A Local Library & Reader's Advisory Assistance

I decided to visit a library that was nearby, but on in which I had never been in.  The library serves a population of around 60,000 people, so the library was decently sized.  Prior to visiting the library, I examined the library’s website and as far as I could tell, they did not subscribe to Novelist.

 Visiting the library in the afternoon, I found it to be rather busy.  There seemed to be only one librarian on the reference desk, but she was available right away to assist me.  I noted a few booklists around the desk as well as some interesting book displays, but none were of what I came to ask about.  The librarian working the desk was friendly and smiled asking, “Can I help you.”  I told the librarian that I needed help finding a book to read but I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted. 

 From there the librarian asked about what my usual reading interests were.  I told the librarian that I wanted to try some fantasy, with the librarian prompting whether or not I wanted contemporary or historical fantasy and asked about supernatural creatures such as vampires or zombies.  I told the librarian that I had been watching Game of Thrones on the HBO app, so I thought maybe I’d like something like that.

 At mention of Game of Thrones, the librarian mentioned that she loved the show as well as the book series.  The librarian began searching on the computer, turning the screen so that I might see what the search is for.  Using the library catalog, the librarian suggested a couple of books that read similarly to the Game of Throne Series asking whether I had read Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind or Neal Stephenson’s Anthem.  The librarian explained that both books were high fantasy set in an alternate world.

 The librarian then asked if I might follow them to the fiction section as she pulled the two books.  The librarian suggested that I take a look at the books and see whether or not they worked.  If they did not work for me, the librarian suggested that we would keep looking.  The librarian also told me that she would print out a booklist for me and that I should come back to the reference desk before I left. 

I decided on the Rothfuss book and again approached the reference desk.  The librarian was helping another patron, so I waited for a couple of minutes but I could tell that the librarian knew that I was there and that she would assist me again in just a moment.  I inquired to the librarian about how she found the books with the librarian responding that it was a genre she were very interested in, so she had read the books prior.  The librarian also noted that she found books in journals and that she keeps lists of books that she thinks go well together. 

 As I was ready to leave, she handed me two lists.  One list from Booklist Online and another was from the New York Public Library.  The librarian told me that if anything on the list appealed to me that I should come back and that she or another librarian could help locate the books.  She then asked if there was anything else I needed and when I responded “no,” she wished me a good day and I was on my way.

 The particular librarian that I dealt with seemed the essence of professional, as she was kind and knowledgeable.  Even though there were many patrons in the library, she made our time feel very personal and gave the appearance that she cared about my question and really took time to give me some thoughtful and researched suggestions regarding my question.