Week 4 Reading Response

I found "The Company of Readers" by Catherine Ross was a very interesting way of looking at the role of libraries in people's lives. I think that focusing on readers is important, because the ultimate goal of a library is to serve its users. Knowing what, how, and why people read is especially important in a public library, which is one branch of librarianship I have considered for my future career. As an introductory chapter to a whole book, Ross gives a general overview of different aspects of books and readers. At the end of each section, she lists ways librarians can incorporate the information discussed into their work. I found this especially interesting and helpful. In the short time I have been in library school I have read lots of interesting and important things about librarianship, but they haven't always been directly connected to the practical aspects of the job. I like that Ross linked theory to practice, especially in her suggestions of how librarians can best encourage reading in public libraries.

One particular aspect of Ross's chapter that I found intriguing was her frequent mention of reading advisors. I haven't heard this particular term before, and it confused me a little. Did Ross mean that public librarians form panels through which they decide which books they should recommend to patrons in general? Or did she mean it in an individual way, as each librarian assists a single patron in selecting reading materials? I'd really like to find out more information on that.