LibraryThing: State of the Thing - February

LibraryThing: State of the Thing Dear {NAME}, Welcome to the February State of the Thing! We’ve got an extra long newsletter for you this month. SOTT editor Abigail and other LibraryThing staffers have been out ill with Covid recently, but have all returned to work, and to health. We hope our readers are likewise faring well! Read on for an announcement about our redesigned Early Reviewers program, an introduction to LibraryThing’s newest staffer, an invitation to our annual Valentine Hunt, a Black History Month special on the African American resources available through the site, a reminder about our ongoing group read of Maus, an exploration of our newest Legacy Library, lots and lots of book world news, and all of our regular columns—including the chance to win 3,893 free books! If you'd rather receive a plain-text version, [edit your email preferences](. You can also read it [online](. You can like LibraryThing on [Facebook]( and follow [@LibraryThing]( on Twitter for up-to-the-minute site news and updates. New Early Reviewers Program On February 7th we launched the new [Early Reviewers](, marking the first major redesign of this longstanding LibraryThing program. With a new, more attractive appearance, a number of feature and program changes, and a more streamlined, interactive system for readers, publishers and authors, there is a lot that is new and exciting. Important feature changes include the creation of a [unique URL]( and “share” button for each individual giveaway, allowing for easier social media promotion, and a menu at the top of the [Available Now]( page to sub-select by format, genre and country. Publishers and authors will find giveaways [easier to create](, with data prepopulated by [Bowker Books in Print](. We've also revamped all of our winner algorithms, in order to better pick members who have a track record of reviewing books. We're requiring more information for digital giveaways, such as format offered and delivery method, and are providing a means for publishers and authors to send their digital giveaways directly to winners on their LibraryThing profile pages, in the hope that this will reduce links lost in email spam filters. The new Early Reviewers program replaces the old Early Reviewers and Member Giveaways. This means no hair splitting about who qualifies as a "real" publisher. All books are now part of Early Reviewers, so all books must be reviewed (if you want more in the future!). Come [take a look](www.librarything.com/ner), and learn more [in the discussion]( over in Talk. Skip down this newsletter to see some of the books offered this month. Sign up by 6pm EST, February 28! Welcome Rebecca LibraryThing is pleased to welcome Rebecca Maxfield ([rebeccaamax]() in the role of library projects developer. Rebecca lives in Rhode Island and has previously worked as a digital projects developer for a college library. She is also a local theatre director/producer, writes computer games and RPGs for fun, and likes outsourcing problems to computers/code. Learn more about Rebecca by visiting her [LibraryThing]( profile, and by checking out the [welcome post]( on our blog, and the [Welcome Rebecca]( Talk thread. Valentine’s Hunt [HuntBirds]LibraryThing’s romantic [Valentine Treasure Hunt]( has returned, running from Valentine’s Day through February 28th. Come track Cupid’s arrows through our website, solving the seventeen clues, to find pages on LibraryThing. When you find the right page, you’ll get a banner announcing you’ve found an arrow. Everyone who finds at least two arrows receives a profile badge, with other prizes available the more clues you solve. Come brag about your collection of arrows (and get hints) on [Talk](. Black History Month It’s Black History Month, and we invite you to celebrate by exploring the resources available on LibraryThing. Come browse through the books your fellow members have tagged as [African American History](American+History), [African American Studies](American+studies), and [African American Literature](American+literature). Legacy Libraries. Take a look at some of the Legacy Libraries of celebrated African Americans that have been cataloged on LibraryThing, including [Frederick Douglass](, [George Washington Carver](, [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.](, [Rosa Parks](, [Ralph Ellison](, [Langston Hughes](, [Lena Horne](, [Louis Armstrong](, and [Tupac Shakur](. Whose library have we missed out on? We're always happy to receive suggestions. Send them our way over in the [Legacy Libraries Talk group](. Lists and Groups. Our [List of the Month]( for February 2021 was devoted to [Must-Read Books by Black Authors](. Come see what other members recommend and contribute your own selections, in order to create a resource for your fellow readers. Also check out the [Best African American Literature]( list, and join the discussion in the [African American Literature](25252FAfrican-American-Literature) group. A New Legacy Library: RBG The library of former Supreme Court Justice [Ruth Bader Ginsberg](, who passed away in September of 2020, was [auctioned off at Bonhams]( this past January, bringing in an astounding $2.35 million. LibraryThing’s [Legacy Libraries]( project, spearheaded by former staffer [Jeremy Dibbell](, obtained permission from Bonhams and from Justice Ginsburg’s family to catalog her library, as represented in the auction catalog. Please take a moment to browse through [RBG’s Legacy Library](. How many books (if any) do you share with her? Are there books in her collection that surprise you? As always, please let us know if there are notable people whose libraries you feel we should catalog. Suggestions can be made in the [Legacy Libraries Talk group](. Group Read: Maus by Art Spiegelman LibraryThing’s group read of [Maus]( by [Art Spiegelman]( continues. You can find the ongoing discussion at [Group Read: Maus by Art Spiegelman](. The only graphic novel to ever win a [Pulitzer Prize](Prize), [Maus]( is a modern classic, exploring the WWII experiences of Spiegelman’s father, a Holocaust survivor. Galvanized by a recent Tennessee school board decision to remove the book from their eighth-grade curriculum, LibraryThing founder [Tim Spalding]( suggested a group read of the award-winning title. It’s not too late to join the conversation—check it out at [Group Read: Maus by Art Spiegelman](. The Talk of LibraryThing What conversations are going on in our groups? - Members are discussing the [Previous Owners of Their Used Books](, and how to learn more about them, over in [Talk about LibraryThing](. - The experience of going back and reading the [Books You Skipped in High School]( is also being explored in [Talk about LibraryThing](. - A group read of [Iain Pears’]( [Arcadia]( has been [planned for March]( by the members of [The Green Dragon](, with an initial thread devoted to the [first eleven chapters](. - Members have elected to read books with a color in the title—i.e., [The Color Purple](—for their [March Group Challenge](, over in [1001 Books to Read Before You Die](. Speaking of Groups, if you’re new to LibraryThing, there’s a group for that: [Welcome to LibraryThing](21)! List of the Month Come join LibraryThing’s List of the Month project, as we create a new thematic book list each month. Like all of our [Lists](, the List of the Month draws upon the knowledge of the LibraryThing community, while also aiming to provoke discussion around each theme. See our [wiki page]( for a complete List of the Month list, and join us over in our [Talk group](, for further discussion of the project. February List of the Month. After an unexpected hiatus in January, our February List of the Month is dedicated to members’ [Favorite Short Fiction](, defined here to include: individual short stories, anthologies (multiple authors), short story collections (single author), or novellas (100 pages or less). Head over to our list of [Favorite Short Fiction]( to add your top five choices. Check out other recent Lists of the Month: - December. [Top Five Books of 2021]( - November. [Stories of War and Revolution]( - October. [Scary Stories for the Season]( - September. [Native American / Indigenous Literature](25252F-Indigenous-Literature) - August. [The Cookbooks of Home]( Free Books! As mentioned above, we have recently redesigned and expanded our Early Reviewers program, making our February batch one of the largest we’ve ever offered. This month we’re pleased to feature a [new novel]( from bestselling author [Susan Wiggs](, an English translation of Lebanese author [Najwa Barakat’s]( story of [Mister N](, and an exploration of [junk science and the American criminal justice system]( from [M. Chris Fabricant](. Explore the full list and [sign up to request books](. [Sugar and Salt: A Novel]( [The Sweet Life]( [Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System]( [All That Fills Us]( [All Men Glad and Wise: A Mystery]( [Fatal Code]( [This Could Be You]( [Roar of the Sea: Treachery, Obsession, and Alaska's Most Valuable Wildlife]( [How Creativity Rules the World]( [Chevy in the Hole: A Novel]( [When the Meadow Blooms]( [Lacie's Secrets: A Novel]( [Life Skills 101: All You Need, But Won’t Learn in School](E2%80%99t-Learn-in-School) [Murder at Old St. Thomas's]( [Uncommon Measure: A Journey Through Music, Performance, and the Science of Time]( [Ten Thousand I Love Yous]( [The Hospice Singer: A Novel]( [Wilma Mankiller: How One Woman United the Cherokee Nation and Helped Change the Social Fabric of America]( [Enchanting Sarah Greenberg]( [Mister N]( Our February batch of Early Reviewers has 3,893 copies of 164 books. The deadline to request a book is February 28th, 6pm Eastern time. Did you win a book recently? When you receive your book, make sure you head over to your [Books You've Won]( page to mark it received. After you've read your book, add your review to LibraryThing. First, add the book to your LibraryThing catalog. Then click the pencil-shaped "edit" icon next to the book, or click "edit book" from the work page. Type your review into the Review box, and click "submit" to save it. Reviewing your books gives you a greater chance of winning books in the future, while neglecting to review lowers your odds. For more information, vist the [Early Reviewers Help Page](. Book World News: In Memoriam The past months have seen many losses in the book world, among them the [January passing]( of [Thich Nhat Hanh](, the exiled Vietnamese monk, peace activist and author who founded the [Plum Village]( school of Engaged Buddhism. Nominated by [Martin Luther King, Jr.]( for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1967, Hanh was the author of over 130 books, ranging from spiritual guides to Buddhist texts, teachings on mindfulness to poetry and story collections. He was also the founder of [Parallax Press](www.parallax.org), a small non-profit publisher which printed his own work, as well as that of other authors writing about mindfulness, meditation, spiritual healing and activism. Hanh was 95. Pioneering evolutionary biologist and long-time Harvard professor [Edward O. Wilson]( died [this past December](, at the age of 92. The winner of two [Pulitzer Prizes](Prize) over the course of his long career—first in 1979 for [On Human Nature](, and then in 1991 for [The Ants](—Wilson was considered the world’s foremost myrmecologist, and was also celebrated for his environmental advocacy and his promotion of humanistic ethics. Celebrated African American poet, activist and academic [bell hooks]( also [died this past December](, at the age of 69. The author of over forty books, including essay collections, poetry and children’s titles, as well as numerous articles, hooks addressed issues of race, class and gender in her work, and is particularly noted for her groundbreaking [Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism](, written when she was an undergraduate student in the 1970s, but not published until 1981. A professor of English and Women’s Studies, she taught at a number of institutions of higher learning, including the [University of Southern California](, [Yale University](, [Oberlin College](, the [City College of New York](, and [Berea College](. In early December, American author [Anne Rice]( died [at the age of 80](, after suffering a stroke. The author of more than thirty books, Rice was particularly known for her gothic vampire novels, beginning with her 1976 debut, [Interview With a Vampire](. The first of the thirteen-book [Vampire Chronicles]( series, the novel was made into a [blockbuster film]( in 1994, and has been adapted as a comic three times. Sadly, there have been many other recent losses in the book world. These include [the late December passing]( of American novelist [Joan Didion](, celebrated for her many works of fiction, and for her [National Book Award](Book+Award)-winning memoir, [The Year of Magical Thinking](; [the death a few days later]( of [Keri Hulme](, New Zealand’s first [Booker Prize](Prize) winner, for her 1984 novel, [The Bone People](; and [the early January death]( of Filipino novelist [F. Sionil José](, remembered as a champion of the common people of his country. American political commentator and satirist [P.J. O’Rourke]( also [recently passed away](, at the beginning of February. The world of children’s literature has likewise lost some notable authors and artists in the last months, most recently the Polish-born British illustrator and author [Jan Pieńkowski](, who has [died at the age of 85](. Pieńkowski, who won the [Kate Greenaway Medal](Greenaway+Medal) twice—first in 1971 for [The Kingdom Under the Sea and Other Stories](, and then in 1979 for [Haunted House](—is best known for the artwork he contributed to the beloved [Meg and Mog]( picture book series. Celebrated African American author and artist [Ashley Bryan](, whose recent picture book, [Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life](, was awarded a [Newberry Honor](Honor) in 2017, [died in early February](, at the age of 98. Book World News: Awards Awards and Prizes. The winners of the [American Library Association’s]( [Youth Media Awards](—twenty different awards, many given out in multiple categories—[were announced in late January](. The winner of the [Newbery Medal](Medal), recognizing “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children,” was [Donna Barba Higuera](, for her [The Last Cuentista](. [Newbery Honors](20Honor) were given to [Rajani LaRocca]( for [Red, White and Whole](, [Darcie Little Badger]( for [A Snake Falls to Earth](, [Kyle Lukoff]( for [Too Bright to See](, and [Andrea Wang]( for [Watercress](. Having netted author [Andrea Wang]( a [Newbery Honor](Honor), the picture-book [Watercress]( won artist [Jason Chin]( the [Caldecott Medal](Medal), given annually to “the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” [Caldecott Honors](Honor) were awarded to [Shawn Harris]( for [Have You Ever Seen a Flower?](, [Corey R. Tabor]( for [Mel Fell](, [Floyd Cooper]( for [Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre](, and [Micha Archer]( for [Wonder Walkers](. The [Printz Award](Award), given to “a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature,” was awarded to [Angeline Boulley](, for her [Firekeeper’s Daughter](. [Printz Honors](20Honor) were given to [Angie Thomas]( for [Concrete Rose](, [Malindo Lo]( for [Last Night at the Telegraph Club](, [Kekla Magoon]( for [Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People](, and [Lisa Fipps]( for [Starfish](. The [Coretta Scott King Awards](Scott+King+Award), which recognize outstanding African American children’s authors and illustrators, were dominated this year by [Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre](, with both author [Carole Boston Weatherford]( and illustrator [Floyd Cooper]( winning the medal, in their respective categories. [Coretta Scott King Honors](20Scott%20King%20Honor) in the Author category were given to [Safia Elhillo]( for [Home Is Not a Country](, [Kekla Magoon]( for [Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People](, and [Ibi Zoboi]( for [The People Remember](. [Honors](20Scott%20King%20Honor) in the Illustrator category were awarded to [Christian Robinson]( for [Nina: A Story of Nina Simone](, [Raissa Figueroa]( for [We Wait for the Sun](, and [C.G. Esperanza]( for [Soul Food Sunday](. The [Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award](20Scott%20King/John%20Steptoe%20New%20Talent%20Award) was given to [Amber McBride]( for her [Me (Moth)](, and the [Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award](20Scott%20King/John%20Steptoe%20New%20Talent%20Award) was given to [Regis]( and [Kahran Bethencourt]( for [The Me I Choose to Be](. Poet and prolific author [Nikki Grimes]( was awarded the [Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement](. The [Sydney Taylor Book Award](Taylor+Book+Award), named in honor of groundbreaking Jewish American children’s author [Sydney Taylor](, is presented annually by the [Association of Jewish Libraries]( “to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.” This year’s winner in the Picture Book category was [The Passover Guest](, by [Susan Kusel](, illustrated by [Sean Rubin](; in the Middle Grade category, the winner was [How to Find What You’re Not Looking For](, by [Veera Hiranandani](; and the winner in the Young Adult category was [The City Beautiful](, by [Aden Polydoros](. [Honor Books](Taylor+Honor) were also chosen in each of the categories, while the Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award was given to prolific author [Jane Yolen](. Many other [ALA Youth Media Awards]( were also announced, including the [Mildred L. Batchelder Award](L.+Batchelder+Award), the [Pura Belpré Award](Belpr%C3%A9+Award), the [American Indian Youth Literature Awards](American+Indian+Youth+Literature+Award), the [Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature](252FPacific+American+Award+for+Literature), and the [Theodor Seuss Geisel Award](Award). Please see the [ALA announcement]( for the complete list of awards and winners. Just as the world of children’s letters has seen many award announcements in the last few months, so too has the world of poetry. In the UK, [it has been announced]( that Guyanese writer [Grace Nichols]( will be awarded the [Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry]( for her body of work. She was praised by former medal recipient and committee chairman [Simon Armitage]( as “an original, pioneering voice in the British poetry scene,” whose “poems are alive with characters from the folklore and fables of her Caribbean homeland, and echo with the rhymes and rhythms of her family and ancestors.” Also in the UK, [Joelle Taylor]( has been [announced as the winner]( of the [T. S. Eliot Poetry Prize](20S.%20Eliot%20Prize) for her [C+nto & Othered Poems](, which offers a look at butch lesbian counterculture in the 1990s, and which was praised by the judges as “a blazing book of rage and light.” In the United States, [Sharon Olds]( has won the [2022 Robert Frost Medal](, presented annually by the [Poetry Society of America]( in recognition of “distinguished lifetime achievement in poetry.” This past December, Australian poet [Adam Aitken]( was [announced as the winner]( of the 2021 [Patrick White Award]( established by Nobel Laureate [Patrick White]( in 1974 to honor writers who had “made a significant but inadequately recognised contribution to Australian literature.” The [Australian Prime Minister’s Literary Awards](Prime+Minister%27s+Literary+Award), established in 2007 to celebrate “the contribution of Australian literature to the nation's cultural and intellectual life," were [announced in mid December](, with winners in six categories. [Amanda Lohrey]( has won in the Fiction category for [The Labyrinth](, [Stephen Edgar]( in the Poetry category for [The Strangest Place: New and Selected Poems](, and [Quentin Sprague]( in the Nonfiction category for [The Stranger Artist: Life at the Edge of Kimberley Painting](. [Grace Karskens]( has won in the Australian history category for [People of the River: Lost Worlds of Early Australia](, while [Cath Moore]( has won in the YA Literature category for [Metal Fish, Falling Snow](. Finally, in the Children’s Literature category, joint winners were announced, in the form of [Remy Lai]( for [Fly on the Wall](, and [Meg McKinlay]( for [How to Make a Bird](. Also in Australia, [a number of authors were chosen]( as [Order of Australia]( recipients this past January, on Australia Day. Among those so honored were bestselling memoirist and fiction writer [Alice Pung](, nonfiction author and science educator [Lynne Kelly](, and cookbook author [Maggie Beer](, among others. In Canada, meanwhile, novelist [Yann Martel]( has [been named]( to the [Order of Canada](. The winners of the 2021 [Hugo Awards](, given out to the best in science fiction and fantasy writing, [were announced this past December](. The winner for Best Novel was [Martha Wells](, for her [Network Effect](, the fifth in her [Murderbot Diaries]( series. Best Novella went to [Nghi Vo](, for her [The Empress of Salt and Fortune](, while Best Novelette went to [Sarah Pinsker](, for her [Two Truths and a Lie](. T. Kingfisher (AKA [Ursula Vernon]() won for Best Short Story for her [Metal Like Blood in the Dark](, originally published in [Uncanny Magazine](. [Martha Wells]( won a second time, in the Best Series category, for her [Murderbot Diaries](, while [Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation](, written by [Octavia E. Butler](, adapted by [Damian Duffy](, and illustrated by [John Jennings]( was the winner in the Best Graphic Story or Comic category. For a full list of the winners, see [the announcement on the Tor website](. In further science fiction news, [David Gerrold]( has been [named the winner]( of the 2022 [Robert A. Heinlein Award](, presented annually “for outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings to inspire the human exploration of space." In particular, Gerrold was praised by the award committee for his “​​emphasis on young adult space travel novels and inspired creation during Star Trek screenwriting.” Freedom of Expression Freedom of expression continues to be a pressing issue, as the international literary community unites in their concern for a missing Rwandan poet, and the conflict over curriculum and book selection in many American schools continues to gain steam. More than one hundred authors from around the world [have expressed concern]( over the fate of [Rwandan poet Innocent Bahati](, who disappeared a little over a year ago, and who is well-known in his country for his critical stance on the government. Bahati has disappeared in the past, before turning up in the custody of the police. Writers such as [Margaret Atwood](, [Ben Okri]( and [J. M. Coetzee]( have joined with others in writing to the Rwandan president to ask him to investigate the case. The question of school curriculum and book selection in America has continued to make the news over the past months, with Iowa state senators pushing for [criminal charges against school librarians and teachers]( caught disseminating “obscene” books, and a school district in Tennessee stirring national controversy by [removing the graphic novel Maus]( from their curriculum. A Texas representative’s list of [850 books with potentially problematic racial and gender content](, which we reported on in the [November issue of SOTT]( has prompted school librarians in that state to launch the [#FReadom Fighters social media campaign](, intended to support beleaguered colleagues working to promote intellectual freedom. LibraryThing itself has responded, with LibraryThing's [Tim Spalding]( suggesting and then leading [a group read of Maus](, highlighted previously in this newsletter. Other Book World News COVID-19 Updates Covid-19 has continued to play a role in the book world, affecting decisions around public gatherings such as conventions and book festivals, causing staffing shortages in the bookselling business, and disrupting supply chains. The [American Booksellers Association]( has [canceled their 2022 Winter Institute]( scheduled to occur in Cincinnati in February, making this the second year in a row that the event could not go forward. In response to the situation, the ABA announced that it would expand its virtual [Snow Days event]( in March. The [New York Toy Fair](, which attracts many publishers each year, and which was also scheduled for February, was likewise [canceled for the second year in a row](, while the March [Leipzig Book Fair](, described as Germany’s largest consumer book show, [was also canceled](. In New Zealand, the [PANZ (Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu) International Conference](, scheduled for early March, [has been postponed]( until August. In January, Covid-related staffing shortages led to the [closure of a number of New York Public Library branches](, while booksellers in eastern Australia [also reported staffing woes]( during this period. In the UK, HarperCollins and Bonnier have [asked their employees to return to the office]( for a few days a week, following the lifting of government restrictions, while in New York, Macmillan announced that its Manhattan office would [delay reopening indefinitely](. Supply chain issues continue to plague the publishing industry, as [book publication dates are delayed]( and the head of Hachette UK declares that [the current crisis is the worst he has ever seen](. In Turkey, the [rising price of paper]( has led to the fear that many mid-sized and smaller publishing companies will be driven out of business. Book Sales & Publishing [Publishing sales rose by 12%]( in the United States in 2021, while general book sales for the year rose in [France](, [Italy]( and [Germany](. The [UK]( and [Ireland]( in the meantime, had their best bookselling year on record, with independent bookshops in the two countries both [adding to their numbers](, and [making £2m]( through the website [bookshop.org](. In early January an ongoing mystery in the publishing world was potentially solved, as [authorities arrested Filippo Bernardini](, an Italian citizen working at the London office of Simon & Schuster, for allegedly stealing a number of unpublished manuscripts over the course of many years. Bernardini faces charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, but the motivation for his possible thefts remains unclear, as the stolen manuscripts—including works by high-profile figures like [Margaret Atwood]( and [Ethan Hawke](—were never sold or ransomed. The battle over various US state laws addressing ebook pricing and access for libraries has continued, as Governor Hochul of New York [vetoed that state’s proposed law]( in late December, while the AAP’s (Association of American Publishers) lawsuit to [block a similar law in Maryland]( has progressed, with an [injunction against the implementation of the law]( recently being granted. Despite these setbacks, similar laws have been proposed in the state legislatures of [Illinois and Rhode Island](, and [Tennessee and Missouri](. Literary News Celebrated African American author and activist [Maya Angelou]( has been honored by the [U.S. Mint](, which chose her to appear on the first of their special series of [quarters featuring American women](. Two important literary collections have found a safe home in the UK recently, with a significant collection of [James Joyce]( papers and books being [donated to the University of Reading](, and the Honresfield library, containing manuscripts from [Jane Austen](, [Charlotte]( and [Emily Brontë]( and [Sir Walter Scott](, being [saved from auction to a private owner]( through public fundraising efforts. The collection will now be distributed to various UK institutions by the [FNL]( (Friends of the National Libraries). In Ireland, [Trinity College Dublin]( has begun a [five-year project to preserve and protect]( its rare books collection and to restore its historic Old Library. Built between 1712 and 1732, and housing the majestic [Long Room](, the Old Library is considered a national treasure in its own right, and is home to some 250,000 ancient books and manuscripts. The entire project is expected to cost around €90 million, with the library’s physical preservation of the books being the main priority. This will include adding temperature and humidity control, among other measures. Hot on LibraryThing Here are some titles that have been particularly hot on LibraryThing in the last month: - [Devil House]( by [John Darnielle]( - [Violeta: A Novel]( by [Isabel Allende]( - [House of Sky and Breath]( by [Sarah J. Maas]( - [The Golden Couple]( by [Greer Hendricks]( - [The Christie Affair]( by [Nina de Gramont]( - [Black Cake: A Novel]( by [Charmaine Wilkerson]( - [Something to Hide]( by [Elizabeth George]( - [The Magnolia Palace: A Novel]( by [Fiona Davis]( - [Watercress]( by [Andrea Wang]( - [How High We Go in the Dark]( by [Sequoia Nagamatsu]( - [The Maid]( by [Nita Prose]( - [Daughter of the Moon Goddess]( by [Sue Lynn Tan]( - [The 1619 Project: Born on Water]( by [Nikole Hannah-Jones]( - [The School for Good Mothers]( by [Jessamine Chan]( - [To Paradise]( by [Hanya Yanagihara]( - [Olga Dies Dreaming]( by [Xochitl Gonzalez]( - [Reckless Girls]( by [Rachel Hawkins]( - [King of Battle and Blood]( by [Scarlett St. Clair]( - [Where the Drowned Girls Go]( by [Seanan McGuire]( - [Index, A History of the]( by [Dennis Duncan]( Hot in Libraries Here's what's hot in the last month across thousands of public libraries in the United States: This data was collected by Syndetics Unbound, a LibraryThing/ProQuest project to enrich the library catalog. The search data is fully anonymized the day it is collected. For more information about Syndetics Unbound, please visit [Syndetics.com](. TinyCat [TinyCat]( is the online catalog for small libraries, created by LibraryThing. It turns your existing LibraryThing account into a simple, professional, web-based catalog. Follow [@TinyCat_Lib]( on Twitter for the latest TinyCat news, and be sure to check out [LibraryThing’s Youtube channel]( for a range of TinyCat tutorials. of the Month. [The Starfish Foundation Library](—a wonderful multilingual library founded in February 2021 on the Greek island of Lesvos—is TinyCat’s Library of the Month for February. The Foundation’s volunteers, including Jessica Volmar, who fielded Kristi’s questions this month, work diligently to help local and migrant communities in need. Q. Who are you, and what is your mission—your “raison d’être”? The Starfish Foundation was started by locals on Lesvos in 2015, who witnessed one of the world’s greatest humanitarian disasters unfolding on their shorelines with thousands of refugees arriving. The target group of most of the activities are mainly refugees, but Starfish Foundation has widened the target groups and now also reaches many local people and organizations. One of our projects is the Library Project, which includes a multilingual library in the city Mytilene and a mobile library in the refugee camp Mavrovouni. You can find the [full interview on the LibraryThing Blog](. TinyCat Webinars. To learn more about TinyCat, join Kristi for a live demo Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern. Webinars are now on Zoom, so make sure to use our new [link to attend](. You can also check out our playlists of Tiny Tutorials on [LibraryThing's YouTube channel](, where Kristi walks you through various features of TinyCat in 30 seconds or less. If you'd like to schedule a webinar at another time or if you have other questions about TinyCat, you can reach Kristi at tinycat@librarything.com. Did You Know? Did you know that LibraryThing is available in languages besides English? - 🇫🇷 - 🇩🇪 - 🇮🇹 - 🇪🇸 - 🇩🇰 - 🇳🇴 - ðŸ´ó ¥ó ³ó £ó ´ó ¿ - 🇸🇪 - 🇵🇹 - 🏴‍☠️ Whew! That's all for the Thing this month! Happy reading, Abigail This message was sent to {NAME}. Click to [edit your email preferences or unsubscribe from future emails](.