There is a phrase to describe the panicked feeling when you’re asked for help in an unfamiliar area: “genre in the headlights.” Librarians around the world know this feeling. You’re asked about romance novels but are a fantasy reader. Someone wants to know why everyone is talking about Louise Penny, but the last mystery you read was in your RA class in library school (if you were lucky enough to have one!). That heart flutter is probably the reason that genre education was the single most requested topic at the LibraryReads Readers’ Advisory UnConference.
Knowing that hearts flutter as we do, LibraryReads and NoveList have partnered on a series of genre webinars. We think of the series as a 101 crash course for some of the more popular genres, designed to give librarians a sense of why readers are drawn to the genre; some tips for talking with fans; key books in the genre to know; sub-genres and crossover titles to keep in mind; and tips for searching NoveList for themes, appeal terms, and genre information and more. Whether you’ve never read in a genre or it’s just been a while, we hope these webinars will provide you with the grounding you need to talk with confidence about all books.
NoveList fans should already be well-familiar with LibraryReads, the organization that produces a monthly list of the top ten books that librarians across the country love. (If you don't already vote for LibraryReads monthly, head here for a primer on how it works!) This webinar series is a great way for NoveList and LibraryReads to extend our ongoing partnership for your benefit. Our shared love of books made this webinar series seem perfectly natural. Each session will bring together some of LibraryReads’ top readers' advisors currently working in public libraries with the book specialists at NoveList—a winning combination.
See the webinars on learnwithnovelist.com. Filter by "Navigating Genres" to see the webinars. More recent webinars are available for a small fee.
Rebecca Vnuk is the Executive Director of LibraryReads, the monthly nationwide library staff picks list for adult fiction and non-fiction. LibraryReads’ goal is to help connect librarians’ favorite books to as many readers as possible while drawing upon the incredible power that public library staff has in helping to build word-of-mouth for new books, and the important role that libraries play in creating audiences for all kinds of authors.