{"id":7382,"date":"2022-06-09T01:59:43","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T01:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/?p=7382"},"modified":"2022-06-03T14:22:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T14:22:06","slug":"sensemaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/books-we-read\/sensemaking\/","title":{"rendered":"How We Read: Sense-Making"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Books We Read Blog is conducting a series of interviews with contributors and friends of the blog to get a snapshot of our reading habits<\/a>: the things we like to read, the circumstances in which we read, and more.<\/p>\n

Sherri Farber<\/a> is the\u00a0Information Literacy Instruction Librarian in the\u00a0<\/span>Alexander Library, the author of the Summer Session Research Guide<\/a>, which helps students stay on top of the assignments with effective research knowledge and skills during fast-paced summer classes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>What kinds of books do you like to read?
\n<\/strong>Historical fiction<\/a>, biographies<\/a>, professional literature (on information literacy, critical librarianship, civic engagement, public policy)<\/p>\n

Do you have format preferences (print, ebook, audiobook, abridged, original language\/translated, etc.)?<\/strong>
\nIn the last few months, I’ve been listening to lots of audiobooks<\/a>, but only for fiction. Prior to this recent development, I was reading fiction on my phone. I prefer to read professional literature in print.<\/p>\n

How do you find new books to read?<\/strong>
\nI look for award-winning books, read New York Times<\/em> book reviews, or other lists from trusted sources. I also like to read classic literature in my mix. I take some recommendations from friends and family.<\/p>\n

Where and when do you read? Outdoors or indoors? At home or out and about? Mornings, evenings, or just before bed?
\n<\/strong>I have recently replaced listening to political podcasts with audiobooks that I listen to during my daily dog walks and while driving. I never listen to audiobooks at home. I read my print books before bed. I often devote time for professional literature in the evening.<\/p>\n

Do you use any libraries or library resources for non-required reading?<\/strong>
\nOnly for professional literature.<\/p>\n

What do you get out of your non-required reading?
\n<\/strong>I have leaned hard on my audiobooks in the last year as a type of therapeutic activity<\/a>. I’ve experienced extreme levels of stress, and I’ve used fiction to transport my mind to a different state\u2013\u2013to stop the ruminating, the anxiety, and the worry. When I stop listening, I remain in a better state of mind.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>What are you currently reading, or what have you read and enjoyed most recently?<\/strong>
\nI am reading Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell<\/a>\u2013\u2013fabulous, enjoying every minute of it, and The Promise of Access by Daniel Greene<\/a>. I recently read The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia<\/a>\u2013\u2013beautiful.<\/p>\n

Recommend a book in one sentence that you think everyone should read:<\/strong>
\nI don’t think such a thing exists. Like visual art, when we read\u2013\u2013the act of reading is one of interpretation or sense-making. When we are lucky, we encounter a book that gives us what we need, which mostly becomes apparent only after we have completed it and sense we are better for having done so.<\/p>\n

Related blog posts<\/h4>\n