Readers' advisory
They subdivide the history as:[4] Dilevko and Mogowan write about "readers' advisory systematically committ[ing] itself to meaningful adult education through serious and purposeful reading"[5] up until the 1960s, when emphasis on "popular culture resulted in the 'Give 'Em What They Want' approach"[4] and "The Devolution into Entertainment.
"[6] In 1897, the ALA President stated that "the personal influence of librarians who assisted and advised readers was the most potent force in molding community reading.
[8] Between 1922 and 1926, readers' advisory programs were experimentally introduced into seven urban libraries (Cleveland and Detroit, in 1922,[9] Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, in 1923 and 1924,[9] and Cincinnati and Portland, OR).
[11] The 1924 report The American Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge by William Learned to the Carnegie Corporation sought to establish adult education as the focus of the public library, with personalized readers' advisory service to adult readers by "reference experts" who would make up a "community intelligence service.
Judson T. Jennings provided a summary of the work, observing that the "library's contribution to adult education resolved itself into three major activities:"[12] 1.
[12][13] This new professional interest during the 1920s spurred the creation of specialized full-time readers' advisory positions in major public libraries.
Another major influence on the spread and revival of readers' advisory was the Adult Reading Round Table (ARRT),[18] founded by a group of Chicago public librarians in 1984.
Librarians who simply recommend their favorite books with little or no regard for the patron's own interests are not performing readers' advisory.
The focus of the conversation is not on recitation of plot, but on the aforementioned appeal elements (i.e. pace, subject, tone, writing style, etc.).
Our readers' advisor also learns that the patron prefers fast-paced dialogue to excessive descriptive passages.
Once the appeal elements have been identified (i.e. a humorous mystery featuring snappy dialogue and a female protagonist), the readers' advisor will suggest appropriate titles in the collection by drawing on personal knowledge and/or by consulting appropriate print and online resources.
Indirect readers' advisory aids, particularly annotated book lists, focus on appeal elements rather than providing extensive plot summaries.
[27][28] In their 2001 article "Reader's Advisory: Matching Mood and Material," Ross and Chelton recommend placing books in four areas of the library in order to make the most of merchandising.
[33] BookPage is a periodical available at many public libraries, containing book reviews, recommended reading lists, and author interviews.
