Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library

Do you have anything else like this? In public libraries, reference librarians are often called on to make recommendations to readers, sometimes in genres that they don't personally read. Learning how to frame a discussion and articulate the appeal of a book, author, or genre marks the essence of a successful readers' advisor. Readers' advisory is defined as, patron-oriented library service for adult fiction readers, according to Saricks, a noted expert on the subject. In the completely revised third edition of Readers' Advisory Service for Public Libraries, Saricks updates this critically acclaimed how-to guide, making it more helpful than ever. As reference librarians seek support in guiding adult readers, they've come to trust this authoritative resource. lists, identifying what else is like a favorite book; Practical guidelines for conducting the advisory interview so it's a comfortable exchange; Confidence-boosting tactics for drawing on reviews to make recommendations; Methods for incorporating nonfiction into the discussion; More resources and online tools; Using the proven strategies in this newly updated, back-to-basics overview, librarians providing readers' advisory services will find the answers they need to help customers make appropriate choices.

Joyce G. Saricks retired in 2004 from the Downers Grove, Illinois, Public Library where she started in 1977. As Literature and Audio Services Coordinator in 1983, Saricks, along with colleague Nancy Brown, created a readers' advisory service there and went on to present more than 100 workshops on the subject for public libraries and systems, and at library conferences. The award-winning librarian received the Public Library Association's Allie Beth Martin Award in 1989, was named Librarian of the Year by the Romance Writers in 2000, and authored Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (ALA Editions, 2001).