Readers' Advisory Secret Shopper Assignment

Readers’ advisory [RA] is a service that all librarians should be able to offer their patrons, and it goes beyond simply recommending titles or pointing patrons in the right direction so that they can find titles on their own. For my secret shopper assignment, I chose to reach out to large public library which offers virtual reference services. I said, “I want to find novels that take place in suburban America during the 20th or 21st century. The state doesn’t matter. They just need to be set in the suburbs. Can you suggest any books?” The librarian, Christina, suggested that I use the library’s catalog and NoveList to search for titles. She offered to walk me through how to use both if I was unfamiliar with them. She did not ask me if I had read any novels set in the suburbs before nor did she ask if I knew of any—two ways she could have easily found read-alikes on NoveList. She also suggested that I use the library’s personalized book selection service which is a form that patrons can fill out to receive book recommendations.

According to The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2019), RA is a service used “to help readers discover titles they are currently in the mood to read” (p. xv). Readers’ advisors should “help…readers find titles they will enjoy,” “listen and respond to their interests,” and “offer suggestions” (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. xv). I understand that many librarians aim to teach patrons how to find information on their own, but, at the same time, services like RA, which is used more for leisure readers rather than those doing research, often fall through the cracks. I think this is one reason why RA services are not as popular as they should be.

RA works two ways and not only benefits patrons, but also the advisors themselves: “[w]hen readers talk, we learn about their interests, but we also learn about authors, titles, and genres we’re unfamiliar with and discover information we can share with other readers” (Saricks, 2015). What I’ve learned from this assignment is what not to do when a patron asks me for a book recommendation. I’ve also learned that it’s important to know at least one title that is similar to what the patron is looking for and maybe even something that they enjoyed. If the patron does not name a title on their own, the librarian should ask for one, or perform a Google search to find one that matches the reader’s preferences. Trying to perform RA without at last one title as a starting point will likely lead nowhere. The value of RA services is priceless, and with a little patience and understanding, all parties involved with learn something new in the process.

References

Saricks, J. (2015). At leisure with Joyce Saricks. Booklist, 112(7), 25.

Wyatt, N. & Saricks, J. (2019). The readers’ advisory guide to genre fiction (3rd ed.). ALA Editions.