Library collections today have grown beyond books and periodicals with numerous multiple formats, ranging from audiobooks and graphic novels to film, television show recordings, and even games, but until now, little has been done to maximize the connections between these media.
Integrated Advisory Service: Breaking Through the Book Boundary to Better Serve Library Users is designed to assist librarians in making connections between all the different media in library collections and advising patrons. By understanding genre similarities between fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, TV shows, video games, and movies, library staff will be better able to access and market the entire library collection, as well as reach out to and serve library patrons who they may not reach with traditional readers’ advisory services.
Each of the book’s chapters is organized around a genre (such as science fiction, women’s stories, and others), with sections on integrated advisory, characters, plots, themes, and making connections across genres. Chapters are exploratory, introducing users and library staff to the key concepts of the genre and the importance of the different media. Each chapter also provides a variety of lists that will help both staff and patrons find materials based on genre interests.
