Discussion # 3
“Selection Tools”
LIBR 265 – 10 – Hunt
Patricia Ayame Thomson

Reviews are a necessary and valuable resource for librarians, teachers, and other professionals who work with children. For example, in Bromann’s (2001) article, Too Many Journals, Too Little Time she states: “We need reviews. . . Reviews give us knowledge of books we will never see or read to make us better librarians” (p. 47). In addition, reviews are useful in helping acquisition librarians become better informed with the books available, provide guidance in collection development, and “select the best in less time” (Bromann, 2001, p. 47).

Due to technology advancing at an alarming rate combined with the ubiquity of computer use, there is a growing population of children and young adults who are growing up more comfortable in a viral environment. Just as various aspects of book publishing is rapidly transitioning online including: marketing, advertising, publishing, and distributing, I believe traditional review resources will eventually become a small segment of credible online resources. The rest of the reviews will come from an ever-expanding, overload of information on the Internet that anyone can post and publish.

In Pattee’s (2009) article Expedient, but at What Cost she acknowledges the benefits, appeal, and conveniences of wholesaler’s databases, and their so-called “value-added benefits of using their collection development databases” (p. 20). It makes it sound as though the selection and ordering will effortlessly be done for them, just as soon as the librarians sign up for the collection development databases. However, Pattee clearly warns “Although their [wholesaler’s database] organization, access points, and bibliographic suggestions give them the ‘look and feel’ of valid collection development tools, these products can’t be confused with primary and professional selections tools” (p. 20).

Pattee (2009) reinforces her point by citing what Lillian N. Gerhardt (1997) “called a ‘time tested’ tenant of collection development resources selection: “Librarians should not put any faith in the book evaluations or selection guidance of the people who profit from book sales” (p. 20). I whole-heartedly agree with Gerhardt’s tenant as one of the discernment criteria for book selections.

Pertaining to Gerhardt’s (1997) tenant, Pattee (2009) succinctly explains why librarians should not completely trust book reviews from book sellers by stating: “Relying on vendor databases, topical bibliographies, and core collection catalogs – to the exclusion of other resources – cannot be considered a best practice” (p. 20). Vendors include promotional materials that appear as though they’re published reviews, but in fact they are marketing tools. Pattee informs us that “They’re [Tip sheets] marketing tools and are not objective sources of information about a book” (p. 20).

In conclusion, librarians should learn to decipher between professional reviews from respected Journals and promotional material from wholesale vendors disguised to promote their own books. In the same way, I believe librarians should also use their judgment and common sense to discrimminate which reviews are worthy of consideration, in the face of overwhelming information on the WWW. For instance, a book with a new title has numerous Web sites and social-networking sites incuding contests, games, reviews, blogs, discussion posts, etc, all intended for promotional purposes. To the vendors, the opportunities to make a profit are endless.

In regards to selection criteria, I am in line with VOYA’s. I would look for a combination of the quality of the literature and teen appeal. In his article titled Teen Marketing 2.0, Sellers (2007) quotes Tina McIntyre, director of marketing at LBYR who explains: “One of the main themes in the chat was that the teens really wanted to have an official place where they could talk to each other about the books” (p. 27). I believe librarians who follow online discussions posts, blogs and chats conducted exclusively among young adults would get a better idea of what they are genuinely thinking. Literary merit and improper grammar aside, these Web sites could be a pipeline to the inside scoop of what’s popular among young adults and why it appeals to them. In order to balance out the more visceral opinions of young adults, taking a look at professional reviews from established Journals is the next logical step in evaluating the book’s substance and quality.

In regard to “vendor products” Pattee (2009) suggests, “Librarians do need to approach them critically” (p.20). I’d like to share one more insightful advice from Bromann (2001) in her article stating: “Make up your own mind about a book, despite what the reviewer says. The review isn’t meant to be the final word in determining a book’s value, but a guide to your selection” (p. 46). I think I will follow Bromann’s advice. With experience, I believe the above-mentioned discernment will follow.