Passive or "Stealth" Readers' Advisor

Courtesy of morgueFile.com

Personalities are as varied as the shapes of leaves.  There are some patrons that are prepared and make a dash to the bookshelf to grab that next read, whether they have placed a hold or know exactly where the target is. There are some patrons who will make a direct line to the circulation or reference desk in search of something they cannot find . . . including the illusive next read.  There are also those that would prefer to be left to their own devices and don’t enjoy making the initial contact with anyone.   

Whatever the personality, the library needs to be ready to meet the needs of all patrons in varying situations and personalities.  Using passive readers’ advisory or “stealth readers’ advisory,” as Cindy Hulsey identifies it, empowers patrons in making personal selections “without the pressure of a librarian standing by” or with the some times illusive but desired discussion—depending on the personality of the patron (Towey 135). 

            

The patrons who come into the library in hopes of attaining that book which will keep them entertained and perhaps even put them into a zone all their own will benefit from passive readers’ advisory. 

This zone can be associated with the “flow” that Cathleen Towey writes about in her article, “Flow: the Benefits of Pleasure Reading and Tapping Readers’ Interests.”  She defined “flow” as “an optimal psychological state that individuals reach when they are so engrossed in an activity that nothing else matters” (132). “Some library patrons prefer to be left alone in their selection process, enjoying the solitary and serendipitous pursuit of browsing” (Towey, 135).  These patrons, if asked if they need help finding anything, they reply that are ‘just looking.’  

There are also some patrons who would love to chat with their favorite librarian about their next reading adventure, but the desk is swamped with other patrons or said librarian is helping someone with a computer, copier, or fax machine problem.  As Kaite Mediatore Stover, states, “As workloads in libraries increase, it’s important to note that passive library services are not only permissible but in some cases necessary” (123).  These patrons will often resort to shopping because, bless their hearts, they ‘don’t want to be a bother.’  

Passive readers’ advisory is also important with more libraries using digital media to satisfy patron’s desires.  Some patrons prefer to do everything via the Internet (especially in during the sometimes extreme cold of winter).  Lissa Staley wrote, “Passive readers’ advisory is an essential part of any library’s readers advisory services because it reaches a group of readers who cannot or will not take advantage of real-time face-to-face services” (73).  Aside from being shy, some people are homebound, some are ill and some just want to stay in where it is warm or cool (depending on the weather).  

Hulsey defines passive readers’ advisory, stating, it

is a catch-all phrase that includes anything other than the . . . one-on-one chat about books—from book displays to read-alike lists; but there is really nothing passive about it.  It requires an active approach to infuse readers’ advisory into almost everything you do. 

“Stealth” readers’ advisory may also be a great way to break down barriers for those shy patrons.  There is the hope that after they have read a few of the suggested books via the passive advisory, they feel more trusting and possibly may step over the boundary of shyness they have felt in the past and talk with the librarian.

So, what are some ways to lead some patrons to their next read when the direct communication is not possible?  The possibilities are endless, but this submission is not.  Below are just a few ideas that are tried-and-true.

Possibilities

Bookmarks (Saricks)	·      Web bookmarks or links to online aids help those that are more self-sufficient.  Some examples are: o   Fantasticfiction.co.uk o   NoveList (a subscribed database) o   Literature-map.com o   Fiction L ·      Tangible bookmarks can list web resources according to genre.  These bookmarks can be placed in the stacks close to the genre they represent as patrons peruse the stacks.
A Copy of Booklist (Saricks)	·      This magazine can either be ordered for in-house or web use.
Organization techniques of the stacks	·      “Grouping all the new fiction in one place is an effective form of passive readers advisory”.   Or genre or subject specific bookshelves (Towey, 134-5)

Homemade RA tools

·      Patron suggestions on “multicolored index cards,” staff recommendations, ‘Book of the Day,’ ‘read alike lists (especially handy for those high circulating books that patrons are waiting for or have read), newsletter of staff favorites (Stover). ·      Poster of a favored author’s favorite reads (Hulsey). ·      Shelf Talkers: These are annotations of select books placed in the stacks where the book would be shelved.  Also can be signed by a staff member as an example of “staff picks” (Wetta). ·      Reading lists in a binder: “it can be a great resource both for staff who may be less familiar with certain genres and for patrons who don’t want to ask someone in person for a suggestion” (Wetta).  These can contain “traditional lists,” “book covers,” “flow charts,” etc.

Observation

·      John Schoppert, a writer for Booklist Online, suggests the ways that libraries can look to bookstores for “the dynamics of prominent front-list displays.”  Next time you get a chance, walk around a bookstore and observe how some of the items there catch your eye.  Then think: “How can I do that at the library?”

Works cited

Hulsey, Cindy.  “Readers Advisor News: Stealth Readers’ Advisory.” Libraries Unlimited. Nov 2010.  Web. (2 March 2015).

Schoppert, John. “Retail Approach or Library Approach? Shaping Readers’ Advisory| Booklist Online.” Bodleian Itch: Libraries, Cononection, Content.  Web.  (2 March 2015)

Staley, Lissa.  “Passive Readers’ Advisory: Bookmarks, Booklists, and Displays.”  The Readers’ Advisory Handbook. Ed. Jessica E. Moyer & Kaite Mediatore Stover.  Chicago: American Library Association, 2010.  Print.

Stover, Kaite Mediatore.  “Readers Advisory: Working without a Net: Readers’ Advisory in the Small Public Library.” Reference & User Services Quarterly. 2005: 45, 2.  EbscoHost. Web. (2 Feb 2015).

Towey, Cathleen A. “Flow: The Benefits o Pleasure Reading and Tapping Readers’ Interests.” Acquisitions Librarian. 2001: 131-140. EbscoHost Web. (15 Feb 2015)

Wetta, Molly.  “Passive Readers’ Advisory for Teens in the Library.” Wrapped Up in Books.  16 Dec 2013.  Web. (15 Feb 2015).