ALA starts later this week, and one of my favorite things about ALA and PLA is the chance to meet my readers. A few years ago, at PLA in Columbus, OH, Matthew Tessmer introduced himself to me and Robin. I have kept in touch with Matthew in the ensuing years, even provided training to his library system.
Recently, I invited Matthew to share his experience with his awesome “Choose Your Own Book Club” with all of you.
And I chose to run it, today, the beginning of the week leading up to the start of ALA Annual to remind all of you that I would love to chat with you at ALA Annual as well. Remember, you know what I look like, but I do not know what you look like. Later this week I will post my planned scheduled so you can find me, but seriously, anytime you see me, stop me. I will have stickers and pens for anyone who does.
If you are not coming to ALA, please also remember that you can reach out to me anytime via email. Ask a question or tell me about something you are doing at your library. It might lead to you sharing with others here on the blog like it did for Matthew.
Speaking of, take it away Matthew...
Thanks to Becky for the opportunity to talk about a reader’s advisory program for adults I’ve been having success with at my library! The program is a free choice book club we host at the library called “Choose Your Own Book Club.” Here’s the description we publicize: “Connect with fellow readers and grow your reading list in this casual book discussion group. Join us to talk about the books you've read or are currently reading.” At the program, each participant gets the floor to discuss their reading life, which usually consists of recounting their most recent reads and why they did or didn’t enjoy them. We’ve grown into a lovely group representing a wide range of demographics and reading tastes. I’m excited to talk about it here not because of how nice of a group or program it is, but for the way it inspires and challenges me to reflect on and put into practice the great RA ideas I have learned from this blog and other like-minded resources.
First, I have found that this program works well to establish and promote the library as the place for bookish conversation. Recently, Becky highlighted our problem of assuming readers know we offer book suggestions instead of actively working to show them. We have made that mistake at my library, too - this program is one of our ways to fix it that aligns with other steps we have taken to better reach our community. One of our long-term goals the past few years has been to strengthen our marketing, especially when it comes to our program offerings. When we were considering how to strengthen our reader services, a natural extension was to create this program focused exclusively on readers’ advisory. The entire program is focused on “cultivating an atmosphere of conversation around books.” Participants get the chance to take the stage and share their book recs and commiserate on reads that didn’t hit the mark. These discussions often lead into some conversation starters. For example, one of the readers expressed an interest in reading more “classics” - this turned into a discussion of what the term “classic” means and led to each member sharing their criteria for “classics” and a book recommendation. Importantly, we don’t stop the conversation when the program ends. I love to tell the program participants that they can keep the conversation going at any time by talking to any library staff person at our service desks, and to encourage their friends who can’t make the program time especially to come do what we love most - talk books!
Second, in addition to taking the opportunity to discuss my personal reading life, I use this program as basically a live display of books I want to highlight and “unshelve” from the collection. My practice of doing this has evolved. At first, I was pretty strict about developing a monthly theme for the materials I would pull out of the collection to highlight. But as Becky has pointed out, limiting the selections in this way doesn’t actually serve the readers in this program. Instead, I share monthly “books that have caught my interest” so that my choices can be more inclusive and more of the program’s readers can be drawn to this live display.
Third, I would be doing the program participants a disservice if I didn’t approach the bookish conversations and unshelved books through an anti-racist lens that elevates and celebrates marginalized voices. I wish I could say that this point goes without saying, but between the active threats to the freedom to read and the complacency of those who (wrongly) think reading and RA service can be apolitical, loudly continuing anti-racist and inclusive reader services is essential. In this program, it looks like making sure that inclusive book display procedures are followed for the books I unshelve. It means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and sharing additional information and book suggestions when a participant discusses a title like American Dirt. It means making and keeping personal reading goals to read widely and diversely. Being actively anti-racist is the table stakes for being a part of the solution instead of the problem in librarianship. I’m grateful for the part this program plays in keeping me committed and accountable to anti-racist reader services.
And fourth, this program has broadened my view of RA service from transactional reading suggestions towards a wide-ranging service that advances everyday readers’ autonomy. As our readerly community has formed, we spend as much time discussing our reading lives as we do talking about the reading material. These conversations can involve: 1) reflecting on reading tastes as a whole and what impacts them (previous reads, time, place, mood), 2) whether or not certain reading choices make for a “real” reader (both audiobooks and romance are, in fact, real reading!) and 3) affirming the choices readers make for their reading lives (DNF that book if it isn’t working for you!). Each of these are an example of promoting readerly autonomy, as explored in a panel presentation at ALA Annual 2025 by Rutgers Assistant Professor E. E. Lawrence. Here, RA is an autonomy-enabling service that supports patrons in making the choices that steer their own reading lives.
I’ve learned so much from RAforAll over the years, so it’s a dream to get a chance to share this program here. While I don’t think there’s anything ground-breaking being done in this program, I hope it inspires you to continue to reflect on your current programs and services to leisure readers. I know I’ll be back here tomorrow to read and learn something new!
--Matthew Tessmer
Public Services LibrarianAlbert Lea Public Library
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