Sounis Pops Up in the Strangest Places

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

I took a closet of books and turned it into a functioning library for a rural charter school, Pre-K thru 12th Grade.  It was a blissful labor for a Bookish Babe.  Catalog, Barcode, Spine label, Organize, Patron Check-Out Systems. Outdated Non-fiction, lots of picture books, not nearly enough YA; our poor High School and Middle Grade readers were suffering.   I purchased and placed copies of the Entire Works of Megan Whalen Turner.  And then I did what you would do if you found yourself at the end of your ResouceMate software.  I stockpiled books about how to have a rocking-awesome library...and look who turned up:


Fellow Sounisians, please turn to page 121 in your copies of Teens, Libraries, and Social Networking:  What Librarians Need to Know. 
There you will find, under the heading of "Other Book Fandoms of Particular Interest to Teens":

And I quote:
    "Any books that capture the imaginations of readers will have a fandom.  Megan Whalen Turner is a highly regarded, award-winning fantasy author for children and teens.  The first book in her "Queens Thief" series (more commonly known as the Attolia series), The Thief, won a Newberry Honor.  In 2010, the fourth book in this series, A Conspiracy of Kings, was published.  Unlike the Harry Potter and Twilight series, the Attolia series has not been turned into a high-profile, successful movie.  The long wait between new books and the lack of multi-media tie-ins are reflected in a smaller fandom.  A Google search of Attolia fansites returned just 300 results.  Reading through just the first handful of sites showed they aren't separate fansites, something which is also true about Harry Potter and Twilight fansites.  Instead, reviews and websites keep pointing toward one fansite, Eddis, Attolia, and Sounis.  It's only one website, but it is where all the dedicated, obsessed, caring fans go to share news, fanfiction, fanart, and to analyze the books."




Yeah, you guys are famous.  Thanks for letting me hang out with you.

Comments

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Excuse me, while a hyperventilate.

Brandy, you are awesome! I will say fandom is much easier to follow when it has a hub like Sounis and QT_fic. Pretty much everything QT related gets posted here. Large fandom is simply all over the place.

Also, just read a few pages of that book, and it makes me feel weird. I had no idea the fangirl psyche was being so throughly analyzed. Makes me feel like a rare mushroom. 0_0 Fandom has actually turned out to be a pretty good hobby for me. After all, my username ended up in a published book! And I really like, "The first rule of Fight Club is that you don't talk about Fight Club." Yup, that applies to fandom quite well.

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

Lady Jane, you're like a professional fangirl! It's awesome.

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

That is so cool! I'm happy all you famous Sounisians let me hang out with you, too.

Edit: Also, is that icon the stack of books that MWT signed at one of her meetups? It looks like it was either the Starbucks in San Diego or somewhere in the Bay Area (I can't remember).

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Professional fangirl? Keh, I like it! I suppose you may not have heard the funny story I'm forever bragging about, about how Gerald Morris put my username in the author's notes of The Legend of the King?

Due to this (http://squirestales.livejournal.com/2373.html?thread=9541) absentminded comment of mine Gerald Morris (one of my favorite authors of all time) credited me in the author notes of the final book in his Squire's Tales series, Legend of the King. To view follow this link (http://books.google.com/books?id=vTQ_JAOHOXwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+legend+of+the+king&hl=en&ei=6YIlTennAsK78gbkoMH_AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false) and scroll to page 286. Yeah... Life just doesn't get much more awesome than that.

I have no idea how or why it happened, but I do know life does not get much sweeter than that! :)

[ilysia-039.livejournal.com]

I feel so honored to be able to bask- only bask, mind you- in the light of such famous Sounisians.

[booksrgood4u.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm honored to be considered a dedicated, obsessed, caring fan! You guys are the best!

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was the meetup at Starbucks/Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. That was a trip worth making, to meet you and so many other clever, articulate "fangirls". (The name is almost dismissive once you meet said "fangirls " in person. But the description is apt, so we'll have to bear the title.)

[agh-4.livejournal.com]

Yes! That's so amazing. I am also honored. :)

[1221bookworm.livejournal.com]

WOW!! We're all published!! :) Congrats to all Sounisians for their accomplishment!!

I really enjoy how active this comm is!!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I was a little stunned at this. We are of Particular Interest. I'm so glad you shared this. It's one thing to see Sounis mentioned on blogs or other websites, but another to make mention in a professional book for librarians.

Sounis really is unique, isn't it? It sort of makes me want to list "Friendly Neighborhood Despot and Reprobate Wrangler" on my resume.

I like the sound of your work in making the little library better. Outdated nonfiction--that's so sad! Hope you see some more funds come your way so you can continue to make improvements.

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

I knew I recognized it! That was a wonderful trip :)

And "fangirls" may be a bit dismissive, but it does accurately convey the magnitude of our obsession.

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

I did hear about that! I think I checked Chatzy a day or so after you announced it and saw the big news. Congrats again :)

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dear! :)

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

Awwwe <3 that, we *are* unique, I love the QT books even more bc of all the people I get to obsess with (-:

Thanks Sounis, MWT, and everyone!!

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

That alone is pretty beast for a resume.

[ayvara.livejournal.com]

As a newbie but a long-time lurker here and a fangirl in general, the fact this fandom got mentioned makes me really happy as you guys deserve recognition for being one of the most creative, friendly and awesome fandoms I've ever seen. I've never been sure whether this is because TQT is not super well-known or despite it, but either way, you rock.

Okay, sorry for gushing but I felt it necessary.

[(Anonymous)]

You guys are the best. Smart, articulate, funny and kind. When I say that I am honored that you are the fans of my work, I really mean it.

~mwt

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, we're famous! And mwt, it's just because you're so incredible. Um, about the next book...?

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

Your labors here certainly should go on a resume! Having had a small taste of what you do, I have to say, Librarians Rock!
I've had so much fun in our library. We now have 3,000 shelved titles, a searchable database, and best of all...a patron check out system so our students can borrow books! And now that the library is functioning, we have a budget to expand our collection. I'v never had so much fun in an unpaid position before. I can't imagine how much fun it would be to do this for a living. Librarianism is the best kept secret rock-star job. Shhhh, don't tell the others.

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

Your work does tend to attract a broad readership, but an elite class of "decicated, obsessed, caring fans". I've not met a rotten one among them yet. I can't compare Sounis to other fandoms as I've never participated in any others, but I have been part of some mighty fine book groups.
Sounis is so much like an inclusive neighborhood bookclub, showing the caring and tact of close neighbors even though we are spread geographically thin. The Kudos go to the Founders and Moderaters who've kept this a shiny beautiful place for us to live online, as well as to the members who contribute such fabulous content. And most certainly to you, because you take the time to create for us the works worth duscussing, teasing apart, and obsessing (long-term) over. Sounis has been around for how long? And we haven't run out of material yet. So, here is Thank You # 1,294,332: Thank you for creating. Do continue.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, well done! I second!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I know! It's the best job ever. I just had a TON of money to spend on books, and it was so much fun. By the end, though, it was sort of like working in a chocolate factory. If I had to look at one more chocolate I would scream. Who thought there could be such a thing as too much book-ordering???

Sounds like you've done great things there--it will be a blast to watch the students choose and check out books! Bet they are excited.

[styromgalleries.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic! You ladies all rock!

[1221bookworm.livejournal.com]

I third!! Everyone here is very kind!!

[creative-lefty2.livejournal.com]

I always knew this was the best fangroup ever! Engaging conversation, few lulls in discussion topics, and a good group of people.

Here's to remaining awesome!

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Tell me, are you using a commercial checkout system? I'm thinking of volunteering to fix up my church library, and need to look into inexpensive cataloguing/circulation systems intended for small libraries. I figure I'll start by picking your brains!

Checkers, there is NOT EITHER ANY SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH BOOK ORDERING! HERETIC!

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

Cheers, everyone! :)

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

We purchased a system called ResourceMate. We ordered adhesive barcodes from a related company, complete with our school name under the code. Add a barcode scanner and it's time to rock and roll. I don't know what other systems are out there, but ResourceMate was affordable for us and easy for a volunteer novice to use. They have a full ISBN look-up to import all info from the materials and it gives the Catalog info for the spine labels, which can be printed in batches. It's actually a really fun process. You should go for it! No library service is ever a wasted service.

[bookishbabe.livejournal.com]

What is this "too-much-book-ordering" of which you speak?! Do you need a vacation? I hear London is nice in the spring...

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear!

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhhh that is so awesome.

I sometimes forget that we are not living in our own alternate universe on here... :)

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Wow! That is so exciting. I knew Sounis was particularly special!. *goes to check book out of library just to see our name in print...* xD


I've just started working in a library (not as a librarian; I am a mere page), and I am also planning to help organize my tiny church library (which has no database as of yet...). Good luck with yours! Sounds like fun.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I know! It was just so HARD. But I'm reaping the rewards now as I shelve the 5,000 new books! Or, try to shelve. Now I need more shelves.

Can't wait to read some of these new books.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

This is why I missed you guys so much! We are just awesome.

[filkferengi]

Yay, we're all awesome, & mwt's even awesomer!

I want to hear more about the library, though. Is this someplace we can send books or cds to? What do they need? How about an extra isbn scanner [you plug it into the computer, & it reads the isbn numbers]?

[chubbyleng.livejournal.com]

Yah!!! I guess I was extremely lucky first to have come across QT at all, and second to like it enough to look up any fansites! I haven't been in many fandoms at all, but this is one of those places on the net where I always feel so at home! ^__^

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

An isbn scanner? :-O Does this mean it is possible to not have to print out barcodes?

I'm volunteering to help fix up my church library, and we were just discussing whether barcodes would be necessary! Hm...

[filkferengi]

It doesn't print anything. It goes beep & scans the number off the back of the book into whatever program you have up, like librarything. It's great with new hardbacks, but not so good for older paperbacks who may not have numbers at all, let alone numbers that match the book they're on. If you'd like, you're welcome to it. Also, if your library's looking for books, hereabouts would be a very productive place to mention that. Post some guidelines--genre, language, subject matter, etc.--& wait for the goodies to roll in.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Yes, any decent barcode scanner will read both the ISBN numbers that are on all books, as well as library barcodes that are printed and put on by the library. But, as filkferengi says, they aren't very reliable with the ISBN numbers, esp. with the changes made to ISBNs recently (they are all longer now). You would probably still need to purchase some kind of software system, unless you want to use old fashioned cards. OR an Excel spreadsheet of your titles.

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you both for the information! Yes, my mum (who coordinates the library) is planning to use the software package Organizer Pro. I don't know if we'll be putting our own barcodes on all the books, but we *will* be entering the ISBNs into the computer so we can at least have a searchable database. :)

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Actually what I said is not quite right --the software's called "Small Library Organizer Pro." So, the one for libraries. ;)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

YAY Rosie is back in sounis!