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Reader's Advisory

Here lies a sampling of the collective RA knowledge of Massachusetts librarians.

A Peek into the MetroWest Readers' Advisory Round Table (2020-2021)

The MetroWest RART is focusing on Romance in 2020-2021. Looking to highlighting new diverse, LGBTQ+, and own voices authors in romance, RART Co-Chair Allison Smith, prepared an updated resource list for keeping your Romance RA skills current.

Book Buzz Videos & Recordings

Readers' Avisory Round Tables (aka Genre Study Groups)

The Readers' Advisory Roundtable (RART - Northeast)

The mission of the Northeastern Massachusetts Readers’ Advisory Round Table is to provide ongoing access to genre study, including introductory and supplemental educational opportunities. All are welcome whether you have attended before or would like to investigate what genre study is all about. Meeting five times a year, we cover a different genre or subgenre at every meeting, allowing each of us to be introduced to the discipline of reading for appeal, as well as an initiation to broad and more specific genre categories. We encourage everyone participating to share analysis of titles and authors in unfamiliar genres that will stretch their capacity as Readers’ Advisors.  For more information see our website at https://ragenrestudy.wordpress.com/ (also for our current schedule).Our Discussion Leader is Leane Ellis, Readers’ Advisory Librarian & Consultant (rapotential@gmail.com), formerly from the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield.

The Reader's Advisory Roundtable (RART - Western)

Readers’ Advisory (RA) is a skill that grows over time and with practice, and is one of the most exhilarating aspects of library work. Connecting readers with great stories builds an ongoing and treasured relationship between library staff and patrons. Meeting every other month, the Readers' Advisory Round Table – West (RART-W) participants read from one genre and then discuss that genre, emphasizing the building of a skill set of appeal categories and familiarity with genre particulars. Participants read the same benchmark title, plus a second title of their choice within the genre. RART-W began by covering a different genre at each meeting, allowing participants to be introduced to broad genre categories as well as the discipline of reading for appeal. We then read subgenre series of 3-5 meetings each. We now do an annual survey to determine topics for the coming year. Participants end each session able to share analysis of titles and authors in the genres covered that will stretch their capacity as Readers’ Advisors. RART-W is modeled on the Readers Advisory Round Table conducted by Leane Ellis in the northeast section of the Commonwealth. Our discussion facilitators are: Alene Moroni, Forbes Library (amoroni@forbeslibrary.org) and N. Janeen Resnick, retired (njrezz@comcast.net). New members are always welcome! No previous experience required! To subscribe to the discussion list, send email to rart-w+subscribe@googlegroups.com.

The Readers' Advisory Roundtable (RART - Southeast)

Modeled on the NE and Western MA roundtables, the Southeastern Mass. Reader’s Advisory Roundtable (SE-RART) meets five times a year to discuss genre appeal and become familiar with representative titles and authors. Participants share RA tips and work together on improving their own RA skills. The group started out in 2014-15 with a year-long Mystery genre study --focusing on a different subgenre at each meeting -- followed by a year of Romance / Women’s Lives & Relationships. The 2016-17 year focused on Diversity in Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Romance, Mystery, and Fantasy. The 2017-18 year we studied the Adventure genre; in 2018-19 we studied Young Adult (various genres). See the SE-RART blog at https://rartsoutheastma.wordpress.com for book lists and discussion points.
Group leaders Laurie Cavanaugh and Maggie Holmes are stepping down so the SE-RART is currently in need of new leadership. For more information and/or if interested in taking on the role of group leader, please contact Laurie Cavanaugh, Thayer Public Library, Braintree at lcavanaugh@ocln.org.

The Reader's Advisory Roundtable (RART - Metrowest) 

Meeting five times a year, we read from one genre and then discuss titles amongst the group emphasizing the building of a skill set of appeal categories and familiarity with genre particulars.

We have looked at mystery, literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, and graphic novels. Now in our seventh year, we will be looking at romance! This will allow each of us to be introduced to, or deepen, the discipline of reading for appeal, as well as an initiation to broad genre categories. Everyone participating will be able to share analysis of titles and authors in unfamiliar genres that will stretch their capacity as Readers’ Advisors. New participants are always welcome and no particular experience is necessary! You can find more information, meeting dates, etc. on our website.

Discussion Leaders are Christine Muir (cmuir@minlib.net), Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, and Allison Smith (asmith@minlib.net) of the Weston Public Library.

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Resources from Massachusetts

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