Future of Readers
Advisory and Emerging Trends
Readers
advisory asks more of information professionals than supplying readers
suggestions of items similar to what they’ve already read or what might feed
their current interest. Advisory is a proactive duty, and when taken seriously
can open readers’ minds to a plethora of new information, literary genres and
authors. It’s equal parts marketing and educating, which means its
effectiveness depends heavily on adaptability. Readers—as well as what they read and how they read—have evolved. In recent years, this evolution has
come rapidly and dramatically with the arrival of the digital age. Connecting
readers to information through digital means isn’t necessarily a
post-twenty-first-century phenomenon, but the widespread use of digital devices
and the process of storing and accessing information with these devices has
come quickly. In order for institutions that offer information to the public to
remain relevant and forward-thinking, they must be able to adapt as the world
evolves. What this means for readers advisory is that new means of performing
this role are necessary.
When
asked to explain the function of readers advisory, the average person might
offer something basic, such as, “Recommending books to a person based on what
they read before.” While this is certainly a way to perform this function, it’s
not the only way and is overly simplified. In fact, this description is
reactive more than proactive, and readers advisory is anything but reactive.
Libraries must move constantly ahead of the curve. Instead of waiting for a
patron to first establish a borrowing history before identifying patterns in
their reading material of choice, a library professional would welcome
questions about new acquisitions and trending collections and he or she would
also identify some key information about what the patron enjoyed (or didn’t
enjoy!) about their previous read. This information would help create a
framework from which the library professional would guide the patron to a
broader and sometimes different landscape of literature. “Readers’ advisory
requires a certain skill set to perform well, though by no means is it
something limited to librarians. The ways of performing readers’ advisory can
be what sets librarians or others in the book industry apart from a friend
offering book recommendations, though. It requires being able to ask someone
about their reading preferences and being able to interpret their answers (or non-answers
as often the case is) with sensitivity to their needs. In other words,
what I like to read isn’t what matters; it’s what the person standing in front
of me likes to read that matters. The questions I ask revolve around recent
favorite reads, favorite genres, and my favorite—things they definitely do not
enjoy reading” (Stacked). Introducing readers to new authors and different
genres is an important part of readers advisory because it enables readers to
further broaden their perspectives and reading interests. This isn’t to break a
reader’s patterns or preferences. Instead, it enhances them.
Readers’
advisory can occur in a retail outlet in the form of employees’
recommendations. Employee picks are eye-catching and typically compel customers
to give the picks a second look. In libraries, displays and book lists are
created with careful thought and planning. Displays are clearly constructed to
draw patrons’ attention, while book lists are handy and well-organized guides
that allow patrons to have their potential next read at their fingertips. Because
we are currently living in a digital age, people can with good reason question
the necessity of such proactive measures when online retailers as well as
websites devoted to books and reading use algorithms and highly sophisticated
computerized methods to recommend future reads. Purchase a book via Amazon.com
and you’re guaranteed to see a horizontal list of recommendations following the
purchase or the next time you sign in to the site. Become a member of Goodreads
and you’re bound to see a box on the right of the screen that tells you what
other readers who read the books you’ve read have also enjoyed. And yes, Amazon
currently owns Goodreads, so there’s clearly a correlation. Nevertheless, other
retailers and reading websites function in similar ways. The key element to
remember is that digitized readers’ advisory is simply that: digitized. The
personal touch is absent. In libraries, patrons interact face-to-face at
reference or circulation desks with library employees. They are allowed and
encouraged to ask questions, get opinions, and very importantly they can speak
to someone about specific reasons why a particular book would be recommended.
Amazon recommendations don’t tell a customer why a book has been recommended. Neither does Goodreads or Library
Thing or other similarly popular sites. Even in a digital age, human interaction
is important and relied upon.
What’s
important to keep in mind is that readers’ advisory does not exist for the
purpose of defying digital advisory. On the contrary, libraries are embracing
trends and using digital methods to connect with patrons. Libraries are also
connecting patrons to digital methods to not only pick their next read but to
actually read. E-readers have become immensely popular for several reasons,
including lower prices of ebooks, convenience of storing ebooks, and immediate
access to ebooks. In the digital age people want what they want immediately.
Purchasing an ebook that’s not a preorder means downloading and having full
access to that material within a few short minutes. This new format has not
only influenced consumer behavior, but also what material is “out there” for
readers to access.
A
significant trend that affects readers advisory is that publishing doesn’t
depend solely on the New York Big Five. The popularity of self-publishing has
grown exponentially. Consumers who shop online are exposed to a huge variety of
material that can fit into virtually any genre and across numerous genres. It
can be overwhelming and library patrons would need guidance in order to
navigate that environment and digest what’s being made available to them. With
self-published materials, quality control is a concern. Sometimes the material
isn’t professionally edited, and it’s important to remember that gatekeepers
(sometimes viewed as the New York publishing machine) are in place for several
reasons and oftentimes it benefits readers. It’s also important for libraries
to be aware and fully educated on traditionally published material available
via digital means in addition to fully self-published material. A major trend
in readers’ advisory will be communicating with patrons about self-published
works, though this new landscape is not without challenges. In fact, it
contributes to existing challenges. “Since RA is seen as mission-critical and
an area of growth, libraries may need to identify and remove or reduce
obstacles to the best service. Among the impediments are lack of resources and
lack of confidence. The biggest cause of RA angst is keeping up with books and
genres, a problem cited by 21% of the librarians. Almost as many, at 17%, noted
discomfort with unfamiliar genres. Says one respondent, “making recommendations
for types of reading none of the staff has personal familiarity with” gives
staff members pause. The volume of materials being published can be
overwhelming, too; librarians comment that “there are just too many books to
know about.” In addition, while 72% of respondents are confident or very
confident in their adult RA work, when it comes to advising children and young
adults, only 58% and 51% of respondents who advise those groups, respectively,
feel that their abilities are up to par” (Library Journal).
These
pains are not uncommon, nor are they insurmountable. With dedication and
concentrated effort, and perhaps innovative ways to use library websites and
apps, professionals can comfortably navigate and understand the multitudes of
information that digital trends have made available to the public. Libraries
can still exist as not only a bridge but as a facilitator, and that’s a
positive thing that makes the future of readers advisory bright.
Works
Cited
Schwartz, Meredith, and
Verma-Thorton, Henrietta. “The State of Readers’ Advisory.” 3
Feb. 2014. Library Journal. Web. 7 Mar. 2015.
Jensen, Kelly. “Why Good Readers’
Advisory Matters.” Stacked. Stacked,
6 Sept. 2012.
Web. 7 Mar. 2015.
