ReaderReader’’s Advisorys Advisory

RA In a NutshellRA In a Nutshell

What is RA?Includes a wide variety of practices for connecting people to books.Includes non-fiction as well as fiction.Many of the same techniques can be used for audiovisual advisory.Helps people better understand their reading tastes.

Why ReaderWhy Reader’’s Advisory?s Advisory?

Improves customer satisfactionImproves customer satisfactionImproves library imageImproves library imageKeeps libraries competitive with retail Keeps libraries competitive with retail book providersbook providers

How to Become a RA ProHow to Become a RA Pro

Read a lot; read widely; try new genres.Read a lot; read widely; try new genres.Learn to think in terms of Learn to think in terms of ““readalikesreadalikes””..Keep a readerKeep a reader’’s journal and write s journal and write annotations.annotations.Read reviews.Read reviews.Browse bookstores.Browse bookstores.Familiarize yourself with bookFamiliarize yourself with book--related related electronic tools.electronic tools.Investigate speed reading.Investigate speed reading.

RA OnlineRA Online

HCPL website HCPL website ––Books and Books and ReadingReadingNovelistNovelistAuthor websites & Author websites & Internet searchesInternet searchesFiction_L listservFiction_L listserv

Book store/publisher Book store/publisher websiteswebsitesGenre websitesGenre websitesReadingGroupGuides.ReadingGroupGuides.comcomBookbrowse.comBookbrowse.com

RA at HCPLRA at HCPL

RA in the StacksRA in the Stacks

Create a ReaderCreate a Reader’’s Advisory station or s Advisory station or ““ReaderReader’’s Corners Corner”” in your libraryin your libraryStimulate reading with: displays, shelf Stimulate reading with: displays, shelf talkers, book lists, bookmarks, flyers, talkers, book lists, bookmarks, flyers, posters.posters.Subscribe to Book Page (as a freebie for Subscribe to Book Page (as a freebie for customers).customers).Be proactive in suggesting books to Be proactive in suggesting books to customers.customers.

What is RA?What is RA?

Includes a wide variety of practices for Includes a wide variety of practices for connecting people to books.connecting people to books.Includes nonIncludes non--fiction as well as fiction.fiction as well as fiction.Many of the same techniques can be used Many of the same techniques can be used for audiovisual advisory.for audiovisual advisory.Helps people better understand their Helps people better understand their reading tastes. reading tastes.

The RA InterviewThe RA Interview

Never apologize for your reading tastes or Never apologize for your reading tastes or disparage anyone elsedisparage anyone else’’s.s.Listen to the reader.Listen to the reader.Ask descriptive questions.Ask descriptive questions.Restate their answers.Restate their answers.Explain what you are doing as you search.Explain what you are doing as you search.Give them choices, if possible.Give them choices, if possible.Ask them to come back and give their opinion Ask them to come back and give their opinion (or not).(or not).

The RA InterviewThe RA Interview

Never apologize for your reading tastes or Never apologize for your reading tastes or disparage anyone elsedisparage anyone else’’s.s.Listen to the reader.Listen to the reader.Ask descriptive questions.Ask descriptive questions.Restate their answers.Restate their answers.Explain what you are doing as you search.Explain what you are doing as you search.Give them choices, if possible.Give them choices, if possible.Ask them to come back and give their opinion Ask them to come back and give their opinion (or not).(or not).

Webliography

• Reader’s Advisory Tools for Adults: a Five Year Retrospective Selected Bibliographyhttp://harriet/adult_services/ratools.htm

Located on Harriet in the Adult Services section.

Genre RespectGenre Respect

Lessons from Ursula K. Le Lessons from Ursula K. Le GuinGuin““Genre: A Word only a Frenchman Genre: A Word only a Frenchman

Could LoveCould Love””Public Libraries, January/February Public Libraries, January/February

20052005

“Genre” is…

• “a kind or style, especially of art or literature” -- Oxford English Dictionary

• a valid descriptive category

• not a value category

“All judgment of a category of literature as inherently superior or inferior is tripe.”

• Genres are not static. They can combine, cross, and transgress.

• Any Genre can be formulized, but Genre and Formula are two different things.

• To put a Genre label on a book ensures a safe, but limited audience.

“There are many bad books. There are no bad genres.”