The Readers' Advisory Handbook

August 1, 2010

This great generalist title offers guidelines not only on readers' advisory (RA) but on related matters of collection development and marketing books to different reading audiences. Moyer (Research-Based Readers' Advisory) and Stover (head, readers' services, Kansas City P.L., MO) gather information and instruction from 15 contributing public and school librarians on self-education, managing and improving groups of selectors, making quick but thorough evaluations of different types of materials, writing reviews, and working with book groups as well as other kinds of programming. The information throughout focuses on the practical, such as "how to read a book in ten minutes." VERDICT This title is appropriate for supervisors of RA librarians with collection development responsibilities in public or high school libraries serving larger populations. It is especially good for the busy librarian, who can dive into the most appropriate chapter, grab the pearls of wisdom, and emerge armed with real-world advice and a great new recommendation for the patron.--J. Sara Paulk, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Cty. Lib., Fitzgerald, GA

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2010
As readers advisory matures, it involves much more than the act of matching a reader with a book. It encompasses a broader range of materials and library users and also informs the way materials are reviewed, selected, promoted, and used. There are books that lay out the core principles of readers advisory or that address a particular genre or the needs of a particular audience. This compilation fills a gap by presenting the full range of skills, techniques, and practices that now make up readers-advisory service. It is divided into five parts: Getting to Know Your Materials; Reviewing and Evaluating Materials; Marketing, Promoting, and Sharing Materials; Programming; and Expanding Readers Advisory Services. Chapters authored by a number of familiar names (among others, Sue-Ellen Beauregard on reviewing audiobooks, Heather Booth on working with teens, Sarah Statz Cords on getting to know nonfiction, Lynne Welch on creating read-alikes, and David Wright on providing storytime for adults) join chapters by editors Moyer and Stover in providing a comprehensive guide. Several of the chapters contain samples and worksheets. A valuable addition to the growing readers-advisory shelf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)