Virtual Readers' Advisory - Special Topics Paper

Virtual readers' advisory - providing reading recommendation through some form of digital communication -- is gaining popularity in public libraries. Moving the readers' advisory exchange from the personal to the digital platform raises a number of questions. Can librarians offer quality readers' advisory in a virtual format? Should they even try, or is too much lost if the conversation does not take place in person?

In a 2014 survey of 700 public libraries by the Library Journal, 93 percent reported offering some type of digital readers' advisory, with most providing online book lists and read-likes. A number of libraries have moved beyond providing online resources to offering one-to-one readers' advisory to patrons not physically in the library.

An online form is the most common type of virtual readers' advisory. The Seattle Public Library promises "Your Next 5 Books" to patrons who submit a brief form asking for "a few books and/or authors you've enjoyed and what you liked about them." Others, notably the Peoria Public Library in Illinois, offer extensive virtual readers' advisory forms which attempt to hone in on a particular patron's preferences in a range of appeal factors, genres, and other considerations in reading recommendations.

The Multnomah County Library in Oregon invites patrons to establish a personal relationship with a librarian by requesting readers' advisory recommendations through email, phone, online chat, video chat, or in-person meeting. The Librarians program, funded by grants, provides details about each participating staff members reading interests and hobbies, with the aim of fostering connections between staff and patrons, even if they do not meet in person.

The rise in virtual readers' advisory services presents opportunities for evaluation of the success of this approach to matching readers with books.