PHAT+Fiction+Announcements

From K.C. Boyd Linkedin has a new group/new page called **Urban Fiction**. Lovers, authors, librarians and reviewers of the genre can join this group can meet here to discuss everything related to Urban Fiction/Street Literature. The group/page was created by Keishia Garnett, Manager of the Indian Trails Public Library in Illinois. Log onto: [] and search for **Urban Fiction** under the **Groups** option. Please consider joining the discussions and posting information to the page.

From Susan McClelland Follett Resources will make available a mini-catalog of urban fiction titles in late August 2010. If you'd like to receive a free copy of the catalog for your library, contact [|David Brooks], for details.

From K.C. Boyd The PHAT Fiction Wikispace is now linked to the [|ALA Wikispace - Street Lit. Collection Development Resources]

From Susan McClelland (Linda Bostrom, Manager, Professional Development,Public Library Association writes:) On behalf of the PLA 2010 Annual Conference Program Subcommittee and the PLA Board, thank you again for organizing a PLA program that was presented at the ALA 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., this past June. From all reports, this annual conference was a successful one and overall attendance was very good. Though attendance wasn’t consistent at all PLA programs, most enjoyed receptive audiences. I hope that “Phat* Fiction: Engaging Hip-Hop Literature in the Public Library (*phat=popular, hip, and tempting fiction ), ” went smoothly and that you were satisfied with the outcome. Please pass on the thanks of the association to the speakers in your session if you have not done so already. Judging by the attendance and the evaluations, your program was the hit of the conference! In the past, our small staff size has prevented the tallying of the evaluation forms that were collected at programs. This year, PLA was able to secure an intern who compiled the evaluations and a copy of the results for your program is attached. Attendees’ additional comments are also included in the spreadsheet. The average rating for all PLA-sponsored programs (based on questions 4-7 about content and speakers) was 4.29, somewhere between Very Good and Excellent!

PLA program survey