Wednesday, May 18, 2011

successful readers advisory

I love my job as a librarian. I can't think of any other job I'd rather be doing.

Mmmm...nope, not one.

One of the things I love about being a librarian is doing readers advisory. If you don't know, readers advisory is advising others on what books they might like based upon their interests and what other books they've enjoyed. Sometimes a library customer will come up later and tell me they liked the book(s) I suggest (which I love), but most of the time I never know what happens to those readers or those books.

Which is why I love suggesting books to my friends and family. I always get feedback, and positive or negative, I love knowing what they thought about the book(s) and talking to them about it.

So I have a friend who isn't a big reader. It takes her anywhere from 6 to 12 months (sometimes longer) to finish one book. Most of what she reads are classics, I think because that is a lot of what her mom reads.

(In all honesty, it would take me that long to read a classic, too, because I'd get bored and pick up something more interesting every chapter or so. Or just not finish it).

Anyway, she loved Drakula by Bram Stoker and she is a huge Buffy fan and thinks vampires that sparkle are rather wimpy and somewhat dumb. So last month I suggested she read the book Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey. I let her borrow my copy to read since I knew it would take her a while and the library only checks items out for three weeks.

Within a month she text me to say that she had picked up the book, and was loving it. Within  two weeks she'd finished it. Wow. She then went and bought herself a copy, as well as the next two in the series. She read all three books in less than a month. 

Her last text on the subject was, "I am really not happy with you at the moment! For the 1st time in my LIFE I am waiting for a book to come out! I so need a Drake brother."

My friend is 32, and she found a series that she loves. I love that. I love books that make someone want to read.

the end

2 comments:

SarahEm said...

I love suggesting books too! My best friend is a reluctant (and slow) reader as well, I love finding books that she likes. If your friend likes non-sparkly vampires she might like I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, it's a great book.

resugo said...

I've been meaning to read I Am Legend for a while, have even checked it out at the library a few times, but never have read it. I'll have to suggest it to her and maybe pick it up myself.