Secret Shopper
For my secret shopper, I decided to look for a book for my historical fiction annotation. I felt awkward heading to the desk and interrupting the two librarians there, but I did so and one stepped away to help me. Instead of referencing any materials, he and I discussed mostly in the fiction section itself. He asked if I had any genres in mind, and I told him I thought I wanted something historical, and then he asked what I normally read and liked, to which I replied that I read a lot of YA, sticking to mostly fantasy, science fiction, and historical.
From there, he and I walked through, with him picking out books and gauging my interest in each, asking questions about why or why not. He suggested several that sounded good to me, and I wrote them down, but I got most excited for The Alienist by Caleb Carr after we discussed a Bernard Cornwell book, Game of Thrones, and gore. Then I had to tell him how fascinated by Jack the Ripper I am, and it was an easy sell from there! To the best of my knowledge, he hadn't read any of the books that appealed to me, but he did a great job suggesting what he thought would work for me, rather than his favorites. (I'm curious if The Alienist will work for the annotation, but it sounded too good to pass up!)
What I loved about the experience was that he was so informal and made me feel so comfortable; we were truly just conversing about books. Even though he and the other librarian had been busy with tasks, I didn't feel like I pulled him away from other patrons, because the library was pretty quiet (surprising for a Saturday afternoon, but it's Mardi Gras season!). He spent at least 10 minutes with me, and it was a great experience. Though I'm curious about what he would have suggested with a computer's help, I appreciated the personal level that he gave it. Because my past experiences with our libraries have been so aggressively average, I was pleasantly surprised.
From there, he and I walked through, with him picking out books and gauging my interest in each, asking questions about why or why not. He suggested several that sounded good to me, and I wrote them down, but I got most excited for The Alienist by Caleb Carr after we discussed a Bernard Cornwell book, Game of Thrones, and gore. Then I had to tell him how fascinated by Jack the Ripper I am, and it was an easy sell from there! To the best of my knowledge, he hadn't read any of the books that appealed to me, but he did a great job suggesting what he thought would work for me, rather than his favorites. (I'm curious if The Alienist will work for the annotation, but it sounded too good to pass up!)
What I loved about the experience was that he was so informal and made me feel so comfortable; we were truly just conversing about books. Even though he and the other librarian had been busy with tasks, I didn't feel like I pulled him away from other patrons, because the library was pretty quiet (surprising for a Saturday afternoon, but it's Mardi Gras season!). He spent at least 10 minutes with me, and it was a great experience. Though I'm curious about what he would have suggested with a computer's help, I appreciated the personal level that he gave it. Because my past experiences with our libraries have been so aggressively average, I was pleasantly surprised.
Your interaction really reminds me of one of our Saricks readings that said that readers' advisory should be more of a conversation and less of an "interview." I'm impressed with the librarian you worked with being able to have the conversation without using the computer (not that it's necessarily a good thing not to use RA resources) - I can't imagine having that confidence in my job!
ReplyDeleteIn the moment, I liked that he was able to work without the resources and make me feel like we were just talking, but as I wrote the paper, I got kind of sad that he didn't steer me toward anything that I hadn't heard of, you know? I applaud him for making me so comfortable though!
DeleteThey made a tv show about The Alienist. It just started this season. I think it's great that he took the time to go out, talk, and find the best book for you. It's sometimes easier to suggest books if you are in the shelves thinking about the authors and the books; rather than sitting at the desk drawing a blank on the book you know is on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteYes! I knew about the show, but I watch so little tv that I knew nothing about it--other than that Luke Evans is in it! It definitely suggests a level of familiarity with the collection, which I can't imagine is too hard, since it's such a small library.
DeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you found someone who really enjoys interacting with patrons, especially when it comes to books! And I think you raise a very good point about librarians and other staff looking available, even if they are in conversation with another staff member. After all, they have projects which are not necessarily patron-centered, but the appearance of being deep into such a project can keep patrons from wanting to ask important questions.
I would be curious to know if the genre was one which he personally enjoyed, which could have made him the perfect person for you to approach! Or if his knowledge of the fiction section, at large, was simply stellar! Either way, it's great that you had such a positive experience, especially as you mentioned previous interactions being less so.
For sure! I'm not the most assertive person in that kind of situation, so I think had this not been for class, I would've just browsed the shelves by myself--despite knowing that a librarian really could've helped me! In another class, on reference, that I took, a huge part of the discussion is making sure that the reference desk is approachable for patrons, because asking for help can be so intimidating for people. I've definitely taken that to heart.
DeleteIt didn't seem like he was so familiar with the titles that he suggested to have read them, but I imagine historical fiction is popular enough that he'd know what's checked out often, at the very least. I think the size of the fiction collection certainly helps, though, since it's a pretty small library.
Rachel,
DeleteI think that's one of the best parts of these classes. Yes, we're learning how to do certain kinds of professional library work, but we're also getting to see things from both sides of the desk. For people who have worked in libraries for awhile, it's nice to be reminded what the patrons see, and for those who are new to what library staff do, it's nice to be introduced to the processes which always seemed so mysterious! A great way to meet somewhere in the middle :)
Great summary! I'm glad you had such a great experience! One great thing about small libraries is that librarians get to know their small collections well so it's easier to have a conversational talk then relying on online resources. Great job! Also, the Alienist can definitely count for historical :)
ReplyDelete