NoveList Introduces Readers' Advisory Competencies

Just before the ALA conference, NoveList released something very exciting and 100% free: RA Competencies. From the Introduction on the about page:

Introduction 

Modern readers’ advisory is a relationship driven practice that positions every library staff member as a catalyst for patrons’ deeper engagement with reading and with the library. These competencies describe the art and practice of readers’ advisory and define a shared commitment to it. By intentionally building a culture of advisory services, libraries elevate the patron experience, strengthen their communities, and deliver an impact that lasts far beyond a single interaction. We hope libraries everywhere will use this framework to ensure that helping readers find stories that matter to them remains an essential and visible part of library service. 

I have been very excited for these competencies to be released because I was asked to participate but had to pass as the timeline overlapped with the issue of Library Trends I am guest editing with Robin (speaking of, the articles are all turned in, more on that soon). Doing both was not an option. However, a lot of great people who I respect and trust were involved, and what they have created is amazing (and that is not an exaggeration). And today, I am, very excited to share this work (with permission) with all of you.

There are two main pages here. The first is the competencies themselves. From that page's overview:

Readers' Advisory Competencies 

May 2026

These competencies are intended to:

• Support individual professional growth
• Guide organizational training and expectations
• Provide a shared vocabulary for readers’ advisory work  

Local contexts vary widely, and these competencies are not intended as a rigid template. Individuals and/or libraries should adapt competencies to reflect their unique needs and organizational structure. For example, a staff member whose work is primarily with young children might think about ways that the relational advisory competency can be adapted to conversations with caregivers, or how the story knowledge competency can be centered on early literacy reading. 

Introduction

Modern readers’ advisory is a relationship driven practice that positions every library staff member as a catalyst for patrons’ deeper engagement with reading and with the library. This document outlines the core competencies with levels of expertise that support this approach, offering clear guidance for training pathways, performance expectations, and organizational practices that make readers’ advisory genuinely part of everyone’s role. When libraries inspire and nurture a lifelong love of reading, they lay out the groundwork for a community with stronger critical thinking, greater empathy, and more active civic participation. By intentionally building a culture of advisory services, libraries elevate the patron experience, strengthen their communities, and deliver an impact that lasts far beyond a single interaction. 

Overview of Skill Levels

Three skill levels describe how proficiency scales across each competency area, ranging from essential daily practice to high-level strategic expertise. These levels help identify the specific competencies required for professional development.

• Core level: Demonstrates foundational knowledge and skills, performs core tasks consistently, and uses established processes and tools. This level is about awareness and participation. It is the level that would be appropriate for all staff.
• Advanced level: Independently handles complex situations; develops new processes; improves local practice; and mentors peers. This level is about regular application and improvement. It would be appropriate for staff who regularly provide advisory services or have dedicated advisory roles.
• Expert level: Shapes strategy, practice, and culture; trains others; evaluates impact; and drives innovation. This level is about leadership. It is the level that would be appropriate for anyone deeply involved in RA as a profession, whether in a supervisory or non-supervisory position.

Competency Areas

Eight competency areas define the foundational domains of knowledge and practice that shape effective advisory work. Together, they represent the core capabilities libraries want to cultivate to deliver high-quality, reader-centered experiences for all patrons. The eight competency areas are designed as complementary, interdependent practices that collectively comprise advisory work, rather than standalone or optional skill sets. 

This tells you what you can expect. Now click through and look at the 8 competencies. You can access each with their drop down menus to see what is "core," "advanced," and "expert." This resource is clear and easy to understand. I especially appreciate the 3 tiered breakdown because the "core" competencies are things I already expect and teach as things that ALL public library staff should be able to do and then the next tiers are to build off of for key staff. 

These competencies are completely free to use to train your staff and I for one am so excited that there is another free resource for basic RA training information other than this blog. As I said above, I trust this document 100% because the external advisors are people I trust. From this competencies page those people are:

External advisors:

• Stephanie Chase, Executive Director, Libraries of Eastern Oregon  
• Lucy Donnelly, Kansas City Public Library, Readers’ Services Librarian  
• Autumn Friedli, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Program Services Coordinator  
• Lynn Lobash, New York Public Library, Associate Director, Readers’ Services  
• Dodie Ownes, Denver Public Library, Adult Services Librarian  
• Michael Santangelo, BookOps, Director, Collections Management  
• erin sladen, Denver Public Library, Advisory Services Program Manager  
• Duncan Smith, Retired Co-founder of NoveList
• Kaite Stover, Kansas City Public Library, Director of Readers’ Services  
• Steph Topping, Niagara Falls Public Library (ON), Information, Resources, & Connections Leader  
• Barry Trott, Library of Virginia, Adult Services Consultant  
• Rebecca Vnuk, LibraryReads, Executive Director

The second page of this document is titled "Recommend Learning Resources." It has a comprehensive list of a variety of resources. Please book mark that page ASAP. 

There is also a PDF version of everything as well. You can print it out and share with your staff.

I will be adding this entire document to my 10 Rules of Basic RA Service so that everyone can have access to it at all times. 

Thank you to everyone who worked on these competencies. It has been a long time since RA practitioners have gotten together to talk about what we do, how we do it, and best practices. It is extremely appreciated by us all.

I purposely waited until after ALA and the July 4th holiday to highlight these NoveList Readers/ Advisory Competencies to ensure I got the maximum number of eyes on it. This is now the GO TO resource for how to best serve our readers through the public library. Thank you to NoveList for doing the work to create it and keeping the document itself free for all.