Readers' Advisory Resources

General Resources
Readers' Advisory Work with Genre Fiction. (University of Tennessee) The course introduces the major elements of reader's advisory work and applies them to genre fiction. The genres normally covered are: adventure, Christian or inspirational fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mysteries, romance, and science fiction. Considerable emphasis is placed on identification of appeal elements in a work and how to help the reader select the right book
Allreaders.com This site allows readers to search for novels by specific elements of plot, character, setting, style and theme. More than 10,000 titles already are registered and can be found by users typing in various criteria.
Based on the Book (Mid-Continent Public Library US) Movie titles based on novels, non-fiction books, short stories and plays are presented by Mid-Continent Public Library (Missouri). Can search by year of movie release, title or author
BookBrowser Reading Lists (Barnes & Noble.com) "The Reading Lists are the core of our site, and are designed to help avid readers locate new books to read. We have tried to combine the browsing quality of the old card catalog with the flexibility and efficiency of the Web."
Fiction-L Booklists
It's a reading rave ! (EBSCO) Free interactive website
Literary Locales: Picture links to the places that figure in the lives and writings of famous authors
NoveList: Your Guide to Fiction An electronic readers' advisory resource which assists fiction readers in finding new authors and titles. The product supports library staff who are working with these readers. It is a subscription service. To inquire about subscription plans and rates, contact: http://novelist.epnet.com/newurl.html."
Overbooked Specializes in literary and genre fiction information. Includes author web pages, annotated lists of non-fiction, fiction and mystery books which received starred reviews, themed booklists, and forthcoming books.
The Reader's Advisor (Sachem Public Library) Includes Alt.Reading Hey! There's More to Life than Best-Sellers!
Webrary Readers' Services (Morton Grove Public Library) Everything for book lovers: Recommendations/Reviews, the Fiction_L mailing list, Web sites and more Web Sites for Book Lovers Includes a "Genre Fiction Sites" list from the Morton Grove (IL) Public Library. Excellent comprehensive and continually updated list of links.
Whichbook.net formerly Book Forager. Developed as part of the Society of Chief Librarians' Branching Out project this program is designed to help readers to choose something different from a range of contemporary fiction. You can search by your mood or by the book's or by the book's content
Word of Mouth (Sleepers) "Half the joy of reading fiction is in the discovery. Whether a reader is looking for books of similar genre, subject matter, or writing style, sleepers are the most fun to recommend---by word of mouth."
If you like ...
Adult Booklists: IF YOU LIKE ... READ-ALIKES (Waterboro PL, Maine) You an search general lists, genre lists, or specific authors or titles. This page pulls together a whole list of other "If you like" web sites from public libraries worldwide. Highly Recommended!
BiblioTravel is a free online resource for identifying books set in distinct locales. Includes fiction and non-fiction
The Fiction_L List of Lists (Fiction-L)
If You Like ... (Christ Church City Libraries, NZ) Fiction, Biographies and Non-Fiction, Detective and Mystery Fiction, New Zealand Fiction, Contemporary women writers, Music, Madcap Journeys
If You Like American Girl Books, Try These…(Worthington Library OH)
If You Like Barbara Kingsolver, you might enjoy (Multnomah County Library)
If you like CSI .. (Morton Grove PL)
If You Liked the Lord of the Rings, Why Not Try... (Midcontinent Public Library, Montana)
If you like ... mysteries (San Francisco Mystery Bookstore) Lists by categories like: strong female leads, English police mysteries, tough crime novels, big lawyer books etc.
Our Wizard Guide to More Books Like Harry Potter (Waterboro PL, Maine) Reader's Robot You can search by "appeal factor" What Next? Kent District Library (MI) has created a database that allows you to search by author, book title, or series title. The results list the author, series title, and book title. The corresponding genre will also be listed, if applicable. Some juvenile and young adult series titles are available.
Readalikes:State Library of Tasmania: Reader's Service
Who Reads What: Celebrity Reading list (Gardiner PL, Maine)
Non-fiction
The Booklist Center Includes lists prepared by authorities in dozens of fields as well as comprehensive listings of award winning books complete from the first year of the award to the present. Incorporates more than 300 graphics.
A Collection of Non-fiction E-book Reviews
List of Entertaining Non-Fiction (Pickering Public Library)The 100 Best Non-fiction books of the century (The National Review)
Reader's Club. Non-fiction reviews. Sachem Public Library. The Reader's Advisor. Lots of Non fiction lists by theme
Serving Children with Special Needs, their families and caretakers. (2000) OWLS Web Links for Librarians. Includes fiction and non-fiction titles. Numerous sources of information were reviewed in the development of this bibliography. Materials perceived as being useful in collection development were included by the compilers. Reading levels, reviews, editions and other useful information the compilers came across is provided. The annotations, for the most part, are from review sources, publishers and suppliers.
Libraries with RA Services on line
BookReviews Springfield Public Library (Elgin County Library System, Ontario) " Even though the Springfield Library is one of the smallest branches located in Elgin County, it also produces one of the highest circulation rates of books in this area." This RA initiative obviously helps. This is a CAP site.
King County Library System Good Reads and New Reads (US) Excellent selection of good reads by topic including Good Reads in Large Print, Good reads for teens and Good Reads for Book Clubs, Resources for readers on the Internet. Includes non-fiction and fiction lists.
Great Reads (Kitchener Public Library)
Good Reads (Waterloo Public Library)
Morton Grove Public Library.Fiction_L Booklists (Morton Grove PL) " Many discussion topics on Fiction_L, the Morton Grove Public Library's mailing list for reader's advisory issues, result in compilations of books on a particular theme, authors with similar styles, etc. Many of these booklists are then made available on our web site, accessible through the index below. They are arranged in the following categories: Genre, Character, Setting, Subject, Author, Audience, Best: "Best of..." lists, Miscellaneous. Because of the nature of the booklists, the dividing lines between the categories are often fuzzy. In addition, a booklist may appear in more than one categories (except for those listed under Miscellaneous)."
Matchbook: (Morton Grove) This is a special service that allows library users to pick subjects of interest: antiques, hobbies, sports, favorite authors, fiction categories, etc. The library will generate a list every month of new books in the Library that match the profile exactly!
The Reader' Advisor (Sachem PL, NY) Includes suggestions to break the Bestseller habit, sleuth of the month, non-fiction titles
Readers' Corner (Brampton Public Library)
Reading Lists (County of Los Angeles Public Library)
The Reading Room. (Rocky River Public Library, Ohio)
Teen Reads (Pickering Public Library) Includes Recommended reads database, thematic lists of recommended reads, A selection of booklists featuring recent and classic novels useful for school assignments
What's New For Book Lovers (Pickering Public Library)
List servs and discussion groups
The Bookwire® Mailing List Index
Feminist SF, Fantasy & Utopia ListServesInterested in talking to other people about the works of Ursula Le Guin, Marge Piercy, Suzy McKee Charnas, Elisabeth Vonarburg, Joanna Russ, and many others? Want to find out more about these authors, and other writers like them?
Fiction-L (Morton Grove Public Library) "Fiction_L is an electronic mailing list devoted to reader's advisory topics such as book discussions, booktalks, collection development issues, booklists and bibliographies, and a wide variety of other topics of interest to librarians, book discussion leaders, and others with an interest in reader's advisory. Fiction_L was developed for and by librarians dealing with fiction collections and requests; however fiction lovers worldwide are welcome to join the discussion. Among the topics discussed have been: genre study, bibliographies, workshops, audiobooks, reading clubs, and print and electronic resources. The discussion is not limited to fiction, but rather covers all aspects of reader's advisory for children, young adults and adults, including non-fiction materials."
Literary Academic Discussion Groups Useful to know about when you need specialist advice.
PUBYAC (PUBlic Young Adults and Children) is an Internet discussion list concerned with the practical aspects of Children and Young Adult Services in Public Libraries
RA-Talk Canadian equivalent to Fiction_L
Romance Readers Anonymous Listserv RRA-L (Romance Readers Anonymous) is a well-established, well-respected Listserv devoted to the discussion of romance novels.
Topica E-mail list Directory Use this tool to find the discussion group you want to join
Online magazines and newsletters
Fiction Beyond the Pulps: The Digests and Mystery Magazines(1950 and on...)
January Magazine Has in-depth book reviews, author interviews and profiles. Linda Richards, January Magazine's editor, has written extensively about the Internet, including one of the best-selling For Dummies series. Despite its size, it's won a number of online awards since its launch in late 1997 and now sees up to 10,000 hits a day.
Web Rings for Readers
"In each of its tens of thousands of Rings, Member web sites have banded together to form their sites into linked circles. Their purpose: to allow more visitors to reach them quickly and easily. The Web Ring system can support a nearly unlimited number of separate and distinct Rings across the Internet. This unique structure allows the creation and evolution of tens of thousands of different "web communities."
Children's Literature Web Ring "This is a ring of sites devoted to books for young people. A Web ring is a collection of sites on a similar theme, linked in a circle. You may travel through the sites by clicking "next" at each site, and you will eventually arrive back at your starting point."
Readers' Advisory Service Websites (A web ring) This is an extensive list of sites divided into many categories.