Readers' advisory services aim to match patrons with books they will enjoy reading for pleasure. While once focused on directing patrons only towards "better" books, readers' advisory now emphasizes recreational reading and respecting individual tastes. Librarians can provide advisory assistance using both print and electronic resources, and their skills are valuable for attracting patrons and supporting the library.

1. Readers Advisory
Services In Public
Libraries

2. What is Readers’ Advisory?
A patron oriented library service
intended primarily for adult readers.
Provides patrons with the information
they need to select a book to read for
recreation
A way of matching a patron with the
right book
Usually abbreviated as RA.

3. Not a New Service but a
Rediscovered One
Active readers’ advisory movement in
United States between 1920 and 1940:
More professional librarians
Grew during the Great Depression of
the 1930s
Was influenced by the first attempts at
systematic research related to adult
reading

4. Early Readers’ Advisory
Services were:
Aimed at getting patrons to read
“better” books
Based on formal meetings between
librarians and patrons
Intended to be educational not
recreational
Very prescriptive

5. RA has reemerged during past
20 years
Books on the topic began to appear:
First was *Betty Rosenberg’s
Genreflecting
Then Saricks’ and Brown’s Readers’
Advisory Services in Public Libraries

6. More Evidences:
Conferences and workshops
Job advertisements looking for
librarians with RA skills
Courses being offered in LIS schools-
more courses on reading and readers
More and more print resources about
RA
Numerous internet and electronic
resources on the topic

7. Changes in RA
No longer didactic
Reading fiction is
seen as a
worthwhile activity
not as merely an
escape

8. Fiction and Academic Libraries
In U.S. fiction books consistently make
up 65 to 75 % of total circulation.
Fiction readers and recreational
reading have traditionally been
devalued.
In past, fiction readers were not
provided the same type of help given
to patrons seeking information about
more “serious” topics.

9. RA is used to garner library support
It is a “value added” service of the
library—
Librarians are better at advising
readers than most clerks at
bookshops.
Most library use is for fiction. If you
support your fiction readers, they will
support the library.

10. Library sponsored book clubs
This programs meet:
Either in the library
In someone home
Or online
The library often furnishes a
“kit” containing multiple copies of the
book to be discussed and discussion
guides for the leader

11. The Websites of Academic Libraries
usually contain help for fiction readers
Bibliographies of works in widely read
genre literature
Mystery
Romance
Science fiction
Horror
Historical fiction

12. Rewards of RA
Librarians who have chosen (or have been assigned) to do
readers' advisory work usually feel blessed—-they end up
loving what they have to do. It is gratifying work, because it
results in giving the library user exactly what he or she wants,
and the user, ultimately feels very positive about the library
experience. But in addition to the wonderful payoff of user
satisfaction, there is also the important factor that real library
skills are demanded—skills that few others besides librarians
have--and those are skills that are enjoyable to develop and to
use
--Ted Balcom

13. In the U.S. Readers’ Advisory
Began at just a few libraries and
spread slowly to others

14. Where to learn the skills needed
in RA
First step, be a fiction reader yourself
and in addition
Preconferences / workshops
Courses
Journals and books
On-line discussion groups
Talk with experienced librarians

15. Tools for RA Librarians
Print

16. The Gale Group
What Do I Read Next?
What Mystery?
What Romance?
What Western?
What Inspirational
novel?
What Historical fiction?
What do children read
next?

17. “Never apologize for your reading
taste”
—Betty Rosenberg, Genreflecting
•Adventure/Suspense
•Christian Fiction
•Crime and True Crime
•Fantasy
•Historical
•Horror
•Mystery and Detection
•Romance
•Science Fiction
•Western

18. Tools for RA Librarians
Electronic

19. Other Electronic Sources
Genreflecting
What Do I Read Next?
Fiction Catalog
And then there are the free
web resources such as:

20. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/bookbrowser

21. Overbooked: Table of Contents
www.overbooked.org: A web site (formerly known as Book Links)
for ravenous readers. Overbooked specializes in literary and
genre fiction information. Overbooked Originals include author
web pages, annotated lists of nonfiction, fiction and mystery books
which received starred reviews, themed booklists, featured titles
lists and hot lists of hard cover US fiction releases. Coming soon
(more) Overbooked Reviews
New Books ~ Starred Reviews Lists ~ What's New?
Genre Fiction: Mystery, Romance, Speculative, Inspirational
Reviews and Reading Lists: ~ Best of 2001 ~ Best of 2000
Reader's Advisory Resources - what to read next & good reads!
Book Talk - a discussion and promotion area for Overbooked authors and readers.
http://www.overbooked.org/

22. Bestsellers
Book Awards
Book Reviews
Online Books
First Chapters
Reading Lists
Children's Books
Comic Books
Mystery
Poetry
Romance
Science Fiction
Young Adult
http://www.bookspot.com/

23. NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW!
Non-Fiction Genre Study
Wishing you knew more about popular nonfiction
to help readers asking for suggestions for their leisure reading?
Join the Adult Reading Round Table’s two-year exploration of narrative
nonfiction, "From In Cold Blood to Eats Shoots and Leaves."
http://www.arrtreads.org/

24. Online book sellers
Amazon.com
Barnesandnoble.com
Borders.com
Powell.com

25. Fiction List-servs
Fiction-l
Dorothy-l
Romance Readers Anonymous
SF_Lit
and many others

26. Indirect RA
Displays
Booklists
Bookmarks
Subdividing collection by genre
Giving patrons easy access to
printed and electronic RA
resources

27. Library sponsored
Book clubs
either online or
in library
Book talks
Authors’ visits

28. To Make RA succeed
You need the support of the library’s
administration
and
You need to have librarians who are
committed and enthusiastic.

29. How do you start?
Begin by asking the reader to
describe a book that he or she liked.
Listen to what they say and reflect
back what you hear
Often, just allowing the reader to
describe a favorite book is enough to
start him or her thinking about the
qualities that made it enjoyable

30. The next steps are:
Then you can go to the print or electronic
sources and search for the patron or allow
him or her to do it.
You need to play it by ear—let the patron
be as independent as he or she wishes to
be
Introduce some books that you think the
patron might like and tell the patron why
you think these books are appropriate.

31. New developments in RA
Providing RA for non-fiction readers
Allowing patrons to receive RA
through forms filled out in library or on
their own computer