SCOPE

One of the core functions of the library is to recommend reading material for patrons. Having a broad knowledge of both fiction and nonfiction titles is a definite asset; however, readers advisory can also be accomplished with a knowledge of online resources and key questions to ask. This pathfinder will address general readers advisory topics with subsequent pathfinders focusing on genre specific concerns.

VOCABULARY

Library Catalogs

Library of Congress (LC) subject headings:

Broader Term:

• Public services (Libraries)

Alternate Terms:

• Readers' advisory services

Key Questions to Ask Patron

• What books have you read lately that you've enjoyed?
• Are there any particular authors that you like?
• Is there a particular type of book that you like? Mystery? Sci-Fi? Romance? etc.
• If applicable: What grade are you in?

Suggested Google Search String(s)

• "title of book or author" "read-alike"|"read-alikes"
• "readers advisory"

Library Catalog Call Numbers

• DDC - 020
• LC - Z711.55

ONLINE RESOURCES

Web Sites

• WhichBook.net
  • http://www.whichbook.net/
  • Allows for setting levels on several "gauges" (happy-sad, gentle-violent, conventional-unusual, etc.) and finding books that exhibit those characteristics.
• Fiction_L Booklists
  • http://www.webrary.org/rs/FLbklistmenu.html
  • The well-respected Fiction_L list of lists from the Morton Grove Public Library. Breaks down lists into various categories including Subject, Genre, Character, Setting, Author, and many more.
• BookHive
  • http://www.plcmc.org/bookhive/
  • From the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC, for children through 6th grade. This site has a wealth of suggestions using its "Find a Book" feature.
• Listmania! at Amazon
  • http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/toplists"
  • Customer-generated lists of books and other materials at the popular online retailer
• KDL What's NextTM Database
  • 
    http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/WhatsNextNEW.asp
  • Books in a series compiled by the Kent District Library in Kent, MI. Searchable by Author, Series Title, and Book Title.

Full-text, Indexing, and Abstracting Sources

• ERIC
  • ERIC is the Educational Resource Information Center of the U.S. Department of Education. ERIC covers educational literature from 1966 to the present and contains citations and abstracts for books, theses, course curriculi, standards and guidelines, and conference papers as well as journal articles. ERIC can be accessed for free at www.eric.ed.gov/ and is also a database available through [fill in libraries].
    • Suggested vocabulary for searching ERIC, Descriptors (from ERIC Thesaurus):
      • Reading Material Selection
      • Broader term: Media Selection
      • Related terms: Reading; Reading Instruction; Reading Interests; Reading Materials; Recreational Reading; Supplementary Reading Materials; Textbook Selection

Government Documents

• http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/lost/novels.html: Lost Titles, Forgotten Rhymes: How to Find a Novel, Short Story, or Poem Without Knowing its Title or Author (Library of Congress)

PRINT RESOURCES

Books

• Two titles in particular can be used for readers advisory including the What Do I Read Next? series (from Gale Cengage) (also available as a database) and the Genreflecting series (from Libraries Unlimited)
• For general readers (i.e., not reference necessarily but can be used as such), see the following books from Nancy Pearl. These are good for retrospective readers advisory, but their copyright dates make them problematic for suggesting current titles:
  • Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2003. ISBN: 1-57061-381-8
  • More Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2005 ISBN: 1-57061-435-0