Up for Discussion-Too Many Journals, Too Little Time

How many times have you read an evaluation of a book, decided not to purchase it because of the negative comments, and later seen a different, glowing review? Or vice versa. It happens often. Even award winners have received mixed notices. Although reviewers try to be objective, personal biases and experiences often come through. If a librarian only receives one review journal and a collection-development policy requires a positive review, it is quite possible for great books to slip between the cracks. Perhaps the best philosophy is to ignore reviews as they stand (no offense SLJ) and learn to read through them. Still read them, but learn to read them so that you can weigh if the negative comments that have been pointed out really are serious enough to decide against the purchase of a title that students might find useful or enjoyable.

Some librarians prefer reviews written by librarians. Others prefer those written by professional writers who have expertise in children's and young adult literature. There is no agreement as to which is better, so unless a book is read, reviewed, and discussed in many sources, as opposed to the one or two typically available in libraries, there is no way to be sure of what you are getting. In order to know if the book is as bad or as good as the reviewer claims, readers must look at other things. 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 for your selection.

I run a library with only one part-time assistant and have a program just about every day. I'm the only one to answer kids' questions after school and at night with no off-desk time. For me, and I imagine for others, there isn't much time to devote to reading reviews. They pile up for months at a time and then when, I get a chance, I only have a day or two to get through them all.

The following suggestions are for those who are overwhelmed by the numbers of reviews they receive, those who are new to the library field, those who have large budgets, and those who have too little time to read hundreds of reviews.

1. Glance over all the titles and authors of books. You know you will want popular authors and books on hot topics, and that a book called Toilet Tales will be popular no matter what the quality. Titles draw attention. There is no need to read the whole review, unless you think you own too many books by a particular author or on a certain subject. Sometimes you must go by the title alone, especially for nonfiction. If you really need books on a particular explorer, it doesn't matter if the book was not the most interesting to read. It may be the only book or the most current title. Most kids don't read the whole book for a report, but pick out information they need to answer questions. First check to see if other titles on this subject will become available. If you look over titles and authors first, you can do a rough tally of those books and know how much money you have for other material.
2. Look at starred or highly rated reviews in a journal. These will be the ones that will likely appear on the end-of-the-year lists and that you might purchase anyway, if your budget allows. Disregard those not of interest to your population.
3. Look for paperbacks if they sound interesting, unless you have a policy against them. They will not eat up your budget.
4. Anticipate need. Not only should you support the curriculum of the school or schools in your community, but you should also think about future demands. School librarians know what their learning standards are and can anticipate possible assignments. Public librarians know the types of questions they receive. If students ask for biographies of scientists and you see a review for one that you do not own, buy it. Someone may ask for books on this individual in the future or students may choose their subjects based on the books available in the library.
5. Skim. Reviews generally place criticism or praise at the beginning or end. If no false information or lack of organization is indicated, then a book should be acceptable. If it is historical fiction, do you need another one right now? If you need a book on tigers and there is a new one, check to see if the age level is appropriate or how many pages it has. You don't need to read the whole review to find such information.
6. Read the summary despite the criticism. If you own no books on medicinal plants, or if you know another wizard book will be popular, base your decision on the description alone. Ignore the negative comments. Although reviews sometimes indicate better selections, it is often preferable to purchase the most current title due to longevity, since dates are used in weeding.
7. Don't be swayed by every negative comment. If the pictures are great, but the text is wordy, decide if you want the book for the quality of the illustrations. If it is an excellent story with mundane illustrations, decide if the story the book tells is more important or needed in your collection. Some reviews may indicate what is missing from the book or a problem in one chapter. This does not necessarily mean the book is useless. If the plot sounds great, that alone might just be enough to get the kids reading. Did the summary make you want to read it?
8. Don't be swayed by every positive comment. Books by award-winning authors often receive good reviews no matter what, perhaps deservedly so. Some reviewers look at only the positive, perhaps not wanting to offend. A book popular in the reviewer's collection may not meet the same reception in other communities.
9. Beware of comments that indicate a specific age group may not enjoy a book. Although reviewers are experts in their field, we cannot truly know what a teenager or child in a diverse world will want or what an individual's reading or interest level is. Ages are necessary guidelines, but don't automatically exclude younger or older readers.
10. Watch wording. Does lack of characterization necessarily make a bad book? Does "challenging" matter in a public library? Is an unsatisfying ending unsatisfying to all? These are some questions you should ask before excluding a book because of such words.

It is also important to recognize different places to look for books. Purchasing books without reading reviews is OK, unless a formal policy requires them. The following are ideas of other places to look for books and recommendations.

• Read the lengthy descriptions in publishers' catalogs. Naturally they are trying to sell their books, but you get an idea of what books are about to decide if they fit your needs. Catalogs often make you aware of forthcoming titles long before they are available.
• Peers. Buy books recommended on electronic mailing lists. Beat the committees by purchasing books suggested on Newbery/Caldecott discussions. Check library systems' online catalogs to see if other librarians have purchased a book.
• Select books sold in booksellers' catalogs. Baker and Taylor, Borders, and BWI highlight the latest books and those of interest to a specific age group in their publications.
• Check major bookstores' selections. Here you can actually see what you will be getting before you read a review.
• Look at Web sites for or about children and teenagers to find other librarians', educators', or students' picks.
• Wait to make major fiction purchases until the best books lists come out at the end of the year. The 2000 ALA Best Books for Young Adults list had nearly unanimously positive reviews for every book.
• Check online reviews. Places like Amazon.com have many of the same book reviews published in journals. When you hear about a book you can see what others think.
• Buy without any knowledge. When in desperate need, don't worry about reviews or summaries. Search online catalogs or booksellers' Web sites for books that fit your needs. This may backfire.Creatures of the Nightmay not be a bat video, but a nonreturnable "porno" (Now that will be filtered). It is always better to have the best, but sometimes that is not practical.
• Vendors. Many librarians get quantities of their books directly from salespeople. Some sell remainders and you may want the most current titles. Some companies will have discounts on the latest or an easy way to order and receive materials in a timely manner. Some will sell books not yet available anywhere else. If possible, see each salesperson at least once, even over an extended time, to see which ones suit your needs.
• Magazines. Many books for children or teenagers are reviewed in the magazines they read.

These lists may seem to defeat the purpose of a review, but reviews are not perfect. You don't always have time to read all of them. You may not have subscriptions to all the review journals. You might miss out on something that wasn't reviewed if you did not check other sources. Basically, if a book sounds good or sounds like what the kids are reading, then give it a try even if the review is not glowing.

We need reviews. We need to know what a book is about, the quality of the illustrations, what age group it is appropriate for, the author's credentials, and if there are obvious errors or problems. Some need to know if there is explicit sex or vulgar language. Those with limited funds really do want to know if there are even minor problems. Reviews give us knowledge of books we will never see or read to make us better librarians.

There is never enough money to have every great book, but you can learn to select the best in less time, and know where and how to look, and, in doing so, you can achieve the goal of finding the best books for your collection.