraries,
including the Toronto Public Library, include these sites on their romance and fiction pages, to expand the information they are able to provide.

Romance-Oriented Programming

Ramsdell also suggests recruiting readers to develop “romance readers interest groups” to aid in collection development.¹⁵  These groups might act as advocates for the genre, and help produce RA materials to assist other romance readers.

Public libraries can and do provide romance book groups. In a discussion of the literature about book group formation, Joan Bessman Taylor found several instances in which romance and other genre works were not considered appropriate for discussion groups.¹⁶ She cites Seattle Public Library’s online guide, which indicates that various genres including romance “leave little to discuss” because they are too plot-driven.¹⁷ Even so, Taylor indicates that some of the groups she studied did discuss genre fiction successfully.

While romance novels may not be appropriate for discussion of the book’s content, there are opportunities to discuss romance novels with regard to the larger societal context or with regard to other romance novels or life experiences. Christine Jarvis used romance novels with women in an adult education program to evaluate larger societal issues like the “romance discourse” in daily life and power relationships.¹⁸ The romance novel may not create its own world in the same way that a standard novel has to, because romance novels reflect the world around them.

Book signings and author visits are strategies for bringing romance authors to the readers themselves, either in person at the library or virtually. Many romance authors are also librarians or former librarians, and may be amenable to being asked to do book signings or author discussions at the library. The RWA webpage (www.rwanational.org) suggests several strategies to bring romance authors to library patrons, including blogging, podcasts, and workshops. Libraries with small programming budgets may want to team up with other area libraries to ask an author to do a short regional tour. Multiple libraries might team up to sponsor a webcast romance author panel discussion. Romance is among the most accessible genres, and promoting romance may help readers see themselves as writers or more appreciative readers.

Programming for Teens

Given that 64 percent of libraries indicated that they collected teen romance, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the possibilities for romance-related programs with teens. The 2008 release of the movie Twilight, following its 2005 publication by author Stephenie Meyer, allowed young adult librarians to cross-promote the book with the movie, and also to promote other teen romance and paranormal books. From creating read-alike lists of teen romances to video-recording teens doing booktalks about Twilight to sponsoring Twilight-themed events where teens dress us as their favorite characters, young adult librarians
have been using their programming and RA skills to keep young adults reading.

Conclusion

Survey results indicate that the romance genre is being promoted to encourage people to read romance fiction. Half of all responding libraries provided RA service for romance, and four out of every ten created romance displays. Many libraries realize that romance fiction can be used to draw people in and encourage readers to discover new authors through RA services catering to romance readers. Romance-oriented programming is less common, with only one-tenth of responding libraries holding author visits or book signings, and one-twentieth holding romance-related book groups.

Beyond being recognized as places for people to obtain books, many libraries aim to be public spheres where people come together to exchange ideas and share information. Romance readers can interact with each other through book groups and with authors through programs. New romance readers can be recruited through these programs, and myths about the romance genre can be put to rest when romance readers interact with non-romance readers.

Promotion and programming for the romance genre can be used to retain current romance readers at the library; it may also be useful for drawing new faces to the library—those who had not thought the library was particularly welcoming to romance readers. Potential controversy over a library’s promotion of romance fiction can even be construed as a positive opportunity to share the multiple benefits of reading. Reading is done for many different purposes and at many different levels. Libraries support those purposes without dictating what should or should not be read.

Editor’s note: The authors would like to thank the Romance Writers of America for providing funding for this project through their Research Grant Program.

References and Notes

1. Lydia Cushman Schurman and Deidre Johnson, eds., Scorned Literature: Essays on the History and Criticism of Popular Mass-Produced Fiction in America (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Pr., 2002).
2. For examples of this type of literature, see Mary K. Chelton, “Unrestricted Body Parts and Predictable Bliss: The Audience Appeal of Formula Romances,” Library Journal 116, no. 12 (July 1991): 44–49; Jayne Ann Krentz, “All the Right Reasons: Romance Fiction in the Public Library,” Public Libraries 36, no. 3 (May/June 1997): 162–66; Johanna Tunon, “A Fine
   Romance: How to Select Romance Novels for Your Collection,” Wilson Library Bulletin 69, no. 9 (May 1995): 31–34.
3. Denice Adkins et al., “Romance Novels in American Public Libraries: A Study of Collection Development Practices,” Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services 32, no. 2 (2008): 59–67.
4. Kristin Ramsdell, Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1999).
5. Ibid., 25–27.
6. Ann Bouricius, Romance Reader’s Advisory: The Librarian’s Guide to Love in the Stacks (Chicago:ALA, 2000), 49–50.
7. Ibid., 50–51.
8. Cathie Linz, Ann Bouricius, and Carole Byrnes, “Exploring the World of Romance Novels,” Public Libraries 34, no. 3 (May/June 1995): 144–51.
9. Ibid., 151.
10. John Charles and Cathie Linz, “Romancing Your Readers: How Public Libraries Can Become More Romance-Reader Friendly,” Public Libraries 44, no. 1 (January/February 2005): 44.
11. Romance Writers of America, Libraries Love Romance Contest, 2007, www.rwanational.org/cs/libraries_love_romance_contest (accessed Dec. 22, 2009).
12. Adkins et al., “Romance Novels in American Public Libraries.”
13. Ramsdell, Romance Fiction, 24.
14. Ibid., 28.
15. Ibid., 25.
16. Joan Bessman Taylor, “Good for What? Non-Appeal, Discussability, and Book Groups (Part1),” Reference & User Services Quarterly 46, no. 4 (Summer 2007): 33–36.
17. Ibid., 35.
18. Christine Jarvis, “Love Changes Everything: The Transformative Power of Popular Romantic Fiction,” Studies in the Education of Adults 31, no. 2 (October 1999): 109–23.

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During Valentine’s Day week I noticed two movies which were being broadcast on cable television; The Time Traveler’s Wife and Tuck Everlasting. Each was romantic but interestingly they both also dealt with a relation to time, either time travel or love over a long period of time, i.e. immortality. This had me thinking of other films which included both of these aspects. I quickly came up with a list of film titles and most of which are based on a novel or short story.

The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009) stars Eric Bana as Henry and Rachel McAdams as Clare and is based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger.  Clare falls passionately in love with Henry who is inflicted with the uncontrollable ability to travel through time. This is a love story about two people dealing with an almost impossible situation, who marry and eventually have a child. It explores not only romantic, paternal, and filial love but also the enduring love between friends. Tuck Everlasting (2002) is based on the 1975 classic children’s fantasy novel by Natalie Babbitt. The film stars Jonathan Jackson as Jesse Tuck and Alexis Bledel as Winnie Foster. The story revolves around the romance between the two young people and Winnie’s discovery of the Tuck family secret. Many years ago the family members drank from a spring which made them immortal but immortality can have a terrible cost when it comes to love. Themes of romantic, paternal, filial, and sibling love are all explored.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) deals with maternal and romantic love and concerns an abandoned new-born baby adopted and raised by a kind-hearted black woman. The child ages backwards, meeting the love of his life when she is a child and he is an old man. The story follows Benjamin throughout his life and how he eventually reconnects with Daisy when they are approximately the same age. Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin Button with Cate Blanchett portraying Daisy and the plot is taken from a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Lake House (2006) stars Keanu Reeves as Alex Wyler and Sandra Bullock as Kate Forster and is not based on a book or short story. The story deals with the unlikely romance over time between individuals living in the same house but occupying it two years apart. Alex and Kate communicate through letters posted in their shared mailbox, develop a friendship, and then fall in love. They soon realize the problem with their relationship but still hope they can find a way to be together at the same time.

Somewhere in Time (1980) is based on a novel by Richard Matheson, originally titled Bid Time Return.  This very romantic film stars Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as the time-displaced lovers Richard Collier and Elise McKenna. It relates the story of 1980s playwright, Richard, trying to ‘come back to …” the love of his life, Elise, a famous young, stage actress from the early 1900’s. He falls in love with her picture while staying at a turn-of-the-century hotel and is determined to travel back in time to meet her.

There are two other films which may meet the timely romance criteria: Time After Time (1979) and Highlander (1986). Although both are more action adventure movies, each also has at its heart a romance between two main characters.  Neither movie is based on a book but a novelization of Highlander from the original screenplay by Gregory Widen was released later.

Time After Time follows H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) as he uses his time machine to travel from 1893 London to 1979 San Francisco in order to stop Jack the Ripper from killing, among others, a young woman name Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen). Highlander centers on a Scottish highlander named Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) who lost the love of his life shortly after becoming immortal in 1518. He  spends the next 465 years fighting other immortals for an unknown ‘prize’ and looking for someone to replace his beloved, bonnie Heather.

For your readers or viewers who enjoy romance with a timely twist you may want to consider these suggestions which cross between media formats. Are there other movie titles which might be included on this list?

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PRP was the brainchild of documentarian Laurie Kahn, who partnered with the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University. Another partner of the project is the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

Video commentary from noted romance authors are one aspect of the blog. Suzanne Brockmann, Caridad Piñeiro, and Elizabeth Essex comment on their personal writing histories and what clicked for them in terms of choosing the romance genre to express their creativity. Other video clips include remarks on the importance of the genre from Darlene Clark Hine, a professor of African American studies and of history at Northwestern University. Sarah Wendall of the website, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, states in her commentary that romance is “the one place where you will consistently find women’s sexuality treated fairly and positively.”

Librarian/author Crystal Jordan’s interview and video will be of particular interest to librarians. An academic librarian during the day, she’s a romance author during her off hours. She’s written a number of erotic and paranormal romances. While writing her rather steamy novels, her academic colleagues have assisted her in research and editing of her stories.

Another part of PRP is an array of topics of interest to the romance community, whether it is for writers, readers, or scholars. Recent articles in the “Talking About Romance” section have been about black romance newspapers of the 19^th and early 20^th century, examination of what is considered love and romance, discussion of the virgin hero, and even a look at the romance of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle.

The final section of the blog is “Behind the Scenes.” There’s video and text on a variety of issues such as knife fighting techniques, pitch sessions, becoming a cover artist, and romance authors’ day jobs. In addition, author Beverly Jenkins discusses her techniques on integrating history and story.

The blog is just one aspect of the overall vision of the project’s creators. Another aspect includes the production of the documentary, Love Between the Covers. This production will follow aspiring and established romance writers on their journey of finding a role for themselves within the romance arena. The filming began in 2010 and the filmmakers continue to collect material at this time.

Between the interviews, articles, and upcoming documentary, librarians are sure to learn something new and relevant about the genre. Something patrons will appreciate, no doubt!

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The following are a few places to begin your journey into the wonderfully diverse world of genre literature.

• Bitten by Books is a site dedicated to the paranormal reader community. Features on the site include author and reader community chats, book and film/ TV reviews, and contests and giveaways. http://bittenbybooks.com/
• Goodreads is a virtual reader community and social network that allows users to provide book reviews, create forums and groups, link up with their favorite authors, win book giveaways, and create lists. Although it is not a genre site like the others listed, it does have features that earn it a place on this list. Goodreads invites users to rate “best of…” books annually and within genres,  authors and publishers host chats and forum discussions frequently on the site, and genre-based groups regularly make suggestions, hold virtual book club meetings, and share news with members. http://www.goodreads.com/
• Io9 is the resident science fiction, fantasy, and related genres blog from the Gawker community. Its regular features include “Morning Spoilers,” with news of upcoming genre media; “Superlist,” which include book and other media “best of…” compilations; and reviews of novels, graphic novels and comic books, films/DVDs, and other media releases. io9 is sure to be a useful resource for anyone looking to learn about what genre fans are talking and to what they’re looking forward. http://io9.com/
• No Flying, No Tights is a one-stop resource for librarians and educators interested in graphic novels, comic books, and manga. Though the site was developed primarily as a resource for adults working with YA readers, No Flying, No Tights does have a page dedicated to adult-level titles.  Remember, however, that comic book and graphic novel readership interests, reading levels, and content often overlap between YA and adult readers. Therefore, much of the site’s content is applicable for both young and adult readers. http://noflyingnotights.com/
• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is the romance-reader’s blog. Never pandering to the stereotype of the avid romance genre reader, Smart Bitches infuses reviews with thoughtful criticisms and worthwhile recommended reading titles. Posts on the site include essays about the genre, news about upcoming titles, romance author Q&As, publisher and retailer sales events, and more.  http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
• Steampunk.com is a website dedicated to topics of interest to the steampunk genre including book reviews, suggested reading and “best of…” lists, steampunk lifestyle and fashion tips, and other interest articles. This site is an especially good introduction to the steampunk genre in all its facets. http://www.steampunk.com/
• Street Fiction is a site dedicated to reviews and features of the street lit genre. Books of this genre are urban-centric realistic fictions (or non-fictions) with characters, settings, and situations that relate to living in urban areas and often minority or disenfranchised communities. Street Fiction includes reviews, author interviews, and other features related to street lit titles. http://www.streetfiction.org/
• Tor is the consummate genre geek’s blog. Its tagline is “Science fiction. Fantasy. The universe.” Articles cover the gamut of genre from all ends of the media spectrum and include features on upcoming and existing titles. http://www.tor.com/

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