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FROM: Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 1/24/01, 7:31 PM

I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another more
experienced librarian takes over and handles the
question. We have Gale's what to read next and
Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
not every title or author is in there. What should be
the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
matched the right book with the right person?

Debra Cernieux
Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

FROM: David Wright <dwright333@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 12:46 AM

Hello, Debra. Welcome!
First of all, relax. Reader's advisory is a
challenge for all of us; we all know that totally
blank deer-in-the-headlights feeling, and we work day
by day to improve. Your question already puts you
ahead of a vast number of librarians who simply shrug
and say 'not my department' when it comes to fiction
and RA.
There are all sorts of tricks, techniques and
tools that you'll develop as you go along, but I think
the single most useful thing you can do to begin with
(if you haven't already) is to read Reader's Advisory
Service in the Public Library, 2d ed, by Joyce Saricks
and Nancy Brown. The second most useful thing you can
do is read it again. The book outlines a rationale
and basic approach to reader's advisory that will help
you avoid the seismic error that even really great
reader/librarians make, which is to focus on books
rather than patrons.
There are many other useful articles being
published these days on reader's advisory or reader's
guidance. Do a Library Literature search and profit
from the efforts and experience of those who are
working in this field. And, of course, stay tuned to
Fiction_L!
And thanks for asking! I'm sure many of us look
forward to reading and profiting from this thread.
-David Wright
Seattle Public Library

'A novel is a question, not an answer.'
-Richard Peck

--- Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
> reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
> when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
> read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another
> more
> experienced librarian takes over and handles the
> question. We have Gale's what to read next and
> Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
> not every title or author is in there. What should
> be
> the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
> matched the right book with the right person?
>
> Debra Cernieux
> Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great
> prices.
> http://auctions.yahoo.com/
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html


=====
David Wright Seattle Public Library

"Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer."
-E.M. Forster, Howard's End.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

FROM: Bsbgc@aol.com
REC'D: 1/25/01, 2:08 AM

I never did RA per se, because I was in an academic library and that wasn't
the focus, but I did reference for 11 years and loved it.

In any case - one of the first things I did when I came to work was to go
from stack to stack browsing the collection. If you can find the time, you
might want to spend a break or two, or part of a lunch hour just pawing
through the library's fiction collection. I realize that sounds daunting -
but it can be a fun way to discover and uncover what's there. You might even
unearth some treasures your colleagues don't realize are in house. I was
once browing in Special Collections in my library and found the illuminated
manuscript that had been misshelved and missing. (It had no call # on it, of
course, so that didn't help.)

Sorry for the retro ramble. All of the above IMHO, of course.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: Kaite Mediatore <mediatok@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 9:05 AM

Debra,
Welcome to the most fun you can have in a
library--recommending books to readers!

For starters, I agree you should read Joyce Saricks' book
on Reader's Advisory. You might also take a look at these
two books The Readers' Choice: 200 Book Club Favorites by
Victoria Golden McMains and/or The BookLover's Guide to the
Internet by Evan Morris. Keep Readers' Choice handy at
your reference desk. Use Book Lover's Guide to the Internet
whenever you have a free moment or if the patron is
computer savvy and wants to explore all alone.

You might also ask the reader what is the last book he/she
read that was enjoyed. And try going from there. I hope
your library also has the online database NoveList. It's
the best RA tool when you're in a hurry.

Hope all this helps. Good luck and I promise, it gets
easier with a little time.

Kaite (born and bred on Long Island)


--- Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
> reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
> when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
> read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another more
> experienced librarian takes over and handles the
> question. We have Gale's what to read next and
> Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
> not every title or author is in there. What should be
> the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
> matched the right book with the right person?
>
> Debra Cernieux
> Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great
> prices.
> http://auctions.yahoo.com/
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html


=====
Kaite Mediatore, Reader's Services Librarian
KCKPL Main Branch
625 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
913.279.2212 fx 913.279.2032
cmedia@kckpl.lib.ks.us

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

FROM: "Frances Morgan" <famorgan@cals.lib.ar.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 9:42 AM

As a practicum:

Pretend YOU are the patron. Do RA using book sources, lists, and Internet
finding books that you might like to read. It's an enjoyable way to learn
RA, AND your personal reading list will quadruple!!

Frances Morgan
Training Coordinator
Central Arkansas Library System

>--- Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
>> reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
>> when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
>> read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another more
>> experienced librarian takes over and handles the
>> question. We have Gale's what to read next and
>> Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
>> not every title or author is in there. What should be
>> the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
>> matched the right book with the right person?
>>
>> Debra Cernieux
>> Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY

>Kaite Mediatore, Reader's Services Librarian
>KCKPL Main Branch
>625 Minnesota Ave.
>Kansas City, KS 66101
>913.279.2212 fx 913.279.2032
>cmedia@kckpl.lib.ks.us

FROM: Patricia Anderson <pa0096@mail.pratt.lib.md.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 10:41 AM

Don't forget to ask the patron: "What is it you liked about the book?" if
they ask for a recommendation for a book like another title or author they
have already read. It could be the characters, theme, pace, genre, setting
or storyline. The answer will get you started in what reader's advisory
source to look in...Pat A., FCPL

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <RBEERBOWER@mail.open.org>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 11:23 AM

Debra,

Welcome to the wonderful world of readers' advisory, the best job in the library, IMHO!

You will no doubt be flooded with excellent advice from this list's cadre of knowledgeable librarians, but I wanted to add a couple of resources that haven't yet been mentioned.

I had the pleasure of hearing a presentation by Nancy Pearl from Seattle's Center for the Book and her book NOW READ THIS, A GUIDE TO MAINSTREAM FICTION, 1978-1998, is an excellent tool for those questions that involve literary fiction. There are tons of books, articles, etc on genre fiction but is hard to find a good reference for those patrons who want books like Ann Tyler, Wally Lamb, Arundhati Roy, etc and this one fills the bill.

GENREFLECTING by Diana Herald is one of the best for genre fiction (mysteries, westerns, romance, etc.).

There is also an excellent article in the January (1 & 15) issue of Booklist by Roberta Johnson, the originator of Fiction_L (stand up and take a bow, Roberta!) about readers' advisory on the Internet.

I could go on and one but you will receive many more good suggestions. Start with these resources after reading Joyce Saricks' book and you will have a good start to a very rewarding part of the profession.

Robin Beerbower
Salem (OR) Public Library
rbeerbower@open.org

>>> Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com> 01/24 5:28 PM >>>
I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another more
experienced librarian takes over and handles the
question. We have Gale's what to read next and
Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
not every title or author is in there. What should be
the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
matched the right book with the right person?

Debra Cernieux
Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <RBEERBOWER@mail.open.org>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 11:53 AM

Well, duh, I just reread your message and saw that you already had GENREFLECTING. Sorry I repeated the information. :-/

Robin

>>> "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <RBEERBOWER@mail.open.org> 01/25 9:19 AM >>>
Debra,

Welcome to the wonderful world of readers' advisory, the best job in the library, IMHO!

You will no doubt be flooded with excellent advice from this list's cadre of knowledgeable librarians, but I wanted to add a couple of resources that haven't yet been mentioned.

I had the pleasure of hearing a presentation by Nancy Pearl from Seattle's Center for the Book and her book NOW READ THIS, A GUIDE TO MAINSTREAM FICTION, 1978-1998, is an excellent tool for those questions that involve literary fiction. There are tons of books, articles, etc on genre fiction but is hard to find a good reference for those patrons who want books like Ann Tyler, Wally Lamb, Arundhati Roy, etc and this one fills the bill.

GENREFLECTING by Diana Herald is one of the best for genre fiction (mysteries, westerns, romance, etc.).

There is also an excellent article in the January (1 & 15) issue of Booklist by Roberta Johnson, the originator of Fiction_L (stand up and take a bow, Roberta!) about readers' advisory on the Internet.

I could go on and one but you will receive many more good suggestions. Start with these resources after reading Joyce Saricks' book and you will have a good start to a very rewarding part of the profession.

Robin Beerbower
Salem (OR) Public Library
rbeerbower@open.org

>>> Debra Cernieux <librarydebra@yahoo.com> 01/24 5:28 PM >>>
I am a relatively new librarian who is scared of
reader's advisory service. I do not know what to do
when a person asks "Do you have any good books to
read?" or "Is this a good book?" Usually another more
experienced librarian takes over and handles the
question. We have Gale's what to read next and
Genreflecting. I do try to use those resources, but
not every title or author is in there. What should be
the first steps I should take to ensure that I have
matched the right book with the right person?

Debra Cernieux
Part-time librarian from Long Island, NY

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

FROM: "Brenda O'Brien" <obrienb@sls.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 1/25/01, 2:11 PM

Welcome to the art, not science of readers advisory. All of the prior
suggestions are good. Two other things I would suggest are to really
spend some time browsing the Fiction_L booklists on the Webrary site, and
to have some aces in the hole. We all get brain freeze sometimes, and it
really helps to have some books to recommend with wide general appeal. At
my library, often the patron hasn't had time to read much for a while,
and is completely open to suggestion. I have a couple of books by
prolific authors with wide appeal that I try to remember, including The
Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, by Dorothy Gilman, and A Town Like Alice, by
Nevil Shute. For different genres, I have a few non bestselling authors
to recommend, such as Joy Fielding's See Jane Run, for soft-edged
suspense. Look at the lists in Joyce Sarick's book for ideas. Check out
the recommended books in the genre articles in What Do I Read Next? And
read widely, or at least read book reviews or skim the books. Most of my
patrons like to discover new(to them) authors who have written several
books, so
you might browse the stacks and focus on those. And remember, if your
brain freezes, the reference books don't help, and websites don't provide
inspiration, find out as much as you can about what your patron would
like to read, and send a query to your friends here at Fiction_L.

Brenda O'Brien
Woodridge Public Library
obrienb@sls.lib.il.us

FROM: "Joy Tofteland" <tofteland@ankeny.k12.ia.us>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 9:26 AM

In addition to the excellent suggestions proffered so far, I would like to
add a few helpful hints. Listen carefully to everything the patron tells
you about why they liked a particular book and make notes. Have a few "sure
bets" to suggest at the time to send the patron off with something in hand.
This will give you time to think without the patron standing at your desk.
Patrons are thrilled when you get back to them with a list constructed just
for them.

In addition to the RA tools already suggested, I use Amazon.com to search
for books they have enjoyed. The "Customers who bought this book also
bought:" sometimes offers similar authors you may not have known about.
Again I would like to stress, this just an additional source to the great RA
tools already suggested.

Joy Tofteland
Reference/ Technical Resources Librarian
Kirkendall Public Library
Ankeny, IA

FROM: Mary K Chelton <mchelton@pop.mail.rcn.net>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 10:43 AM

I have found that the prevailing myth that someone has to have read
everything personally to do this is silly and paralyzing to
beginners, so if you are feeling that way, try not to. Obviously, an
advisor has to be a reader and skillful interviewer/listener, but
that person also has to understand how and when to use available
tools and passive techniques to help readers. I agree with everyone
who advised using the Saricks and Brown book, especially chapter
three on appeal factors. Since I recently updated my RA tools list
and reconfirmed all the urls for my RA class, I also offer it below
in hope that it will be useful to beginners and old hands alike. The
problem with most of the tools, however, is that the titles are not
indexed by appeal factors, except for Pat Pearl's book and one of the
Internet sites (which naturally I can't remember right now). As I am
fond of telling Duncan Smith (although he may not be fond of hearing
it), the fact that OUTLANDER took place in Scotland or that the
protagonist was a nurse are not the reasons I loved that book, so
setting and protagonist's occupation are irrelevant indexing factors
to find things "like" it for me, but nobody's figured out how to
index readalikes by terms like "clones of Jamie." Oh well...

Comments, corrections, suggestions, etc. always welcome. I think I
forgot the audiobook publishers assn. Perhaps Joyce could tell
everybody?

Mary K.

READERS ADVISORY TOOLS: A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mary K. Chelton
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
Queens College
254 Rosenthal
65-330 Kissena Blvd.
Flushing, NY 11367
mchelton@pop.mail.rcn.com
January, 2001


Academe in Mystery and Detective Fiction: An Annotated Bibliography
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ALA's Guide to Best Reading in 2000. ALA, 2000.

Alternative Reality Romance Guide: A Reader's and Collector's
Resource for the Paranormal Sub-Genres by Lisa Clevenger, Jeanne
Macho & Shannon McCravy. Blue Diamond Publications, (2429 Obetz
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American Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults
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American Mystery and Detective Novels: A Reference Guide by Larry
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Arthurian Fiction: An Annotated Bibliography by Cindy Mediavilla.
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Best Novels of the Nineties: A Reader's Guide by Linda Parent Lesher.
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To Be Continued: An Annotated Guide to Sequels. 2nd ed. by Merle L.
Jacob and Hope Apple. Oryx, 2000.

True Crime Narratives: An Annotated Bibliography by Ben Harrison.
Scarecrow, 1997.

Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction: An A-Z of Science Fiction by Title
by David Pringle. 2nd ed. Ashgate, 1995.

Vampire Readings: An Annotated Bibliography by Patricia Altner.
Scarecrow, 1998.

Western Series and Sequels by Bernard A. Drew. 2nd ed. Garland, 1993.

What Do I Read Next?: Multicultural Literature. Gale, 1997.

What Fantastic Fiction Do I Read Next? Gale, 1998.

What Historical Novel Do I Read Next? by Daniel S. Burt. 2 vols. Gale, 1997.

What Inspirational Literature Do I Read Next? By Pamela Willwerth
Aue. Gale, 2000.

What Mystery Do I Read next? A Reader's Guide to Recent Mystery
Fiction. Gale, 1997.

What Romance Do I Read Next? by Kristin Ramsdell. Gale, 1997.

What to Read: The Essential guide for Reading Group Members and Other
Book Lovers by Mickey Pearlman. Revised and updated. Harper/Collins,
1999.

What Western Do I Read Next? Gale, 1998.

What's Next? A List of Books in Series. Kent District, Kent District
Library, 775 Ball NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 59503, 2000.

Whole Story: 3000 Years of Sequels and Sequences. John Simkin, ed.
Bowker, 2nd ed. 1998.

Words on Cassette: 2000. Bowker, 2000.

World Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults and
Young Adults by Lynda G. Adamson. Oryx, 1998.


Journals

Armchair Detective. 967 Somerset St., #1132, Watchung, NJ 07060-6304

Deadly Pleasures. George Easter, 1718 S. Ridge Point Drive,
Bountiful, UT 84010.

Locus: The Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field. Locus
Publications, P 0 Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661.

Mostly Murder: Your Guide to Reading Mysteries. Mostly Book Reviews,
POBox 191207, Dallas, TX 75219.

Mystery Buff at Home. Mystery Buff, 304 Lover's Lane, Townsend, TN 37882.

Mystery Readers Journal. Mystery Readers International, PO Box 8116,
Berkeley, CA 94707.

Romantic Times. 55 Bergen St., Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Roundup Magazine. WWA Roundup Magazine, James Crutchfield, Dept. BB,
1012 Fair St., Franklin, TN 37064-2718.

Organizations

Association of Book Groups and Leaders, PO Box 885, Highland Park, IL 60035.

Horror Writers of America/Horror Writers Association, PO Box 50577,
Palo Alto, CA 94303. (www.horror.org) Bram Stoker Awards, June.

Mystery Writers of America, 17 E. 47th St., 6th Floor, New York, NY
10017.(www.mysterywriters.net) Edgar Awards, April.

Romance Writers of America, 113700 Veteran' s Memorial, Suite 315,
Houston, TX 77004. (www.rwanational.com) RITA Awards, summer.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, 532 LaGuardia Place,
#632, New York, NY 10012-1428. (www.sfwa.org) Nebula Awards, May.

Sisters in Crime, (www.sinc-ic.org/) PO Box 44224, Lawrence, KS 66044-8933.

Western Writers of America, 1012 Fair St., Franklin, TN 37064.
(www.westemwriters.org) Spur Awards, June.

Internet Resources


Adult Reading Round Table (rmkhome.northstarnet.org/rmlib/arrt/index.htm)

AllReaders. com (www.allreaders.com)

Amazon.com (www.amazon.com)

BookBrowser (www.bookbrowser.com/)

BookPage (www.bookpage.com)

Bookwire (www.bookwire.com/)

ClueLass Home Page: A Mystery Lover's Notebook (www.cluelass.com)

Fiction-L (www.webrary.org/rs/Flmenu.html)

Genreflecting (www.genrefluent.com)

Internet Speculative Fiction Database (www.sfsite.com/isfdb/index.html)

MacGuffin Guide to Detective Fiction (www.macguffin.net)

Morton Grove Public Library Webrary Reader Services
(www.webrary.org/rs/rsmenu.html)

Mystery Guide (www.mysteryguide.com)

Mystery Network (www.mysterynet.com)

Mystery Reader (www.themysteryreader.com)

New York Public Library Electronic Reader's Advisor
((www.nypl.org/branch/services/oas/ra.html)

NoveList:Your Guide to Fiction (novelist.epnet.com)

Overbooked (www.overbooked.org)

Publishers Catalogues Home Page (www.lights.com/publi'sher/) Reader's
Robot (www.tnrdlib.bc.ca/rr)

Reader's Club (www.readersclub.org)

Reader's Robot (www.tnrdlib.bc.ca/rr)

Reading Group Choices (www.readinggroupchoices.com)

Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Database (access-co2.tamu.edu/hhall)

SFF Net (www.sff.net)

SF-Lovers Archive (sflovers.rutgers.edu)

Soon's Historical Fiction Site (uts.cc.utexas.edu/-soon/histfiction)

Stop, You're Killing Me! A Site to Die for ... If you Love Mystery
Books (www.stopyourekillingme,com/default.htm)

Writers Write Books (www.writerswrite.com/books/)


Specific Internet Listservs for Genre Fiction
Descriptions and addresses can be found in the Directory of
Scholarly and Professional E-Conferences (ww.n2h2.com/KOVACS)

DOROTHYL (mysteries)
Horror (horror)
RRA-L (romance)
SFLOVERS (science fiction)

A good general description of how email discussion groups and lists
work may be found at (www.impulse-research.com/list.html).

--
**************************************************************************************
Home: 35 Mercury Ave., East Patchogue, NY 11772-4609. Phone: (631)
286-4255 or 776-2166
Work: Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens
College, 254 Rosenthal Library, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY
11367. Phone: (718) 997-3790 general office; 3667 direct voice; 3797
fax, e-mail mchelton@pop.mail.rcn.net
**************************************************************************************

FROM: Carol Elmore <celmore@westga.edu>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 11:24 AM

Along these lines, does anyone use a form, perhaps kept at the Circulation
desk that patrons can fill out for help with Readers' Advisory? Sort-of a
"we'll get back to you as soon as possible" type form?
If so, would anyone share an example with me?
Carole Elmore
Newnan-Coweta Public Library

FROM: Bsbgc@aol.com
REC'D: 1/26/01, 4:36 PM

Mary K -

Thanks for posting the wonderful RA list!

Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: "Michalik" <michalik@lynchburg.net>
REC'D: 1/26/01, 6:44 PM

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Readalikes website. I find it very
useful. (And it comes all the way from Tasmania!) Thanks, Denise!

http://www.tased.edu.au/library/readalik/index.htm

Candice Michalik
Reference Librarian
Lynchburg Public Library
Lynchburg, VA
michalik@lynchburg.net

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