Whenthinkingofhowtobestsumupthisyear’sCharlestonConference,heldNovember11–15andavailabletoviewonlineDecember9–13(alongwithexclusive“onlineonly”sessions),onewordsprungtomind:collaboration.Asafirst-timeattendeefromapublishingtechnologybackground,itwaswonderfultoseesomanyprofessionalsfromtheworldsoflibrariesandpublishingcometogethertotacklechallengesthatareaffectingtheentireinformationindustry.
ShamellaCromartie,associatedeanoforganizationalperformanceandadministrationatClemsonUniversityLibraries,wasnameda2024LibraryJournalMover&Shakerforherworktoexpandoutreach,membership,andsupportforBlacklibrariansinSouthCarolina.WerecentlyspokewithCromartietolearnmoreabouttheseprojects.
NYTchoosesthebestbookcoversof2024,CrimeReadsselectstheyear’sbestespionagefiction,andCBCnamestheyear’sbestCanadiannonfiction.TheBookselleranalyzesover900titlesnamedinthemedia’sbestbooksliststhisyearandfindsthatPercivalEverett’sJamesfeaturesmostprominently.ThelonglistsforthePorchlightBusinessBookAwardsarerevealed.Sourcebookslaunchesanin-houseaudiobookprogram.PlusPagetoScreenandinterviewswithKristinHannah,theColberts,andPatrickRaddenKeefe.
JosephEarlThomas’sGodBlessYou,OtisSpunkmeyerwinstheCenterforFictionFirstNovelPrize.Poets&Writerssharesits20thannuallookatdebutpoets.TessaHull’sFeedingGhosts:AGraphicMemoirandLeelaCorman’sVictoryParadetopPublishersWeekly’s2024GraphicNovelCriticsPoll.CrimeReadsselectsthebesthorrornovelsof2024.Plus,newtitlebestsellersandinterviewswithBryceStevensonandS.E.Hinton.
ParmyOlson’sSupremacy:AI,ChatGPT,andtheRaceThatWillChangetheWorldisnamedFinancialTimesandSchrodersBusinessBookoftheYear.YanFZhang’sshortstory“FleetingMarrow”winsthe4thWritePrize.The2024WhitingCreativeNonfictionGrantrecipientsareannounced.Best-of-2024listsarrivefromNPR’sMaureenCorrigan,Time,Reactor,CBC,SeattleTimes,BookRiot,andCrimeReads.LitHubsharesthebest-reviewedbooksoftheyear.PhaidonPressappointsBobMillerasnewCEO.LibraryReadsandLJofferread-alikesfortopholdstitleWhattheWifeKnewbyDarbyKane.SarahJ.MaasteasesanewACOTARbook,alongwithnewaudiobookrecordingsforspring.Plus,ClareMulley’sTheWomanWhoSavedtheChildrenwillbeadaptedforfilm.
PhilanthropicfoundationCarnegieCorporationofNewYorkonDecember9announcedanew$5millionpoolofgrantfundingavailableforpubliclibrariesnationwide.Thenewinitiative—LibrariesasPillarsofEducationandDemocracy—“willhelppubliclibrariesdelivercriticalservicesthatpromotesocioeconomicmobility,civicparticipation,andsocialbelonging,”accordingtoanannouncement.The$5millionwillbeawardedto10to15librarysystemsinregionsserving500,000peopleormore,witheachsystemreceivingupto$500,000infundingover24months.
PoetNikkiGiovanni,astaroftheBlackArtsMovement,hasdiedattheageof81.ArielLawhonwinstheNeroawardforTheFrozenRiver.Best-of-2024listsarrivefromCrimeReads,LATimes,andSlate,whileTheAtlantic’s“BooksBriefing”writesindefenseofbest-of-the-yearlists.TheBookerPrizejudgesareannounced,includingSarahJessicaParkerandRoddyDoyle.TheGoodreadsaccountofthesuspectintheUnitedHealthcareCEOshootingisunderscrutinyforareviewofUnabomberTheodoreKaczynski'smanifesto.TheGoldenGlobesnominationsfeaturesseveraladaptations.ActorJeremyRennerisfinishingupamemoirabouthissnow-plowaccidentandrecovery.NewJerseybecomesthelateststatetoprohibitbansonbooksinschoolandpubliclibraries.
WhattheWifeKnewbyDarbyKaneleadsholdsthisweek.January’sIndieNextPreviewisout,featuring#1pickWitchcraftforWaywardGirlsbyGradyHendrix.Bestof2024listsarrivefromPeople,Time,ElectricLit,andVox.USATodaycoverslibrarians’effortstostandupforfreedomtoreadinanumberofstates,whilelibrarianandauthorAmandaJonesfilesanewdefamationsuit.CalebAzumahNelsonwilladapthisnovelOpenWaterfortelevision.Plus,“romantasy”losesoutto“brat”asCollinsDictionary’swordoftheyear.
WinnersoftheGoodreadsChoiceAwardsandshortlistsfortheNeroBookAwardsarerevealed.NYTreleasesitsselectionsfortheyear’sbestgraphicnovelsandSFF.CrimeReadssharesitspicksforthebestpsychologicalthrillersof2024.TheInternetArchivehasdecidednottoappealitscopyrightcasetotheSupremeCourt.Plus,PagetoScreenandaninterviewwithJacquelineWoodson.
FerdiaLennon’sGloriousExploitswinstheBollingerEverymanWodehousePrizeforComicFiction.ThewinnersoftheChristianityTodayBookAwardsandthelonglistfortheJoyceCarolOatesPrizearerevealed.SusannahDickey’sISDALwinstheinauguralPENHeaneyPrizeforpoetrypublishedintheUKorIreland.SpotifyWrappednowincludesaudiobooklistens;SarahJ.Maas’sACourtofThornsandRoseswasthemost-streamedaudiobookof2024.Audiofilesharesitslistsofthebestaudiobooksoftheyear.