History of Readers' Advisory in the Pages of Library Journal

As part of the 150s Anniversary celebration of Library Journal by Library Journal (click here for all of it), Neal Wyatt wrote a comprehensive piece about the history of RA in the pages of LJ.

This article is important to all of us who serve leisure readers because it gives us the perspective we need to see how it began and where we are now. You want to know why we serve leisure readers at the public library? You want to see how we did it before and how it has improved (for the better) now? You want to understand why in a world full of anxiety, bad news, existential dread, and attacks at the intellectual freedom to all, why we keep going doing this work of match readers with the right book for them? All of this....you want to know why please read this article.

But for me specifically, I am posting this after I just spent 24 hours observing Yom Kippur, a holiday which is all about personal reflection. I spent the past 24 hours in serious contemplation of myself, my choices, and specifically where joy and meaning overlap in my life. Thinking about how I have spent the past 26 years deeply invested in promoting and supporting the work of Readers' Advisory from so many angles, where that has taken me, how I have helped to move all of us forward, and how I can be involved in continuing this work, this all took up a chunk of this reflection time (as it does every year). 

I saved Wyatt's article to read yesterday on purpose. not only because I knew I would have the time to give it, but also because it is a day about making space for what is important, so I had the space to reflect on the article and RA's place in my life.

Who I am is not what I do, but what I choose to do for my professional life and how I do that work the best way I can is important to my life. 

I am happy to share this with all of you today. Even if you do not have a login, you can still read it. If you have a problem accessing it, please contact me. 

Below I have the introduction to get you started.

Readers’ Advisory Service in the Pages of Library Journal | Faith in Our Future

by Neal Wyatt

The invention of a service to aid readers is a hallmark of the library profession. For a century and a half, LJ has provided a thinking and writing space to librarians engaged in crafting its standards and exploring its practice

There are many ways to consider the past, present, and future of readers’ advisory (RA) service. It is embedded in the profession of librarianship, tied to the creation of subject headings and library design, traceable through library technology, and woven into the long history of library education and service. It is also central to book publishing and reading culture. As LJ marks its 150th anniversary, this history can be traced across the volumes

of the journal as well, reflecting the work of the librarians who developed RA service and manifested its modern practice and innovation—both on the desk and in the pages of LJ.

Click through to keep reading.