Reader’s Advisory Corner
A girl came up to the reference desk this evening and asked for a book recommendation. The exchange went something like this:
Her: “Can you recommend a good book to me?”
Me: “What kind of book are you looking for?”
Her: “Oh, any kind. Just a good book.”
Me: “Are you looking for fiction or nonfiction?”
Her: “It doesn’t matter.”
Me (thinking): Well, I just read Stiff, about the cadavers . . . or Letter to a Christian Nation and The God Delusion, about the pernicious effect of religion on society . . . which should I recommend?
Me (out loud): “Hmm. That’s a hard one.”
In the end we sent her down to the fiction department, since she didn’t seem interested in the books our floor had to offer. My sneaking suspicion? She was just trying to strike up a conversation with the cute reference librarian. Too bad he’s gay.
By the way, both Letter to a Christian Nation and The God Delusion are worth reading. I enjoyed them a great deal, at least, but that might have something to do with the fact that in me, they were pretty much preaching to the choir.
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February 9th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Yeah, too bad that there isn’t a service where you could rate books and get recommendations on similar books in the genres you like.
Oh, wait, there is such a thing, called “Nearly Every Online Bookstore Created Thus Far”.
Next time, Sean, you need to let any future her ask you out. If nothing else, you might be able to get a free meal out of it.
I also think you should make personal recommendations of the books that you’re reading to your patrons who ask. After all, almost none of them are likely to choose books as well as you do.
February 9th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I have no problem making a personal recommendation, if I think there is any point to it. I mean, making recommendations is part of my job, and something I do all the time for my friends and acquaintances. But if you’re going to come up to me and just ask me cold for a “good book,” I would generally require some kind of framework, which this woman refused steadfastly to provide. I eventually got tired of the way she refused to answer any of my questions and turned her over to a coworker.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Well you are adorable, can you blame her? And I am not prejudice just because we are related! Daisy
October 4th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Well, thanks. :D