Ask a Librarian: How’d You Like the Book I Just Read?

This is a question that librarians get asked a lot! It’s not unreasonable for you to expect your librarian to be well-read (and many of us are), but there are a few reasons why we might not have read or even liked the most recent TikTok book or award winner. 

How much do Librarians read? 

This varies from librarian to librarian. I read over 300 books last year, but, to quote Louisa May Alcott, I am “too fond of books, and it has turned [my] brain.” Other librarians may have come to the profession out of a love of helping people or for a particular specialty, like working with children or assisting with academic research.

They may not particularly enjoy reading as a pastime. It sounds counterintuitive, but someone might create detailed boats-in-a-bottle without enjoying being on a boat, or be a mathematics teacher but use a calculator to balance their checkbook.

Similarly, a librarian might enjoy caring for a collection of books and helping match readers with books without enjoying reading themselves. That being said, the majority of librarians do like reading.

However much a particular librarian might read, we generally don’t do much reading at work. When we’re at work, we’re working! If you see a librarian flipping through a book at work, they are probably looking at it for work reasons.

These could include reading the blurb to better understand what kinds of readers might like the book, evaluating the book to see if it is factual, out of date, or dirty, or checking to see if it will meet the needs of a patron who requested books on a particular topic. 

It was so popular! Why didn’t you read it?

On average, the Hopkinton Library adds about 500 books every month! Those are a mix of children’s, YA, and Adult books, but that’s a massive number of books. Nobody could read even a significant fraction of that every month, much less remember much of what they read. 

In addition, just like you, librarians are choosy about what they read. Even me, the 300-books-a-year reading wonder. Some librarians do enjoy the most popular books, but others don’t.

Like most readers, Librarians usually gravitate to books that match our genre, setting, and other preferences. I might occasionally pick up a popular book if it has some elements that interest me or if I want to see what all the hype is about, but just like you, I tend to read what I am pretty sure I will like.

Why didn’t you like my favorite book?

Each reader likes different types of books. You probably have seen this if you have ever attended a book club – one person might love a book, and another might hate it! This goes for librarians, too. I love science fiction, but popular authors like James Patterson, Danielle Steel, Jodi Picoult, and Janet Evanovich put me to sleep.

I have no idea why. But give me some spaceships, and I’ll be hooked. You may find science fiction to be weird. That is ok! Part of the joy of books and of libraries is that there is such a variety that everyone can find something that they love. In some ways, books are like food – we all have different tastes, but we all eat!

Part of the differences in taste is that people read for different reasons. Some people read for escapism. Others might read to learn about something new. Self-help books can help you grow or develop skills. And other folks read for a good laugh or a good cry. Different types of books fill these different types of needs.

Then, of course, there are all the aspects of personal taste, like what periods of history you’re interested in, whether you prefer to read about intimate family issues or sprawling end-of-the-universe apocalypses, and everything in between. You may also find that your preferences shift from book to book. I mostly like science fiction, but occasionally settle down with a spicy romance if the mood strikes me. 

How can librarians make such good recommendations?

Librarians have an entire field of study devoted to making good book recommendations. This is often called “Readers’ Advisory,” and librarians and the library world put a lot of work into making sure they can recommend a book for every reader. 

You might notice that if you approach a librarian and ask for a recommendation, they won’t just hand you a book. They’ll ask, “What did you read recently that you liked?” or “What are some authors you enjoy?” If you just returned a book, they might ask what you thought of that one.

This helps us to get a feel for your tastes – what genres you like, whether you like fast-paced or leisurely tempos, whether you prefer character development or need a strong plot, whether you want something contemporary or in a historic or future setting, and more. Books can be classified into hundreds of aspects, and in just a few questions, a librarian can narrow down from “everything on the shelf” to just a few matches for you.

Often, we use databases like NoveList to assist us (librarians do not have encyclopedic knowledge of every book in the library, despite how it might seem sometimes). However, some librarians who specialize in readers’ advisory might be able to do this off the top of their heads! 

Did you like the book I just finished?

As we covered above, I’m a science fiction reader, so… probably not. But I’m happy that you enjoyed it, and we have a similar book over here that I think might be right up your alley.