Readers’ Advisory Survey Now Open
As part of its ongoing work to measure the impact of libraries on author/title discovery and book sales, the Panorama Project has launched a new survey focused on collecting data on readers’ advisory services. The survey (available here) is open to all U.S. public libraries and public library staff and takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey is open until May 21, and findings will be released this summer.
The project’s Readers’ Advisory Impact Committee, comprised of 40 public librarians and industry professionals, created the survey to build on recent work including its Directory of Readers’ Advisory Activities. The report catalogs the many ways that public librarians and libraries connect readers with books and authors, both onsite and online—including through social media. Each of the activities listed includes an activity description, as well as links to examples and additional resources.
The Panorama Project is the first data-driven research project focused on understanding the impact of the nation’s public libraries on book and author discovery, brand development and retail sales. In addition to its work on readers’ advisory, the project is conducting research on related topics such as the impact of library-hosted author events and library sponsored community reading events. The project’s advisory committee includes PLA past presidents Sari Feldman and Susan Hildreth.
The Panorama Project is an open membership initiative. Learn more about the project and the Readers’ Advisory Impact Committee at panoramaproject.org.
