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In fulfillment of the requirements of ILS 604- Advanced Reference,
the Public Libraries Group present the following project:
Project Title:
Reader’s Advisory:
“Great Short Reads to Thrill, Uplift, Make You Smile or Warm Your Heart”
Members of the Group:
Kimberly Seits, Kathryn Pierce, Sarah Sorenson, and Mona Herman.
Project Objectives:
- To
compile and evaluate statistics and demographics about the Naperville,
Illinois community.
- To
utilize the demographic and statistical information to perform a
bibliographic needs assessment for the community.
- Based
on the perceived character, needs, and tastes of the adult community,
to develop “Reader’s Advisory” lists of books in selected genres.
- To
develop the Reader’s Advisory lists to contain shorter works, “chunks”
or “bites” or “lightening reads” designed to provide patrons with
reading guidance that will not burden but rather entertain and uplift
the community ”spirit”.
- To
post the Reader’s Advisory on a specifically designed, easy-to-read
web page easily accessed by patrons.
Project
Description:
For
the final project, the Public Library Group will create a specialized
service for a medium-sized suburban library serving a population between
100,000 & 250,000 people. The primary focus will be on enhancing
web-based reader's advisory services through the compilation of recommended
reading lists and bibliographies.
Specifically this project will look at the Naperville Illinois Public
Library.
Process:
Designated group members gathered demographic and statistical information
regarding the community of Naperville, Illinois. The information was then distributed to all group members for
consideration. Group members met in
a Chat Room to discuss the goals of the project and to divide up responsibility
for the lists. As a group, it was
determined that Naperville is a fairly homogeneous town. While a number of ethnic and other
minorities are represented, there does not seem to be a distinct or
discrete group whose needs might be specifically addressed. It is clear, however, that this is a
community comprised of many young families with children, with two
well-educated working parents.
These are probably people with busy lives and schedules. For these reasons we decided to keep our
book selections to briefer works and/or anthologies (“bites” or “chunks”).
It was also determined that cookbooks with quick meals might also be useful
and well received. Each group
member then developed her own list and contributed it to collaborative
project.
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