This morning I decided that ALA Graphics catalogs are like high school yearbooks. Except that all the “photos” are celebrities. And last time I checked I couldn’t order anything out of my yearbook. Okay, so not a perfect comparison, but there is that certain mix of hilarity, surprise, and nostalgia that comes from opening an old Graphics catalog. Thus, I thought I would interrupt our regular blog programming for a few weeks to share with you some of my favorite finds.

This morning we go back to the year of 1994: Back to a time when Emeril wasn’t competing with a host of other chefs with TV series and Jason Kidd and Marion Jones were only in the news for their athletic talent. The spread below features: Serena Williams, Tony Hawk, Matt Kenseth (row 1); Jason Kidd, Landon Donovan, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Mussina, Marion Jones (row 2); Michelle Kwan, Emeril Lagasse, Tara Dakides, Rebecca Lobo, Mat Hoffman, Grant Hill (row 3).

Celebrity READ Posters

Here’s another spread featuring many famous musicians of the ’90s including Coolio, Indigo Girls, Stephen Hawking (I’m not sure if Mr. Hawking would find it amusing or disturbing to know he’s been grouped with “hot” American musicians of the early 90s. As he’s holding Marilyn Monroein his poster, I tend to think he’s a little less stuffy and posses a better sense of humor than most theoretical physicists.) , “Weird Al” Yankovic, Britney Spears (row 1); Ani DiFranco, Bill Gates, LL Cool J, Melissa Etheridge, Christina Ricci, Danny Glover (row 2).

More Celebrity READ Posters

Oldies but Goodies

When I think of the great books I’ve read, nearly all have come at the recommendation of a friend, teacher, or parent. My mom was way ahead of the game when she gave me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone the Christmas of 8th grade. Later, my dad would recommend The Agony and the Ectasy. Throughout school, teachers and librarians led me to read everything from excellent poetry to graphics novels and some astounding classics. Lately, it has been friends imparting their reading wisdom  with books like The Road and Pastoralia. Regardless of how you come to read the books you do, I think we all appreciate suggestions from trusted friends, librarians, and others.

And that’s, of course, where the READ CD can help! We typically discuss issues and ideas surrounding putting an image onto the poster backgrounds, but rarely do we mention that words can make a great poster, too!

Whether you want to make signage for the end of stacks, promote library events, or display staff/teacher picks, simply click off the “eye” button to make the placeholder invisible and then use the “Horizantal Text Tool”. In the example below I used the Posted Poster from disc 2 of the READ CD Box Set as the dropback for a list recommending great authors of the Western genre.

WANTED

There are myriad ways to use READ posters as signs around your library and school. Let us know some of the ways you are using them!

And if you’re thinking, hmm…wouldn’t it be great if there were more art files like this Western-themed one that so perfectly paired with reading genres and subjects,  you will be happy to know that just an item is coming to the ALA Store soon! Keep your eyes peeled for the next addition to the READ CD software…!

[Note: Authors compiled with help of Joyce Sarick's Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.]