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Alamo Area Library System
600 Soledad
San Antonio, TX 78205
210-207-2609 (Office)
210-207-2537 (Fax)
Readers’ AdvisoryWhat is readers’ advisory? Simply put, it is the art of placing the right book in the hands of a reader. Many times patrons have finished an author and request another similar author/time period/writing/genre and they hope the librarian will be able to help them. This was a common service that libraries offered several decades ago and is now seeing a resurgence in popularity among librarians. Offering reader’s advisory services can move your library from a collection of “old, dusty books” to a specialized, highly demanded niche skill in the eyes of your patrons. Many librarians provide RA services by reading hundreds of titles a year. You can spread this out by involving your staff in reading and sharing those authors that they enjoy with your patrons. You can start book clubs in the library. Even your patrons who are heavy readers are a great help in providing readers’ advisory. And don’t forget about the book talks that were popular in the sixties and seventies. If you are interested in specific training, the Public Library Association usually offers intense readers’ advisory courses during their biennial conferences. There are many print titles that are devoted to readers’ advisory within the AALS Professional Collection. Recommended titles that we carry are Genreflecting, Teen Genreflecting, Junior Genreflecting, Fluent in Fantasy, Now Read This, Now Read This II, Romance Fiction, Hooked on Horror, Strictly Science Fiction, The Mystery Readers’ Advisory, Book Lust series, Nonfiction Reader’s Advisory and others. If you are interested in borrowing any of these titles, and you are a library staff member within AALS, please call the AALS Office at 210/207-2609 for additional information. There are many Web sites devoted to reading, readers, readers’ advisory and other related topics. You may also try specific author sites, groups list servs, message boards, Yahoo groups devoted to an author or genre, Google groups and others. |
This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of
Museums and Library Services through the Texas State
Library and Archives Commission
Copyright © 2010 Alamo Area Library System