Becky Spratford, who teaches RA classes at Dominican University, has a great new entry on her blog RA for All this week. It’s called “Patron Who Wanted ‘Captivating Books.’”

Don’t miss reading this behind-the-scenes look at how a veteran readers advisor handled one of those patrons who wants something that doesn’t fall neatly into any of the usual categories.

It’s a terrific story on its own, but I think it also illustrates some basic truths for anyone who aspires to be a topnotch readers advisor:

Read, Read, Read. You have to read! And you need to read widely, not just in your favorite genre. Becky loves horror fiction, but that’s not what this patron needed.

Keep Up With the Current Scene. This patron wanted to be ahead of the curve. You’ll notice that Becky knew which books were going to be made into movies.

Practice Makes Perfect. Get out there and get some experience. You have to start somewhere, and there’s really no substitute for actually doing the job. Even if you don’t currently work in the field, practice on your friends and family. Don’t hesitate to plunge in. Becky couldn’t have conducted such a successful transaction if she hadn’t screwed up her courage years ago and tackled that long journey that begins with a single step.

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