Anyone who works regularly with readers knows that matching them with the best book possible for the kind of reading experience they’re looking for is a blend of art and science, involving superb listening skills, awareness of resources like NoveList’s story elements (for spot-on access points) and maybe a little serendipity/magic thrown in.
But there is no book buzz kill like the one in which a well-meaning librarian pulls out all of the stops, searching NoveList or their favorite resource to provide stellar recommendations; the patron is bedazzled and smiling, only to find GAME OVER. Because once the librarian checks the catalog, it turns out that this book Is. Not. Available.
Don’t let this happen to you! Staff using NoveList can add some magic we insiders call On The Shelf (OTS). This (free!) functionality, unique to NoveList, means that NoveList harnesses your catalog’s API to make real-time availability info visible. Readers will quickly know if a book is recommended and it’s available. Even better, OTS is available for LibraryAware and NoveList Select.
But wait, there’s more. Not only is availability now a known entity, your staff (and readers!) can also learn whether a book exists in their preferred format. No more disappointment for that reader who really needs large print or the businessperson anticipating an audiobook to glide through a dastardly long commute or the die-hard print book lover.
Our last bit of magic — it’s easy to get set up. What we need: an API for your catalog. Note: not all ILS systems have an API available. Our team can help. Email novelistselectsupport@ebsco.com for guidance.
Jen Heuer Scott is a Marketing Specialist at NoveList. She is currently reading Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.
