Marvin DeBose Sr. M.L.S.
       Adult/Teen Librarian
    Overbrook Park Library
Free Library of Philadelphia
              Rutgers University
                MLIS Colloquium
     New School ReaderAdvisory
            November, 30 2012
Urban Lit

     Ghetto Lit

“ Street Literature”
     Hip-Hop Lit

    Urban Fiction

    Ghetto Fiction
What is Street Lit?



Characteristics of Street Lit:
Urban setting
   Meets the needs/ interest of an ignored
    group of readers
   Relationships
   Fast pace racy contents
   Reader can relate to the stories
   The Book Cover’s visual component is very
    seductive.
   Bad writing style
   Degrading
   Glorifying Negative behavior
   Provides education
   Diversity
   Creating new reader
   Cautionary Tales
   INGAGED WITH YOUR PATRONS! Ask them
    what they are reading & why they enjoy what
    they are reading.
   Join a Book club (Librarian Book Club)
   Start a book club with your patron
   Native Son (1940) Richard
    Wright

   The Street(1946) – Ann Petry

   Down These Mean
    Streets(1967) Piri Thomas

   Pimp (1969) – Iceberg Slim

   Dopefeind (1971) - Donald
    Goines

   Daddy Cool(1974)- Donald
    Goines
   True to the Game – Terri Woods
   Coldest Winter Ever – Sister Souljah
   Fly Girl – Omar Tyree
   Push (Precious) – Sapphire
   B More Careful – Shannon Holmes
   Let that Be the Reason – Vickie
    Stringer
   A Hustler’s Wife – Terri Wood
   The Readers Advisory Guide
    to Street Literature by
    Vanessa Irvin Morris Assist
    Professor Drexel University

   Urban Grit: A guide to
    Street Lit by Megan Honig
    Yong Adult Materials
    Specialist New York Public
    Library
Publisher
 Triple Crown Publication
 Kensington Publishing
 Gorilla Convict Publication
 Grand Central Publishing
 Wahida Clark Publishing
 Simon and Schuster
 Cash Money Content
Web
             Respectable street Lit. Book reviewer!
   Library Journal’s “Word on the Street lit” column
    http:/libraryjournal.com
   Street Literature: Vanessa I. Morris
    http://streetliterature.blogspot.com
   Phat Fiction: Susan McClelland
    http://phatfiction.blogspot.com
   Miss Domino K.C. Boyd:
    http://missdomino.blogspot.com
   Street Fiction http://www.streetfiction.org
   Your collection should always reflect the
    literature need & want of the community it
    serves.

Breaking down street lit

  • 1.
    Marvin DeBose Sr.M.L.S. Adult/Teen Librarian Overbrook Park Library Free Library of Philadelphia Rutgers University MLIS Colloquium New School ReaderAdvisory November, 30 2012
  • 2.
    Urban Lit Ghetto Lit “ Street Literature” Hip-Hop Lit Urban Fiction Ghetto Fiction
  • 3.
    What is StreetLit? Characteristics of Street Lit: Urban setting
  • 4.
    Meets the needs/ interest of an ignored group of readers  Relationships  Fast pace racy contents  Reader can relate to the stories  The Book Cover’s visual component is very seductive.
  • 5.
    Bad writing style  Degrading  Glorifying Negative behavior
  • 6.
    Provides education  Diversity  Creating new reader  Cautionary Tales
  • 7.
    INGAGED WITH YOUR PATRONS! Ask them what they are reading & why they enjoy what they are reading.  Join a Book club (Librarian Book Club)  Start a book club with your patron
  • 8.
    Native Son (1940) Richard Wright  The Street(1946) – Ann Petry  Down These Mean Streets(1967) Piri Thomas  Pimp (1969) – Iceberg Slim  Dopefeind (1971) - Donald Goines  Daddy Cool(1974)- Donald Goines
  • 9.
    True to the Game – Terri Woods  Coldest Winter Ever – Sister Souljah  Fly Girl – Omar Tyree  Push (Precious) – Sapphire  B More Careful – Shannon Holmes  Let that Be the Reason – Vickie Stringer  A Hustler’s Wife – Terri Wood
  • 11.
    The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature by Vanessa Irvin Morris Assist Professor Drexel University  Urban Grit: A guide to Street Lit by Megan Honig Yong Adult Materials Specialist New York Public Library
  • 12.
    Publisher  Triple CrownPublication  Kensington Publishing  Gorilla Convict Publication  Grand Central Publishing  Wahida Clark Publishing  Simon and Schuster  Cash Money Content
  • 13.
    Web Respectable street Lit. Book reviewer!  Library Journal’s “Word on the Street lit” column http:/libraryjournal.com  Street Literature: Vanessa I. Morris http://streetliterature.blogspot.com  Phat Fiction: Susan McClelland http://phatfiction.blogspot.com  Miss Domino K.C. Boyd: http://missdomino.blogspot.com  Street Fiction http://www.streetfiction.org
  • 14.
    Your collection should always reflect the literature need & want of the community it serves.