A “Novel” Approach to Recreational Reading: Creating a Virtual Collection on a Shoestring

• Published in: Reference and user services quarterly 2013-12, Vol.53 (2), p.94-99
• Main Authors: Dahlen, Sarah P., Watkins, Steve G., Trott, Barry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic libraries; Anthologies; Application programming interfaces; Bibliographic records; Book covers; Collection development (Libraries); For Your Enrichment; Forecasts and trends; Influence; Learning; Libraries; Library automation; Library catalogs; Library catalogues; Library collections; Library operations; Lifelong Learning; Literary genres; Market trend/market analysis; Novels; Portals; Public relations; Reading; Reading comprehension; Reading interests; Reading materials; Recreation; Recreational reading; Services; Technology application; Titles; University and college libraries
• ISSN: 1094-9054; 2163-5242
• DOI: 10.5860/rusq.53n2.94

Providing recreational reading materials for patrons, while squarely within the purview of public libraries, has not been a goal equally embraced by academic libraries. Despite its connections to academic achievement and lifelong learning, many academic libraries either do not consider recreational reading as vital to their mission or, more likely, do not have the funds to pursue its promotion. An affordable option is to create a virtual collection of print recreational reading materials that, through an online interface, allows patrons to browse for titles by genre or book cover. This virtual solution complements catalog searching by attempting to simulate a browsing experience similar to what one would find in a bookstore or physical library collection. This article addresses the justification for investing staff time in promoting recreational reading, discuses the technology employed to create and maintain this virtual collection, and shares the impacts of this effort on circulation of the items included in the collection.