Reader's advisory is a service that involves suggesting fiction and nonfiction titles to patrons through direct or indirect means. Public libraries offer RA to satisfy patrons, encourage a wide range of reading, and suggest alternatives to increase circulation. Effective RA starts conversations and makes connections between readers and materials. It is important for libraries to balance information access, recreational reading, and programming. RA helps patrons who are overwhelmed by choices or have limited browsing time by using face-out displays, read-alike lists, and online resources to introduce new materials. The ultimate goal of RA is for each patron to leave the library with a book.

1. Passive Reader’s Advisory
For those moments when
Staff is on the fly ~
Granby Public Library
Granby, CT 06035

2.  Reader’s advisory is a service which involves
suggesting fiction and nonfiction titles to a
reader through direct or indirect means.
 Why do public libraries offer RA?
 To satisfy the patron
 To encourage a wide range of reading
materials
 To suggest alternatives
 To increase circulation
What is ‘RA’ and Why do we do it?

3.  Joyce Saricks:
 “. . . readers' advisory is about starting conversations with
readers, making connections . . .We set up an open
atmosphere where readers become comfortable asking any
and all questions.
 Nancy Pearl:
 “We have yet to balance the three important functions a
library has in a community: information access, providing
people with books and material for their recreational
learning and reading, and offering quality programs.
 We graduate people from library schools knowing how to
build a website, but not knowing how to recommend a
book to someone who comes in asking for something good
to read."
According to the Gurus of RA:

4. So who is the likely patron to need our help?
 Not everyone needs our help:
 The “Organized Reader” who is armed
with LISTS!
[best not to get in their way]

5. Our Likely Candidate:
 What they feel
when entering the
Library:
 despair
 disorientation
 doom because they
draw a blank!

6.  The patron is overwhelmed by choices
 They’re looking for “something” but don’t know
exactly what
 They may have limited time to browse the
shelves
What are some of their
problems?

7. Problems for Staff:
 Lack of time
 juggling the circulation
desks, phones, other
patrons, faxing, etc.
 Staff is caught off-guard,
leaving the patron stranded;
eventually some will give up
and leave empty-handed
(horrors!)

8. Our ‘Passive’ RA Tools:
 Face-Out displays throughout the
Library
 tops of cases
 endcaps
 Use open space on shelves for
face-out
 slatwall areas
 Our “What do I read next?”
binder filled with lists and
bookmark to peruse and copy

9.  Opens up the collections and brings new
life to materials that otherwise might
languish because
 Once a book leaves the NEW area;
circulation drops by ca. 30-40%, making that
book a candidate for withdrawal in a few
years.
 The % is higher for those books that end up in
the orphan spaces: bottom shelves and top
shelves
The Benefits of Reader Advisory:

10.  The Online Catalog, which features scrolling banners of NYTimes
bestsellers, new materials by format and more for all consortium libraries
 Our Pinterest Boards
 Timely
 Change often
 Variety of ages and genres
 Some sites for chronologies and read-alikes:
 Fantastic Fiction – great for series’ chronology and for similar authors;
also you can search by country and genre
 Goodreads
 Indie Bound.org (local independent bookstores)
Online RA Resources:

11.  That each patron leaves the
Library with something in
their hand, whether it was
what they intended to borrow
or something(s) that they
discovered with our help!
Our Ultimate Goal?