Reference Resources
The following reference resources are provided to supplement the LibraryU Course,
“Readers Advisory Services” developed by Terri Lyons. This course is part of the
WebJunction Course Catalog.
Book review guides
Book Review Digest. [http://www.hwwilson.com/] New York: H.W. Wilson, 1906-.
This annual publication contains citations to reviews of books published or
distributed in the United States or Canada. The listing is alphabetical by the
author's surname or by the title when the title is the main entry. The subject and
title index follows the main body and provides additional access by genre (e.g.,
Fiction themes - Historical novels). Refer to the list of periodicals indexed for the
full name of the magazines or journals cited.
Book Review Index Online. [http://www.gale.cengage.com/BRIOnline/] Detroit: Gale
Research, 1966- .
Over 500 publications, including reviewing journals such as Choice and Booklist,
are indexed. Entries are arranged alphabetically by the author's name. Included is
a title index which refers the user to the main entry section. This reference tool is
available on diskette or on-line.
The New York Times Book Review Index, 1826-1970. New York: Arno Press, 1973.
There are five volumes in the set. The author, title and category indexes are most
useful. The category index lists reviews by genres, and the reviews are arranged
chronologically under each genre. Now online - 1980 to present.
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. [http://www.hwwilson.com/newdds/wr.htm]
New York: H.W. Wilson, 1905- .
This is a monthly publication with a bound cumulation at the end of each year.
The Readers' Guide is also available on CD-ROM. The main body contains
subject and author entries arranged alphabetically. The listing of citations to book
reviews, which follows the main body, is arranged alphabetically by author.
Author Information
Contemporary Authors. Detroit: Gale Research, 1962- .
A cumulative index is published separately and distributed with even-number
Contemporary Authors original volumes. The Index gives the author's most recent
entry. Always consult the latest volume.
Contemporary Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale Research, 1973- .
This tool includes general information and critical commentary on more than
2,000 authors. The author is listed under his/her most common published name.
Biographical information, a list of principle works, excerpted criticism and
suggestions for further reading are included. Each new volume includes a
cumulative topic index, a cumulative author index and a cumulative nationality
index. The title index lists only titles reviewed in the current volume.
Reviewing Periodicals
This is by no means an exhaustive list of reviewing services. The cost of a subscription is
usually a determining factor in a library's decision to subscribe.
Kirkus. [http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/index.jsp] New York: Kirkus
Service, 1933- .
The reviews here often appear months before the actual publication dates of the
books reviewed. Therefore it is an effective collection development tool. The
critical judgments enable the librarian to anticipate demand. Kirkus is indexed in
Book Review Index.
The New York Times Book Review. [http://www.nybooks.com] New York: The New
York Times, 1896- .
The reviews vary in length from brief descriptions to lengthy essays. Occasionally
there is a special section on specific genres. The bestseller lists are a reliable
guide for collection building. They are indexed in Book Review Index. This is a
popular magazine for many library patrons who have been known to come in on
Monday mornings to ask for reserves on the books listed as bestsellers.
Publisher's Weekly. New York: Cahners Publishing, 1872- .
The reviews are fairly brief and often directed toward the bestseller. It is,
however, an effective acquisition tool since it provides advance news about new
titles, author profiles, interviews and bestseller lists. It is indexed in Book Review
Index and Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.
Library Journal. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1896- .
This is considered a professional journal devoted to articles and notices written by
librarians and for librarians. It is published semimonthly. Two issues are devoted
to new fall books and to new spring books. The regular book reviews are concise
and useful. This is an excellent book selection guide.
Reference Materials and Bibliographies
Fiction Catalog. [http://www.hwwilson.com/Databases/fictioncat_e.htm] 13th ed. New
York: H.W. Wilson, 1996.
This is an extremely useful but expensive reference tool. It is divided into two
sections: a main title entry section and an index of titles and subjects. The main
section is arranged alphabetically by author and then by title. It lists sequels and
each entry includes a descriptive summary and excerpt from critical remarks. The
title and subject index provides subject and genre access to the titles in the main
section.
Herald, Diana Tixier. Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction.
[http://www.genreflecting.com/] 5th ed. Englewood, Co.: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2000
This is the best one-volume readers' advisory tool. If your library can only afford
to buy one fiction related reference work, then this is the one. It was originally
started by Betty Rosenberg, whose first law of reading, "Never apologize for your
reading taste," has become the theme of all good readers' advisory. Divided into
genres and then into sub-genres, each chapter includes authors and titles.
Anthologies, bibliographies, critical analyses, and even fan associations are
included. Indexes are author/title, subject and series characters. Each chapter
includes three sections:
Themes and types: a genre's particular appeal to readers is discussed.
Topics: included are lists of classic authors, "bests" within the genre, anthologies,
bibliographies, histories, criticism, encyclopedias, films, book clubs, manuals, etc.
Genre themes index: in the author index one finds examples of the various types
of genres in which an author writes. Authors are listed under various genres and
sub-genres. A list of series characters is include
Husband, Janet & Jonathan F. Husband. Sequels: An Annotated Guide to Novels in
Series. 3rd ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1997.
This is a good resource for determining the proper order for the ever-popular
sagas and historical series, but not for mystery. The third edition has expanded the
section on Science Fiction and Fantasy. Only mainstream mystery and science
fiction series are included. The main section is arranged alphabetically by author
with a brief introduction to each author and a list of their titles. One-line
annotations are given for each title. Titles are listed in the order in which they
should be read. It does, however, lack cross-references for authors and their
various pseudonyms.
Jacob, Merle and Hope Apple. To be Continued: An Annotated Guide to Sequels. 2nd
ed.Phoenix, Ar.: The Oryx Press, 2000.
The author's definition of a sequel is: "novels that tell a continuing story or are
united by a regional, social, or philosophical theme." Excluded are sequels that
are the product of more than one author, such as Star Trek or Dr. Who novels.
Also excluded are mysteries because most lack a continuing story. Series'
annotations include time, place and character, as well as the narrative threads that
tie novels together. It has excellent indexes: title, genre, subject and literary
forms, and time and place. It includes some unusual sub-genres: animal story,
coming of age, gentle read, sports, etc. If kept updated, this may prove to be the
best reference tool for sequels.
Saricks, Joyce G. The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. Chicago: ALA, 2001.
Saricks has used her premise of determining appeal in genre fiction one step
further by now offering a guide to genre fiction. Saricks has added (or subdivided)
a number of new genres to the traditional ones listed in Genreflecting. Saricks'
Guide explores each genre by trying to determine a definition, discussing
characteristics and appeal, offering key authors, and providing additional
information on how to conduct the RA interview. Highly recommended for those
librarians new to genre fiction and to the RA service. Also recommended for
experienced readers' advisory librarians for its perspective on the service.
What do I Read Next?
[http://www.galegroup.com/servlet/BrowseSeriesServlet?region=9&imprint=000&titleC
ode=WDRN&edition=] Detroit: Gale Research, c1991- .
This work, along with Saricks' Guide and Genreflecting, is the best reference tool
for readers' advisors. Its only drawback is the cost. This annual guide is arranged
by genre with the following indexes: series, time period, geographic setting,
genre, character name, character description, author and title. A key to genre
terms is included. Entries are listed alphabetically by author in each genre section.
The entry includes the author's name (and real name if the listed one is a
pseudonym), one or two major characters, time period, locale, brief plot summary,
citations to book reviews, a list of other books by the author and other books
written on a similar theme or in a similar style. The one major drawback to this
valuable tool is that it is not cumulative. Gale is now offering this tool through the
web with more powerful search strategies.
Information for online version.
[http://www.galegroup.com/servlet/ItemDetailServlet?region=9&imprint=000&tit
leCode=GAL10&type=4&id=111002]
Navigation guide. [http://www.galegroup.com/pdf/navguide/wdirn_nvg.pdf]
Internet Sites
For more general genre fiction, the following sites offer lists or provide titles based on
appeal or similar genres.
Novelist [http://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/]
Novelist is an electronic database of fiction for subscribers. Many public libraries
provide access on their web pages free of charge. Readers can find books that are
linked by descriptive terms used in subject headings, titles or other fields as well
as "author read-alikes".
The Reader's Robot: Reviews that Reveal the Appeal [http://www.tnrdlib.bc.ca/rr.html]
Only 5000 titles are included in their database but the user has the ability to create
their own "robot" to find books with similar appeal.
whichbook.net [http://www.whichbook.net]
a British database that allows the reader/user "to build the elements of that elusive
'good read' we are all looking for but don't quite know how to define."
Genreflecting [http://www.genreflecting.com/]
based on the book Genreflecting, the site is supported by Libraries Unlimited. The
site can help readers and library staff members find fiction titles based on the
categories of genres and sub-genres used in the print edition.
Fiction_L [http://www.webrary.org/rs/FLmenu.html]
run by the Morton Grove Public Library, Morton Grove, IL
[http://www.webrary.org/inside/libfacts.html] , this electronic mailing list is
devoted to readers' advisory issues. A good place to ask for help to find that
elusive title!
Annotations
Bradley, Marion Zimmer and Mercedes Lackey. Rediscovery: A Novel of Darkover.
New York: Daw Books, 1993
For Bradley's legions of fans, this book chronicles the rediscovery of Cottman IV,
better known as Darkover. For the Darkovans, contact with the rest of humanity
will forever change their agrarian culture, dependent on mind abilities called
laran.
McCaffrey, Anne. The Rowan. New York: G.P. Putnam, 1990.
The Rowan, a young woman, with tremendously powerful psychic abilities leads
a lonely existence with no man her equal until one day she "hears" a voice
warning the rest of humanity of an alien presence.
Book Clubs
Seattle Public Library - Book Group How-To's
[http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=collection_readinglists_bookclub_howtos]
Online Book Club [http://onlinebookclub.org]
A Guide to Online Book Clubs [http://www.book-clubs-resource.com]
Reference Articles
Chelton, Mary K. & Duncan Smith. "Talking with Readers: A Competency Based
Approach to Readers' Advisory Service.": Reference & User Services Quarterly. 40 no2:
135-42 (Winter 2000).
Duncan Smith’s study identified four broad areas of competencies and 130
individual competencies for readers' advisory service. The four identified areas of
competencies were: (1) background in fiction and nonfiction, (2) understanding
people as readers and readers as people, (3) the appeal of books, and (4) the
readers' advisory transaction.
Fouche, B. "Social Functions of the Public Library," South African Journal for
Librarianship and Information Science. 49: 4-9 (1974).:
A South African study of library users and fiction readers during the 1970s.
Herald, Diana Tixier. Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction. 5th
ed. Englewood, Co.: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2000:
The leading book on fiction for public libraries. Used by librarians as well as
those studying genre fiction. The series, originally started by Betty Rosenberg,
looks at the wide body of genre novels and divides it into genres and subgenres.
Now in its’ fifth edition but the fourth edition is in many ways is superior. In each
subsequent edition, the chapters become increasingly unwieldy. Fascinating
reading!
Herald, Diana Tixier. Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction. 4th
ed. Englewood, Co.: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1995:
The leading book on fiction for public libraries. Used by librarians as well as
those studying genre fiction. The series, originally started by Betty Rosenberg,
looks at the wide body of genre novels and divides it into genres and subgenres.
Now in its’ fifth edition but the fourth edition is in many ways is superior. In each
subsequent edition, the chapters become increasingly unwieldy. Fascinating
reading!
Leavis, Q.D. Fiction and the Reading Public. London: Chatto and Wondus, 1932.:
A British study of library users and fiction readers during the 1930s.
McCook, Kathleen de la Pena and Gary O. Rolstad, ed. Developing Readers' Advisory
Services: Concepts and Commitments.: New York: Neal-Schuman Publ., Inc., 1993.
This special issue includes articles on theoretical bases for readers' advisory
services, educating advisors, administrative support and services for special
groups.
Morris, Evan. The Book Lover's Guide to the Internet. New York: Fawcett Columbine,
1996.:
Now dated, this book is still a fascinating look at the web-based presence of
fiction on the Internet. Morris details how book lovers can use the WWW to find
out about their favorite fiction. The complete reference to on-line books,
magazines, newspapers, libraries, bookstores, publishers and more!
Nell, Victor. Lost in a Book: The Psychology of Reading for Pleasure. New Haven: Yale
University Press, 1988.:
A fascinating study of why people read for pleasure. Nell defined those who read
voraciously as “ludic” readers. Many genre readers fit within this category
making his study even more relevant to Readers’ Advisors.
Ross, Catherine Sheldrick & Mary K. Chelton. "Reader's Advisory: Matching Mood and
Material." Library Journal. 26 no2: 52-5 (Fall 2001).:
To recommend a good book, librarians must know more about why and how
patrons read. Describes recent research into the strategies readers use in selecting
a book for pleasure reading. The most important factor in selection was found to
be the reader's mood which influences the type of emotional reading experience
wanted. Other elements that influenced selection included drawing on sources,
such as reviewers or friends, for new books to read, the content of a book (subject,
characters, setting, ending etc.), clues on the book itself (author, genre, cover,
publisher), and the cost in time or money to access the book physically and
intellectually. Discusses the implications of each of these factors for readers'
advisory services.
Ross, Catherine Sheldrick. "Readers' Advisory Service: New Directions," RQ. 30:503-18
(Summer 1991).:
The old-style readers' advisory idea lost support for various reasons, but recent
thinking about popular culture and pleasure-reading has set the stage for a new
emphasis on helping readers find books. Considers that there is still a key role for
readers' advisors to play in public libraries. Over one hundred open-ended,
qualitative interviews on reading for pleasure provide evidence about how books
help people, how readers choose books, and what readers like and do not like
about fiction provision in libraries. Argues that, by paying more attention to the
ways in which people actually choose books, librarians could set up ways to
facilitate these selection processes.