Week 5 Prompt Response - Reviews

 A library’s collection is likely to be impacted by reviews; the degree to which they impact a given library’s collection development likely depends on the library, however. I will consider my experience with collection development at my public library as a case in point. I purchase both young adult fiction and nonfiction for my library, and I read a lot of reviews. Our vendor, Baker & Taylor, streamlines the purchase process for us. Each month, they send us “carts” containing the most popular new materials. For most books I purchase, I read at least a few of the reviews. Most of the books that are in our carts have been professionally reviewed, and I admit that I usually do not purchase books that have no reviews. In the case of my library, the reviews really do drive our purchases and influence our perception of materials. From my own experience in collection development, if a book has not been formally reviewed, I usually don’t see it, and so I will not buy it. Professional reviews make materials more visible and often justify library’s purchases.

Regarding the two reviews of the e-romance novel, while their “reliability” might be questionable, they are nonetheless honest and amusing! When compared to the professional reviews, these lack a professional tone, do not follow any set standard, and are highly personal. Add a few direct quotes from the book and discussion of why or why not this book might appeal to a reader, and you might have a more “reliable” review. That is not to say, however, that these reviews completely lack value. I like reading these in fact (sometimes better than the formatted and predictable professional reviews). As far as purchasing this title for my library, I would be hesitant. The library has a very limited budget for e-books (although it continues to grow). While some readers might enjoy this title, it would probably not be “fiscally responsible” to purchase it. I reviewed similar digital titles, and there are enough alternative read-a-likes available to satisfy reader demand for this type of book.  

The reviews of “Angela’s Ashes” really hit it out of the park for me. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never read this book, but I’m adding it to my reading list. The reviews successfully draw potential readers into the excruciating reality of the story while still offering hope, so the reader will not be left feeling troubled after reading it. The book has received a phenomenal number of reviews, which would absolutely influence my decision to purchase it for my library’s collection. The reviews are professional and reliable, and there is resounding agreement among reviewers as to the book’s value.

I have mixed feelings regarding how fair I think it is that some books are reviewed to death while others get little to no coverage. I think it’s fair to say that some books are just better quality than others and therefore earn the attention they receive among reviewers. The “dime a dozen” novels (like e-romances, perhaps) can be quickly produced without much effort. Writers adopt a well-used trope and are not always particularly creative. Publishing companies have a good idea about which types of books are going to sell, and I suspect that they push reviewers to review these titles. That would certainly be unfair to an author that has written something worthwhile in a less lucrative genre. I have also noticed something else that might influence the types of books that are currently getting reviewed. There has been a huge boom in “diverse” books as of late. Books that check off a certain number of “diversity” boxes are no doubt making their way into the top of reviewers’ “to-read” lists. The industry appears to be prioritizing books and authors that incorporate the myriad of diverse themes, characters, and subjects into their novels. While some might argue that this is necessary due to the lack of diverse representation in our collections, it might unfairly prevent a less diverse (although equally qualified) book from garnering the attention it might merit.

I think review sources really should print negative content (thanks Kirkus!)—at least some. Negative opinions about a work might be just that—opinions, but a purchasing librarian should be privy to both the good and the bad about a particular material and wise enough to sift out ill-appropriated negativity from reliable criticism. If reviewers could include negative content, I think I might have more robust book carts! And that would be a good thing!

I rely heavily on professional reviews to guide my purchasing (see first paragraph above); however, when it comes to my own personal reading, I rarely depend on a professional review. I prefer impromptu reviews from coworkers and friends, and I also really do enjoy the highly personalized and unencumbered musings of some Amazon on Goodreads reviews. While I can’t rely solely on them to justify a purchase for the library’s collection, I appreciate reviews like those for The Billionaire’s First Christmas” to guide my own personal reading choices. These reviews are often relatable, amusing, and fun.