A new readers’ advisory guide to romance

CHICAGO — "Happily ever after" and all it entails keeps millions of romance fiction readers devouring approximately 10,000 titles published in the genre annually. Whether they’re already a devotee or a newbie in urgent need of some orientation, library workers will find “The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Romance,” published by ALA Editions, the perfect tool for building and maintaining the library’s romance collection, answering patron questions, and leading fans of the genre in their exploration of new authors and titles. With panache and unbridled enthusiasm, author Robin Bradford:

• begins with an informative and entertaining overview of the genre's history, including a proposed working definition of "romance" and an explanation of why it matters;
• sketches out the ways in which romance has expanded in terms of both content and formats;
• provides guidance on discovering titles from both traditional and indie publishers, best practices for building a robust collection, and suggested resources for keeping up to date;
• walks readers through the myriad of romance subgenres, tropes, and common terms;
• offers readers’ advisory interview tips for navigating fans’ spectrum of "sexpectations," from sweet to steamy, to assist with connecting readers with the perfect book;
• shares advice for author visits and other library programming; and
• includes a comprehensive index that will help readers find information quickly.

Bradford has earned a BA and MA in English, an MS in Library Science, and a JD, but has found a home in building reader-focused, popular collections in public libraries. She was recognized as RWA’s 2016 Librarian of the Year, a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2018, and is addicted to books and dedicated to helping others discover a love of reading. She has worked with authors to help get their titles into these collections, worked with librarians to push for equal treatment of genre fiction, and worked with readers so that they can find their favorite authors on their library's shelves.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library and information professionals worldwide. ALA Editions | Neal-Schuman publishes resources used by library and information professionals, scholars, students, and educators to improve programs and services, build on best practices, enhance pedagogy, share research, develop leadership, and promote advocacy. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a variety of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions | Neal-Schuman at editionsmarketing@ala.org.