If your library is anything like mine, Urban Fiction is hugely popular. The books are always checked out-like, always checked out. Faced with a request for good Urban Fiction books, the traditional RA interview can fail spectacularly. It's no good knowing a few popular author names, because chances are, none of their titles are in the library. If someone asks for a mystery, you have a rich tradition of literature that's been established for a few centuries, dozens of reference and readers' advisory resources for support, and hundreds of authors to choose from; if someone asks for Urban Fiction, you have a handful of authors whose books have been around for a few years and no resources to fall back on.
In other words, you can't fake it. You've got to work harder to be a good readers' advisor with Urban Fiction: This genre has fewer titles, fewer RA tools, and fewer resources than any other. But with a little work, you can get up to speed.
Step 1: Learn the Genre
At its core, Urban Fiction is about black culture and black experience. Although realistic African-American fiction has been published since the slave era, Urban Fiction speaks to a whole new audience: It is more sensational, more raw, more electrifying than anything that has come before, and it is bringing in new readers to the library.
Your first step is to learn the appeals and characteristics of the genre. By far the easiest way to do this is to read at least one of the books. You may wish to start with the quintessential Urban Fiction book, The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. Maybe you'd like to plunge in with one of Vickie Stringer's gritty cautionary tales, such as Let That Be the Reason. Or for something with less violence, try the perennially popular Zane; ease yourself into her steamy erotica with a short story from The Sex Chronicles.
Then be sure you can articulate the different appeals. Though each title is unique, there are some common characteristics: The characters tend to be ethnic minorities who are deeply flawed and realistically portrayed; the writing style and dialogue are straightforward, accessible, and unpretentious; the issues are weighty and raw. Sex and violence are treated with a no-holds barred approach (though violence is more prevalent in Street Fiction, a sub-genre of Urban Fiction), and the tone can be grim, especially when the ugly realities of drugs and violence encroach upon the characters' lives.
You may wish to read more than one title, and keep a notebook where you can record your observations about the genre, along with annotations for specific titles. In any case, after you've sampled the literature, you'll need to make sure there are books on the shelves, which brings us to your second step.
Step 2: Develop the Collection
You could be the best readers' advisor of Urban Fiction in the library, but it won't do you a whit of good if there are no books on the shelves. Given the popularity of Urban Fiction, that's a very real concern. It's inconceivable that a fan of Suspense Fiction would come in to the library and go home empty-handed, but Urban Fiction fans have a much harder time finding books at the library. Because it is a new genre, fewer books have been written-and because those few books are fantastically popular, they are usually checked out or missing.
Your first task is to collect as much Urban Fiction as your budget will allow. Because many Urban Fiction titles are published by small, independent presses, you may need to look at non-traditional sources. Go to a review site, such as Street Fiction (http://www.streetfiction.org/), or get collection ideas from a vendor such as It's a Black Thang (http://www.itsablackthang.com/AfricanAmericanBooks.htm). Alternately, go directly to the publisher; Triple Crown Publications (http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/) and Urban Books (http://www.urbanbooks.net/) are both big names.
Then you have to decide how many copies to stock. There are a lot of readers vying for the same few titles, so buy multiple copies, as many as possible. And be prepared to purchase replacements. Many titles will fail to return to the library, while those that do stay will become ratty and dog-eared from high circulation.
Be forewarned: it may be frustrating to pour money into the genre. Either through loss or poor condition, your Urban Fiction books will need continuous infusions. Don't expect to buy one book and have it stay on the shelf for ten years. Fortunately, the titles tend to be comparatively inexpensive-and more importantly, you'll know that you're serving a new reading community.That's right: The money you spend on Urban Fiction is not just money spent on collection development. It serves the dual purpose of bringing new patrons into the library community--all the more reason to learn as much as possible about this genre.
Step 3: Readers' Advisory
You've read a few Urban Fiction books. You know about the gritty appeal, the glamour and grime of life on the streets, the fresh new take on erotica. You've infused the collection with every title you could lay your hands on.
Then someone walks up to the desk.
"Hi!" she says. "I'm looking for Street Fiction. Can you help?"
Actually, that's not very likely. As you probably know, many readers pose elliptical questions. Just as we in the library profession are struggling with terminology (Is it Urban Fiction? Street Lit? Ghetto Lit? Hip-hop?), so are the readers. A common request is for African-American fiction, but that's a very broad category, which could include everyone from Toni Morrison to Rochelle Alers to Richard Wright to K'wan.
It's up to you to narrow down or expand the request. If you've determined that the reader wants Urban Fiction, your next job is to find out which characteristics the reader is looking for. Often, these are elements that people may feel hesitant asking about. It is the rare reader who is comfortable asking for books with steamy, outrageous sex involving three people (though if you do get the question, Mary B. Morrison would be a good choice, along with Zane); or who doesn't mind asking for books with drugs, violence, and African-Americans.
Put your RA skills to use. Start broadly, and assume nothing. Useful questions include:
- Are you looking for books that feature African-Americans?
- Are you looking to read something spicy? . . . Okay, spicy or really spicy?
- How about violence, how do you feel about that?
- Do you want short stories or novels?
And, of course, the best question of all: "Tell me about a book you've already read that you liked."
Then head to the stacks. Be sure to take an Urban fiction booklist with you-and if you don't have one yet, make one. Even if you carry a working knowledge of the library's collection in your head, your reader will certainly make use of a list of titles. A booklist is a great way to identify the lesser-known authors, so that even if all of your Shannon Holmes books are checked out, you can tap the collection for titles that have a better chance of being checked in.
And be sure to booktalk one of the titles you've already read. Remember, many of your Urban Fiction fans will be new to the library. A heartfelt discussion of a book you've read will make your reader feel at home and ensure repeat visits. It's a great way to build a burgeoning community.
Urban Fiction is a budding genre, and we're all still learning the ropes. Good luck with it! And as you discover new ideas and tips, be sure to let us know. Send comments to the Readers' Advisor Online blog http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/.
Jessica Zellers is Electronic Resources Librarian, Williamsburg Regional Library, Virginia, where she also provides reader's advisory and reference services at the adult services desk; and participates in the remote readers' advisory service "Looking for a Good Book". In addition, she a read-alike developer for NoveList.