Lesson 3 Reader's Advisory - NoveList & NoveList K-8

3/29/2012


I want a book about science?
Newly released, Novelist Plus offers nonfiction as well as fiction titles for all ages.  Noel Wien doesn't currently offer it, nor does sled, nor does Rasmuson.  However, I was able to preview it at ALA in Dallas this past January and hope we will soon have it in Fairbanks.


Since science is rather a broad topic, I'd want a little more information from the patron, although science does bring up an amazing array of titles that while mostly fiction, a few might be considered more non-fiction, especially for the under age 9 group.


What should I read next? Do you have any more books like this one?  I used myself to answer these questions.

1.Candace Robb who writes Owen Archer mysteries is a favorite author, so I used her name to use the Read-Alike features of NoveList.

I set up a folder, and I added Margret Frazer, who also writes of the medieval times and has a series called Joliffe mysteries.  Joliffe is a medieval actor and part of a traveling troupe.

Charles Todd was also suggested, but I'm not into WWI, so I skipped that recommendation.

Sharon Kay Penman, whose series deal with Henry II and Eleanor of England, their children, and the Crusades, is another author who I added to my folder.

Dorothy Dunnett books were suggested, but I've never been able to get into the stories, although they've come highly recommended.  Steven Saylor writes about Roman times, in which I'm not particularly interested.  I've read some Margaret George,  but I'm not wild about her books.

I tried Miriam Grace Monfredo, another favorite author, but I didn't find Pip Granger's book descriptions what I want to read (I was born in 1951 - do I really have to relive those times?).

I gravitate towards series books - I like getting to know and feel comfortable with the main characters, who become real to me.  I don't like violent / graphically detailed books, but I have become so attached to Aloysious Pendergast in the novels of Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston, that I continue to pick up new ones as they come out.

I also added individual authors/titles, which seemed of interest, and I did check my library to see if they were available:
The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag (1992) (not available; would have to be ILL)
Tides of War by S.K. Tillyard (Just received; not catalogued)
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (available as an audio book too!)

3. Figuring out which book to read in which order of the series:

Candace Robb's Owen Archer mysteries, one should start with The Apothecary Rose, then The Lady Chapel, The Nun's Tale, The King's Bishop, The Riddle of St. Leonard's, A Gift of Sanctuary, A Spy for the Reed, The Guilt of Innocents, and A Vigil of Spies.


With Margaret Frazer's Joliffe series, start with A Play of Isaac, followed by A Play of Dux Moraud, A Play of Knaves, A Play of Lords, A Play of Treachery, A Play of Piety, A Play of Heresy

Frazer also has a series called Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries.

READERS ADVISORY TOOLBOX
4. The addition of genres and the great "learn about genres" links is a wonderful "present" to reluctant readers as well as those who are great readers.  Most of the recommended for teens are so right on the mark, so appealing to most secondary readers, but with a breadth of difficulty.

I am curious why 315 authors are highlighted with nothing checked (basically all adult) for Author Read-alikes, but when teens are checked, only one is listed, Jim Butcher, by our own Alaskan library Georgine Olson, and no results found for ages 9-12.


HOW TO USE NOVELIST
4.  Recommendations are based on the reviewers (librarians generally) point of view and their research about a book, so they are most likely reliable, but not always on target for all.  While seven out ten might agree that a book fit, there will always be the other three who don't think it met the request.  All you can do is suggest.  When the patron comes back and says, what else do you have like that, it was awesome, then you feel great.  For the one who does return, not satisfied, at least s/he came back and asked for different suggestions.  Many who didn't find the recommendations helpful won't come back.  I don't know that you can solve the problem for them, unless you see them periodically in your library setting and ask what s/he is reading currently.  EBSCO says its recommendations are thorough and the process is detail in the Support Center.

I do think that every time someone asks for a recommendation that a librarian who has access to Novelist should show the patron how to use it.  It is a wonderful tool to just browse with and discover all kinds of new reading directions, even if there are other options too online.  Even just knowing its there is a great tool for a patron, who really is looking for just the right book, finally will take the time to dig into all that Novelist has to offer.


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IDEAS FOR OTHER WAYS OF KEEPING UP ON BOOKS

http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2010/07/22/how-to-find-good-books-to-read/
Amazon.com
Look at Best Sellers or Hot New Releases. Or if you want topic-specific books, try the Best Sellers topics.  Look at Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought section, especially after typing in a book you really liked or were interested in.  Look at the personal recommendations sections too.

Project Gutenberg's list - download's free; classics
www.projectgutenberg.com

Bookblogs, like the one Deb Vanasse maintains at
http://49writers.blogspot.com
keeps me aware of Alaskan authors and their books
or
try for your favorite genres from the Book Blogger Directory at
http://bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com/
There are some I don't think are particularly good, but several of the teens that maintain their blogs are good writers and I've enjoyed many of their recommendations.  I compare what they recommend with what the reviews say at Amazon. com and at Barnes and Noble, and then decide to read or not.

some others to try:

AllReaders
http://www.allreaders.com

Book Lists and Bibliographies at Waterboro Public Library
http://librarybooklists.org/

I also just wander in any bookstore I come across.

ARTICLE:  Zmora, Tamar. (2012). 7 Book Recommendation Websites.   The Next Great Generation.

I already had a goodreads account although it is just one more thing to check and I don't use it much.

Most books and authors I tried in WSIRN didn't show anything.  The page would supposedly load, and then the screen would just clear again.  The only one I had any luck with was Longitude by Dava Sobel.

Again, I want the time I have to spend reading, not going online and inputting all this stuff about books I read.  So unless a person has plenty of time on his or her hands, this is a lot of work and takes away from the good reading of a book.  When I go to book group, I get face to face discussions about books to consider, I don't need the internet to connect with my friends.  I am not signing up for Shelfari.

Whichbook.net might appeal to some who have trouble finding books they really like to read.  I don't; I have too few minutes in a day to read way too many books I want to read.  However, the every day world always gets in the way of reading time.

Gnooks.com reminds me of library school and Terry Brooks' 6 degrees of separation assignment. I am curious about the algorithms that create these maps.  For instance, I put in Dava Sobel, and Mary Stewart shows up.  When I clicked on Mary Stewart, she ends up mid-map, alone essentially.

Gnoosic.com is another one I am curious about the algorithms - how do The Stones, Credence Clearwater Revival and Lady Antebellum get me to the Zac Brown Band?  Or Gnovies - how does War Horse get me to 2 Days in Paris or La Vie En Rose?

www.thesttaffrecommends.com has a few books to recommend but nothing that really caught my eye based on the cover.  It might be useful in the future, or maybe not.