Comments on: One Librarian’s Thoughts on Romance Novels

By: redlighting

redlighting — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:16:15 +0000

Thank you for posting. I agree with you. I worked in a library for 10 yrs. because I enjoy reading all kinds of books. I am new to harlequin.
I thought when I started reading harlequin how they were such “throw aways” as the used book store said & thought to myself well from what I’ve read the authors go to a great deal of trouble with research on some of the books I’ve read. In fact if I enjoy a harlequin enough I keep it for when I dont have any I want to read & re-read it months or yrs later.
I did research in my library wanting to find out about the mills boon books because I accidently found a mills boon hp in hardcover in the library and it was so beautiful-the book was pink and so lovely. dont have time to describe it but thought how jealous I am of the folks who live where they can get those books. I was able to order some on my inter library loan as long as they were hard cover . how fortunate for me. they were older hps but how fun to read them hard cover and how fun for me to discover authors I dont know yet!
redlighting

By: MaryOxford

MaryOxford — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:47:26 +0000

Hi Jessica

Here in the UK, some of the libraries up north have been running a Pure Passion promotion, highlighting the romance genre. Some of the HMB authors have been involved, such as Penny Jordan.

I’m totally with you about being proud of what we read.

Viva romance!

Mary

By: JessicaMcG

JessicaMcG — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:15:33 +0000

Ah, thanks! Its unfortunate that some librarians are judgmental; especially when helping a patron locate materials. On the upside for you, we don’t get the Mills and Boon books in the U.S. — at least you can read them there.

By: Guest appearance « Capital Romance

Guest appearance « Capital Romance — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:39:44 +0000

[...] Jump to Comments Â I’m making a guest appearance at I Heart Presents today.Â Feel free to mosey over thereand take a look at my thoughts on romance readers and libraries! [...]

By: susieq

susieq — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:03:15 +0000

I wish you were my librarian. I was really interested to read this post because I have just experienced the opposite side of the coin at my own local library in Australia. My reading tends to outstrip my ability to buy every book going so I use the library a lot. I have recently rediscovered Harlequin Mills and Boon and have really enjoyed the quality of writing and variety of stories. Women trying to juggle a million things in their lives more then earn the right to indulge in the pure escapism and fantasy that these books offer.

One of the librarians here clearly does not share my view. When I asked her if she could tell me which were the latest releases her reply was “It doesn’t matter does it, they are all the same anyway.”

I asked if she had read one recently. The answer was no.

I then asked when she had last read one. The answer was never.

Like so many subjects in our world people are incredibly quick to judge without being well informed.

I read everything from the classics to buckets of romances and children’s books….to my mind the only question that should ever be asked is whether someone is reading or not………not what are they reading.

p.s. Technical question – why do the books come in solid pink covers without a “Presents/Modern Heat/Superromance” classification.