Currently, there is a trend in academic libraries to create collections for pleasure or recreational reading. For example, the University of Washington Bothell has a non-cataloged collection of donated books that students can borrow. The Undergraduate Library at the UW Seattle began its cataloged collection with grant monies, and it is now supported by the Library's budget. Although it is exciting to see this co-curricular need of students met, it is my guess that most academic librarians and their administrators shy away from adding Reader's Advisory responsibilities to their duties. After all, there are only so many hours in a day!
However, academic librarians are not only strategically placed to promote reading, they may be the librarians of last resort for reluctant or non-readers. Using creativity and ambition, there are simple and inexpensive ways to integrate reader's advisory into an academic library's mission.
Administrative and Librarian Commitment and Vision
To avoid a haphazard implementation of reader's advisory or recreational reading collections, start with a commitment to services and resources. Next, create a vision of the program or collection. Although you may agree that creating a collection for pleasure reading is important, you or your colleagues might hesitate to devote money, time and energy to "Reader's Advisory." Staff members must agree whether creating a collection of books considered "recreational reading" is sufficient or whether a more concerted effort to promote reading and literacy beyond traditional research library instruction is in order. In addition, consider the role of reader's advisory in academic librarianship, and back up your thoughts with ample research.
Book Displays
Most academic libraries already use book displays, whether they are thematic or the "new books" shelf. When creating book displays, academic librarians often deal with the lack of dust jackets. For example, when I created a book display of award winning books, I was baffled by the lack of visual appeal of books without dust jackets. I resorted to using only paperback books which also had aesthetic problems. With a little creativity, time and a color printer, I could have fashioned the same display by printing information from the web and placing it around the display. As academic librarians, we can learn from public and school librarians as well as retail book stores on how to design an inspired display.
If possible, save those dust jackets! At the Undergraduate Library at UW, new books retain their dust jackets and are placed on a table (specially designed by the librarians) similar to tables bookstores use in center aisles to display books. This type of table works wonderfully for browsing.
Of course, you need to remember to choose books for displays that have appeal for the general reader. Recently, for example, the UW Bothell business librarian created a popular display on how to start an internet business using books she purchased for specific business classes.
Subject Expertise
Academic librarians use subject expertise to purchase materials for university programs. Although they often purchase scholarly works, subject specialists also purchase more mainstream books. For example, Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade by Linda Perlstein is required reading in the Teacher Certification Program at UW Bothell; but it is also a book written for the general public about the "No Child Left Behind" legislation. Consider creating lists of these more accessible titles to provide students, staff and faculty with worthy general interest books. These lists can be placed prominently on a subject web site or around the library. If you can, annotate these books to show that they are reader friendly and of interest to non-scholars.
Library Events
The academic library is well situated to host a variety of events. Many faculty members write books; consider tapping into those resources and suggest they conduct readings at the library. During Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, my library invited UW Seattle scholar and author Shawn Wong to speak. During his presentation, he told the audience that he has presented at many venues around the United States, but this was the first time he was invited to speak at the University of Washington. You can also work with instructors to integrate an author talk with a class. One UW instructor brought students from her Asian-American literature class to Wong's reading. In my experience, local authors and faculty will speak for free or for a small honorarium. So what do you have to lose?
An example of a fascinating idea comes from the Seattle Public Library's Adult Storytime. In the newly published, The Readers' Advisory Handbook, David Wright discusses how he implements this lunch hour program of short stories. Academic libraries hold many anthologies of short stories, and I bet there would be talented librarians or staff or even faculty (drama perhaps?) willing to read. Books by the featured author or other collections could be displayed during the lunch break. Since some instructors require students to attend a campus event, this would be a wonderful way to get students involved in reading activities.
Working with Students and Instructors
There are many ways that you can collaborate with instructors and students to integrate reader's advisory into class content. As avid readers in your subject area, as well as other areas, you could discuss books that students might find useful for class assignments and general reading. The class web guide could even feature a list of books that the library owns that students might find interesting. I like to begin each library instruction session with a quick review of book that the library holds. I also encourage students to keep a list of books and articles that they think are appealing, but might not have time to read immediately. When working with instructors, be sure to read Reader's Advisory and other literature blogs. As an avid reader of "Citizen Reader," a nonfiction reader's advisory blog, I told an instructor about a book that was recommended there. She now uses chapters of it for her class on modern slavery. By talking books with faculty, we can remind them that their students can benefit academically and personally by reading more than scholarly journal articles.
Conclusion
Increasing numbers of academic libraries now provide recreational/pleasure reading services and resources to students, faculty and staff; so it is important to discuss inexpensive and practical ways to promote reading. We can take models from public and school libraries and modify them to fit the needs of our libraries and patrons. Whether or not we choose to call it "Reader's Advisory," we, as academic librarians, should begin to discuss whether promoting reading, especially to undergraduates, many of whom will not go into research, is part of our profession's mission. We should also explore and share ways to integrate it into the services and resources we provide.
Resources Cited
Citizen Reader Blog. http://www.citizenreader.com/
Wright, David (2010) Adult Storytime, in Moyer, Jessica E. and Stover, Kaite Mediatore, eds. The Readers' Advisory Handbook. ALA Editions.
VENTA SILINS is Reference and Instruction/Education Librarian at University of Washington, Bothell and Cascadia Community College Campus Library, Bothell Washington.