SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME: READER’S ADVISORY FOR ALL OF US

SWFLN Library Staff Day,

April 30, 2014

Book shelves of the first circulating library of Miami Beach, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/42507

RA Speed Dating

Spend 2 minutes asking about your neighbor’s reading preferences, then switch

Couples saying goodnight in front of FSCW's Bryan Hall - Tallahassee, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/25270

What is Reader's Advisory (RA)?

“the act of putting people together with the books they love” – Diana Tixier Herald, Genreflecting

“patron-oriented library service for adult leisure readers” -Joyce Saricks, Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library

The right book for the right reader at the right time

Connecting readers and writers

Children reading their books while teddy bear sits alone on the floor. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/142372 

Rosenberg's First Rule of Reading

Never apologize for your reading tastes

Goetz, Chuck. Brothers at the Leon County Public Library in Tallahassee during national Children's Book Week. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/264160

Other RA Rules To Live By

“Every reader his [or her] book. Every book its reader. Save the time of the reader.”- S. R. Ranganathan’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th Laws of Library Science

“No two people ever read the same book” -Diana Herald, Reader's Advisory Online Blog

Kerce, Red. Ryan Edwards lying on the floor reading. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/45661

Anxiety Producing?

“One of the biggest deterrents to doing readers' advisory is fear: that awful feeling I don't know anything, haven't read enough, and won't know what the patron is asking about.”

-Joyce Saricks, At Leisure

Diamond back rattlesnake. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/149281

You know more than you think…Genre Matching Quiz handout

Answers

1., k (fantasy, Lamentation, by Ken Scholes)

2., 1 (science fiction, House of Suns, by Alastair Reynolds)

3., b (historical romance, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, by Lauren Willis)

4., d (suspense, Runner, by Thomas Perry)

5., h (women's fiction, Very Valentine, by Adriana Trigiani)

6., e (historical fiction, The Passion of Artemisia, by Susan Vreeland)

7., c (mystery, All the Colors of Darkness, by Peter Robinson)

8., g (gentle reads, Back on Blossom Street, by Debbie Macomber)

9., f (honor, Books of Blood, 1-3, by Clive Barker)

10., j (western, Night Hawke, by Stephen Overholser)

11., a (literary fiction, The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers)

12., i (legal thriller, Dirty Blonde, by Lisa Scottoline).

So Where to Start?

5 out of 5 Librarians on Fiction-L agree

Librarian shelving books at Leon County Public Library in Tallahassee, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/262367

What is this RA Interview?

Different from a traditional reference interview

The goal Direct questions

often don't workThomas, Deborah. Reporter and cameraman on a interview - Tallahassee, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/113471

What is this RA Interview? Con’t

Go at it sideways. Is there an author you have always enjoyed (or tv show or movie)?

Then introduce appeal factors-pacing characterization, frame, etc.

-Cheryl BryanMiss Florida 1968, Linda Fitts, giving a television interview. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/113471

What is this RA Interview? Con’t

Stuck? Don’t judge Suggest If you haven’t read it Explain Maintain eye contact Take the reader to

the books Ask them to come

back-Mary K. Chelton

Leon County Public Library bookmobile librarian helping Butch Wagner with book choice in Tallahassee, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/260720

Nordstrom Theory of Reader’s Advisory

Give three book options to the advisee: One very similar book to

the book they enjoyed One very close to that

book And take them to another

part of the library and find a third that is related

-Nancy Pearl

Advertisement for shoes. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/6050

RA Pet Peeve

Or why appeal factors matter

One of the things that frustrates me about "readalike" sites is that they assume every reader is reading a particular book/author for the same reason, which in my experience is not the case-Lynne Schlatter, Shreve Memorial LibraryMothers of Twins Club in Tallahassee, Florida. State Archives of

Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/261583

The “IT” Factor”: Appeal or Doorway?

A book with a particular “feel”-Joyce Saricks

When we…read the first few pages, and choose to go on, we enter the world of that book-Nancy Pearl

Helps answer not just what people like to read but why?

Greetings from Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/259613

Appeal Factors Versus Doorways

Characterization Storyline Frame Pacing

Appeal is the keystone to RA

Character Story Setting Language

In many books, 1 or 2 elements dominate.

Pie chart

Joyce Saricks: Appeal Factors

Nancy Pearl: Doorways

RA for Nonfiction-Sarah Statz Cords

It's all about subject; subject has nothing to do with it

Nonfiction is not contained by the stacks

Types; styles; genres and subgenres

Not so much escapist as involvist Robert E. Lee High School student Ed

Kromberg and his science fair project. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/39074

RA for Nonfiction-Others

Catherine Sheldrick Ambivalent Exclusive=“real” Interruptions To be entertained and

“take something away”Neal Wyatt “Reading nonfiction…a

different experience than reading fiction.“

Learning/Experiencing Appeal

"Worms with fish appeal" sign in Tampa, Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/246559

Other Factors

Elements the reader DOESN’T want in a book*

Formats or categories

Lahart, David. Web Worms. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/96833

The Missing Appeal Factor?

MOOD What are you in

the mood for today?

What do you feel like reading, watching, listening to?

-Mary K. Chelton

A flock of flamingos in the sunshine state - Florida. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/157769

Finding Appeal Factors-Kathryn Bergeron

The mood…stylized and captivating. The plot centers around…social differences, and power relations….drama and period TV show. Stylistically, stars an ensemble cast. In approach …serious and realistic. It takes place…on an estate and in the countryside....set in England ….happens in the 1910s and in the 1920s….known for being a hit series, a Golden Globe winner…an Emmy winner …suggested for a girls' night.

Downton Abbey: jinni.com

Finding Appeal Factors-Kathryn Bergeron

…privileged Gotham golden girl….disturbingly damaged women of Edgar-finalist Flynn’s first two books….Amy’s husband…she disappears…rented mansion in his Missouri hometown on their fifth anniversary…prime suspect …presumed murder…sick genius and twisted gamesmanship ….charmer Nick may not be quite the corn-fed innocent….masterfully lets this tale of a marriage gone toxically wrong gradually emerge through alternating accounts…unreliable….discover their layers of deceit….Compulsively readable, creepily unforgettable

Gone Girl: Publisher’s Weekly

RA for Children

I don’t know what I like but I know it when I see it

Age/Grade/Stage Too easy/Too hard Fun/Homework Parents-Penny Peck

Girl checking out book at the Leon County Public Library in Tallahassee during national Children's Book Week. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/264158

RA for Teens

Life changing; connection

Respect, sharing of time and openness

Active and empathetic listening

Specific Parents!-Heather Booth

Still from the "Creature from the Black Lagoon“. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/9112

Passive RA

Displays Whole collection Blind date with a bo

ok Booklists Take it to the stacks

Posters/infographics Shelf talkers Staff/Patron Picks

WebsiteFlaxman Library at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Blind date with a book is back by popular demand. Retrieved from http://saiclibrary.tumblr.com/post/45854521875/blind-date-with-a-book-is-back-by-popular-demandActivity

Know Thyself, Know Thy Collection, Know Thy Colleagues, Know Thy Tools

Read Write Prepare Keep Current-Cindy Orr

Girl Scouts preparing for their trip from Tallahassee to North Carolina. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/266897

Activity: How to Read a Book in 5 Minutes

Form Based (Asynchronous) RA

Web and paper Availability,

legitimacy Privacy Vocabulary Best person for the

job Time; not on the spot-Elena Gleason, Sweetwater County Library System

SPL’s online form, Your Next 5 Books. Readers advisory: Fresh approach, same core service. Retrieved from http://webjunction.org/news/webjunction/readers-advisory-fresh-approach-same-core-service.html

RA on Social Media

Have a Facebook/Twitter social media session Advertise in advance,

have the session “open” for limited time

Monitor closely, respond promptly—instant gratification

Not a venue for an RA interview—stick with quick one-off answers

-Elena Gleason, Sweetwater County Library System

Should we ditch social media marketing pay to play model?http://www.publiseek.com/influence/social-media-marketing/

Activity: How to Write an Annotation

Social Media as Reader Space

Turn your social media accounts into spaces for readers to engage with the library and each other

Turn patrons into readers’ advisors with questions that engage readers, e.g. “What books would you recommend to someone who has never read fantasy but wants to give it a try?”- Elena Gleason, Sweetwater County Library System

Girl reading - Ybor City. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/138588

Social Media as Reader Space con’t

Follow bookish accounts and share posts

Repurpose content but make it appropriate to the site

Participate in bookish memes, like #fridayreads or #amreading on twitter

I decided staying up all night and finishing my book was more important than being mentally present today.http://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/novelist-special/ra-4-fb-creating-a-social-space-for-readers

References

Booth, H. (2007). Serving teens through reader’s advisory. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.

Chelton, M. K. (2001). RA to-do and not-to-do list [Handout]. Reader's advisory: The complete spectrum. Retrieved from http://www.sjrlc.org/RAhandouts/RAdosdonts.htm

Cords, S. S. (n.d.). An introduction to nonfiction readers' advisory for Bettendorf Public Library [blog post]. Citizen Reader. Retrieved from http://www.citizenreader.com/citizen/nonfiction-readers-advisory-bettendorf.html

Gleason, E. (2013, October 3). Readers’ advisory rundown. Program presented at the meeting of the Wyoming Library Association.

Mohawk Valley Library System. (2008, May 29). Sue speaks: Nancy Pearl entry #1 [blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.mvls.info/blog/2008/05/29/sue-speaks-nancy-pearl-entry-1

References

Orr, C. (n.d.). Cindy Orr's golden rules of readers' advisory service. Retrieved from http://www.cindyorr.com/Golden_Rules_of_RA.html

Pearl, N. (2012, March 16). Check it out with Nancy Pearl: Finding the next good book. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/nancy-pearl/index.html

Peck, P. (2010). Reader’s advisory for children and ‘tweens. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Saricks, J. (2005). Reader’s advisory service in the public library. Chicago: IL: ALA Editions.

Saricks, J. (2009). At leisure: Taking on the quiz challenge. The Booklist, 105(22), 27. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/235647734?accountid=40795