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Fiction Reference aka Readers Advisory

Fiction Reference aka Readers Advisory. Tuesday, October 18, 2005. What Is Readers Advisory?. Looking up a book in a catalog Determining the next book in a series Making suggestions Tracking down a title based on minor book details Not exclusive to fiction Not exclusive to print materials.

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Fiction Reference aka Readers Advisory

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  1. Fiction Referenceaka Readers Advisory Tuesday, October 18, 2005

  2. What Is Readers Advisory? • Looking up a book in a catalog • Determining the next book in a series • Making suggestions • Tracking down a title based on minor book details • Not exclusive to fiction • Not exclusive to print materials

  3. RA Staff Qualifications • Competence • Be a reader • Know your weaknesses • Professional development • Current awareness • Demeanor

  4. The Reference Interview • Being approachable • Question negotiation • Providing the answer • Inclusion of bibliographic instruction • Asking follow-up questions

  5. The RA Transaction • Being approachable • Question negotiation • Focus on appeal elements (what does the reader enjoy in a good story and why) • Providing suggestions • Inclusion of bibliographic instruction (RA resources both print and online) • Encouraging further discussion

  6. Characteristics of the RA Transaction • Can involve more than 2 people • Shouldn’t involve suggestion of personal favorites • Suggest, don’t recommend • Try to avoid the phrase “well-written” • Don’t fake it – You can say, “I don’t know” • Practice talking about books • Use open-ended questions • Avoid being negative or judgmental

  7. Obstacles to the RA Transaction • Staff limitations • Doing it at the reference desk • Contradicting RA guidelines • Failing to listen • Failing to ask follow-up questions • Dismissing genres or authors as trite, etc. • Put simply: you’re stumped • Patrons who won’t approach the desk

  8. Indirect RA Services • Displays • Bookmarks or booklists • Access to RA resources • Webpages and catalogs • Reader’s Alert • Homebound patrons • Book Clubs • Access to librarian’s book logs

  9. RA Resources • Journals with genre overviews • Genre-specific journals • Staff • Patrons • Fiction_L • Hearsay • Bookmarks • Lists • Displays

  10. Why Are RA Resources Important? • They legitimate the service • They help to jog one’s memory • They bolster one’s “mental database” • They’re excellent resources for R.A. newcomers

  11. The Two Major Resources • Fiction Catalog • Issued every five years • Two sections • Main entry • Index of titles and subjects • Genreflecting • Best resource for genre fiction • Two sections • Themes and types • Topics • Lots of subgenre books in the Genreflecting series

  12. How to Evaluate RA Resources • Any index is better than no index • Access points • Presence of plot summaries, description of appeal elements, or reviews • Comparisons of similar authors • Attitude of the author

  13. Other RA Resources • Print • Electronic • Fiction_L • Internet

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