Lab A: The Readers’ Advisor Is In

Lab A: The Readers’ Advisor Is In

Patron #1 – Suzy Bookworm 

Reader Profile 

1. Reading Habits  

Suzy Bookworm is an avid reader, and has been a library patron for longer than I’ve been alive! She reads voraciously – she makes several trips to the library on a weekly basis just to browse and attend programming, and checks out at least 3-5 items every week. She is retired, and does not watch much television or movies. She reads books throughout the day and night.  

2. Reading Preferences 

Suzy Bookworm prefers large print titles because of her cataracts. She received a Kindle Fire HD for Christmas, and is slowly learning how to use it. She likes audiobooks as well as print and eBooks. She has difficulty holding large books due to her Rheumatoid Arthritis, and appreciates the small weight of her Kindle as opposed to lifting a heavier tome.  Some of her favorite authors are Nicholas Sparks, Maeve Binchy, Belva Plain, and Nora Roberts. 

3. Questions Asked by Interviewer 

•   Tell me about a book you read recently that you really enjoyed. 

•   What do you look for when selecting a book to read?  

•   Are there certain kinds of characters that you like to read about? 

•   Is there a time period or physical setting that interests you more than others? 

•   What don’t you like in a book – sex, obscenity, crime, death, politics, etc.? 

4. Tools & Bibliographic Aids Used 

I referred to the article Older Adults and Readers' Advisory by Alicia Ahlvers, which pointed out how important it is to take the time (and patience) when working with seniors to discover what adaptations and adjustments they may need when actually reading a book, such as large text or audiobooks. Ahlvers actually outlines groups of seniors by age, and profiles their preferences and frequently requested authors (several of which I found to be true for Mrs. Bookworm.)  

5. What I Recommended 

Based on some of the read-alikes suggested in the Ahlvers article, along with careful examination of the titles in NoveList, while taking into reader reviews from Amazon, GoodReads, and professional reviews from Kirkus, I recommended several titles from authors Rosamund Pilcher, Jan Karon and Patricia Cornwell.  When I asked her if she had read the most recent Nicholas Sparks book, The Longest Ride, she said that she had not, so I brought up a description and review from NoveList to share with her. She said it sounded like something she would be interested in, so I helped her locate the book (we unfortunately had to put it on hold, as all of our copies were currently checked out.) This interview took quite a while, as the patron was hard of hearing, and I had to speak slowly and enunciate for her. However, she told me before she left that she appreciated me taking the time to help her find new materials to read!

Patron # 2 – Ms. Elizabeth Bennett

1. Reading Habits  

Ms. Bennett visits the local public library once every 2-3 weeks. She comes in specifically for titles she is interested in, and is not much of a ‘browser.’ She reads on average 1-3 books per month.

2. Reading Preferences 

Although aware of the downloadable eBook collection, Ms. Bennett still prefers physical books as opposed to digital titles. She enjoys Gothic Romances (one of her favorite books is Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.) She also enjoys Regency Romances, Historical Romances, and, after a great deal of questioning, she also admits to reading Erotic Romances. She is open to the idea of mysteries, and would like to read more mysteries if they are set in the same time periods or settings as books she is currently interested in.

3. Questions Asked by Interviewer 

•   Tell me about a book you read recently that you really enjoyed. 

•   What do you look for when selecting a book to read?  

•   Are there certain kinds of characters that you like to read about? 

•   Is there a time period or physical setting that interests you more than others? 

•   What don’t you like in a book – sex, obscenity, crime, death, politics, etc.? 

•   Are you interested in reading more nonfiction titles about time periods or

    geographical settings featured in the books you have read?

4. Tools & Bibliographic Aids Used 

During our interview, I discovered that Ms. Bennet and I shared a common literary interest – that of the character of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Ms. Bennett was interested in reading anything and everything that had spun-off from the original works of Jane Austen. I decided to go to the OCLC Fiction Finder (http://experimental.worldcat.org/xfinder/fictionfinder.html) to perform a search for ‘Mr. Darcy.’

5. What I Recommended 

Based on results I discovered through the WorldCat Fiction Finder, and using descriptions from NoveList and reviews from GoodReads, Kirkus and Amazon, I first asked Ms. Bennet if she was familiar with the works of Shannon Hale. She said that she had indeed read all of the books and had recently even seen the Austenland movie, and enjoyed them all very much. I asked if she had read the mystery Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James – it was also recently turned into a miniseries adaptation that we had on order at the library. She said that she found the book to be too slow moving, but had seen the show on television and had enjoyed it more so than the book. I next asked if she had read any of the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies books, but she said she found the humor books not to her liking. She shared with me that she had, however, read the Jane Bites Back (Jane Fairfax series) by Michael Thomas Ford, and had enjoyed the books.

I then recommended the mystery/historical fiction series based on the works of Austen by author Carrie Bebris: Pride and Prescience, or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged; North by Northanger, or, The Shades of Pemberley; Suspense and Sensibility, or First Impressions, Revisited; The Matters at Mansfield; The Intrigue at Highbury, and The Deception at Lyme – all ‘A Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery.’ She was very excited that there were so many books in the series. I informed her of which title was the first in the series, but unfortunately the library did not own any copies of this book, although I was able to acquire it via ILL for the patron.

6. What They Read 

While I have not had the chance of seeing Ms. Bennett back in the library since this interaction, I have received ILL requests for the next two books from the Carrie Bebris series from this patron, which hopefully means she enjoyed the first and will continue to read the rest of the books!

Patron # 3 – Bernard Quatermass

1. Reading Habits  

Mr. Quatermass is an undergraduate college student, and enjoys reading for leisure along with his school assignments. He has been interested in Graphic Novels since high school, along with comic books. He is an avid reader, and reads two to three graphic novels a week, along with many comic books.

2. Reading Preferences 

This reader is interested in both Adult and YA Graphic Novels. He loves Classic Science Fiction, and has shown an interest in Adventure Novels (epics and apocalyptic fiction), along with Cyberpunk and Steampunk novels. He loves The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman. He also enjoyed another book-to-movie graphic novel, ‘Kick-Ass’ by Mark Millar. Our interview was interesting because I actually know very little about graphic novels, and I felt that this patron was actually able to help me learn more about them as we discussed his favorite books!

3. Questions Asked by Interviewer 

•   Tell me about a book you read recently that you really enjoyed. 

•   What do you look for when selecting a book to read?  

•   Are there certain kinds of characters that you like to read about? 

•   Is there a time period or physical setting that interests you more than others? 

•   What don’t you like in a book – sex, obscenity, crime, death, politics, etc.? 

•   Does the format (eBook versus physical book) matter to you when reading Graphic Novels?

4. Tools & Bibliographic Aids Used & What I Recommended

During our interview, our discussion of book-to-movie graphic novels drifted to the subject of Coraline by Neil Gaiman. We both enjoyed the book and the film. I asked him if he had read any other graphic novels or novels by Gaiman, and he had not. I searched NoveList for more titles by Gaiman, and found one that seemed to fit this patron perfectly: 1602, set in the Marvel Universe. This patron loves Marvel comics and superheroes. We actually had a copy in at the time, so he was able to preview it and after briefly browsing, said he was going to take it home with him. I also found the graphic novel adaptation of Gaiman’s Neverwhere, which the patron also checked out. I informed the patron I had read the novelization and seen the television series, and shared a brief description of the graphic novel, along with a review, from NoveList. I maneuvered my computer monitor around so the patron could read the review (from Kirkus, via NoveList.) He inquired about NoveList and I was also able to tell him that it was a free service available through the library, and he seemed very excited about it – I was also able to send him home with some information on how to use NoveList. I told him to feel free to come back or e-mail me (I gave him my business card) if he wanted more suggestions, and to let me know what he thought of the graphic novels.

Patron # 4 – Big Mama (My Mother!)

1. Reading Habits  

When I purchased a Nook for my mother for Mother’s Day several years ago, I was afraid that she would be reluctant to use it. However, due to multiple blood clots in her arms, Fibromyalgia pain, and Rheumatoid Arthritis, the Nook has proved to be a God send! She also suffers from poor vision after a mini-stroke, and loves that she can adjust the font size on the reader. She reads mostly eBooks now, but if something is only available in print, she will make an effort. She reads more than anyone I know – at least a novel a day. She purchases many eBooks because her local public library only has a very limited selection available.

2. Reading Preferences 

My mother agreed to share her Barnes and Noble account information, so I was able to take a look at the books she has purchased or tried samples of. I discovered that she is quite the skimmer/previewer – she has MANY, many samples that she has not yet deleted that she says she could not ‘get into.’ Her favorite genres are Religious Fiction (Christian Fiction), Gentle Reads and Supernatural/Paranormal Romance. She refuses to read anything Sci/Fi or Adventure! She likes short stories, and prefers to read upcoming/independent authors. I discovered several titles in her bookshelf that are of the Amish Romance/Christian Fiction subgenre, and when I asked what was the last book she had read, she said it was ‘The Covenant’ by Beverly Lewis.

3. Questions Asked by Interviewer 

•   Tell me about a book you read recently that you really enjoyed. 

•   What do you look for when selecting a book to read?  

•   Are there certain kinds of characters that you like to read about? 

•   Is there a time period or physical setting that interests you more than others? 

•   What don’t you like in a book – sex, obscenity, crime, death, politics, etc.? 

•   Do you like inspirational stories?

4. Tools & Bibliographic Aids Used 

She said she had just started reading Amish Romances, and was interested in finding a series similar to Abram’s Daughters by Lewis. I decided to search NoveList for read-a-likes for this title. I discovered ‘The Riverhaven Years’ series by B.J. Hoff – a similar, character-driven Amish Historical Romance series that was published more recently than the Lewis series. Another more recent series, ‘The Kentucky Brothers,’ by Wanda Brunstetter, also shared similar characteristics of being engaging and richly detailed.

I also checked to make sure that these titles were available in eBook format.

5. What I Recommended 

Along with ‘The Kentucky Brothers’ series by Brunstetter, I also recommended the author’s most recent work, Woman of Courage, which is a Quaker Romance set in the Western Frontier, which I thought my be a bit of a departure from what my mother currently is interested in, but the title has many positive reviews.

6. What they Read 

My mother did end up reading the first book from the Brunstetter series, but said that she actually enjoyed Woman of Courage more, and was interested in reading more Quaker/Western titles, which led us on a new journey to track down such materials! It’s difficult to find items she hasn’t already read, as she is such a rapacious reader – it definitely takes more time, but luckily she isn’t very specific or picky in characters, settings, tone, period, etc. She says that she just enjoys ‘a good read’ and loves reading in general.

Patron # 5 – Big Mama-in-Law (My MIL!)

1. Reading Habits  

I thought it would be interesting to see how my mother and mother-in-law compared in terms of reading habits and preferences. Both are Nook owners, but my mother-in-law rarely uses her Nook and prefers reading physical books, which she mostly obtains from her large local public library. She travels frequently, and when she does, she relies on her Nook due to how portable it is. However, she often forgets to charge it for long periods of time, which does not help her when she needs to use it, which she finds frustrating. She reads one to three books per month since she has retired – she finds that she actually reads less now that she is retired because she is so busy with other activities! She reads in the morning when she first wakes up, and right before bed. This RA interview was interesting because it was the only interview that did not take place in person in a face-to-face setting. I e-mailed her a set of questions and asked about her reading preferences and habits, and she responded very quickly. The interview process turned out to be much more rigid, formal and quicker than the traditional interview in person with my other ‘patrons’! She found it helpful that I could send samples of each book I suggested before she started reading it, which could be a big advantage to ‘digital RA’ services.

2. Reading Preferences 

She enjoys reading Biographies, Diaries, Journals, Historical Fiction and Nonfiction. She has recently been on a True Crime story kick. The last book she read was ‘A Stolen Life: A Memoir’ by Jaycee Dugard. She is currently looking for a good book to read on a long flight for an upcoming trip. When asked what she was thinking she might like to read, she said she was thinking about The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillippa Gregory – she read that several years ago, and would like something similar.

3. Questions Asked by Interviewer 

•   Tell me about a book you read recently that you really enjoyed. 

•   What do you look for when selecting a book to read?  

•   Are there certain kinds of characters that you like to read about? 

•   Is there a time period or physical setting that interests you more than others? 

•   What don’t you like in a book – sex, obscenity, crime, death, politics, etc.? 

4. Tools & Bibliographic Aids Used

I mainly used NoveList to search for Read-a-Likes for a specific author for this patron. I also shared a GoodReads Group, ‘Phillippa Gregory – Tudor Era Novels’ (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/24915-phillipa-gregory---tudor-era-novels) with her, as she is already a member of GoodReads and likes to share what she reads both on GoodReads and Facebook.

5. What I Recommended 

When asked if she had read the other books in The Tudors series by Phillippa Gregory, she said that she had not. I searched NoveList to find the other books in the series, and recommended these. When I asked her if she was interested in reading other historical romances from the same period (Tudor-related), she said that she was. I found a new series, Secrets of the Tudor Court, by Kate Emerson, and suggested that she start with the first book, The Pleasure Palace.

6. What They Read 

When I spoke with my mother-in-law this morning, she was sitting in an airport in Arizona waiting to board a plane here to Indianapolis where I live. She was currently reading The Other Boleyn Girl, but found it to be a little bit too slow of a pace for her (which I found interesting, because NoveList claims that the pacing – leisurely - is the same as The Other Boleyn Girl, which she enjoyed!) Despite this, she says that she intends to finish the book and move on to the next in the series.

Week 16 - Last Prompt!

I consider myself lucky that I’ll be able to tell my daughter (who I will finally get to meet this Wednesday – yay for babies) that I remember going to the bookstore when I was younger, browsing the shelves, and picking out physical books. The thrill I felt when I held a brand new paperback copy of a Babysitter’s Club book is one that I still clearly remember to this day! I learned to read with physical books, but I do remember learning the alphabet when I was 3-4 on a brand new (now ancient) IBM PC. However, eBooks were still years off in the future for me. I think it’s amazing – and sad- that so many book stores have gone out of business due to the rise in eBooks and changes in book publishing in general. I want to say that the amount I read has remained consistent over time, but I’ve always been a voracious reader (and everyone knows the reading load in grad school is quite heavy!) I now prefer to read titles in eBook format over physical books, but I still love getting my hands on a first edition with yellowed pages and a musty aroma!

I used to go to the public library when I was a child for special events, the summer reading program and to get VHS tapes and cassettes/CDs as they became available. Now, I use my public library for a combination of digital materials (downloadable audiobooks, eBooks, databases, streaming music and video via Hoopla, etc.) and for programming. My school libraries were always well stocked, and available to students to browse on free periods or during designated times. I’m appalled and dismayed at how many school libraries are closing or have such limited hours and collections!

Road trips and traveling used to be difficult for my family. I was a shy, quiet only child who lugged around bags full of books everywhere I went. Now, I can hold as many titles (in eBook AND audiobook format) as I could possibly ever desire right on my phone, tablet or laptop. I definitely 'sample' more titles now that I'm able to preview the first chapter or few pages on Amazon or OverDrive. 

I’m curious as to what will happen in regards to physical and digital book collections in the next 20 – and even 5 – years. I’ve seen such a struggle with public libraries and DRM in the past few years. Trying to work with vendors and publishers to acquire rights to offer certain titles to the public is a constant struggle, and is one that I certainly hope improves in the future, for everyone’s sake!

I already see larger portions of collections budgets increasing in the future for eBook acquisitions at my library. I expect digital users to exponentially increase as the cost of readers continues to drop (Amazon Paperwhite is down to $49 for Mother’s Day!), and users become more aware and familiar with digital collections. I already see titles becoming more interactive, especially children’s titles. Vooks (http://promo.simonandschuster.com/vook/) and similar interactive titles combine multimedia directly into the eBook.

I sincerely hope that reading statistics at least stay at current levels or increase in the future, but I really do believe that a lot of that depends on how well libraries are able to read their patrons. If libraries are offering titles that patrons truly have an interest in, in ways that they are able to access them, physical trips to the library may in fact decrease, but the ‘virtual patron’ experience will hopefully become more seamless and effortless for the patron.

The traditional publishing world will still continue to drastically change over the next few years. Self-published authors and services that offer users the chance to pay as they go (Netflix type services for eBooks, like Entitle) will most likely continue to gain in popularity in one form or another. With services like Total Boox for public libraries, patrons can even legally download and keep (forever!) certain titles.

When I was very young, one of my favorite parts of the school year was always the Scholastic Book Fair that came to my school library. It was SO exciting, and I would save up all of my allowance to buy such literary masterpieces as Captain Underpants and every. single. Goosebumps. title. ever! Now, I can browse out of print, limited run, international editions and hard to find titles within seconds online. The entire way we purchase and consume titles has forever been changed, and I think it's definitely for the better - although I still love going to book stores! 

Even the way I find out about new titles has changed. With sites like GoodReads, social media, and tools like NoveList, I can find out about new books and reviews from my friends and from people around the world. I used to just rely on the NY Times Bestseller List, but I feel that we have so many more options today!

Week 15 Prompt: Marketing Fiction Collections

Fiction titles for adults – this is an area of my library’s collection that sees HUGE circulation statistics and interest from patrons. I do feel that we do a fantastic job of marketing these titles (we actually are lucky enough to have our own PR/marketing team that work in conjunction with our reference department fiction selectors.)

One way of marketing within the library that has been very successful in the past is the physical location of our new fiction title arrivals. As soon as patrons walk in the door, they are greeted with a special area dedicated to new fiction arrivals. They know where to go to look for the newest materials, and this also seems to increase browsing in patrons, as well. Near this area, we also have a digital display from OverDrive that is actually a large LCD monitor mounted onto the wall, which displays our entire OverDrive eBook catalog, including fiction titles, which patrons can browse and read samples through. This has also been very popular, and has helped to increase knowledge of our rapidly growing eBook fiction collection.

Special programming throughout the year, such as author talks and readings, can also help to bring patrons in to the library. We usually offer handouts and bookmarks on similar fiction titles both at these special events and at the reference and RA desks to help increase awareness of fiction titles in the collection.

We use displays to highlight parts of the collection when you first enter the library in our glass cases. We’ve had everything from African American authors for Black History Month to Downton Abbey read-a-likes. We also on occasion have taken out small ads in a local newspaper for popular fiction title releases.  We also feature new fiction titles in our physical, paper copy of the library newsletter, along with our digital library newsletter. I prefer the digital newsletter because the patron can simply click the link for the fiction title in the e-mail newsletter and be directed straight the our library’s OverDrive site, where they can place the title on hold, get a sample or check it out and begin reading immediately!

We are currently investigating the idea of a ‘mobile library.’ One option would be to have an LCD screen on the exterior of the bookmobile that would rotate, featuring not only information on the bookmobile but specific titles, such as fiction items. We utilize Pinterest to promote our fiction collection heavily, and receive a TON of unique visitors to our library’s site from this social bookmarking service. We also use Animoto to create short book trailers to promote some adult fiction titles. The videos are posted to our site and our blog. We often use Twitter to promote new fiction titles, but these tweets are rarely re-tweeted. Our catalog is linked through our Facebook site, which allows patrons to access fiction titles easily, but we never really post about the collection (aside from eBook titles.)

There is a HUGE Fourth of July festival and parade in the city where my library is. We are part of the parade every year, and I would like to see a float themed around fiction titles and popular areas of the collection that somehow relate to the holiday.