Indirect advisory book display in a library inDurham, England
Readers' advisory (sometimes spelledreaders advisory orreader's advisory) is a service which involves suggesting fiction and nonfiction titles to a reader through direct or indirect means. This service is a fundamentallibrary service; however, readers' advisory also occurs in commercial contexts such as bookstores. Currently, almost all North American public libraries offer some form of readers' advisory.[1]
"Setting a date for the start of what we now call readers advisory service, particularly readers advisory in the public library, is at best a frustrating, almost arbitrary exercise. Efforts at historical precision can founder on such basic issues as the absence of common definitions. For example, answers to such questions as 'What exactly is a public library?" or "What really is readers advisory?" have long been disputed." (Bill Crowley, from his 2005 journal article "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service")[2]
Opposing Viewpoints on the Merits of Different Types of Readers' Advisory
The historical period divisions and merits of different types of readers' advisory services is a hotly debated topic among librarians.
Bill Crowley, in his 2005 article, "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service," breaks down the historical period divisions of the service into four eras:[3]
1876 to 1920 – "Inventing" Readers' Advisory
1920 to 1940 – "Privileging Nonfiction" in Readers' Advisory
1940 to 1984 – Readers' Advisory "'Lost' in Adult Services"
1984 to 2005 (current at time of article) – "Reviving Readers' Advisory"
Juris Dilevko and Candice Magowan question the merits of the current readers' advisory emphasis on popular fiction materials in their book "Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005." They subdivide the history as:[4]
1870 to 1916 – "The Formative Years"
1917 to 1962 – "The Commitment to Systematic Adult Education"
1963 to 2005 – "The Devolution into Entertainment"
Dilevko and Mogowan write about "readers' advisory systematically committ[ing] itself to meaningful adult education through serious and purposeful reading"[5] up until the 1960s, when emphasis on "popular culture resulted in the 'Give 'Em What They Want' approach"[4] and "The Devolution into Entertainment."[6]
In 1897, the ALA President stated that "the personal influence of librarians who assisted and advised readers was the most potent force in molding community reading."[7]
Organized readers' advisory programs have been documented dating back to the 1920s.[8] Between 1922 and 1926, readers' advisory programs were experimentally introduced into seven urban libraries (Cleveland and Detroit, in 1922,[9] Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, in 1923 and 1924,[9] and Cincinnati and Portland, OR).[10]
The Adult Education Movement emerged in the 1920s in public libraries and was frequently discussed inAmerican Library Association professional publications.[11]
The 1924 reportThe American Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge by William Learned to the Carnegie Corporation sought to establish adult education as the focus of the public library, with personalized readers' advisory service to adult readers by "reference experts" who would make up a "community intelligence service."[9]
The 1926American Library Association "book-length" commission reportLibraries and Adult Education placed high importance on readers' advisory services in Adult Education. Judson T. Jennings provided a summary of the work, observing that the "library's contribution to adult education resolved itself into three major activities:"[12]
1. An information service regarding local opportunities for adult students. 2. Service to other agencies engaged in adult education. 3. Service to individual readers and students.[12][13]
This new professional interest during the 1920s spurred the creation of specialized full-time readers' advisory positions in major public libraries.[12] By 1936, an estiminated, 50 public libraries had established readers' advisory services.[9]
Until the early 1960s, readers' advisory focused on non-fiction materials and continuing adult education.[14]
Some librarians consider the early 1980s to be the beginning of a revival in readers' advisory and praise the inclusion of fiction (including genre fiction: fantasy, mystery, romance, etc.) and write that historicallyreaders' advisory was biased in favor of nonfiction.[15][16]
Others disapprove of the new approaches and changes in service. Dilevko and Magowan write "Post-1980 readers' advisory thus became an opportunity to converse with patrons about 'light, quick, escapist' books -- popular and ephemeral fiction and nonfiction for entertainment, pleasure, and recreation -- because such conversations were not 'too burdensome'."[17]
In 1982, the term "genreflecting" was first coined by Betty Rosenberg, who authored: Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction (Libraries Unlimited, 1982).
Another major influence on the spread and revival of readers' advisory was the Adult Reading Round Table (ARRT),[18] founded by a group of Chicago public librarians in 1984. The group organized workshops, seminars, and genre-study groups.[19][20]
". . . contemporary readers advisory service is best understood as an organized program promoting both fiction and nonfiction discretionary reading for the dual purposes of satisfying reader needs and advancing a culture's goal of a literate population." (Bill Crowley, from his 2005 journal article "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service")[26]
Direct readers' advisory is based on a non-judgmental assessment of the personal preferences of the reader through a series of questions, called a readers advisory conversation. The assessment focuses on reader likes and dislikes with regard to a number of factors, including subject, reading level, genre, writing style, the level of characterization, plot elements, storyline, pace, tone, frame, and setting. The hoped-for outcome of this interview is the identification of three or more appropriate suggestions (sometimes referred to as "readalikes"—especially when the interview was initiated by patron interest in new authors/titles similar to one enjoyed in the past). In identifying suitable suggestions, a readers' advisor combines personal knowledge of material with a variety of specialized print and online resources to come up with appropriate suggestions. The goal of direct readers advisory is tosuggest titles based on a reader's individual interests and tastes. Librarians who simply recommend their favorite books with little or no regard for the patron's own interests are not performing readers' advisory.
For example, if a patron requests "a good book," the readers' advisor might ask the reader to describe a book they have enjoyed. The focus of the conversation is not on recitation of plot, but on the aforementioned appeal elements (i.e. pace, subject, tone, writing style, etc.). In our example, the patron tells the readers' advisor of a humorousmystery novel with a sharp-tongued female protagonist. Our readers' advisor also learns that the patron prefers fast-paced dialogue to excessive descriptive passages. Once the appeal elements have been identified (i.e. a humorous mystery featuring snappy dialogue and a female protagonist), the readers' advisor will suggest appropriate titles in the collection by drawing on personal knowledge and/or by consulting appropriate print and online resources. Even though the patron requested a mystery, a skilled readers advisor will often offer a suggestion or two that point the reader to new a new vista outside of a mentioned genre or milieu.
Readers' advisory can also be performed across multiple media. For example, a patron who likes the movieMatilda might be unaware that it is based on a book byRoald Dahl. Other patrons who enjoy audio books may be introduced to other titles read by the same person.
Questions to consider asking in the readers' advisory interview
Indirect readers' advisory display: "Looking for a good book? . . . You could ask one of our Fabulous Librarians . . . or try some of thesenifty reading guides"
Indirect readers' advisory involves the creation of displays, bookmarks, andannotated book lists that a reader/patron can pick up and peruse on their own without actively engaging a readers' advisor. Indirect readers' advisory aids, particularly annotated book lists, focus on appeal elements rather than providing extensive plot summaries. Recently, some public libraries (like theWilliamsburg Regional Library in Virginia) have begun experimenting with form-based readers' advisory, which allows for a richer indirect readers advisory experience.
Maintaining a Staff Recommendations display is another way to improve a library's readers' advisory service. Since many readers are browsers, staff recommendations make it easier to select a book.[27][28]
In their 2001 article "Reader's Advisory: Matching Mood and Material," Ross and Chelton recommend placing books in four areas of the library in order to make the most of merchandising. These four areas are the entrance, the ends of stacks, high traffic areas, and the circulation desk.[29] Placing the display in these areas ensure that patrons will see and, hopefully, utilize the books on display. Ross and Chelton also note that books, not posters and announcements, should be here because merchandised titles will circulate very quickly.[28]
Popular print resources include theWhat Do I Read Next? series of reference books (published byGale), theGenreflecting series (published byLibraries Unlimited), and theReaders' Advisory Guides (published by theAmerican Library Association). Seattle librarianNancy Pearl achieved broad recognition for her reader's guides,Book Lust[30] andMore Book Lust.[31] Also of note are Pearl's guides to contemporary fiction:Now Read This: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction, 1978–1998[32] andNow Read This II: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction, 1990–2001.[33]
BookPage is a periodical available at many public libraries, containing book reviews, recommended reading lists, and author interviews.
Booklist is a magazine by the ALA providing reviews and recommendations.[34]
NoveList is a database of reading recommendations, available through libraries around the world. It includes read-alikes, expert recommendations, recommended reads lists, professional reviews, feature articles, author bios, and complete series information.[35]
NextReads is an email newsletter service from NoveList that offers 20 themed book recommendation newsletters to readers.[36]
BookBrowse offers a customized subscription service for libraries. Its readers' advisory database includes read-alikes, browsing by themes, reviews, previews, back-stories, book club advice, author bios, interviews, pronunciation guides, and e-zines.[37]
LibraryReads is a monthly staff-picks list of ten newly published titles, as nominated and voted on by public library workers from around the United States.[39]
Similar services in other countries include Loan Stars list in Canada,[40] and the Librarians Choice list in Australia.[41]
LibraryThing is a social networking website for cataloging and sharing personal and institutional library collections. The site contains a "BookSuggester" feature which provides book recommendations based on user catalogs with similar books.[42]
Wowbrary is a weekly email newsletter showing new books, movies, and music selected by the user's local library in the previous week.[43]
Whichbook is a site where users search by story characteristics using sliders. The results can be limited by specific formats.[45]
Fantastic Fiction is a book information website that maintains bibliographies for over 60,000 authors.[46]
Goodreads is the world's largest site for book recommendations. Users can join groups, track books, and receive book recommendations (both automated and from friends). Goodreads launched in January 2007 and was acquired byAmazon in 2013.
What Should I Read Next is a readers' advisory website where a reader can type in a book or author they enjoy and get recommendations of similar books.[47]
Literature Map is a website which offers read-alike author suggestions.[48]
Better Reading is a book recommendation website for Australian readers. The site focuses on helping people discover new books and authors.[49]
Many librarians and libraries maintain readers' advisory blogs.[51][52]
The Book Adept is a blog written by readers' advisory professor consultant Melissa Elliott. It includes reviews of a variety of fiction for adults and young adults, often with advisory-related commentary.[53]
RA for All is a blog aiming to help library workers provide readers' advisory services.[54]
Reading Rants is a booklist for teens written by middle school librarian Jennifer Hubert Swan and designed by Andrew Mutch. The blog stopped posting in November 2023, and in February 2024 became moved its activity to an Instagram page.[55]
Fiction_L was theMorton Grove Public Library's electronic mailing list for readers' advisory discussions, developed by Roberta S. Johnson and the reader's services staff of the library.[60][61][62] As of June 2016, Fiction_L was managed by Cuyahoga County Public Library.[63]
BookSpot.com was a resource that directed users to audiobooks, free first chapters, and specific lists such as award winners and bestsellers.[64]
eBook Pundit was a website that helped readers find top books on topics in different fields and helped self-published authors market their books.[65]
Some libraries have developed readers' advisory websites based on specific titles, series, or authors, like theAllen County Public Library's "Lemony Snicket Read-Alikes and Supplements" page which providedannotated book lists based around different genre and stylistic aspects of the series.[66]
EarlyWord was a blog that includes reading lists as well as links to news on upcoming releases and reviews.[67] In July 2017, EarlyWord ceased blogging on a regular basis other than promoting its "Galley Chats," monthlyTwitter discussions about new and upcoming books for adults and young adults, as well as other occasional posts.[68]
"Recommended Readers' Advisory Tools.”Reference & User Services Quarterly. 43.4 (2004):294–305. 4 April 2005.
Reader's Advisory Service in North America Public Libraries 1870–2005: A History and Critical Analysis by Juris Dilevko, Candice F.C. Magowan. McFarland, 2007.
The Readers' Advisory Guide to Nonfiction, by Neal Wyatt. Chicago: ALA editions, 2007.
Best Books for Children : Preschool Through Grade 6, by Catherine Barr. 8th ed. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
Best Books for High School Readers : Grades 9–12 / John T. Gillespie, Catherine Barr. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers: Grades 6–9, by John T. Gillespie and Catherine Barr. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004.[72]
Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers: Grades 6–9, Supplement to the First Edition by John T. Gillespie and Catherine Barr. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.[73]
Beyond Picture Books: Subject Access to Best Books for Beginning Readers, by Barbara Barstow, Judith Riggle, and Leslie Molnar. 3rd ed. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.[75]
Outstanding Books for the College Bound, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Chicago: ALA, 2011.[76]
Naked Reading: Uncovering What Tweens Need to Become Lifelong Readers, by Teri S. Lesesne. Portland, Me. : Stenhouse Publishers, 2006.[77]
"Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present". Chicago: ALA. (Revised annually)[78]
"Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938–Present". Chicago: ALA. (Revised annually)[79]
Serving Teens through Readers' Advisory, by Heather Booth. American Library Association, 2007.[80]
^Crowley, Bill (2005), "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service",Public Libraries,44 (1): 37
^Crowley, Bill (2005), "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service",Public Libraries,44 (1): 38
^abDilevko, Juris; Magowan, Candice (2007),Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005, Jefferson, North Carolina, and London: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, p. 53,ISBN978-0-7864-2925-7
^Dilevko, Juris; Magowan, Candice (2007),Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005, Jefferson, NC:McFarland & Company, p. 53,ISBN978-0-7864-2925-7
^Crowley, Bill (2005) "Rediscovering the History of Readers Advisory Service."Public Libraries. Vol 44 No. 1. p.40
^Luyt, Brendan (2001). "Regulating Readers: The Social Origins of the Readers' Advisor in the United States."The Library Quarterly. Vol. 71 No. 4 p.443–466
^Dilevko, Juris; Magowan, Candice (2007),Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005, Jefferson, NC:McFarland & Company, p. 24,ISBN978-0-7864-2925-7
^Dilevko, Juris; Magowan, Candice (2007),Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005, Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, p. 3,ISBN978-0-7864-2925-7
^Dilevko, Juris; Magowan, Candice (2007),Readers' Advisory Service in North American Public Libraries, 1870–2005, Jefferson, NC:McFarland & Company, p. 4,ISBN978-0-7864-2925-7
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