Week 13 Prompt
If readers advisory librarians focus on connecting
patrons with an enjoyable read, regardless of genre and format, the patron may
discover new areas of interest, perhaps outside of the traditional legitimate
reading options, “The objective of readers advisory is not to recommend a book
that is ‘good for you,’ but simply to suggest a good book for an enjoyable
read,” (Booth 34). Libraries can
provide both passive and active readers advisory services in an effort to reach
the needs and interests of all their patrons [or, to expose patrons to possible
new interests]. Actively conversing with
patrons and offering displays such as book maps, books to screen displays, read
alike options, patrons are offered quick access to materials and may be
introduced to new formats and genres that they otherwise wouldn’t approach
independently, “Part of the service we need to provide includes passive
advisory including displays and bibliographies and active advisory including
approaching patrons and conducting advisory interviews,” (Hilyard, 12).
www.peaceporridge.com
Using social media to reach potential YA readers is a
valuable tool for librarians to share, and not just announce, genres and
formats and linking them to movies, music and tv episodes that patrons are
engaged with, “The discussion [comments about the show, Charlaine Harris’
books, and other titles we liked or didn’t] moved out of the realm of Facebook
and right into work, family gatherings, and other real-life meet-ups. The readers’ advisory librarian in me finally
got it. It really is about the sharing.”
(Hilyard 13). Engaging, actively or
passively, in person or through social media, will educate the librarian on the
patrons areas of interest as well as introduce patrons to new materials that
they might not otherwise experience, “All of these are ways to draw in
followers and make them feel like part of the conversation and in the know,
while getting across information about new titles, programming, and insight
into the variety of things we do in public libraries,” (Hilyard 14). By providing a variety of genres and formats,
accessible in both active and passive RA services, libraries can effectively
reach diverse community needs.
Works Cited
Booth, Heather. “RA for YA:
Tailoring the Readers Advisory Interview to the Needs of Young Adult Patrons.” Public Libraries,
Vol. 44 no. 1, Jan / Feb 2005, pp. 33-36.
Daum, Alexandria. “Creative Displays: Your Best Passive Readers’ Advisory Tool.” Peace Library System, 16 Feb. 2015, https://www.peaceporridge.com/the-blog/creative-displays-your-best-passive-readers-advisory-tool. Accessed 2 April 2018.
Hilyard, Nann Blaine.
“The Expanding Scope of Readers’ Advisory,” Public Libraries, vol. 49 no. 1, 2010, pp. 10-25.
