1. Street Lit and Libraries An Infopeople Webinar
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Francisca Goldsmith
Infopeople Presenters – Please change the graphics and PowerPoint background to suit your topic.
Hello, I'm PRESENTER.....[tell people a bit about you]

2. Agenda What it is and where it came from
Demographic interest and controversies
Library collections as access option
Must know authors and titles
Blogs and other tools for keeping up
Q & A
Today we'll be talking about Street Lit in relation to libraries.
Before we get started, let’s cover some housekeeping details.

3. What’s street lit? Hallmarks of the genre as it is recognized today
Appeal factors of the genre to youth, to women, and to men as readers
History of publishing and marketing outside the mainstream
S. Shah, Columbia University

4. Why is street lit outside mainstream publishing?
Professional positions include publishers, editors, editorial assistants and interns
Publisher 1:1 imprint
Editors 5:1 imprint
Editorial assistants 8:1 imprint
Interns 12:1 imprint
There are now only 5 “super houses” publishing in the US: big budgets for paying staff, authors, and most especially publicity
Big publishers do follow the money, so the history of street lit cross-over authors is lengthening…and your library already sees reviews of these cross-over “successes”

5. Where does it fit in the history of books and reading?
Relationship of contemporary street lit to 20th century book publishing made popular on the street, rather than through critics
19th century penny dreadfuls
Drugstore and dime store spinners of genre paperbacks
Nonacademy sci fi (before 1960’s)
Writing and reading outside the literary circles critics—big publishers, library professional reviewers, and mainstream media “best sellerdom”
Studio produced series
Ann Petry’s 1948 novel The Street

6. Demographics and context: authors and readers
Authors feel comfortable with the stories they have to tell
Psychology of reader identification with fiction narrators and situations

7. Yes, street lit does get attention in some libraries
Yes, street lit does get attention in some libraries. Why is it sometimes this kind of attention?

8. Controversies—inside and outside libraries
Rationalized reasons for and against street lit reading
Local community library standards, local library standards
Local community book resources for readers underserved by library collections
Rationalized reasons for and against street lit reading: give ‘em what they want vs give ‘em “good” books
Local community library standards, local library standards: often don’t match and libraries tend to believe they are taking the “high road”
Local community book resources for readers underserved by library collections: barbershops, parties, friends and relations, and with hugely growing frequency, in privately published ebook

9. Poll

10. Library collection as potential access point: educate yourself
Book promotion resources
Available materials
Be clear with staff and community about the reason for collecting
Book promotion resources: get to know them, not just of them
Available materials: where will you acquire small pubs?
Be clear with staff and community about the reason for collecting: read broadly instead of judging books by their covers or genres by your first and only experience

11. Library collection as potential access point: do it for the right reasons
Recognize reader tastes and expectations of resources are diverse
Respect other access points instead of expecting to best them
Serve the community and use the measurable results to tweak first efforts
Recognizing the diversity of reader tastes and expectations of resources
Local authors: do you support their efforts by collection inclusion in order to gain them reader access?
What are you interested in measuring: circulation figures (outputs)? Community readership interest (outcomes)?

12. Library collection as potential access point: Libraries with developed street lit collections
County of Los Angeles Public Library
Akron-Summit County (OH) Public Library

13. Must know authors
They come and go, Street lit authorship rarely pays all the bills.

14. Must know authors who used to write street lit…or do it while earning elsewhere
Note the positions they hold now…

15. Must know books as starting points
The Cartel, by Ashley and JaQuavis
Straight Outta East Oakland, by Harry Louis Williams II
Thugs series, by Wahida Clark
True to the Game, by Teri Woods
Wifey series, by Kiki Swinson
You’ll see that these hyperlinks take you to a vareity of resources, including Google Books, Paperback Swap and an author interview

16. Poll

17. Keeping up: blogs, groups, venues
Fan sites – free, helpful and insight-provoking
Blogs and online journals providing ongoing critical discussions – let’s tour a couple
Print resources designed for libraries and researchers – see the handout
YOUR community – only you can do this!
Fan sites Shelfari Chocolate Passion and Goodreads Urban Fiction Book Club
Blogs and online journals providing ongoing critical discussions
And
Print resources designed for libraries and researchers
YOUR community

18. Q & A
While you fill out the evaluation on your screen, I’ll begin answering any questions you’ve submitted via chat.

19. Thank You!
Francisca Goldsmith

20. Infopeople webinars are supported in part by the U. S
Infopeople webinars are supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. This material is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Share & Share-Alike license. Use of this material should credit the author and funding source.