Adult Services

Resources for library staff serving adults.

The Readers’ Advisory Interview

What do you do when a patron asks for a recommendation? Readers Advisory (RA) is helping leisure readers find their next favorite book (and asking the right questions to get there)!

RA can be active (a conversation with a patron) or passive (a display or booklist), and can include suggestions for and related to non-print materials, such as audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, and even video games.

The readers’ advisory interview uses the same welcoming behaviors as the reference interview. Approachability is the key. Use appropriate body language and make sure the patrons understand that you have time to talk about books and reading with them.

The readers’ advisory interview involves engaging the patron in a conversation that elicits a board set of information about their reading interests and habits. Examples of a couple phrases that may be helpful to use are:

“Tell me about a book you read that you really enjoyed.”

“Tell me the story of the last book you enjoyed.”

The key to successful readers’ advisory services is to have a commitment to serving readers in the library. A responsive attitude and maintaining a neutral stance on the “quality” of an individual’s reading habits will encourage good readers’ advisory interviews. Be aware of popular titles and hot topics, and understand that there are many tools to help you along the way.

Step 1: Initial listening period (opens channels of communication)

Step 2: Suggesting titles (open dialogue on books)

Step 3: Offer ongoing assistance

Remind patrons that while you can provide them with informational sources, as a library staff person, you cannot offer legal interpretation or advice, medical advice, or financial advice.

The Reference Interview: Resources for Common Q&A

Reference Interview Basics

Jobs/Resume Writing

Job Center of Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Library Staff Resources to Assist Wisconsin’s Workforce | DPI

Voting (Polling locations, ballot information, etc.)

MyVote Wisconsin

Notary Services

How do I find a local notary public? | WI State Law Library

Tax Forms

Federal Tax Forms, Instructions, & Publications | IRS
Wisconsin Tax Forms & Other Online Services | WI Department of Revenue (DOR)
Request printed tax forms for your library | WI Department of Revenue (DOR)

Legal Advice & Assistance

Wisconsin State Law Library
Legal Assistance Resources | WI State Law Library

Financial Advice

Financial Literacy in Public Libraries: A Guide for Building Collections | ALA Office of Research & Evaluation/FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Smart Investing @ Your Library

Collection Development & Reader's Advisory Resources (List)

BadgerLink | NoveList

Fiction recommendation resource with read-alikes, discussion guides, reading lists, and more for a general audience (includes all K-8 resources).

PDF: Finding Books w/ Diverse Characters (Novelist)

BCALA | Booklists

Booklists created by members of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association celebrating the Black experience and the Black community.

Booklist

The best book reviews, readers’ advisory, and collection development guidance from the experts at the American Library Association.

PERMALINK to all issues and articles in BadgerLink.

The Booklist Reader is free to all, and often links to content on Booklist Online, a paid database of over 170,000+ reviews and feature articles.

Fantastic Fiction

Search and browse bibliographies of over 50,000 bestselling fiction authors, with the latest books and series information. Great for adult series readers.

Kirkus Reviews

The nation’s leading prepublication journal of book reviews.

PERMALINK to all issues and articles in BadgerLink.

Literature Map

Type an author’s name into the map to find other similar authors.

NCTE | Wisconsin Literary Map

The objectives of the LitMap Project include:

• Promoting Wisconsin authors in a searchable website format;
• Helping Wisconsin localities to recognize their native authors, novelists, poets, journalists, and essayists;
• Celebrating the NCTE centennial by participating in one of their suggested affiliate activities;
• Promoting our Wisconsin affiliate by featuring prominent links to and recognition of WCTE on the literary map website;
• Providing school districts both in Wisconsin and abroad with easy to access information and links to Wisconsin authors.

Publishers Weekly ($)

Publishers Weekly is familiarly known in the book world as PW and “the bible of the book business.”

PW’s Best Books Lists

Wisconsin Historical Society Press

The mission of the Wisconsin Historical Society Press supports that of the Wisconsin Historical Society: to collect, preserve, and share stories about Wisconsin’s past.

The Wisconsin Historical Society published its first book, Volume I of the Wisconsin Historical Collections, in 1855.

WLA | Wisconsin Literary Awards

The Literary Awards Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association annually selects outstanding books by Wisconsin-connected authors and awards the WLA Literary Award, Outstanding Books of the Year, and Notable Wisconsin Authors/Illustrators.

WorldCat

WorldCat.org lets you search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world. WorldCat grows every day thanks to the efforts of librarians and other information professionals.

Reference & User Services Quarterly

Read Reference & User Services Quarterly, the official journal of the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association, for free in Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text in BadgerLink– find a shortcut on our Professional Development Collection page.

Library Staff Resources to Assist Wisconsin's Workforce

Assess and list on your library’s website the specific services your library offers and any associated costs or required appointments. Then communicate this information to all staff. A Workforce Resources Inventory for Libraries is available to assist in this task.

Library patrons should be encouraged to create an account on the Job Center of Wisconsin website (they will need an email account to register) to create a resume with the Job Center of Wisconsin’s resume builder which automatically formats for printing and saves to the cloud for future editing. Patrons can also use the Job Center of Wisconsin website to search for jobs, RSVP to workforce-related events and courses, learn about your local labor market, and more.

Creating a resume with the Job Center of Wisconsin (be prepared to answer the following questions):

Professional Summary: The professional summary describes your relevant experience, skills, and achievements. The purpose of this career summary is to explain your qualifications for the job in 3-5 sentences and convince the manager to read the whole resume document.
Example: “Reliable and detail-oriented X. Previous experience working in the X industry for 2+ years.” (500 character limit)
Describe your skills in detail (1000 character limit)
Certifications, Licenses, Awards (optional)
Job history: What type of job(s) have you had? Be prepared to list dates worked and duties performed at each job. You may enter up to 10 employers.
Education history: Employers can search based on your education level! Be specific and provide details about your education credentials. You may record up to 5 entries.

Workforce Marketing Toolkit

Drive local job seekers to JobCenterofWisconsin.com or their public library using a wide variety of customizable Canva communication materials. Includes information about how to use the toolkit to present a story, press release, PSA, and more to your local media partners. https://dpi.wi.gov/pld/workforce-assistance/marketing

How do I plan/host a job fair at my library?

Get in touch with a representative from your regional Workforce Development Board. Staff there will help connect you with local business, local government, economic development, education, and/or workforce partners.

Alternatively, you can contact Department of Workforce Development (DWD) staff. Although the DWD is headquartered in Madison, each county in Wisconsin has a specific job service staff member assigned to help you find local job resources for your library users.

We also recommend contacting your local chamber of commerce, tourism bureau, economic development board, and/or local service organizations (like the Rotary or Lions Club) for help planning and hosting a job fair at your library.

Visit the marketing toolkit on the DPI website for printable resources, social media templates, and information about reaching out to your local news outlets to publicize your event.