Interview with a Reader's Advisory Librarian

This past semester, I visited the Brockton Public Library (my hometown library) once again.  The Brockton Public Library serves a large, diverse city population of 94,316 people. I was pleasantly surprised to find the library has a Reader’s Advisory Librarian on duty full time.  I met and interviewed Reader's Advisory Librarian, Paula, who holds a wealth of knowledge regarding Reader’s Advisory.

Paula sits at a desk right across from the new adult fiction, making it easy for patrons to approach her with questions and for recommendations.  Paula’s desk is clearly labeled “Reader’s Advisory” and she even has a sign that says “Please interrupt me!” Paula uses many traditional professional magazines when selecting books, such as Library Journal and Booklist but also relies on other electronic resources like blogs.  Two of her favorite websites she uses when conducting Reader’s Advisory are www.stopyourekillingme.com, a popular mystery and thriller website and www.fantasticfiction.co.uk, a site that has recommendations for several popular genres such as romance, fantasy, thrillers and more.  

 Paula allows patrons to request items for purchase and has a “Recommend a Book” form which is found on hand at the library but also on the website.  The form can be sent in by email through the site for the convenience of the patron.  When purchasing new books, Paula keeps her largest patron groups in mind, such as the elderly and African Americans.  The library has two outreach programs for the elderly where they deliver books to home bound residents.  Paula leads book clubs for these residents, each at a different housing complex.  The patrons agree on a book, mostly fiction but occasionally nonfiction titles as well.  The two current choices they are reading are The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly.  Paula orders a lot of large type, fiction and nonfiction based upon these patrons’ interests. 

            

The library’s website, www.brocktonpubliclibrary.org, contains a plethora of information for Reader’s Advisory.  There is a “Novel Suggestions” part of the site with links to helpful websites such as www.baystatera.com, a local reader’s advisory blog, a Staff Picks section, links to Oprah’s book club selections, African American authors, New York Times Best Sellers, reviews from Barnes and Noble and more! The library also uses an RSS feed on their website which visually displays all the new books at the library, with links to place holds on the books through the online catalog.  As Paula and I wrapped up our interview, I noticed lots of comfortable areas to sit, eye-catching displays of new fiction and nonfiction and, of course, Paula’s welcoming desk. 

To sum up, here are some main points from my interview with Paula:

• Know your community-Paula pays attention to her community's needs, dislikes and likes.  This makes it easier to purchase and recommend books they will enjoy.
• Identify weaknesses-While Paula's position is geared to Adult Services, she is also asked for recommendations by teens.  Because the the Brockton Public Library doesn't have a teen librarian, she is trying to learn more about YA titles that are popular in order to better serve this population.
• Have an arsenal to back you up-Paula relies on particular databases and print resources in order to aid her in her job.  She also uses her experience in Reader's Advisory to create handouts for patrons, opening doors to new authors and titles for them.  In addition, the library website contains a plethora of Reader's Advisory material including websites and lists built by librarians.

Helpful Reader's Advisory Sites:

• Library Journal 
• Booklist
• Stop Your Killing Me
• Fantastic Fiction
• Bay State Reader's Advisory:suggestions from a Massachusetts Librarian
• Killer Books
• Brockton Public Library Novel Suggestions
• Oprah's Book Club
• African American Authors
• Whodunit in new England
• New York Times Bestsellers

 I'd love to know what tools you are using for Reader's Advisory and, as always, I want to know what you are reading!

Did You Know 4.0-The Digital Shift and Information Policy: an INF506 OLJ Blog Entry

The video, "Did You Know 4.0" looks at how our world has changed since the introduction of modern digital technology.  When we look at how we use technology everyday for personal, professional or educational purposes, what are the guidelines we use? Are there guidelines?  In fact, there are rules when it comes to the technological world, but some have yet to be developed and some are still evolving.  These rules are called "information policy."

 "Information policy is the set of all public laws, regulations and policies that encourage, discourage or regulate the creation, use, storage and communication of information" (Weingarten, 1989). 

 When we make comments on Facebook, update our Twitter feeds, send emails and search the web, what rules do we follow? How are our physical interactions different than our virtual ones?
After watching this video, I noticed 5 changes in our society that can be defined as "shifts" based upon changes of the digital world that so many of us now depend on.

1 & 2.  Digital Literacy and Copyright-Not only do less people read and purchase newspapers, we now access information differently.  Instead of using print books to find answers, we browse the web.  In libraries specifically, we rely heavily on the use of databases instead of large reference books and we now offer e-books in addition to regular print books.  While there are definitely benefits to digitization, there are problems that arise.  If library patrons are going to use the Internet instead of books to get the information they need, it is the librarian's job to make sure patrons are trained in how to tell if something is trustworthy information.  By providing databases on the library website, the library is selecting reputable sources that patrons can search with confidence, thereby promoting "digital literacy."  In addition, offering e-books at libraries has been a controversial topic because of copyright issues.  When a library buys a print copy of a book, it has unlimited circulation.  With e-books, there is a limit to how many times a book can be checked out without renewing the license.  These types of problems can be addressed with proper information policies, something many e-book lenders have been trying to fine tune this past year as e-books have become more and more popular.

3 & 4.  The Digital Divide and Library Internet Use- President Obama was able to raise more money than John McCain in the 2008 election because he used social media to boost his campaign.  With 69% of adults using social media, Obama was able to reach many more people through digital media than McCain was the traditional way.   Advertising on a social networks is going to reach a lot of people, mainly those who are familiar with the Internet.  However, let us not forget that there are people out there who don't have access to the Internet and those people should not be discounted.  Perhaps if the Internet was free and available to all, this issue of the "digital divide" could be addressed.  By providing free Internet and computer use at the library, libraries work to promote online literacy and skills, hoping to close the digital divide.  However, in order to provide fair and equal opportunities to all,  libraries must create policies for acceptable use for this service to run smoothly.

5.  Social (Networking) Etiquette- With so many people using social networking sites, what is the etiquette or policy we follow? Many people keep their Facebook pages private, but some aren't very careful.  This video uses an example of an employee talking negatively of her boss on her Facebook page, and he sees her post because he is her Facebook friend! We need to remember to remain professional if we are going to open up our virtual lives for all to see.  We need to act as if we would in person when we are on social networks, and sometimes people forget that.  Even though we can access so  information on the go on our cell phones, there are situations when it's acceptable and when it's not.  For example, when we are out to dinner in public or at work in a meeting we should be focused on the people or the task at hand, not texting or updating our Twitter status in 140 characters or less.

Information policy is reflected in our physical  interactions every day, and it should be in our digital lives too.  Check out the video yourself and see what shifts you can identify!

The Essentials of Being an Information Professional in a Web 2.0 World: an INF506 OLJ Entry

After reading and watching some of the assigned articles and videos this week, I have been thinking a lot about what skills librarians need in order to successfully introduce Web 2.0 into the library.  If you'd like to view these materials, here are the links:

Stephen Abram's Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and Librarian 2.0: Preparing for the 2.0 World

Missy Harvey's What does it mean to be a Science Librarian 2.0?

2008 ALIA New Librarians Symposium- Comments on Library 2.0/Librarian Web 2.0

Laura Cohen's A Librarian's 2.0 Manifesto

Many of these sources discuss the importance of Web 2.0 in the library as a way of staying current and up to date in a technology based world.  While this is key, I also believe being able to adopt social networking in the library requires much more common sense; a positive attitude.  Here are some attributes I believe librarians need in order to introduce the world of Web 2.0 to their patrons, staff and their library:

• Be open-Embrace change and the unknown! If you hear about a new technology or how a library is using a new social networking tool, check it out, don't be afraid.  Social media can be helpful in many ways for educational and business purposes, but it's fun too!
• Encourage Staff-If you are in  a position to decide on what social networking tool your library is going to use, talk to your staff, encourage them to try them out at work and ask them for their input.
• Communication-Ask other librarians, patrons and staff what they use, like, know and then brainstorm how specific tools can be used in the library setting.

These points are all connected to one another and a positive attitude is key when adopting anything new in an organization.  Set an example by showing excitement for new ways libraries can use social networking tools, and other people will pick up on that.  After following the above points, it's also important to be able to be able to critically asses how web 2.0 can benefit your library specifically.  Think about the needs of users, staff and the library itself.  The communication part is extremely helpful in this area...and don't forget to have fun!

A to Z of Social Networking for Libraries: an INF506 OLJ Blog Entry



After reading AnnaLaura's blog article "A to Z of Social Networking for Libraries," I was excited to find that the Ames Free Library, where I am the Assistant Youth Services Librarian, has accomplished many of the social networking tasks that are so important for libraries utilizing web 2.0.  For example, we have several Active (for the letter A) web 2.0 platforms we use including Twitter, Flickr, Facebook (the letter F!), Pinterest and three Blogs (the letter B!).  The majority of our staff actively use these social networking sites with Zeal (the letter Z) and we are constantly trying to think of fun new ways we can use them to benefit the library.  However, there were a few areas where we could use improvement.  They are:

1. D-Direction-We have recently discussed how we can strategically use the web 2.0 platforms that staff manages.  It's easy for libraries to adopt new technologies, but how will they be used? Until this recent discussing, we were kind of aimlessly tweeting, posting and pinning.  Staff has read up on ways to use these technologies and we have come up with a basic game plan.  The library will use Twitter to represent the library publishing and marketing world.  Facebook will be used to advertise and connect with our patron group.  Pinterest is being used as a reader's advisory site.  This is all in the beginning stages, and we will evaluate how these strategies are working as time goes on.
2. E-E-Books - The library lends e-books through the library consortium but many people don't know about them.  We need to think of ways to advertise this service better.  We also lend e-readers like kindles and nooks, and these devices can be used as a way to promote e-books.
3. O-Open source- I hadn't heard of open source programs such as Joomla or Koha until I read this article.  It would be interesting to find out how implementing these open source programs can help blend social networking with the library website and card catalog.
4. R-Reference- While we currently offer reference service in person and through email we don't use social networks for answering reference questions.  I think adding this service to these sites would help promote more people to ask questions!
5. Y-Youth- As the Assistant Youth Services Librarian, I have been brainstorming ways to better reach out to youth through our social networking sites.  I would like to create a blog just for teens and a Facebook page where teens and the library can directly interact for fun programs like a virtual book club!

As you can see, the A-Z guide is a great way to evaluate library services and think of innovative ways to implement social networking into the library!

Using Delicious: a Social Bookmarking Tool (an INF506 OLJ entry)

What is Social Bookmarking?

As I mentioned in my previous post, students enrolled in INF506, Social Networking for Information Professionals, are required to create accounts on Delicious, a social bookmarking website.  So, what is social bookmarking? It's actually quite convenient.  Delicious allows users to take information from the web (articles, pictures, videos, etc.) and save them all in one place.  Users can also upload favorite articles and posts  from other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to their Delicious account for easy access and organizing.  From a librarian's point of view, I find it similar to classification and cataloging.  For example, as I read the articles and watch the videos for class, I simply add the ones I find relevant to me to my Delicious account.  When I add something, I am able to "tag" the item, or classify it using a  folksonomy system, with a descriptive word such as "social networking" or "Facebook", allowing me to easily search and find the information I've saved so I can  refer back to it later.  Here is an example of what tags look like:

When I click on the tags, other documents will be retrieved so that I can find even more relevant information on the subject I'm searching for.  This also allows Delicious users to view what others have posted, enabling people to find users who have similar interests.  Delicious allows users to follow each other, so that when someone I follow posts something new I am able to view it in my feed and decide if I want to bookmark it myself.  So what's the point? All of this is a great way to group information together that I've found on the web and that I've been introduced to by other members.  I am then able to group items together by type through tagging for my own reference.

How is Social Bookmarking Helpful?

Using Delicious is helpful in many ways.  Right now, I am using it for educational and professional purposes.  I am bookmarking websites that will be helpful to me for class assignments and projects.  This is basically allowing me to build my reference list for these larger projects and allows easy, quick access to the information I need. This is a great way for all students to build lists of works that they can use for assignments, and librarians can refer students to this site and offer tutorials.

 I am also bookmarking articles relevant to my profession in library Youth Services, to be able to access ideas and other helpful tips on programming and services that I'd like to implement in the future.  Professionals in all fields will find organizing relevant information helpful using Delicious because it is a great way to collaborate on projects and share a variety of resources, ideas and media from a number of online places.

What are the Downsides?

For the most part, my experience using Delicious has been a positive one.  I love when social networking sites can help make my life easier.  Delicious allows me to organize and group similar information.  This is incredibly helpful for my projects in school and at work.  However, one thing to keep in mind is that technology doesn't always run smoothly.  Many classmates and I repeatedly got an error message every time we tried to follow someone on Delicious, making it difficult to find other users in order to share interesting and helpful information. After contacting Delicious, this problem has been resolved. This is a great example of users experimenting with social networking sites and trying to improve user experience.  Hopefully Delicious will use this feedback to address the issue and improve service.

INF506-Social Networking for Information Professionals

Hi all! My other class this semester has just begun! I am enrolled in INF506, Social Networking for Information Professionals at Charles Sturt University in Australia! Simmons College has a consortium of schools where students can take online classes towards their Master's in Library and Information Science.  The first week of this class has been intense but also fun and educational! We have begun by immersing ourselves in a number of social networking sites and will be learning how they can benefit libraries and library professionals! This class requires us to keep an Online Learning Journal where we document our learning experiences, which works out nicely for me since this whole blog has been created for that very purpose!

• What Is Social Networking?

When I think of social networking, I think of an online platform where people can share thoughts, ideas, opinions, pictures, write messages and basically stay in touch with one another.  I love that sites like Facebook allow me to see what family and friends that I don't  talk to very often are up to every day.  Social Networking is also a way to meet new people and find out about new places or products.  When you like something on Facebook, you learn more about companies and products by getting updates on your News Feed.  There are also sites like LinkedIn that are geared toward professional networking, and micro-blogging on Twitter allows users to interact closely with famous people like movie stars and musicians.  While there are many social networking sites out there, I think they all have a common goal: for people to connect by sharing content.

• Social Networking Sites I Use

I use quite a few Social Networking sites! For personal use, I am currently using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogspot, Google+ and Flickr.  I actually started using Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ for educational purposes for my Young Adult Literature class, which served the purpose of staying current and up to date in order to serve teens better.  I loved Twitter and Pinterest and still use them both very often! Google+ allows users to organize friends, acquaintances, co-workers, etc.  into different circles, so you can decide what they see about you.  It is a bit like Facebook but with more options for users.  Google+ also allows users to have "hangouts" where up to ten people can have a face to face chat, and that is how we had class discussions for my online class.  I've also used a few different educational platforms for school, such as Wikis, Blackboard and Moodle.

Ames Free Library (where I work) is very current as far as being involved in Social Networking.  We maintain Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, three Blogspot blogs and now even Pinterest! I manage the Twitter page for the library and one of the blogs-this one! The library advertises its services, fundraisers, new materials, programs and more on these Social Networking Platforms and is able to reach more users that way.  This week's readings discussed how library website use has declined over the past few years.  Could it be because libraries are not remaining current by adopting Social Networking? I think it's extremely important for libraries to do so in order to remain relevant.

• Learning Expectations for INF506

INF506 requires students to create Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Delicious, LinkedIn and Second Life accounts and we will be immersing ourselves in these technologies! I am excited to learn more about how these Social Networking tools can be used in libraries specifically to help promote learning, literacy, community and more! I hope to pass this knowledge on to co-workers and library patrons in order for them to become comfortable navigating the world of Web 2.0 and to keep them connected.

The Inspirational Fiction Genre- Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

Inspirational Fiction is another genre that I don't read too often.  After learning the characteristics of this genre, I've learned what kind of books in this genre I would like and what I wouldn't.  I really enjoyed Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen because it is just a great feel-good book that is illustrates human imperfection and wonderfully drawn characters that make you laugh out loud.  Check out the characteristics of this genre below to determine if you'd like Inspirational Fiction.  In this genre you may find:

•  Christian principles, especially in resolving the conflict
• A spiritual search
• No sex or profanity 

Sound like something you may enjoy? Is so, here are  some resources to help you find the perfect book for you!

• The Christy Awards for exceptional Christian Fiction
• Gold Medallion for Evangelical Fiction
• Rita (Romance Writers of America, Inspirational Category)
• Christian Booksellers Association

For an introduction to this genre, I recommend Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen.  It's not over the top or preachy, but it deals with a young woman's struggle to understand her faith and how it defines her life.  Here is my review!

Gilmore, Susan Gregg. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen: A Novel. New York: Shaye Areheart, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-307-39501-6

This book is a coming of age story of a young girl growing up in the tiny southern town of Ringgold, Georgia.  Catherine Grace is the preacher’s daughter and comes from a long line of preachers of the Cedar Grove Baptist Church.  The story takes the reader through her childhood, where her father’s role as preacher has an immense impact on her own journey of faith, acceptance and personal beliefs.  The Dairy Queen is Catherine Grace’s favorite place because it represents the outside world, something she can’t wait to be a part of.  It is also where she comes to big decisions in her life while consuming copious amounts of dilly bars. When Catherine Grace turns 18 her dream of leaving her small town and living in the big city are realized, only to be called back by the death of her father.  When she returns home, she learns secrets about her father that contradict all he’s taught her about leading a Christian life.  This book illustrates the important message that everyone sins and forgiveness is an essential part of life.

This title covers many important Christian principles, as illustrated through Catherine Grace’s father as teacher, father and pastor.  Catherine Grace struggles to accept and understand her father’s teachings at times throughout the book such as accepting the “infallible authority of the bible” and “addressing life’s dilemmas through Jesus” as described in John Mort’s book “Christian Fiction.”  This book has no profanity and no sex scenes.  However, Catherine Grace’s preacher father gets the Sunday school teacher, Miss Raines, pregnant out of wedlock.  This turn of events was interesting because it is reminiscent of “The Scarlet Letter,” which is named as one of the first Christian Fiction novels written.

I loved this book! I’m not really a Christian Fiction reader, and I think this would be a great book to introduce someone to the genre.  While the book is focused on the Christian faith and principles, it is not overly religious.  It is still a great story with wonderfully charming and funny characters that are so well developed you feel like you will miss them when the book is over.  The relationships between Catherine Grace, her sister Martha Ann, and neighbor Gloria Jean are so well developed and are one of the best parts of the book.  The community is close knit, they all know each other’s business and it is laugh-out-loud funny at times!

This book takes place in the sixties and seventies in a small Southern town, and the style of writing and the sense of community reminded me of “The Help.”  I would recommend this to readers that enjoy women’s southern fiction.

Do you read Inspirational Fiction? What are your favorite authors and titles? I'd love to hear from you!