Month: February 2024

by Alyssa Yenzer Alyssa Yenzer No Comments

Let’s Talk About Fandoms

Let’s Talk About Fandoms

by Alessia Passarelli Library Assistant II

Everything I Need I Get from You: Tiffany, Kaitlyn: 9780374539184: Amazon.com: Books

Fandoms may remind you of screaming fans at a concert or somebody cosplaying as their favorite fantasy character at a convention. Regardless of what comes to mind, fandoms have been around for many years because of how important they are to the entertainment industry, and they might represent more than you think. I have been part of various fandoms for as long as I can remember, from musical artists like Taylor Swift and One Direction to book franchises like “Harry Potter” and “Shadow and Bone”. Fandoms provide a unique support system, a dependable community of like-minded individuals, and possibly most importantly, they can offer an escape from reality. These three books from the Manhattan Public Library catalog illustrate an understanding of what it means to be in fandoms and how these unique communities can provide an essential support system.

Everything I Need I Get From You: How Fangirls Created The Internet As We Know It” by Kaitlyn Tiffany is my favorite nonfiction book because of how appreciated it makes me feel. Tiffany explains how fans from different fandoms and backgrounds create the slang and social dynamics that we all experience on the internet today. While friends in real life have their inside jokes and jargon with each other, fandoms do as well. From memes and references to even having their own anniversaries and traditions, each fandom creates a family with its own unique subculture. The internet creates a space for people to unapologetically come together to collectively adore something without shame. Fans can become long-term friends in these online spaces, whether they meet in real life or stay as friends virtually. Tiffany is a One Direction fan, so the novel’s examples of internet culture are mostly dedicated to that fandom. However, I think this is a valuable read if you want to have a greater understanding of the rise of the internet and the role it plays in fandom culture today.

Nerd: Adventures in Fandom from This Universe to the Multiverse” by Maya Phillips is a collection of nonfiction essays written as a love letter to the fandom community. Phillips touches on multiple fandoms and her experiences as a Black woman in these communities. Philips provides a refreshing outlook comparing how different backgrounds may interact differently with other fandoms. She grew up in New York and first explored the fandom world through 90s cartoons that she watched in her childhood. These experiences catapulted her into joining many fandoms throughout her life, making her a fandom expert. Phillips also discusses important topics surrounding racism, classism, and sexism, including the portrayal of Black people and women in the media. This is a must-read that can broaden your understanding of everything that goes on in fandoms behind the scenes and on the screens. Regardless of your background, community and relatability can be found in any fandom. Phillips encourages everyone to embrace their interests, lean into being a “nerd”, and be open to all of the possibilities that can stem from it.

Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell is a beloved coming-of-age Young Adult fiction novel following Cath who writes fanfiction about Simon Snow and how she adapts to her new life in college without her sister by her side. Cath and her twin sister, Wren, live and breathe Simon Snow because it helps them cope with their mom abandoning them. In college, Wren doesn’t want to be Cath’s roommate, leaving Cath to experience the trials and tribulations of college alone with her social anxiety. Cath acknowledges how dull the real world can be, and when it is, her fanfiction is her ray of light before life gets better again. Whether your reality feels dark for days or years, your online community can be the most stable and accessible asset in your life when you need it most. For Cath, this was especially true when her life changed so drastically, but her fictitious world stayed the same and she could still call it home.

Escapism allows us to temporarily forget our reality. We escape when we wind down at night to watch a TV show or read a book. When the real world becomes too much, we can rely on a make-believe world to get us through it. Being a part of a community centered on escapism with friends aligned with our interests enhances our well-being. I’ve met some of my closest real-life friends because of fandoms and other friendships were made stronger because of it. When your real-life support system cannot provide the space to be there for you when you need it, you can bet that at least one person in the thousands of your online community can. Pursue your interests wherever they lead you. You could make new friends and learn more about yourself, and Manhattan Public Library has the books and media to get you through your dark days.

 

Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

by Alyssa Yenzer Alyssa Yenzer No Comments

Black History Month

Black History Month

BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art: Ware, Zaria: 9780063272415: Amazon.com: Books

It’s February! Beyond celebrating the wintery weather, super great for this Michigan girl, 2024’s Black History Month is being celebrated across the country in homes, schools, libraries, and museums. The theme of ”African Americans and the Arts” takes the forefront in our public spaces with The National Museum of African American History and Culture “highlighting the ‘art of resistance’ and the artists who used their crafts to uplift the race, speak truth to power and inspire a nation.” The Smithsonian is focusing on “the many impacts Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more.” Here at Manhattan Public Library, we will have several book displays throughout the library and have created multiple booklists located in our library catalog and  the Beanstack app. Below is a summary of those lists and some of the books that will be included.

 

Catalog booklists can be found on our catalog page and are changed monthly. These lists are created by library staff to reflect current trends, monthly themes, and events. To explore these lists fully, visit https://catalog.manhattan.lib.ks.us/polaris/default.aspx.

All information about these books has been taken from our catalog.

Adult fiction: These books can be found in our fiction section located on the first floor of the library.

The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett:

“The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a

small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white.”

My Sister the Serial Killer: A Novel” by Oyinkan Braithwaite:

“Satire meets slasher in this short, darkly funny hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends. Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic.”

Adult non-fiction: These books can be found in our nonfiction section located on the second floor of the library.

BLK Art: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art” by Zaria Ware:

“A fun and fact-filled introduction to the dismissed Black art masters and models who shook up the world. Elegant. Refined. Exclusionary. Interrupted.”

By Her Own Design: A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register” by Piper Huguley:

“A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses.”

Beanstack booklists can be found on, you guessed it, the Beanstack App. These lists are also created by staff monthly and more closely reflect the happenings in the library. You will find lists for children, young adults, and adults covering a wide range of topics both fiction and nonfiction. All information for these books has been taken from our catalog.

Picture Books: These books can be found in the Children’s Library on the picture book shelves, on the first floor of the library.

The ABCs of Black History” by Rio Cortez; pictures by Lauren Semmer:

“B is for Beautiful, Brave, and Bright! Letter by letter, The ABCs of Black History celebrates a story that spans continents and centuries, triumph and heartbreak, creativity and joy.”

Maya’s Song” by Renée Watson; illustrated by Bryan Collier:

“This unforgettable picture book introduces young readers to the life and work of Maya Angelou, whose words have uplifted and inspired generations of readers…Maya was the first Black person and first woman to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration, and her influence echoes through culture and history.”

Kindergarten-5th Grade: These books can be found in the Children’s Library in the children’s history neighborhood, on the first floor of the library.

Young Gifted and Black” by Jamia Wilson; illustrated by Andrea Pippins:

“Join us on a journey across borders, through time and even through space to meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in a celebration of achievement. Discover how their childhood dreams and experiences influenced their adult achievements.”

28 Days” by Charles R. Smith, Jr.; illustrated by Shane W. Evans

“The 28 days of Black History Month are commemorated with descriptions of the men, women and events that have been vital in defining our understanding of African-American history. The entries move chronologically from 1770 to the present, and encompass all walks of life.”

Young Adult: These books can be found in our Young Adult section located on the second floor of the library.

Forever Is Now” by Mariama J. Lockington:

“When sixteen-year-old Sadie, a Black bisexual recluse, develops agoraphobia the summer before her junior year, she relies on her best friend, family, and therapist to overcome her fears. Not feeling safe anywhere, Sadie retreats inside herself.”

Love Is a Revolution” by Renée Watson

“Harlem teenager Nala is looking forward to a summer of movies and ice cream until she falls in love with the very woke Tye and pretends to be a social activist. As Nala falls deeper into keeping up her lies and into love, she’ll learn all the ways love is hard, and how self-love is revolutionary.”

If you  need instructions on how to get Beanstack or you want to sign up for our current reading challenges: Cozy Up with a Good Book (Kinder-Adult) or 1000 Books Before Kindergarten (0-Kinder), visit us at https://mhklibrary.beanstack.org/reader365. I hope you find the time to visit our displays and check out our lists.

Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

 

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by Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

 

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