readers advisory and the school library media specialist illinois school library media association...

Readers Advisory and the School Library Media

SpecialistIllinois School Library Media Association ConferenceSt Charles, IL October 2010

Jessica E. Moyer

University of Minnesota

Jessicaemilymoyer.pbworks.com

Laws of Leisure Reading“Never apologize for your reading tastes” -

Rosenberg’s First Law of Reading

“Every reader his [or her] book. Every book its reader” - S. R. Ranganathan’s 2nd and 3rd Laws of Library Science

The Rule of 50: If you’re under 50 years old, read the first 50 pages [of a new book]. If you’re over 50, subtract your age from 100, the result is the number of pages you should read before deciding whether or not to continue” Exception: Finish it, if the book is for a bookclub or a school assignment. - Nancy Pearl’s Rule for Reading

“ No two people ever read the same book.” Diana Herald, RAO Blog, 5/9/2008

What is Readers’ Advisory?

“[A] patron-centered library service for adult leisure readers. A successful readers’ advisory service is one in which knowledgable, nonjudgemental staff help fiction and nonfiction readers with their leisure reading needs.” (Saricks, pg 1, emphasis added)

“Quite simply, it is the act of putting people together with the books they love. Librarians, booksellers, literature teachers—anyone in the business of helping readers find the books they love—are readers' advisors”. Diana Herald, Genreflecting website

"An exchange of information between two people with the purpose of one person's suggesting text for the other's later reading interest."—Kenneth Shearer

Appeal Factors: Pacing

How quickly are character/plot revealed?Dialogue v. DescriptionShort sentences, short paragraphs, short chapters?Multiple plotlines, flashbacks, different points of view, straight line plot?Is the ending open or closed?

Appeal Factors: Characterization

Are characters fully developed or are they one dimensional stereotypes?Is focus on a single character or several who intertwine?Is characterization or characters the most important aspect of story?Is character developed during the series or in one book?Are there memorable or important secondary characters?

Appeal Factors: Storyline and Frame

StorylineDoes the story emphasize people or events?Is the focus interior/psychological or exterior/action?What is the author’s intent? Serious v. light; comedy v. drama?

FrameIs the background detailed or minimal?How does the book make the reader feel? What mood does the book evoke in the reader?Is a special background integral to the story?

How To Read A Book in 10 Minutes: A quick way to familiarize yourself with new

books1. Cover: What does it tell you? Is it embarrassing or dated?2. Jacket blurb: What does it tell you about the book/author?3. Typeface: How easy is it to read? Better for younger or

older readers?4. Heft - Can they carry it? Open and read it easily?5. Read a sample: First and last chapters, pages in the middle6. Evaluate--genre/type; pace; clarity. How does it fit into the

appeal factors?7. What is the format? Hardcover, paperback, illustrated, etc.8. Connect this book to other books.9. Who will enjoy this book?

Activity Time: Read a Book in 10 Minutes

1. Pick out a book that you have not read before, and preferably by an author you don’t know

2. Follow the steps on the previous slide. You have only 10 minutes so use your time wisely.

3. Make notes as you evaluate your book

4. Prepare to share your book with your classmates in a 30 to 60 second summary.

--What is the book about?

--What other books are like it?

--What kind of reader would enjoy it?

5. Share books with class

Do My Students Read Outside of School Texts?

YES!! Children and teens consistently choose leisure reading as an out of school activityTeens would like to read more if they had easy access to books they would likeChildren and teens read the most over school breaks, especially summer vacationChildren and teens are motivated to read books that are about topics in which they are interested

When Do Teens Read?

2007

-200400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,6001,800

JanurayFebruaryMarch

April May June JulyAugust

SeptemberOctober

NovemberDecember

What Do My Students Choose to Read?

Children and teens like popular (i.e. “trashy”) books just as much as adultsSeries books are not only popular but an important step in leisure reading developmentGirls are more likely to select narrative fiction books or graphic novelsBoys are more likely to prefer comic books, graphic novels (fiction and nonfiction), gaming manuals, magazines and newspapers. Boys are less likely to consider these real “reading” and more likely to describe themselves as “nonreaders” to adults and teachers

Research Review: Conflicting Results

NEA Report 2004 – Reading At Risk

Less than half of American adults read literature, from 56.9% (1982) to 46.7% (2002)

Over the past 20 years, young adults (18-34) have declined from being those most likely to read literature to those least likely

The decline in reading correlates with increased participation in a variety of electronic media, including the Internet and video games


2007 NEA Report – To Read or Not to Read

Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline. Among 17-year-olds, the percentage of non-readers doubled, from nine percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.1

Americans ages 15 to 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV, and only seven minutes of their daily leisure time on reading.

Reading scores for 12th-grade readers fell significantly from 1992 to 2005, with the sharpest declines among lower-level readers.


Reading is good for teens: for developing social skills and empathy – Bookworms vs. nerds, Mar et al 2005Fanfiction and “other” literacy activitiesSurveys of teens in Europe, Canada, Australia and US report: teens do choose to read books, newspapers, magazines, more than 20% read at least 3 hrs a week and YA books sell and circGirls tend to prefer narrative fiction books or graphic novels. Adult fiction is also popular. Boys are more likely to pick comic books, graphic novels (F or NF), gaming manuals, magazines, newspapers or any type of NF Boys are less likely to consider these real “reading” and more likely to describe themselves as “nonreaders” to adults

How Do I Talk To My Students About Leisure Reading?

Learn the basic appeal factors: Pacing, characterization, storyline, and frameRecognize the importance of mood in leisure reading selectionsSuggest not recommendKnow about the books and materials your students will select for leisure readingShare your own enthusiasm for leisure reading and the value of leisure reading for students

Tips for Talking to StudentsDetermine leisure reading level - do they read outside of school a lot or a little? Are they experienced with certain formats? Illustrated books, adult popular fiction, manga, nonfiction, etc.?

If you need more info ask about other books they have read and liked or hated, movies they like, hobbies or other recreational activities

Phrase your suggestions in terms of what other teens like not what you like. Never, ever, lie about whether or not you liked a book

When suggesting books articulate the appeal factors; be specific about why you are suggesting this book. Teens and children like specific info

Do mention any sex, language, violence, but more as an FYI than as a warning, students know what they are ready to read and tolerate

Make several suggestions and leave it up to the student to choose - this may mean leaving the student alone with the books

Make sure the student knows they can come back later and tell you what they thought about the books and for more suggestions

Present a Book to a StudentActivity Time: Talk to a Student

1. Get in 4 groups

2. Assign roles: 1) student(s), 2) Teacher, 3) Observer/Commentator(s)

3. Scenario: A Literature Circle class is ending just before lunch period, a student(s) approaches you to say how much s/he liked the assigned book and is interested and reading something else like that for this weekend

4. Select the title the student liked and role play talking to the student. Make at least 3 suggestions.

Examples of RA Interactions

Teen with Gossip Girls series (for the 3rd time)

“Aren’t you ready to read something else?” OR “You’ve already read that, don’t you want something better?”

“I’ve noticed how much you seem to enjoy reading Gossip Girls, I thought you might also be interested in this list of similar books” OR“Let me know when you might want some more books, I’ve got some suggestions from other teens who like these that I think you might like”


Teen reading Shakespeare GN

“We have the real book, here it is” (puts in hand)

“Did you know we have a GN collection with other classic stories? Here are some of the others I’ve heard are good (lays GNs on table)” OR “Did you know there are several different versions of that play in the library?”


Young looking teen in adult fiction area

“These books are too mature for you, let me take you to the childrens (or YA) area” OR “Are you sure you want to reading such adult books?” OR “Would your parents think it was OK?”

“There are lots of books to choose from here, are there some authors you like in this area?Would you like some ideas on which ones you might enjoy the most?”


I recently read Outsiders in school and I liked it, do you have anything else like that?

“I LOVED Outsiders when I was a teen!! It was my favorite book!! You must read Annie on my Mind, that was my other favorite book in high school”

“I’ve read that, it was pretty good, wasn’t it? What was it about Outsiders that made it so great for you?”


“I’ve read all the Georgette Heyer books in the adult section and they are pretty good, but I don’t like a lot of other adult romances, too much sex”

“You’ll want to read the original Regency romance stories, by Jane Austen. They are so much better than anything written now.”

“She’s a great author, isn’t she? Barbara Metzger is an adult romance author who writes stories that are lot like Heyer, you might like them. Here’s a book that you might like to browse for more ideas.” (Show Genreflecting or Rocked by Romance)

Guidelines for Young Adult RA: DO• Stock popular materials and replace them when

they wear out or walk out

• Have nonfiction, graphic novels, magazines and audiobooks in your YA collection

• Read nonfiction, graphic novels, manga, magazines and adult fiction, and listen to audiobooks of all types, even if it is only in “10 Minutes”

• Keep a journal to remember what you “read”

• Suggest nonfiction, graphic novels, manga, audiobooks, and adult fiction

• Be specific, not abstract when describing your suggestions

• Admit your likes and dislikes when asked – be honest with your teens!

Guidelines for Young Adult RA: DON’T

• EVER make any kind of judging statement when talking to teen readers

• Suggest really old materials (as in I loved that when I was a teen)

• Push your favorite books

• Encourage teens to read “quality” books or “move them up” to better books

• Tell teens only books (or fiction) count as really “reading”

• Read only YA books

• Forget the Rules of Leisure Reading

Selected Resources

Research Based Readers’ Advisory Wikihttp://researchbasedra.pbwiki.com/

Jessica E. MoyerDoctoral student, Adolescent Literacy, U of [email protected]

Michael CoxYouth Services [email protected]

http://researchbasedra.pbwiki.com/





mailto:[email protected]

Resources and ReferencesBooth, Heather and Michael Cox. “ra4ya wiki: Serving teens

through readers’ advisory for the library generalist.” http://ra4ya.pbwiki.com/ Check out the Sure Bets section for when you are totally stumped, http://ra4ya.pbwiki.com/Sure-Bets

Booth, Heather. Serving Teens Through Readers’ Advisory. ALA Editions, 2007.

Moyer, Jessica E. Research Based Readers’ Advisory. ALA Editions, 2008. See Chapter 5, Readers’ Advisory for Children and Teens, by Jessica E. Moyer, Amanda Blau and Heather Booth.

Ross, Catherine S., McKechnie, Lynne, E.F., Rothbauer, P. Reading Matters: What the Research Says About Reading, Libraries and Community. Libraries Unlimited, 2005. See Chapters 2 and 3 on Children and Teen Readers.

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