Fiction_L Archives Voracious Readers was Readers' Advisory interview questions Dates: 5/5/02,2:00 PM  through  5/10/02,10:45 PM  (23 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to May 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: Karla Bowman <[removed]@euclidlibrary.org>
REC'D: 5/5/02, 2:00 PM

Fiction-Lers,

This discussion has led me to wonder how RA staff, or book discussion
leaders, or anyone who uses his/her personal reading for work, balance
personal reading and work-related reading? Do you even make a
distinction? I'm often choosing what to read with an eye on how I can
use it for work. Not that I don't enjoy those books, but I'm no longer
reading strictly for my own pleasure. Any thoughts?

Also, Joyce and Deborah, are RA staff permitted to read or skim during
work hours?

Karla Bowman
Euclid Public Library
Euclid, OH

FROM: "Lorie J. O'Donnell" <[removed]@midyork.lib.ny.us>
REC'D: 5/5/02, 3:47 PM

On my own time, I only read for myself. I do all professional reading on
the job, which is why I so often have a backlog of "to be read" items. I do
find time during odd hours to catch upon my "professional" reading, and I
consider everything I read, whether at work or at home as part of what makes
me a good librarian. Every book I read is useful for RA with someone!

Lorie

on 5/5/02 2:59 PM, Karla Bowman at [removed]@euclidlibrary.org wrote:

> Fiction-Lers,
>
> This discussion has led me to wonder how RA staff, or book discussion
> leaders, or anyone who uses his/her personal reading for work, balance
> personal reading and work-related reading? Do you even make a
> distinction? I'm often choosing what to read with an eye on how I can
> use it for work. Not that I don't enjoy those books, but I'm no longer
> reading strictly for my own pleasure. Any thoughts?
>
> Also, Joyce and Deborah, are RA staff permitted to read or skim during
> work hours?
>
>
> Karla Bowman
> Euclid Public Library
> Euclid, OH
>
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

"If you didn't want them to think,
you shouldn't have given them library cards."
--Elliott Gould as Harry Bailey in "Getting Straight"--

FROM: "Deborah T. Walsh" <[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 5/6/02, 9:17 AM

Karla Bowman asked:

>>>>Deborah, are RA staff permitted to read or skim during work hours?

When an RA staff member is preparing for a book discussion he or she may
read the book on library time. Right now there is no provision for other
off-desk reading time because this department is relatively new and I've
been focused on promoting its worth to our administration and board. They
have to see its value in rising circulation statistics, positive community
feedback and think of it in "cost-effective" terms before I dare ask for
more. We have been able to staff a separate RA desk for all of the hours
the library is open for two years now, but I have budgeted for staff to
cover on-desk hours only. Since most of my RA team members also have
reference and selection duties, they already have a fairly good amount of
off-desk time for their "other duties as assigned," so they don't burn out.
I've resisted demanding extra staff hours for off-desk RA duties since most
of their bibliographic, exhibit planning and related RA chores can be done
while staffing the RA desk.

But one of my goals for next year or the year after is to begin to build in
off-desk reading time by hiring another staff member or two. I would like
to allow RA staff members "caught up" with their selection, bibliographic
and other routine chores to read any book they are not reading from their
own normal or "natural" reading interest on library time.

On the other hand, if I'm honest, I use my own values regarding reading to
guide the department. I will always be an avid recreational reader,
exploring new authors and genres. It's a personal value. I have built my
team with people who share that value, and I exploit their strength for the
benefit of the reading community we serve.

Is this "fair" ??

I don't know, but since I personally don't feel used in a negative way, but
rather, utilized for an ability I possess, I hope the people who work with
me feel the same way. If they don't, they have other opportunities for
employment in our library and elsewhere. That's not meant to be a snide
remark or a threat - the reference desk is always an option here, and I'd be
kidding myself if I didn't face the fact that there are lots of libraries in
the Chicagoland suburbs that would be thrilled to steal one of my valuable
employees if he or she felt ill-used.

Debbie

Deborah T. Walsh
Geneva Public Library District
Geneva, IL
[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us

FROM: Cynthia Orr <[removed]@cpl.org>
REC'D: 5/6/02, 10:01 AM

>I've started asking how many books they read a month. I was surprised,
>when I interviewed last, to have candidates who called themselves
>"voracious readers" say they read perhaps 2 books a month. Am I mistaken
>in believing they need to read more to keep up??
>
>Joyce Saricks

I also don't think that reading two books a month qualifies as "voracious."
Maybe Catherine Ross got it right when she did her research, presented in:
"Making Choices: What Readers Say About Choosing Books to Read for
Pleasure," (Co-published simultaneously in The Acquisitions Librarian No.
25,2001, p. 5-21 and in Readers, Reading and Librarians, edited by Bill
Katz, 2001, also p. 5-21).

She wanted to interview individuals who "read a lot and read by choice," so
she focused on readers who said that reading for pleasure "is a very
important part of their lives." The readers she interviewed fell within
"the 10% of the North American population who show up in national reading
surveys as 'heavy readers'--those who read upward of a book a week." She
cites two studies to support that 10% figure--one by Cole & Gold and one by
the Book Industry Study Group.

So their definition of a "heavy reader" is the 10% of the population which
reads more than one book a week. I would think that "voracious" (which
means ravenous, greedy, insatiable) implies even more than "heavy," but how
would we define it? It would be really interesting to do a survey of that
10% and ask how many books they read in a week or a month and see if any
patterns fall into place.

As far as what is enough to keep up, though, I would agree that 2 books a
month isn't enough to keep up. I also agree that people go through different
phases in their lives that sometimes make it difficult to do what they
enjoy. I just finished teaching a library school class, for instance, on
top of my regular job, and that really took a lot of my spare time. I still
read about two books a week, but some of what I read was definitely "very
light" reading, which goes along with research that shows that the higher
the stress level, the more we crave escape reading. I also know someone, as
another example, who is the world's biggest football fan. But when he was
at Harvard Law School, he only managed to watch two games in the entire
three years. He had to delay that gratification in order to graduate at the
top of his class. So if someone had interviewed him right after school and
asked how many football games he'd watched, they would have gotten an
incorrect view of him as a person. I remember being frustrated at not being
able to read what I wanted to during college, even though I was an English
major and read a lot. But the reading was all assigned. Guess I should
have noticed a pattern when I read about 10 novels the first three weeks
after I finished college (instead of doing my library school homework)--but
I didn't notice at the time, and they didn't teach RA 30 years ago, so I
didn't even realize that I was a readers' advisor in the making--but I
digress.

On to the next related question--

>This discussion has led me to wonder how RA staff, or book discussion
>leaders, or anyone who uses his/her personal reading for work, balance
>personal reading and work-related reading? Do you even make a
>distinction? I'm often choosing what to read with an eye on how I can
>use it for work. Not that I don't enjoy those books, but I'm no longer
>reading strictly for my own pleasure. Any thoughts?
>
>Karla Bowman
>Euclid Public Library
>Euclid, OH

I'm probably plagiarizing this from someone else, so if anyone knows the
citation, please provide it. (Was it you, Joyce?) But I think that people
read books in three ways--as a fan--in a noncritical way just for enjoyment,
as a critic--a more scholarly approach, or as a professional, which is what
readers' advisors should do--with an eye toward appeal factors and how the
book could be recommended or categorized. Some of the most voracious readers
read as fans and can't tell you a thing about the books they've read a week
later. Personally, I think that one can read for pleasure and still be aware
as a professional of how the book can be used at work. But I also agree that
we need to read outside our own tastes in order to be able to be effective.
Deliberately and systematically picking up something that's not what we'd
ordinarily read seems like a reasonable way to do that.

When interviewing, I think it would be important to ask open ended questions
about reading in order to overcome some issues that might skew the
results--like the fact that the person may have just finished school last
week and hadn't been able to read much since the summer before, or that they
might have just gone through a phase where they read nonfiction for a few
weeks, or that they might have just been through a stressful time where they
read for pure escape, or that they might have been on an award committee and
HAD to read literary novels, so they lucked out and impressed you with the
titles they just finished! But then, open ended questions are always best.
It takes skill to sort out the avid readers who fall into categories such as
the above, and the people who say they "love" to read if they only had the
time, but they just never have the time.

This is an interesting topic.

Cindy

---
Cynthia Orr
Collection Manager
Cleveland Public Library
17133 Lake Shore Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44110
(216) 623-2906
Fax - (216)623-2977
www.cpl.org

FROM: Heuer <[removed]@itol.com>
REC'D: 5/7/02, 10:47 AM

I do RA and have been for years but I am nowhere near a voracious reader. I
am not a fast reader. I read an average of 5 books a month and one of those
is probably an audio book. The only reading, outside of journals, that we
can do at work takes place during lunch and breaks, even though our
customers think being a librarian is probably a wonderful job because we get
to "read all day." I do read a lot of reviews and informally my coworkers
and I share information about what we read. Fiction L is also a great
source. At home I read every evening but that only happens after dinner,
dishes, homework help, other household chores, etc.

Don't take this as whining, sure I would love to have more time to read but
I still think I do pretty good RA without reading 15 - 20 books a month.

--
Jeanne Heuer
Brown County Library
Green Bay, WI
[removed]@itol.com

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, Art is knowing which ones
to keep." -anonymous
> From: Karla Bowman <[removed]@euclidlibrary.org>
> Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
> Date: Sun, 05 May 2002 14:59:13 -0400
> To: Fiction_L <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
> Subject: Voracious Readers was Readers' Advisory interview questions
>
> Fiction-Lers,
>
> This discussion has led me to wonder how RA staff, or book discussion
> leaders, or anyone who uses his/her personal reading for work, balance
> personal reading and work-related reading? Do you even make a
> distinction? I'm often choosing what to read with an eye on how I can
> use it for work. Not that I don't enjoy those books, but I'm no longer
> reading strictly for my own pleasure. Any thoughts?
>
> Also, Joyce and Deborah, are RA staff permitted to read or skim during
> work hours?
>
>
> Karla Bowman
> Euclid Public Library
> Euclid, OH
>
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>

FROM: "Margaret N. Waznis" <[removed]@cts.com>
REC'D: 5/7/02, 10:20 PM

My thinking on this has changed since I experienced one of Duncan Smith's outstanding
workshops on readers advisory techniques. When I hired readers advisors in past jobs, I
used questions that would tell me how much the applicant read, their knowledge of genres
and writers, their ability to sum up a book succinctly. But after working through
Duncan's workshop, reading through the accompanying research, and seeing videos of
effective RA in action, I tend now to feel that listening and interviewing skill, and
conducting the interview so that the patron leads will succeed where book knowledge
alone will not. He highlighted a fascinating research study showing that patrons were
less satisfied in an RA encounter with a librarian who pulled books off the shelf in
response to a read-alike question, even when the books were appropriate, and were more
satisfied when the librarian questioned further, and elicited appeal factors, even when
the books were less appropriate. The research subjects were more likely to go back to
and recommend the librarian with listening skills than they were to go back to or
recommend the librarian with book knowledge. I think David Wright made an excellent
point a few posts ago when he stated that a self-involved or careless approach from a
heavy reader may not give the patron a better experience than a careful questioner with
a less complete book knowledge.

So, slow readers, take heart!

Betty Waznis
San Diego County Library

>
> Subject: Re: Voracious Readers was Readers' Advisory interview questions
> From: "Heuer" <[removed]@itol.com>
> Date: Tue, 07 May 2002 10:39:32 -0500
>
> I do RA and have been for years but I am nowhere near a voracious reader. I
> am not a fast reader. I read an average of 5 books a month and one of those
> is probably an audio book. The only reading, outside of journals, that we
> can do at work takes place during lunch and breaks, even though our
> customers think being a librarian is probably a wonderful job because we get
> to "read all day." I do read a lot of reviews and informally my coworkers
> and I share information about what we read. Fiction L is also a great
> source. At home I read every evening but that only happens after dinner,
> dishes, homework help, other household chores, etc.
>
> Don't take this as whining, sure I would love to have more time to read but
> I still think I do pretty good RA without reading 15 - 20 books a month.
>
> --
> Jeanne Heuer
> Brown County Library
>

FROM: David Wright <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/7/02, 11:25 PM

It is also useful to remember this when we
think about staff training for reader's advisory
and promoting reader's services in our branches.
Even in libraries fortunate enough to have staff
specifically focusing on -or known for- R.A., the
majority of patron interactions happen with other
staff and librarians. It is wonderful to have
expert advisors on staff; our library is blessed
by the talents of great spokespeople like Gayle
Richardson and Nancy Pearl. But - apologies to
Sly Stone - Not Everybody is a Star, and many
librarians I've worked with are cowed by the
implied expectation that you need to be scary
smart and preternaturally well-read to do this
work.
I agree that folks who claim R.A. as a
specialty do need to read lots (& for a slow
reader like me that is about 10-12 books a month,
btw - half of that for pure personal pleasure).
But if we want to go beyond the star system and
promote reader's advisory as something that a
broad spectrum of library workers are comfortable
or even willing to do, we need to encourage
librarians to work with what they have: to read
strategically, and to make use of the growing
array of reference sources now available to
supplement their personal knowledge. This is
real-world Reader's Advisory, imo.
-David Wright
Seattle Public Library

--- "Margaret N. Waznis" <[removed]@cts.com> wrote:
> My thinking on this has changed since I
> experienced one of Duncan Smith's outstanding
> workshops on readers advisory techniques. When
> I hired readers advisors in past jobs, I
> used questions that would tell me how much the
> applicant read, their knowledge of genres
> and writers, their ability to sum up a book
> succinctly. But after working through
> Duncan's workshop, reading through the
> accompanying research, and seeing videos of
> effective RA in action, I tend now to feel that
> listening and interviewing skill, and
> conducting the interview so that the patron
> leads will succeed where book knowledge
> alone will not. He highlighted a fascinating
> research study showing that patrons were
> less satisfied in an RA encounter with a
> librarian who pulled books off the shelf in
> response to a read-alike question, even when
> the books were appropriate, and were more
> satisfied when the librarian questioned
> further, and elicited appeal factors, even when
> the books were less appropriate. The research
> subjects were more likely to go back to
> and recommend the librarian with listening
> skills than they were to go back to or
> recommend the librarian with book knowledge. I
> think David Wright made an excellent
> point a few posts ago when he stated that a
> self-involved or careless approach from a
> heavy reader may not give the patron a better
> experience than a careful questioner with
> a less complete book knowledge.
>
> So, slow readers, take heart!
>
> Betty Waznis
> San Diego County Library
>
> >
> > Subject: Re: Voracious Readers was Readers'
> Advisory interview questions
> > From: "Heuer" <[removed]@itol.com>
> > Date: Tue, 07 May 2002 10:39:32 -0500
> >
> > I do RA and have been for years but I am
> nowhere near a voracious reader. I
> > am not a fast reader. I read an average of 5
> books a month and one of those
> > is probably an audio book. The only reading,
> outside of journals, that we
> > can do at work takes place during lunch and
> breaks, even though our
> > customers think being a librarian is probably
> a wonderful job because we get
> > to "read all day." I do read a lot of reviews
> and informally my coworkers
> > and I share information about what we read.
> Fiction L is also a great
> > source. At home I read every evening but that
> only happens after dinner,
> > dishes, homework help, other household
> chores, etc.
> >
> > Don't take this as whining, sure I would love
> to have more time to read but
> > I still think I do pretty good RA without
> reading 15 - 20 books a month.
> >
> > --
> > Jeanne Heuer
> > Brown County Library
> >
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

=====
David Wright Seattle Public Library

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
http://health.yahoo.com

FROM: "Kathleen Marszycki" <[removed]@rathbunpl.libraryofconnecticut.org>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 10:45 AM

This is an intriguing question, one I was contemplating driving into
work this morning (believe me, I don't often "contemplate" too much that
early unless it's my java and the bumper in front of me) -- I do most of
the RA programs and collection development/enhancement for our little
operation here, plus run a daytime book discussion group (a mix of
fiction and non). There are times when I almost "resent" having to
spend my own personal time reading so as to facilitate the
group. However, it also exposes me to genres I wouldn't
ordinarily contemplate (there's that word again). I tend to like
mysteries and women writers (Atwood, Morrison, etc.), anything that will
counterbalance the daily grind of budgets, technology, etc.
I agree with some of the responses coming through that we need to
keep separate our work-related readings and our personal reading
time/choices. It's similar to the other aspects of collection
dev./selection -- sitting up until midnight, blasting a symphony or such
with strong java by my side, whipping through LJ, Pub. Weekly, Booklist,
etc. trying to keep up. Is this good? Probably not. I'd enjoy
hearing more on this topic -- ?

Kelly Marszycki, Director
Rathbun Memorial Library
East Haddam, CT

FROM: "Kate Gillette" <[removed]@tln.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 11:27 AM

Like an earlier writer (Kathleen Marszycki), I, too sometimes resent
having to spend my personal time reading books for the book
discussion group I run here at the library. Somehow bringing work
home was easier to do when I was in the corporate world and was
paid a salary that was 40 percent higher than I make now.

That said, I will never forget the pleasure I got from *being forced* to
read Wally Lamb's "I Know This Much Is True" for our book group
while on a beach vacation in North Carolina. (Needless to say, our
group selects titles by consensus, and I don't have veto power!) My
good memories of that trip will always include discovering a book I
would have otherwise avoided.

Kate Gillette
Novi Public Library
Novi, MI

FROM: [removed]@carmel.lib.in.us (Mary Boyden)
REC'D: 5/8/02, 12:41 PM

Re: RA reading vs. personal

Like some others have mentioned, I do some of my pleasure reading via audio books. This makes me happy because I can be reading a book at home that is for a genre study or a bookgroup, but I always have my audio book for fun.

I am planning my vacation in June and have already decided to pack only fun books - the ones that have been sitting on my nightstand for several years and are always supplanted by something more urgent. I'll also be accomplishing my secondary goal - to clear my house of clutter - as I will be donating the books to the library book sale upon my return!

One side effect of doing so much RA reading is that I am inordinately attracted to small books - fiction or non-fiction. Books I can read in an hour or so are very, very appealing. Last night I re-read May Sarton's "The Fur Person" while I was cooking dinner.

Mary Boyden
Readers' Advisory Librarian
Carmel Clay Public Library

FROM: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 1:55 PM

I was so happy to see Kelly put into print what I was afraid to state aloud.
Her statement "There are times when I almost "resent" having to spend my own
personal time reading so as to facilitate the group" is exactly how I feel
at times. As I'm wading through John Adams I have little time for "pleasure"
reading. I am dangling "Perfect Match" by Jodi Picoult as the prize for
finishing "Adams". Our book discussion group reads mostly non-fiction and
loves books which are over 500 pages. I'm a slow reader and I'm lucky to get
through 2 other books each month. I am thinking of increasing book
discussions to 2 a month. The only thing stopping me is that I will need to
read both books. This would greatly cut down pleasure reading. For the
record I really have never regretted reading the discussion books. They are
books that I might not have chosen myself but have been educational,
informative and even fun to read! The participants in our group make any
preparation worth while.

All the professional reading takes time. I frequently tell myself I'm going
to cut back the time I spend reading journals, etc. when I'm off. I'll
behave for awhile and then find myself compelled to read the journals, visit
other libraries, or stop in a bookstore. It's in my blood as I imagine is
the same for many of you.

I always dream that if I were the Director of our library that I would make
certain my staff had some scheduled time for some of this reading. With our
busy schedules and all we want to accomplish perhaps this is not possible.
Still, I can dream, can't I?

Carol

--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Columbia/Saxton B. Little Free
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569

Kathleen Marszycki wrote:

> This is an intriguing question, one I was contemplating driving into
> work this morning (believe me, I don't often "contemplate" too much that
> early unless it's my java and the bumper in front of me) -- I do most of
> the RA programs and collection development/enhancement for our little
> operation here, plus run a daytime book discussion group (a mix of
> fiction and non). There are times when I almost "resent" having to
> spend my own personal time reading so as to facilitate the
> group. However, it also exposes me to genres I wouldn't
> ordinarily contemplate (there's that word again). I tend to like
> mysteries and women writers (Atwood, Morrison, etc.), anything that will
> counterbalance the daily grind of budgets, technology, etc.
> I agree with some of the responses coming through that we need to
> keep separate our work-related readings and our personal reading
> time/choices. It's similar to the other aspects of collection
> dev./selection -- sitting up until midnight, blasting a symphony or such
> with strong java by my side, whipping through LJ, Pub. Weekly, Booklist,
> etc. trying to keep up. Is this good? Probably not. I'd enjoy
> hearing more on this topic -- ?
>
> Kelly Marszycki, Director
> Rathbun Memorial Library
> East Haddam, CT
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: "Laurel Goodgion" <[removed]@portland.lib.ct.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 2:48 PM

Hi Carol,

I'm the director and I do all of my reading at home: pleasure, book
discussion group, journals and book reviews. Yes, I too dislike re-reading
a book for the discussion group when I'd rather read a mystery. However,
I've worked in lots of libraries and don't remember one where there was time
to read at work. I think it just goes with the territory.

Laurel Goodgion, Director
Portland Library
20 Freestone Ave.
Portland, CT 06480
email: [removed]@portland.lib.ct.us
phone: (860) 342-6771
fax: (860) 342-6778

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
To: "Fiction_L" <[removed]@maillist.webrary.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 3:48 PM
Subject: Re: RA reading vs. personal

> I was so happy to see Kelly put into print what I was afraid to state
aloud.
> Her statement "There are times when I almost "resent" having to spend my
own
> personal time reading so as to facilitate the group" is exactly how I feel
> at times. As I'm wading through John Adams I have little time for
"pleasure"
> reading. I am dangling "Perfect Match" by Jodi Picoult as the prize for
> finishing "Adams". Our book discussion group reads mostly non-fiction and
> loves books which are over 500 pages. I'm a slow reader and I'm lucky to
get
> through 2 other books each month. I am thinking of increasing book
> discussions to 2 a month. The only thing stopping me is that I will need
to
> read both books. This would greatly cut down pleasure reading. For the
> record I really have never regretted reading the discussion books. They
are
> books that I might not have chosen myself but have been educational,
> informative and even fun to read! The participants in our group make any
> preparation worth while.
>
> All the professional reading takes time. I frequently tell myself I'm
going
> to cut back the time I spend reading journals, etc. when I'm off. I'll
> behave for awhile and then find myself compelled to read the journals,
visit
> other libraries, or stop in a bookstore. It's in my blood as I imagine is
> the same for many of you.
>
> I always dream that if I were the Director of our library that I would
make
> certain my staff had some scheduled time for some of this reading. With
our
> busy schedules and all we want to accomplish perhaps this is not possible.
> Still, I can dream, can't I?
>
> Carol
>
>
> --
> Carol Kubala
> Adult Services Librarian
> Columbia/Saxton B. Little Free
> Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569
>
>
>
> Kathleen Marszycki wrote:
>
> > This is an intriguing question, one I was contemplating driving into
> > work this morning (believe me, I don't often "contemplate" too much that
> > early unless it's my java and the bumper in front of me) -- I do most of
> > the RA programs and collection development/enhancement for our little
> > operation here, plus run a daytime book discussion group (a mix of
> > fiction and non). There are times when I almost "resent" having to
> > spend my own personal time reading so as to facilitate the
> > group. However, it also exposes me to genres I wouldn't
> > ordinarily contemplate (there's that word again). I tend to like
> > mysteries and women writers (Atwood, Morrison, etc.), anything that will
> > counterbalance the daily grind of budgets, technology, etc.
> > I agree with some of the responses coming through that we need to
> > keep separate our work-related readings and our personal reading
> > time/choices. It's similar to the other aspects of collection
> > dev./selection -- sitting up until midnight, blasting a symphony or such
> > with strong java by my side, whipping through LJ, Pub. Weekly, Booklist,
> > etc. trying to keep up. Is this good? Probably not. I'd enjoy
> > hearing more on this topic -- ?
> >
> > Kelly Marszycki, Director
> > Rathbun Memorial Library
> > East Haddam, CT
> >
> > ......................................................................
> > Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> > Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: Nicole Marcucilli <[removed]@CLSN3046.glenview.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 2:59 PM

Hi,
My name is Nicole Marcuccilli, and I am a YA Librarian and I DO read on
work time for my book discussions, and RA purposes. I take notes on what
I have read so that I can make book lists and advise parents and teens on
what the hottest, latest, and best books for YA's are. I work with only
high school, so I am reading books on that level rather than on the middle
school level. I do not feel that this is unprofessional and I do make
time for it frequently, in addition to my other duties as YA Librarian.
I've never had a patron come to me in disgust, thinking that I am pleasure
reading on the job, nor does my supervisor mind if I or any of my other
book discussion leader co-workers do that same.

Nicole Marcuccilli, YA Librarian
Glenview (IL) Public Library

FROM: "ROBIN BEERBOWER" <[removed]@mail.open.org>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 3:41 PM

I do have to say that YA and children's librarians are the only ones I know who do (and can) read on the job for booktalk purposes, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to carry over into reading on the job for adult booktalk purposes. When I was a bookmobile librarian and if we had a few minutes at the end of a stop or a slow period around the holidays, I would read youth literature but never felt comfortable reading adult books even though knowing adult fiction was a major part of my job. I must admit, though, that youth librarians I know are too busy to read on the job and often lament how they would love to read more adult books during their leisure time.

I said before that I haul home what is probably hundreds of books each year (much to the chagrin of my husband who says it is no wonder my shoulder hurts) just so I can "read them in 5 minutes" and become familiar with plots, appeal, etc. This is something I'm sure would be acceptable at my job if I had more time in between myriad other jobs I do in the library. I also (again to the chagrin of hubby) want to visit bookstores, libraries, paperback racks in the grocery store, etc. while on vacation. Guess I carried it too far when I attended the library conference in Portland and wanted to drive downtown to visit Powell's after the day's activities. My colleague who had the car said no way were we going to do that during our off time although she did consent to a quick stop at Barnes and Noble. I'm still pouting. :-)

But are we complaining? No way! We all love and believe in what we do and I consider it a labor of love.

This is a great thread and am enjoying the responses and opinions on this matter.

Robin Beerbower
Salem (OR) Public Library

>>> [removed]@CLSN3046.glenview.lib.il.us 05/08 1:00 PM >>>
Hi,
My name is Nicole Marcuccilli, and I am a YA Librarian and I DO read on
work time for my book discussions, and RA purposes. I take notes on what
I have read so that I can make book lists and advise parents and teens on
what the hottest, latest, and best books for YA's are. I work with only
high school, so I am reading books on that level rather than on the middle
school level. I do not feel that this is unprofessional and I do make
time for it frequently, in addition to my other duties as YA Librarian.
I've never had a patron come to me in disgust, thinking that I am pleasure
reading on the job, nor does my supervisor mind if I or any of my other
book discussion leader co-workers do that same.

Nicole Marcuccilli, YA Librarian
Glenview (IL) Public Library

FROM: Mary Kay Bird-Guilliams <[removed]@wichita.lib.ks.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 3:41 PM

Hello all:

This is such an irresistible thread. Our personal reading obsessions only
dovetail into our professional work. Great RA is service with best
practices we have identified, enhanced by vast personal knowledge but
hindered by same if the RA does not practice self-awareness and thus avoid
prejudicial advice. I agree, also that books read for reasons other than
my own selfish pleasure are worthwhile. In fact, I try to stick to a
balanced reading diet with about the same success as my eating diet. Too
many literary twinkies soon becomes stale.
The jargon of the addicted: holding out a certain book as a prize or gazing
longingly at books you want to read, but virtuously picking up that which
one ought to read - this cracks me up. We all have our peace to make with
our compulsions. As for me, nothing will keep me from a certain level of
reading. I can live with a pretty high chaos level in my home if the
alternative is reading indulgence. I don't watch much tv, either and I
prefer books to magazines.

FROM: "Karen Kleckner" <[removed]@nsls.info>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 3:52 PM

Do you get a sense from your adult reference colleagues that they feel
compelled to spend their free time reading books with which they are
unfamiliar or have little or no personal interest in the name of providing
better service?

I'm not trying to fan the flames of an "our jobs are harder/easier, more
demanding/less demanding, more quantifiable...blah, blah,, blah... then
yours" debate. I'm genuinely curious.

Karen Kleckner
Deerfield Public Library
920 Waukegan Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
(847) 945-3311

[removed]@nslsilus.org

FROM: "Quillen, Christine" <[removed]@camden.lib.nj.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 4:13 PM

I think that Karen makes an excellent point. My position is
reference/readers' advisory and while I feel compelled to bring home lots of
fiction to read, I don't feel the same need with reference work. I think
part of that is that I'm looking for an excuse to be reading all that
fiction and part of it is that readers advisory work (to me, at least) is a
bit more personal. I feel that I am able to do a better job if I at least
know of the author that the patron is looking for. Of course a big part of
that is because the cataloging of fiction is so poor (but that's another
rant).

C. L.

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Kleckner [[removed]@nsls.info]
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 4:43 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: RA reading vs. personal

Do you get a sense from your adult reference colleagues that they feel
compelled to spend their free time reading books with which they are
unfamiliar or have little or no personal interest in the name of providing
better service?

I'm not trying to fan the flames of an "our jobs are harder/easier, more
demanding/less demanding, more quantifiable...blah, blah,, blah... then
yours" debate. I'm genuinely curious.

Karen Kleckner
Deerfield Public Library
920 Waukegan Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
(847) 945-3311

[removed]@nslsilus.org

FROM: "Linda Wallace" <[removed]@snet.net>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 4:55 PM

Like so many libraians who lead book discussions, I often moan and groan
about a book that has been chosen, but more likely than not I find I'm
really glad that I read the book. I feel that one of the reasons for the
book group is to expand our reading horizons, including mine. I do silently
cheer when the discussion book is on the small size, so I can read more of
the books that I have piled up next tomy bed. God bless you Carol for
taking on John Adams, although it is a book I think I would like to read,
but it would take me so long, I'd have to buy a copy rather than borrow it
from the library.

I received a small journal as a gift at Christmas entitled ":Books to Check
Out" that has a section for books to read and I already have it half
full -due in part to the wonderful suggestions from Ficiton -L. So many
books, so little time. I can't imagine having time at work at the library to
read anything but the mail and short informational articles. It would be
heaven to even be able to read the journals there. Perhaps if I didn't work
in a small library, it would be different I guess it 's just a balancing
act that goes with the territory (and don't we for the most part love it?).

Linda Wallace
Jonathan Trumbull Library
Lebanon, CT

FROM: "Hood, Karye" <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
REC'D: 5/8/02, 7:12 PM

This is a really interesting thread as I had no idea anyone actually got to
read on the job :-)
I do all my reading as a bookclub discussion leader during lunch breaks and
at home. Trying to stay a couple of books ahead, so when the new Michael
Connelly comes in or an irresistible book like "Nanny Diaries," there's time
to read these too...

Karye Hood
Reference Librarian
Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
7368 Archibald Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
<[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
Fax: 909-477-2721

FROM: "Kathy Loucks" <[removed]@cml.lib.oh.us>
REC'D: 5/9/02, 9:10 AM

It's always seemed to me that if nonfiction subject specialist
librarians are encouraged (and given work time) to examine and
familiarlize themselves with new reference sources and additions to
their collections, then Fiction librarians should have the same
opportunity. Perhaps it's still the attitude that has in the past
caused RA to be treated as less of a priority in library service: the
idea that fiction reading is somehow not as important or serious as
nonfiction reading, which is perceived as "research." I'm lucky that I
can at least read the professional journals as time permits while on
duty at public service desks, and I can read fiction in between calls
when I'm on duty at the Information Line (telephone reference only
there, out of the public eye). Even though I work in a Fiction division
where RA is supposed to be a major part of the job (and our
evaluations), the perception from above seems to be that actually
reading fiction at a public service desk, or at my own desk in the
office on library time, is goofing off. Maybe as RA service continues
to get more attention in the profession this will change--I hope so!

Kathleen Loucks
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Columbus, OH

FROM: "Judi Crowley" <[removed]@hampstead.lib.nh.us>
REC'D: 5/9/02, 12:52 PM

I'll bet the people "above" know perfectly well that you wouldn't be goofing
off if you read fiction at the Service Desk. I see the problem as coming
from the public. The public already believes that's what you do all day,
even though they've never seen you do it. If they actually watched you
doing it, they'd really start screaming! But since I come from the
reference desk, I'd like to comment on the perception that reference
librarians can do it while RA librarians can't. Scanning the table of
contents in a work and scanning chapter headings and illustrations in 2 or 3
minutes, just to get an idea of what is in there is not the same as reading
a book from cover to cover. I read a lot of nonfiction for pleasure. I
take it home. For work, I scan. I do that for fiction too. A snippet from
the opening chapter, a couple from somewhere in the middle and the last few
pages--just to get an idea of the content, excitement level, writing style,
etc. of something I'm not familiar with. I can do a lot of RA with just
that little bit of knowledge (although not, I'm sure, as expertly as many of
you on this list who read fiction extensively)

Just my two cents...
Judi Crowley
Hampstead Public Library
Hampstead, NH 03841

>Even though I work in a Fiction division
> where RA is supposed to be a major part of the job (and our
> evaluations), the perception from above seems to be that actually
> reading fiction at a public service desk, or at my own desk in the
> office on library time, is goofing off. Maybe as RA service continues
> to get more attention in the profession this will change--I hope so!
>
> Kathleen Loucks
> Columbus Metropolitan Library
> Columbus, OH

FROM: David Wright <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/9/02, 11:01 PM

Maybe I'm introducing an digression here, but
I would hope nobody would be reading fiction AT
the service desk. This has nothing to do with
work time issues, but with public service.
I have worked tandem with a librarian who
read novels on the desk, and of course I fielded
about 97% of the questions at and around that
desk. We shouldn't be expecting our patrons to
interrupt someone with their head in a book for
assistance or acknowledgement. Skimming review
literature is one thing - it is fairly easy to do
that in glances while scanning the room, but I'm
kind of dismayed by librarians sunk into any kind
of deep reading on the desk. Might as well hang
up a sign: The Librarian is Out - Rude
Interlopers Only, Please.
(Unless, I guess, there just isn't ANYbody
in the library at all, and you've got a bell on
the door or something. I dunno, we have pretty
constant traffic at our library. I apologize for
all the excercise my High Horse has been getting
on this list lately.)

David Wright
Seattle Public Library

--- Judi Crowley <[removed]@hampstead.lib.nh.us>
wrote:
> I'll bet the people "above" know perfectly well
> that you wouldn't be goofing
> off if you read fiction at the Service Desk. I
> see the problem as coming
> from the public. The public already believes
> that's what you do all day,
> even though they've never seen you do it. If
> they actually watched you
> doing it, they'd really start screaming! But
> since I come from the
> reference desk, I'd like to comment on the
> perception that reference
> librarians can do it while RA librarians can't.
> Scanning the table of
> contents in a work and scanning chapter
> headings and illustrations in 2 or 3
> minutes, just to get an idea of what is in
> there is not the same as reading
> a book from cover to cover. I read a lot of
> nonfiction for pleasure. I
> take it home. For work, I scan. I do that for
> fiction too. A snippet from
> the opening chapter, a couple from somewhere in
> the middle and the last few
> pages--just to get an idea of the content,
> excitement level, writing style,
> etc. of something I'm not familiar with. I can
> do a lot of RA with just
> that little bit of knowledge (although not, I'm
> sure, as expertly as many of
> you on this list who read fiction extensively)
>
> Just my two cents...
> Judi Crowley
> Hampstead Public Library
> Hampstead, NH 03841
>
> >Even though I work in a Fiction division
> > where RA is supposed to be a major part of
> the job (and our
> > evaluations), the perception from above seems
> to be that actually
> > reading fiction at a public service desk, or
> at my own desk in the
> > office on library time, is goofing off.
> Maybe as RA service continues
> > to get more attention in the profession this
> will change--I hope so!
> >
> > Kathleen Loucks
> > Columbus Metropolitan Library
> > Columbus, OH
>
>
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives?
> Everything Fiction_L:
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

__________________________________________________
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FROM: "BookBitch" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 5/10/02, 10:45 PM

About your high horse: I read at the service desk. I don't do it when we
are busy, but there are slower times of the day when there is plenty of down
time between helping patrons. We don't have Internet access at the desk,
and when all the paperwork is done, the options are reading or just sitting
there like a houseplant. I'm just not good at the sitting-and-doing-nothing
thing. I go through all the catalogs (I bring in my own, my branch doesn't
get them) and PW etc., but I'm a fast reader, that stuff only gets me
through a few hours at most.

I have never gotten so lost in my book that I was oblivious to anyone
approaching the desk, although I have worked along side others that have
done so, so I do understand your point. Most patrons don't even notice,
(I've been a "sneak reader" since I was a kid under the covers with a
flashlight) and those that do generally are curious about what I'm reading
and how I like it, which usually leads to some RA. Just my two cents...

Giddyap.

Stacy Alesi
Southwest County Regional Library
Palm Beach County Library System

I am the BookBitch
www.bookbitch.com

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of David Wright
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 11:50 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: RA reading vs. personal

Maybe I'm introducing an digression here, but
I would hope nobody would be reading fiction AT
the service desk. This has nothing to do with
work time issues, but with public service.
I have worked tandem with a librarian who
read novels on the desk, and of course I fielded
about 97% of the questions at and around that
desk. We shouldn't be expecting our patrons to
interrupt someone with their head in a book for
assistance or acknowledgement. Skimming review
literature is one thing - it is fairly easy to do
that in glances while scanning the room, but I'm
kind of dismayed by librarians sunk into any kind
of deep reading on the desk. Might as well hang
up a sign: The Librarian is Out - Rude
Interlopers Only, Please.
(Unless, I guess, there just isn't ANYbody
in the library at all, and you've got a bell on
the door or something. I dunno, we have pretty
constant traffic at our library. I apologize for
all the excercise my High Horse has been getting
on this list lately.)

David Wright
Seattle Public Library

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