“Fiction” and “Escapism” as Dirty Words: The
History and Present of Readers Advisory in Public Libraries
Readers Advisory
has become one of the most important elements of Public Libraries. Today’s
library patrons know that they can come to their library and ask for help
finding a book that they will enjoy, based upon their reading preferences.
Readers Advisory is currently most associated with Fiction reads; however,
patrons also expect to able to seek guidance regarding non-fiction leisure
reads. Furthermore, Readers Advisory has grown such that it now includes
integrated advisory, in which library professionals are able to suggest graphic
novels, movies, and more to their patrons. However, Readers Advisory has not
always been an established element of the Public Library, and has not always
encouraged the leisure reading of fiction materials. This paper will discuss
the history of Readers Advisory, focusing on the role of self-education, and
the negative connotations which were once associated with fiction.
Additionally, the current role of Readers Advisory in libraries will be
discussed, including its evolution and present concerns regarding escapism and
whether or not meeting popular demands of patrons has gone too far.
Readers Advisory
as an official function in public libraries can be broken into two recognized
phases, the first of which began during the 1920’s. During World War I the
American Library Association provided servicemen with educational reading
materials both for leisure and enrichment, and in doing so, these professionals
found a taste for guiding the reading selections of their patrons (Kimball,
n.d.). Post World War I saw an increase in adult education in the United States,
as well as increased time for personal leisure pursuits, and for many this
meant an increased interest in reading (Kimball, n.d.). During this phase,
Librarians conducted extensive, private interviews in which they determined the
educational needs of their patrons and developed a resulting guided plan for
the reader to follow. During these interviews, judgments were made assessing
the education, intelligence, and class of the reader. These interviews and the
resulting prescriptive lists of suggested reading sought to assist the readers
with self-improvement through serious, “good” reading materials, with a
consistent focus on self-education (Kimball, n.d.). A ladder approach was used
during this period in that, “Librarians subscribed to the belief that it as
possible to lead readers from a ‘lower level’ of reading (fiction) to a higher
class of literature (nonfiction),” (Kimball, n.d.). Additionally, within the
Readers Advisory interview, the list of high-quality, educational books were
presented as a ladder, with the intent of starting readers at a level they
could follow and gradually moving them up the ladder to the weightiest of
educational materials.
During the first phase of Readers Advisory, fiction was a
dirty word! Fiction reads were considered by library professional to be the
basest of reading materials, trashy, pulpy and completely lacking in
sustenance. Librarians dubbed this the “fiction problem” and believed it to be
their professional responsibility to provide readers with wholesome, enriching
reads, and furthermore, considered it their duty to determine which reads these
were (Kimball, n.d.). Librarians of this era struggled with whether they should
give patrons what they wanted or whether they should give them what they
needed; this was not simply a matter of taste, but rather an accepted,
profession wide belief that sensational fiction reads could prove to be
dangerous to the character and morals of the patrons that they served (Kimball,
n.d.). Accordingly, professional articles of the time discussed the mission of
library professionals to “correct” the reading habits of their patrons, even
considering the act to be an intervention of sorts (Kimball, n.d.).
The onset of World
War II drastically reduced the amount of leisure time devoted to reading, and
for several decades, Readers Advisory ceased to be a major focus of Public
Libraries. However, the 1980’s would see the Renaissance of Readers Advisory,
or the second phase. Professional opinions began to shift, and Librarians began
to consider the likes and interests of their patrons, and began to make
suggestions of reads that they might find entertaining. During the second
phase, Betty Rosenberg, author of Genreflecting,
famously told readers “never apologize for your reading tastes,” and in doing
so not only suggested to readers that they should read un-apologetically, but
also played a vital role in the development of Readers Advisory tools, and
resultantly, the later inclusion of Readers Advisory in Library Science
education (Kimball, n.d.). This has empowered readers to read for pleasure and
Librarians to learn how to assist them with this, as Tarulli writes, “…pleasure
readers read fiction or nonfiction books and we seek to connect each reader
with a great read,” (2014, p.297). For Librarians to adequately suggest fiction
reading materials based on the likes, particularly, previously read and enjoyed
titles that patrons presented them with, it became necessary for Librarians to
learn popular authors, types of fiction, read-a-likes, and to delve into appeal
factors. The result has been a multitude of studies and research, which have
sought to explain how best to classify fiction reads, so that they can be
compared and suggested, as well as to determine best practices for Readers
Advisory interviews.
The evolution of
Readers Advisory, including the acceptance and embracement of fiction reads,
and giving patrons what they want, is evident both in the Readers Advisory
interview, as well as in the library itself. Modern libraries often resemble
bookstores more so than traditional libraries, including open faced shelving,
classification based on genre rather than the Dewey Decimal system, multiple
copies purchased of popular titles, the inclusion of paperbacks, particularly
romance and mystery novels, and the existence of library run book clubs, which often
focus on popular titles. However, library professionals and library users alike
have questioned if this has been taken too far. Have libraries come full
circle? The article “Should Libraries'
Target Audience Be Cheapskates With Mass-Market Tastes?” discusses an extreme
example of a library who chose to weed classics such as Bronte and Hemingway to
make way for the Patterson’s and Evanoviche’s. This article suggests that as
libraries have acquiesced to the demands and desires of their patrons, they
have re-framed themselves as glorified bookstores, which use tax money to buy
tawdry recreation titles, and have ceased to provide free enrichment and
education to the public. This article
calls into question what a library is, what a library should offer, and what a
library should be. These same questions are those that plagued Librarians in
the first phase, and that although quieted, still simmer in the second phase of
Readers Advisory.
Much like “fiction” was considered a dirty word in the
first phase, the second phase has seen the concept of “escapism” debated and
attacked. Titles that can be considered escapist transport the reader from
their daily life in some way, and have been accused of being light reading at
best and at worst trashy and even detrimental to the reader. Begum discusses
this dilemma in “Readers’ advisory and underestimated roles of escapist
reading,” particularly that escapism is a high appeal factor for many readers,
but a concern for Librarians who struggle with whether they should collect and
suggest such materials (2011, pp. 738-739). This issue proves that although it
is phrased differently, Librarians still struggle with what is good, what is
enriching, and their role in not only suggesting materials to readers, but
additionally, determining the merits of these works. However, Begum’s article
argues that escapism is capable of actually being a positive factor in many
ways, and worthy of understanding and considering, in order to provide a better
Readers Advisory interview. Begum names the following elements of escapism,
vital to reader enrichment and enjoyment: escapism helps to combat boredom and
in some, to help with stress coping, escapism may encourage creativity,
escapism can both help people survive the current trials of their lives, while
also helping people to face the reality of their lives, and finally, that
escapism can even prove to be transformative to the reader (2011, pp. 740-744).
Despite current concerns, Readers Advisory has evolved
exponentially since the first phase began in the 1920s. Evolution will
continue, as libraries continue to reflect the time in which they reside;
however, the result of these changes has certainly increased satisfaction of
patrons, who can feel confident that their library will take the time to
listen, without judgment to what they are interested in, and make a
concentrated effort to help them find the next book, or other integrated
material, that will provide them with an enjoyable or needed diversion, whether
that is a paperback full of excitement and distraction, or a hard to digest
work of literary fiction, because nobody should have to apologize for their
reading tastes in this accepting and open second phase. Furthermore, although
the merits of materials offered will continue to be debated within the library
profession, as Begum discusses, leisure reading of any kind is and should be
considered beneficial in numerous ways, including the effect on literacy
building, social connectedness and the dissemination of knowledge (2011, p.
738), suggesting that reading is good, period.
References
Anwyll, R., Chawner, B., & Tarulli, L. (2013). Social
Media and Readers' Advisory.
Reference
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Begum, S. (2011). Readers' advisory and underestimated roles
of escapist
reading. Library Review, 60(9),
738-747. doi:10.1108/00242531111176763
Kimball, M. A. (n.d.). A Brief History of Readers' Advisory.
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Miller, J. J. (2007, January 3). Should Libraries' Target
Audience Be Cheapskates
With Mass-Market Tastes? Retrieved
from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116778551807865463
Tarulli, L. (2014). Pleasure Reading. Reference & User
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