Readers' Advisory experienc

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For my Readers' Advisory class we were asked to choose from two different situations.  The situation I chose was to practice what I had learned in direct communication readers' advisory.  I wanted to see if I could help people find that next great and/or needed read.

I was able to help a couple of people on the job and others I sought out via Facebook. For the face to face I was able to converse and kind of whittle away what they were looking for.


For the Facebook posts I took the option of creating a questionnaire that they could fill out and get back to me.

I enjoyed the face to face contact but I think I really enjoyed the questionnaire method.  I was able o sit back, make notes, investigate and give it some quality analysis.  I told each of them I would get back to them within 1 to 2 days as life was pretty hectic with staffing shortages, illness at home and work and . . . . well, life in general, I guess.  But, I also wanted to give them and their lists the undivided attention they deserved.  While not everyone was able to eek out time to read anything, the Facebook readers were all happy with their lists. They had something to look at when it was allowed in their time frame to read.

Here are two of my favorite experiences.  The first one was person to person, face to face and the second one was via Facebook.

First

Profile: Non-traditional Student.  Not an avid reader or watcher of movies, her sole focus is to get through school.

Reason for RA: Under pressure to write about an author that has the same beliefs that she has but unfamiliar with any such authors or commentators.  

Approach: The readers’ advisory for this patron required a unique approach.  We talked about people that she had heard or quotes that she had heard that she had found inspiring.  She had nothing to give. All she could give was that she was and believed in being non-judgmental.

First we tried looking at quotes online that were based on subject matter such as not passing judgement.  We didn’t get very far with that.  It was too vague and felt like we were fishing without bait.

I decided to take her to the nonfiction section were the many patrons go for inspiration.  This is found in the call numbers 230 to 300 range.  I pulled a few that I thought might be of possible interest and were popular.  After a couple of unsure steps I suggested that she pick three books that look interesting-- no more because then it would be overwhelming.  Then she should sit down and thumb through the book, maybe read a chapter or pick a spot in the middle and read a paragraph here and there.  I then told her that I would leave her to it because I didn't want her to feel like I was breathing down her neck.  This was between her and the books.  She agreed to this and just in time.  The library was closing early due to inclement weather.  She chose a book by or about Gandhi.  She left the library a little more encouraged about her assignment.

The next time I saw her, I asked her how the book worked out.  She was very happy with the results!

Second

This second was a result of a questionnaire I provided for the reader to fill out.  I studied her answers to the questionnaire and send her this response:

____,  I went over your questionnaire and found some titles you might enjoy.

For most of these I used Novelist, which is available through the databases via sjcpl.org.  You can access this with your library card.  It is an awesome tool!  However, there are a couple of possibilities that I read and found similar that Novelist didn’t pull up.

Because you enjoy Harry Potter and Mary Poppins you might enjoy Charlie Bone aka Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo.  According to fantasticfiction.co.uk the fist of the series is Midnight for Charlie Bone.   I know [J], my oldest, really liked all of these titles and has been after me to read Charlie Bone.  I am putting it on my list for after school this semester.

Another author that is similar to JK Rowling is Richard Paul Evans in his teen series, Michael Vey series, which begins with The Prisoner of Cell 25.  OR you might want to try Rick Riordan with his mythological entourage. They are a quick read like Harry Potter and captivate the reader.

Because you liked The Tale of Despereaux, you might enjoy Poppy by Avi or The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Agra Deedy.

Because you liked Anne of Green Gables you might enjoy Boston Jane by Jennifer L. Holm. Here is the blurb as found on Novelist:

Schooled in the lessons of etiquette for young ladies of 1854, Miss Jane Peck of Philadelphia finds little use for manners during her long sea voyage to the Pacific Northwest and while living among the American traders and Chinook Indians of Washington Territory.

Because you like historical fiction and Anne of Green Gables, I wonder if you have ever read anything by Ann Rinaldi.  She is a historical fiction writer that writes predominately for teen girls.  She was my first historical fiction author and hooked me into the genre.   I would be really interested to know what you think!

Because you read and enjoyed Mary Poppins, I wonder if you have read Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

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What is really great about the second experience is that she keeps emailing me the results of her reading these reads.  She has so far loved everyone of them and wants to share them with her children.  It does a librarian heart good--really good!

Week 16 Prompt

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Both of our readings this week talk about the culture of reading and the future of the book. So I have two questions for you as readers, pulling on your own experiences and all of the readings we have done over the semester: First, how have reading and books changed since you were a child, for you specifically? Second, talk a little about what you see in the future for reading, books, or publishing - say 20 years from now. Will we read more or less, will our reading become more interactive? What will happen to traditional publishing? This is  a very free-form question, feel free to wildly extrapolate or calmly state facts, as suits your mood!
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I enjoyed reading as a child.  I wouldn't say that I ate, slept, and berated books or reading of any kind but when I ran into a good book, I wanted to read it in one sitting.  I hated to put a book down until it was finished.  

My first chapter book is what did it to me--Nancy Drew: The Hidden Staircase. I remember sitting in my dad's reclining rocking chair from side to side with my legs hanging over one arm and my back against the other.  I was oblivious to anything else going on around me.  What I remember even more, is that no one interrupted--not even Mom asking me to do a chore or two.  It was a great escape!

As I grew into a teen, I looked at the library once in a while for a book for something to do; however, I still was not obsessed with books.  I was too busy with school to focus very much of my attention on reading.  But, I remember reading, The Count of Monte Cristo, David Copperfield (which in my teen ignorance I thought was about the magician), and Gone with the Wind. 

Now, I am around books almost every day at work.  I touch books and cannot help but be drawn to covers that seem interesting.  I can't help but read the blurb.  I can't help checking them out with the hope that I will be able to find time to read them.  Admittedly, while in library school it is easier when the classes require exploratory reading.  

This winter while stuck inside during the bitter cold and wind, I discovered ebooks.  I didn't have to go out to find a book to read.  It was a nice and quiet use of my time.  Before I would balk at anything electronic.  I love the feel of a book in my hand.  But the convenience was awesome!

While I enjoy the convenience of electronic media, I still prefer a book in my hand, relaxed and enveloped in the story.  We are seeing an ever increasing amount of e-books and e-magazines. This amount, I am sure, will continue to grow.  I hope; however, that the book made of paper, glue, and everything nice will not disappear.

Doctors talk about the disadvantages to health associated with electronic devices.  There are people who cannot afford to splurge on electronic devices.  And, taking an actual book to the beach is cheaper if something would happen to it.  Therefore, I think that there will always be available the book as it was created to be.

However, I see an up tic in the number of "published" authors.  More people are skipping the traditional way of becoming published (agent, editor, publisher, etc.) and self-publishing electronically.  

These two books are an
example of self-publishing.
This author, V. L. Holt, is an
Indiana author and also has
these two books
available in print. 

Week 15 Prompt

What do you think are the best ways to market your library's fiction collection? Name and describe three ways you do or would like to market your library or your future library's fiction. These can be tools, programs, services, displays - anything that you see as getting the word out.

Of course the ultimate way to market any collection is to read it! However, that is totally unrealistic.  People are busy beyond belief these days.  They have family, work, friends, households, studies, and other hobbies that are more interesting than reading sometimes.

Three ideas that came to me while reading this weeks assignments for my Readers' Advisory class relate to book clubs, a "While You are Waiting" cart (Saricks, 145), and book annotations by staff (Saricks).

We have had patrons ask about book clubs and why we don't have discussion groups.  It would be worth a shot to have an evening, once a month or even once every other month to discuss what other people are reading.  I also think this idea might even bring about community bonds as attendees discover other people who have similar or unique reading styles.

The neighborhood and community that surrounds the branch where I work are hard working families that cannot attend programs unless they are on a weekend or a particular night.

We have a display for the New York Times Bestsellers.  But, the true best sellers are not available for almost a month sometimes.  Sometimes, we have to reach back a couple of months just to find something on the current display table just to have something on it that used to be a bestseller. The "While You are Waiting" cart would allow read-alikes to get some attention and satisfy much like an appetizer and perhaps even stimulate the appetite for further reading material.

For example, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins has been on the Best Seller list for months.  However, we never see it come back long enough to even put it on the display.  Therefore, in its stead, we could put a book mark in or have a temporary wrapper around a book that is similar (such as In Fidelity by M. J. Rose).  The bookmark or wrapper could give a synopsis about it and say "While you are waiting for  . . . (in this case The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins) enjoy this read-alike book . . . etc.

Book annotations by staff, number one keeps us reading, number two helps to enlighten us with what is out there.  We are all very busy, but we all read a book here or a book there.  If we emailed each other annotations of books after we read them, it would help us to help the patrons.  Also, it helps us to understand what we each like to read so that if an expert is needed in a specific genre, they are easier to find.  For example, I am not a big graphic novel reader, I prefer historical fiction, Christian fiction, and cozy mystery.  However, there are couple members on our staff that read graphic novels.  If I need advice, I know to whom I can go.

This also goes for patrons.  I know a patron who is in the library every day.  He's almost like the postman who doesn't take a vacation.  He's there rain, shine, sleet, hail . . . as long as the library is open.  He reads science fiction, graphic novels, and because I know what he likes I can ask for his advice.

The long and the short of knowing how to market the fiction section, or any section, is good old fashioned interaction with staff and patrons.

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Saricks, J.  "Promoting and Marketing Readers' Advisory Collections and Services."  In Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library.  Chicago: ALA, 2005.

Week 14 Writing Prompt

Consider yourself part of the collection management committee of your local library, or a library at which you would like to work. You must decide whether or not to separate GBLTQ fiction and African American Fiction from the general collection to its own special place. Some patrons have requested this, yet many staff are uncomfortable with the idea - saying it promotes segregation and disrupts serendipitous discovery of an author who might be different from the reader. Do you separate them? Do you separate one and not the other? Why or why not? You must provide at least 3 reasons for or against your decision. Feel free to use outside sources - this is a weighty question that is answered differently in a lot of different libraries.

At the library where I currently work, we have separated Urban, Mystery, Science/Fantasy, Romance, and generalized Fiction.  Many times people have suggested that Christian fiction be separated.  No one has asked the GBLTQ fiction be genrefied in the same regard.

To separate GBLTQ and African American fiction would, in my opinion, be doing exactly what is being fought against--segregation.  When perusing the stacks for something to read, it is easier to stumble upon an interesting find that makes issues a natural part of life instead of hyper focusing on it.  

GBLTQ is still ultra controversial.  Linda B. Alexander and Sarah D. Miselis state in their article "Barriers to GLBTQ Collection Development and Strategies for Overcoming Them" that, "not only are GLBTQ library users very private about their information needs, but they are not the only one with these needs. Friends and family of the GLBTQ community as well as teachers, consolers, clergy and, in fact, any professional that works with the public all have a need for accurate information about this group of people" (44).

African American populations, while not as isolated as GBLTQ, want equality while maintaining their culture.  What better way to maintain culture than to share culture? It is easier to share a culture when perceived part of a larger culture. 

Elisabeth W. Rauch writes, "Any perceived difference they find in themselves can induce feelings of self-loathing and isolation" (13).  While she was specifically referring to GLBTQ teens, this can be said for anyone human.  We add to that isolation when we think we are researching something associated with our own perceived weaknesses.

While, I do not agree with a starkly visual separation, I do think it is important to have readers advisory lists with these topics highlighted.  With a binder full of possibilities, privacy is maintained while free to investigate topics of interest.  The binder in mind contains tabs of all one color but written terms such as GLBTQ, Christian, African American, etc.  Each topic depends upon the demographics surrounding the library and their needs.  

Just remember, we live in a Venn Diagram--meaning we are all connected in some way.

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Articles mentioned:

Alexander, Linda B. and Sarah D. Miselis. "Barriers to GLBTQ Collection Development and Strategies for Overcoming Them." Young Adult Library Services (YALS). Spring 2007. 43-49.

Rauch Elisabeth W. "GLBTQ Collections Are for Every Library Serving Teens!" Teacher Librarian.  Oct 2011 39:1. 13-16.

Week 13 Prompt

For this weeks writing prompt I am pasting the exact directive here:

Though this week's group of "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults. Obviously, graphic novels are becoming more acceptable, but I still had to fight to get my progressive library in a liberal college town to purchase a book club kit containing graphic novels. The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff. How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we? 

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Sometimes you are thrilled with watching the history of anything.  Sometimes you want to watch a sitcom.  Sometimes, you just want to veg in front of the television—flipping between commercials.  Books can be used in very much the same way.  Has anyone threatened to cut sitcoms?

Imagine a young man or woman-- or even a young boy or girl--who has decided they “hate reading.”  They get bored sitting and looking at lines of words that seem to blend into one another.  Sometimes those lines cause dizziness with their nonsensical movement or chatter. 

There are many reasons that cause someone to be labeled by outside observers as "a reluctant reader."

My very own, then, 10-year-old daughter would never pick up a book unless there was something to grab her attention within the first page—sometimes even the first paragraph—or it had to be a very short book.  She is very active and hates with a vengeance to sit down for any length of time for seemingly no reason.  She prefers to be out exploring nature or interacting with people and peers.

However, at the age of 10 she would pick up the Warrior graphic novels, or Garfield comic books, or anything with illustrations by the dozens.  When she got through it she would read the Warriors books over and over.  We (her teachers and I) tried to move her onto something else.  



While at the beginning I was concerned that she was not reading anything seemingly substantial, I was happy that she had something that appealed to her that required reading behavior.



Then, at age 12, she picked up Maze Runner because it was that or an ‘F’ for her grade at school. 

I had to pick it up over the weekend so she could catch up to her class.  I ended up buying all FOUR books within a 2-week time frame because she had to know what happened next.  I am satisfied, that if it hadn’t been for Graphic novels it would have been even harder for us to get her into reading—of course a threat of failure doesn’t hurt either. 

Now, for an experience not so personal.  I have watched a particular young man at the library where I work.  He used to come in and wonder around getting into trouble easily because he was loitering about causing disturbances among his peers. (I work right next to a middle school).

Then one day, I look up and he is sitting still!  I did a double take and then noticed he was looking down.  The guy was reading (intently) a graphic novel!  My librarian heart jumped for joy! 

I have another patron (adult) who reads novels upwards of 700-800 pages long at really fast intervals.  But, he also enjoys his graphic novels.

We spend the beginning years of teaching a child to read to look for context clues in the illustrations of books he reads.  Then we take those context clues away before they are ready. 

I used to quip that graphic novels were not really reading material.  Now, I am jealous that I didn’t have it when I was between reading stages.

As was written in the writing prompt for this week: graphic novels are more accepted now than before.  I think, we should take this as a lesson.  Let the reader decide!

Week 12 Prompt

For this week in Readers' Advisory class we were asked to fill out the Readers' Advisory Matrix below about a nonfiction book that we have read.  I really enjoy Cokie Roberts's work.  She is thorough in her research and knows how to educate without overwhelming with instruction.

Author: Cokie Roberts

Title: Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation

Date of Publication: March 24, 2009

Pages: 394

Geographic setting: The United States of America

Time Period: 1797-1825

Readers’ Advisory Matrix

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum? ~A mix of highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose

2. What is the subject of the book? The book is about the women who were involved directly and indirectly with the creation of The United States of America.

3.  What type of book is it? A biography of multiple characters.

4. Articulate appeal What is the pacing of the book? Leisurely. Describe the characters of the book.  The characters of the book range from First Ladies of Presidents of the United States to other characters such as Sacagawea, Louis Livingston, Rebecca Gratz, etc. How does the story feel? It reads like a story with examples and quotes from primary sources. What is the intent of the author? Roberts intended to entice the reader into reading more and learning more about the women who were part of the betterment of a new nation. What is the focus of the story?  The focus is the women in the political and social climate and their reactions to these surroundings. Does the language matter?  Roberts purposely modernized the language for easier and enjoyable reading.  This makes reading smooth and uninhibited, as translation techniques are not as needful if it was written the language and spelling of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Is the setting important and well described?  The setting is strictly social with no flowery creativity.  Roberts’s works off of what she has researched and what she knows. Are there details and, if so, of what? The details include snippets from letters and other primary sources at Roberts’s disposal. Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? None. Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? Roberts uses examples from primary sources to back up reports and claims, adding to the understanding.

5.  Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)? 1.  Storyline                       2.  Detailed                    3. Learning/ Experiencing

Week 11 Writing Prompt

For this weeks writing prompt we were asked about the ebook and audiobook experience. What do you prefer: physical books, ebooks, or audiobooks? Here's what I think . . .

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I really enjoy having a book in my hand as part of the experience.  It becomes an intimate experience while touching the pages and breathing in the smell.  If you read a scene and it makes you question a previous scene, a reader can flip back to approximately the location where it was read.  Another benefit is the ability to loan and borrow from friends a book they read or you read that they other “Just has to read.” It’s also nice to know if I am going to be able to finish the chapter in the time I have available before I start the chapter.  However, necessity is the mother of invention or alteration.  

This last winter when it was too cold to go out or because the library was closed, ebooks became a very good friend for myself and my children.  Also, if I want to read a book or cannot find time to get to the site of its location and I don’t want to wait for it to transfer, it’s much quicker to get an ebook.  When I was laid up with back pain, it was great to be able to check it out without having to ask for someone to pick it up for me.  It’s a great conversation starter also.  With curious kids wondering why I am looking at my tablet and no movie is playing they wonder what I am reading--that is, when they know the semester is done.

For an ebook, it seems absolutely necessary to adjust the font and background lighting before I feel comfortable reading it.  Books, there is no glare at night or in the day. I pretty much can open it and go.  

Audio books are a new phenomenon for me as well.  Last summer, I was spending a lot of time on the road taking kids to various places for their activities. My son picked up an audio book for his listening pleasure and I decided to see what he was listening to: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy By Tui T. Sutherland, read by Shannon McMannus.  Kaite Mediatore, in “Reading with Your Ears,” stated, “narration changes and intensifies every element of a book’s appeal . . .  How well a narrator adopts different accents or pitches in voice to distinguish between characters is a necessary element to the audio book” (319).  I was hoping she would actually continue to read the Wings of Fire series.  Imagine my disappointment.  I missed my turn a couple of times listening to her read the first book.

Ebooks and audiobooks are a great addition to the physical copies of books.  But, I don’t want the physical books to disappear.  All of these formats are beneficial in some form. Balance is the key.