Readers’ Advisory - The

Real StoryPresented by the Indiana State Library Professional Development Office

Who am I? – BIG IMCPL FAN!

Who are you?

Teen librarians? How long?

LEUs

2 for today Emailed Probably in a month

What is Readers’ Advisory

Patron-centered library service for leisure readers

A successful readers’ advisory service is one in which knowledgeable, nonjudgmental staff help fiction and nonfiction readers with their leisure-reading needs Joyce Saricks, Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library

Why Readers’ Advisory?

Libraries can give suggestions for new books

We can direct new readers to other books… Provide resources for finding more books

that their patrons will actually like Librarians and library staff are usually avid

readers and able to field RA requests

Why Readers’ Advisory for Teens?

http://www.search-institute.org/content/40-developmental-assets-adolescents-ages-12-18

A way to help them with their healthy development.

Yup. It’s critical.

History of Readers’ Advisory

Readers’ Advisory has been around as long as public libraries.

Librarians were much more judgmental about what people read in the past

Nancy Pearl

Nancy Pearl

Book – Book Crush http://www.npr.org/people/6395311/na

ncy-pearl http://www.nancypearl.com/

History of Readers’ Advisory

Librarians used to think that people should read to better themselves and not so much for pleasure.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=fa147de8-175f-413b-9032-7c18462bf91b%40sessionmgr14&vid=1&hid=23&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lxh&AN=25394478

History of Readers’ Advisory

In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Francie goes to the librarian who “hates children” and recommends the same two books every time.

Good Books / Moral Books

History of Readers’ Advisory

And now?

GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.

Why Do We Like the Books We Like?

Understanding the Appeal of a Book

Pacing – How dense Characterization Story Line – How is it written Frame - Genre

Understanding the Appeal of a Book

You can also think of this in terms of How Does the book FEEL?

Pacing – How Dense is the Book?

Are the characters and plot quickly unveiled or slowly unveiled?

Is there more dialogue or more description?

Is the book densely written?

Pacing – How Dense is the Book?

Are there short sentences, short paragraphs, and short chapters, or does the story take place in a short amount of time?

This generally does affect the reading level.

Quick Pacing…

Slow Pacing…

Pacing?

Pacing?

Pacing?

Pacing?

Characterization

Are the characters developed over time, or are they the types we recognize immediately?

Is the focus on a single character or on several whose lives are intertwined?

What is the point of view from which the story is told?

Is characterization the most important aspect in the book?

Characterization

Is the reader expected to identify with the characters or observe them?

Are there series characters, followed through and developed over several related novels?

Are there memorable and important secondary characters?

Observe vs. Relate

Many vs. Few

Characterization

Characters may be the most important part of leisure reading for lots of kids…some teens still want those characters…

Is the main character a male or female? Is the character an animal? Know your series!

Story Line – How is it told?

Does the story emphasize people, or does it highlight situations and events?

What is the author’s intention in regard to the story line?

Is the focus on the story interior and psychological or exterior and action oriented?

Does the story take place on more than one level?

Frame – Is the setting important to the reader?

Is the background detailed or minimal? Does the frame affect the tone or

atmosphere? Is there a special background frame? Setting, atmosphere, tone Genre…is that important to the teen?

Making Connections

Knowing what books have similar appeal

Hunger Games and Maze Runner

Making Connections

Knowing what book don’t have similar appeal

Review…

Pacing…how dense Characterization…

about the players Story Line…how is

it written Frame…genre or

setting

Book Genres

Fiction Genres

Action/Adventure Mysteries

Crime/Caper Romance

Fantasy Romantic Suspense

Gentle Reads Science Fiction

Historical Suspense

Horror Thrillers

Literary Fiction Women’s Lives and Relationships

Nonfiction Genres

Adventure/Survival/Exploration/Disaster

Memoirs and Biographies

Animals/Nature/Natural History

Pop Culture/Sociology/Lifestyles/ Entertainment

Contemporary Issues Popular Science

Crime and Criminals Self-Help/Inspirational/Sociology

History and Microhistory Sports

Humor Travelogues

Genres for Youth and YA

Graphic novels are a format, not a genre

“Never apologize for your reading tastes.”

-Betty Rosenberg

First Editor of Genreflecting

More of a conversation than an interview

Suggesting vs. Recommending Using judgmental terminology Don’t make assumptions based on age,

gender, nationality, religion, etc. Patron privacy

Preparation for the interview starts long before a patron comes up to the desk

Reading a book with an eye to its appeal Group book and author with other titles

and authors Consider how a title or author fits in a

genre Find a system that works for you

Interview at the reference desk, circulation desk, or in the stacks

Stage One – Approachability Stage Two – Information on what the patron is

looking to read Stage Three – Use sources to find titles that

match patron’s mood Stage Four – Highlight suggested titles Stage Five – Follow up

Approachability:While they are browsing

Lingering in the stacks

Making eye contact with you

Homework Failsafe: “Tell me about the last book

you really liked.” Good vs. Good for them

Readers’ Advisory in Your Library

Promoting RA in Your Library

“Ask Me for a Book Suggestion” buttons and signs

Book Displays– Current events/Topical– If you like …– Books You May Have Missed

The Art of the Display

Displays can help alert Teens to books they might like

Displays can help make your library a destination…

Goshen Public Library

oshen

Forest Hills Library

Wellington East Girls College

Horowhenua College in Levin, New Zealand

Jacksonville Public Library

Promoting RA in Your Library

Bookmarks Annotated Booklists Booktalks Book Clubs

Booktalks

Twilight booktalkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G9S8Dfn37E&feature=related

Invisible booktalkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-210Xo9IxI

Manhunt booktalkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJVNlgwfVBI&feature=channel

Readers’ Advisory Training

Continuing Your RA Training

Design a personal reading plan – Read genres and nonfiction topics you normally

don’t read– Read authors on the bestsellers list

Practice talking about books– Share discoveries in staff meetings– Talk to at least one patron per day about books

Continuing Your RA Training

Make Connections– Think of readalikes for popular titles and authors– Make a Sure Bets list for your library– Join a readers’ advisory listserv– Organize a readers’ advisory roundtable or

counterparts group in your area

Readers’ Advisory Resources

Readers’ Advisory Reference Books

Genreflecting What Do I Read Next? Fiction Catalog

Readers’ Advisory Websites

Allreaders.com Gnooks.com Librarything.com Readalike.org Reader’s Robot -

http://tnrdlib.bc.ca/rr.html Whichbook.net http://www.jackflannel.org/ra.html

More Websites (Youth/YA)

Abookandahug.com http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/

serieslist.html (Series lists) www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/bbya/ (Best

Books for YA)

RA Indiana Blogs

http://gplteensblog.wordpress.com/ - Goshen

RA E-Resources

Fiction-L – Listserv through Morton Grove (IL) Public Library

NoveList NoveList Plus

RA E-Resources for Youth/YA

Booktrailers and community on www.teachertube.com

PUBYAC – Listserv for Young Adult and Children’s librarianswww.pubyac.org

Publications You Should Know About

Publisher’s Weekly Kirkus Booklist Hornbook School Library Journal

Bibliography

Adult Reading Round Table, The ARRT Popular Fiction List, 3rd ed. (Woodridge, Ill.: Adult Reading Round Table, 2007).

Diana Tixier Herald, Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction. 5th ed. (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 2000).

Fiction_L (Morton Grove, Ill.: Morton Grove Public Library, 1995). Available from http://www.webrary.org/rs/FLmenu.html

Heather Booth, Serving Teens Through Readers’ Advisory (Chicago, Ill.: American Library Association, 2007).

Joyce G. Saricks, The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (Chicago, Ill.: American Library Association, 2001).

Neal Wyatt, The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction (Chicago, Ill.: American Library Association, 2007).

Works Cited

Joyce G. Saricks, Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library. 3rd ed. (Chicago, Ill.: American Library Association, 2005).

Contact Information

Suzanne WalkerIndiana State Library – Professional

Development Office317.234.5649

suwalker@library.in.govTwitter: @suzieecw