TMI *

October 19, 2010

*Too Much Information

Some days, do you want to hide under the covers mumbling, "Please, no more information:  no more cell phones, TV's, I-Pods, Facebook, Twitter, computers or newspapers?" Do you long for a quiet spot to sit with a cup of coffee or tea and just reflect? Were we really meant, as humans, to process so much information? 

This overload of information is most notable in the numbers of books that are published today. Bowker's Books In Print database offers valuable information on more than 7.5 million U.S. book, audiobooks, and video titles, as well as another 10 million international titles. If we subtract the audio versions and video titles, we are still left with an astounding number of books!

Refining the list even further, the 40th edition of Bowker’s Children's Books in Print is produced from the Books in Print database. Volume 1 contains the Title Index to approximately 250,151 books available from some 18,437 United States publishers. We have not even considered all the self-published books.

So, we are faced with a dilemma. How do we find a good book, especially one for our children? Luckily, the task becomes manageable by looking for Award Books. From the home page, click on the catalog and you will see a list of Award Books. Three of the most well known for children are the Mark Twain, Caldecott Medal and Newbery Medal Awards. For young adults, two well known awards are the Gateway and Truman Awards. 

In the Mid-Continent system, the Riverside Branch has the most complete collection of Award Books for children and young adults. We have special sections for the above named Awards, as well as a large collection of books from many other awards. You are welcome to come in and browse.  All our staff will be glad to help you find what you need.

Beverly D.
Riverside Branch