From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal: Redefining the Concept of Appeal in Readers’ Advisory
Author(s): Keren Dali
Source: The Library Quarterly, Vol. 84, No. 1 (January 2014), pp. 22-48
Published by: The University of Chicago Press
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From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal:
Redefining the Concept of Appeal
in Readers’ Advisory
Keren Dali
ABSTRACT
Revising the concept of appeal currently accepted in the field of readers’ advisory, this article
redefines appeal as the power to invoke interest in reading and to set off an action of reading,
as opposed to the established definition of appeal as the elements and characteristics of books
to which a reader can relate. This article suggests that reading appeal is a more appropriate term
than book appeal or genre appeal. A critical analysis of the results of an original empirical study of
avid immigrant readers allows for the conceptualization of reading appeal as a function of both
book-related appeal, that is, appeal rooted in the features of books, and reader-driven appeal, that
is, appeal associated with readers and their social milieus. Furthermore, the article interrogates
the notion of the role of reading and links it to the appeal and process of reading through the
Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading.
W
hen talking about readers’ advisory ðRAÞ in libraries, librarians invariably mention the concept of appeal. Indeed, in North American libraries, appeal has
become central to the analysis of reading choices and the discussion of RA prac-
tices ðe.g., Fonseca and Pulliam 2002; Pearl 2002; Gannon 2004; Charles and Lintz 2005; Frolund
2007; Vnuk 2009; Zellers 2009; Pearl and Cords 2010; Fann 2011; Honig 2011Þ. The work of Joyce
G. Saricks on appeal elements is extensively cited in the scholarly and professional literature
on RA. It is hard to find a single source that involves appeal elements that does not allude to
Saricks. Chapters on appeal from Saricks’s ð2005, 2009Þ books routinely appear on the syllabi
of courses on RA and reference. Appeal, tapping into the more ethereal and abstract and less
tangible qualities of the book, is thought to be a cornerstone of RA, a principle and a frame
that allows librarians to make successful reading suggestions. Why, then, in so many cases,
are readers’ advisors unsuccessful in matching books and readers? Perhaps in its original formulation, the concept of appeal is limiting and limited, and perhaps the time has come to critically revisit and redefine appeal, situating it in a broader context of reading behavior, readers’ motivation, and the practice of reading in general. Thus, an overarching goal of this
Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. 22–48. © 2014 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
0024-2519/2014/8401-0003$10.00
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From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal
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article is casting the concept of appeal in a new light in order to help librarians enhance their
awareness of the inner workings of appeal and the ways in which readers connect with reading matters.
The field of library and information science ðLISÞ has created an impressive body of scholarly and professional literature around the concept of appeal, which first came to prominence thanks to the tireless and prolific work of Saricks. LIS publications present a nuanced
analysis of appeal elements, provide suggestions on incorporating appeal elements into RA
work, and offer insight into how appeal elements operate in the course of reading for pleasure. They examine “an individual book’s appeal” ðSaricks 2005, 40Þ and the appeal of entire
genres ðSaricks 2009Þ. From Saricks’s work, it transpires that “appeal is in the book.” Appeal
is understood as a constellation of attributes and a set of characteristics of the book itself;
in other words, reading appeal is equated with book appeal. At the same time, LIS literature
lacks a clearly articulated rationale for linking appeal exclusively to the features of the book.
One of the most interesting and valid criticisms of Saricks’s work that has appeared in the
past few years is the well-argued viewpoint article by David Beard and Kate Vo Thi-Beard
ð2008Þ. It highlights the deficiencies of contemporary RA “derived from its emphasis on the
book rather than the practice of reading” and its excessive “focus on the book as an object”
ðBeard and Thi-Beard 2008, 331Þ. The authors call for “understanding RA not in terms of the
features of the books but instead in terms of the activities of the reader” ð333Þ, seeing reading as an integral part of the reader’s identity, and refocusing RA interactions from “what people read” to “why they read” ð332Þ. The latter implies the appreciation of the reader’s personality and motivation. In this sense, Beard and Thi-Beard’s position is close to that taken in the
current article. Despite the fact that their paper was published a number of years ago now,
and despite the valid criticism of current approaches contained in it, Beard and Thi-Beard’s
suggested alternate approach has not revolutionized the practice of RA, while Saricks’s approach, notwithstanding its obvious shortcomings, still dominates the field. Why is this?
Saricks’s approach has undeniable merits. Her concept of book appeal is very specific and
concrete. It is easily broken down into discrete components and, as such, easily presented,
taught, and explained; most important, it can be readily adapted for the purposes of information retrieval in various RA tools, be it indexes in a print RA reference book or descriptors in an RA database. Saricks’s articulation of appeal has also served as a foundation of webbased RA forms, such as the ones offered by the Salt Lake County Library Services ð2012a,
2012bÞ and the Williamsburg Regional Library ðn.d.Þ. These RA web-based forms emulate the
logic and language of NoveList ðEBSCO 2013Þ and other electronic RA databases. Thus, today,
given the proliferation of RA tools, the popularity and endurance of Saricks’s concept of book
appeal is not difficult to explain.1
1. An in-depth discussion of Saricks’s theory and its longevity can be found in Dali ð2013bÞ.
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However, the close association of book appeal with information retrieval points to the
inherent weakness of the concept: the process of readers’ advisory is not identical to the
process of retrieving information about fiction or nonfiction titles, and while book characteristics are instrumental in facilitating such information retrieval, they are less effective
for the process of advisory. The advisory process, by definition, is complex and involved.
It entails an ongoing back-and-forth interaction, negotiation, consultation, and opinion exchange between the librarian and the reader. It implies giving and taking recommendations
and guidance, which is by no means unilateral ði.e., librarian to readerÞ but rather reciprocal and continuously renewed and evolving. If we concede that appeal is a cornerstone of RA,
it should embrace a much more significant human element and account for the reader’s
characteristics and social environment. This, in turn, necessitates a new look at and a new
definition of appeal.
Starting with redefining appeal as “the power to invoke interest in reading and to set off
an action of reading” ðas opposed to an established definition of “appeal as the elements/
characteristics of books”Þ, this article contends that such terms as genre appeal and book appeal capture the essence of appeal only partly and proposes a more inclusive and accurate
concept of reading appeal.
The concept of reading appeal is formulated based on the results of an original empirical
study of immigrant readers conducted by the author,2 which elucidates the twofold nature
of reading appeal as a function of both book-related appeal, that is, appeal rooted in the features
of books, and reader-driven appeal, that is, appeal related to readers and their social milieus.
The approach introduced in this article will contribute to improved RA services that build on
a holistic understanding of not only reading materials but also readers and reading. Equipped
with the knowledge of the dynamics and mechanics of the reading process, readers’ advisors
will be able not only to ask more appropriate questions during the RA conversation but also
have a better developed and more organic frame to interpret the reader’s answers. Since
the suggested approach embraces both the knowledge of book characteristics and an understanding of the reading experience, reading behavior, and reading process, this article will be
valuable not only for librarians directly involved with reader services in both public and ac-
2. To be sure, this not a report on reading habits by immigrant readers, although it is a sample of immigrant avid
readers that provides empirical data for the current discussion. There are no culturally determined or immigration-specific
factors or responses included in theory building. Responses by the study participants with regard to appeal appear applicable irrespective of the ethnic and linguistic origin, which is further confirmed by the substantial similarity between
the findings of the current research and the findings of many other reader studies listed in the section “The Appeal and
Role of Reading.” A systematic comparison between the Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading introduced in this article
and the comprehensive model of seeking reading materials by Ross can be found in Dali ð2013bÞ. For the analysis of reading habits and behaviors of immigrant readers and the discussion of the role of reading in the process of immigrant acculturation, see Dali ð2012, 2013aÞ. For further discussion of the Russian-speaking reading community specifically, see also Dali
ð2005Þ.
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ademic libraries but also for other reference or public services librarians, reading scholars,
and LIS students.
It is beyond the scope of this article to develop a step-by-step methodology for the application of the suggested approach in both RA interactions and RA databases and print tools.
The current discussion is intended to set the stage and to provide a theoretical grounding
for such practical applications. It takes more than one relatively brief and contained journal
article to develop a theory and establish follow-up practices; “it will take a few years for a substantial body of professional and academic literature ½on the topic to emerge” ðDali 2013b,
490Þ. However, a number of practical suggestions that can be considered by educators teaching RA and implemented by readers’ advisors in the field are introduced and illustrated in
Dali ð2013bÞ.
The Current Approach to Appeal
To understand the concept of appeal as it exists in today’s theory and practice of RA, it is
imperative that we take a closer look at the two foundational works by Saricks, Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library ð2005Þ and Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction ð2009Þ. Saricks’s
invaluable work has guided the practice of RA for decades, and the argument presented in
this article by no means invalidates her views and contributions. By the same token, this article does not deny the usefulness of electronic RA databases and print tools that draw on
the logic of appeal. However, Saricks has never meant for her statements to be set in stone.
On the contrary, she concedes that her work is just “a beginning, a rudimentary listing of
possible elements” of appeal, and she invites ongoing contribution from other practitioners and researchers to developing and “articulating” appeal ðSaricks 2005, 44Þ.
In Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library, Saricks defines “the appeal of a book” as
“the elements of books to which a reader relates” ð2005, 42Þ. As transpires from Saricks’s argument, appeal is “the feel of a book,” a quality indicative of a book’s “effect on readers” ð40Þ.
Appeal is different from both the subject of a book and its plot summary; it is used “to expand on subject headings or basic plot summaries” and guide readers “beyond mere subjects
and plotlines” ð42Þ. Similarly, appeal and genre are two distinct categories, since books in the
same genre may feel different and thus have different appeal. Appeal, according to Saricks,
is an amalgam of pacing, characterization, story line, and frame ðsetting, atmosphere, background, tone, etc.Þ. This, in a nutshell, is Saricks’s book-centered vision of appeal, which is
logical and makes sense.
Consistent with her vision of appeal as attributes of books, Saricks does not include a
reader’s personal situation, personality, and needs in the notion of appeal. Yet she claims that
“readers’ advisors . . . measure books . . . by readers’ perceptions” ðSaricks 2005, 44Þ. Alluding to
earlier work by Duncan Smith ð1998Þ, Saricks contends that “readers bring their own background and experience to books; thus, they are not affected by the author’s prose in iden-
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tical ways” ð2005, 63Þ. This sounds like a fairly confident acknowledgement that appeal is
not only in the book but also in the reader.
Then how do we account for appeal associated with readers rather than with reading
matters, and what is the foundation to build upon in order to discern this appeal? This question can be approached in a number of different ways. One path, taken by the current article, is to use the hermeneutic analysis of empirical data collected from a sample of avid readers who emphasized appeal elements in the book and beyond the book when given a chance
to talk about books on their own terms. Other paths can be ð1Þ the detailed critical analysis
of Saricks’s writing, which discloses that, in and of itself, her theory has a great deal of unutilized potential to expand the notion of appeal; and ð2Þ the comparison between theories
of appeal and reading experience theories. These two paths are in the focus of a related paper
of mine ðDali 2013bÞ. All these approaches essentially marry appeal-related research with
a vast extant multidisciplinary scholarship on the experience of reading. While the knowledge of readers and reading behavior has always been seen as important in RA work, to date
it has been rendered as more of a background and a context to consider, not as part and parcel of appeal.
Historical Antecedents of the Revised Approach to Appeal
A brief excursion into the history of RA in North America allows for the identification of a
few salient examples that to some extent resonate with the propositions of the revised approach to appeal introduced in this article. To be sure, the RA experiences in question, temporally situated in the 1920s to the 1940s, were geared specifically toward elevating public tastes, self-education, and adult learning, mostly by means of composing individualized
plans for purposeful reading. These plans chiefly consisted of nonfiction and “good” books
of imaginative literature with invariable educational merit. The goals and mission of RA
since then have changed dramatically, of course, as today readers’ advisors encourage personal choices, support leisure and entertaining reading, and give equal respect to any kind of
reading material that readers find useful and interesting. However, the earlier RA practices
can still offer valuable insight for a renewed understanding of appeal, and especially for
eliciting the human element of appeal. For example, by creating an “informal-at-home atmosphere which invite½d the confidence of the patron,” the RA librarians of the Detroit
Public Library encouraged conversations that allowed readers to tell their reading history,
whereby readers could casually mention “seemingly beside-the-point experiences” ðHanson
1928, 286; also quoted in Dilevko and Magowan 2007, 90Þ. Readers’ stories could prove paramount in learning about them and in providing reading advice; facilitating the storytelling “mean½t a shuttering of any preconceived ideas of a strictly book dealing informational
job” ðHanson 1928, 286; also quoted in Dilevko and Magowan 2007, 90Þ. In the Cleveland
Public Library, the RA service had a distinct status and an allocated space made “to appear
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like a home library” ðSanderson 1939, 10; also quoted in Dilevko and Magowan 2007, 91Þ. During the RA interview, in “a friendly, inviting atmosphere” devoid of “noise, hurry and disorder,” through direct questions, personal observations, and active listening, readers’ advisors
gathered contextual background information about readers, including “probable age,” “formal schooling,” “interests and hobbies,” occupation, and favorite “books and magazines” ðSanderson 1939, 10, 12Þ. Jennie M. Flexner and Sigrid A. Edge of the New York Public Library
spoke of an RA model that did not “resembl½e the case investigation of social agencies” and
was characterized instead by “a sensitiveness to the dignity attaching to the individual and
his needs,” “a slowing up of the speedy processes, ½and a little change of accent from the
impersonal to the slightly personal” ðFlexner and Edge 1934, 55Þ. The authors ruminated on
the complexity of readers and reading requests, stressing the difficulty of precise reader categorization, which librarians encounter in an “attempt to learn why these readers came for
advice” ðFlexner and Edge 1934, 35Þ. They argue that “no statistics will ever disclose the human needs behind these requests—the unhappiness, lonesomeness, bewilderment, ambition and curiosity. . . . The more information gained from the reader about his tastes and
interests the more complex he becomes; ambition, real love of books, anxiety to keep up
with friends, vocational difficulties all play a part in the reasons for coming” ðFlexner and
Edge 1934, 36Þ.
This article does not promote the RA model whereby readers’ advisors spend hours
on building detailed and documented readers’ profiles. As noted above, the usefulness of the
earlier RA experiences is further limited by the fact that they unequivocally privileged the
education-bound and purposeful reading of serious literature. Nevertheless, the greatest value
of these experiences is in the keen attention devoted by librarians to reasons for reading
associated with readers and related to their personalities, private situations, and social environment. In this respect, the approach to appeal advocated herein draws on these valuable
historical lessons.
Discerning the Meaning of Appeal from Readers’ Responses
Description of the Study
To understand the appeal of reading, librarians listen to readers, as Saricks noted in both
her books ð2005, 2009Þ. However, in many cases, this listening occurs as part of professional
engagement and unsystematic, albeit extensive, observations. To complement these experiential observations, a systematic analysis of empirical data collected from a sample of avid
readers discussing appeal is introduced herein. Presented are the results of the qualitative
exploratory research, which demonstrate the two-dimensional nature of appeal. These results derive from the serendipitous and unexpected discovery that took place in the course
of the study designed to examine the role of leisure reading in the adaptation of immigrant
readers in a new country ðDali 2010; see also Dali 2012, 2013aÞ. The study, philosophically
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and epistemologically guided by hermeneutic phenomenology, focused on a sample of fourteen Russian-speaking avid immigrant readers currently residing in the Greater Toronto
Area. The data collection was carried out by means of in-depth qualitative interviews, preceded by background surveys and accompanied by other techniques directed at data triangulation and improving event recollection by participants ðDali 2010Þ.3 As part of the background self-administered survey, participants answered a succession of questions ðQsÞ related
to their reading habits ðsee appendix, available online, for the complete surveyÞ. Ambiguous
or incomplete answers were later discussed during the interview. Moreover, the survey requested that readers identify the ten most memorable books that they had read after immigration. The titles were deliberately termed memorable rather than important, influential, or
significant to prevent readers from choosing only the books that brought about a life-changing
experience. It was considered that the word memorable was less leading, that is, entailed less
chance of steering respondents in a direction consciously or unconsciously desired by the
researcher. The ten selected titles later composed the centerpiece of the interview.
The Appeal and Role of Reading
In the course of the analysis of data supplied by both interviews and surveys, an interesting
observation emerged. Answering Q24 ð“What are your reasons for leisure reading?” ½see appendix online for the complete surveyÞ, all of the readers cited multiple reasons for reading as
applicable to them. Personal reasons for reading included entertainment; escapism; pleasure;
relaxation; consolation, comfort, and reassurance; stimulating dreams and imagination; learning to forgive and to understand other people, specific situations, and events, and so forth;
recovering from negative life experiences; developing and defining self-identity; emotional
maturation; reliving the past; self-help; acquiring a new lifestyle and/or getting new perspectives on life; information; education; and “No reason, really. . . . I just like it.”4 Interpersonal
or social reasons for reading consisted of building functional relationships with others personally
and professionally; receiving peer-support through the printed word ð“I am not alone in my
experience”Þ; relating to ancestry and national and familial history; socialization and community participation; maintaining and raising sociocultural status; and finding role models.
At the same time, presented with an opportunity to talk about the ten most memorable
books in their own words during the interviews, readers did not always address these reasons. Frequently they simply shared their opinions about books, focusing on the language,
character development, themes, plots, and so on. In other words, they opted for discussing
books in terms of the criteria for book selection, chiefly captured by Q23 ð“When you select
3. This article is based on a subset of the author’s doctoral dissertation’s results. Only the parts of methodology
deemed relevant to the current discussion are described in detail. The full report ðDali 2010Þ may be consulted for a
detailed description of the study’s sample, quality control procedures, study documentation, and study instruments.
4. Unreferenced material in quotation marks comes from the study’s interviews.
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books for leisure reading, what are the main criteria for selection?” ½see appendix online for
the complete surveyÞ. Moreover, rhetorically claimed reasons for reading rarely served as a
basis for defining books as the most memorable. Selected as the most memorable were not
necessarily “the most important books” in readers’ lives; often these were the books that
simply “stayed in ½their memory” and “sprang to mind.” This discrepancy generated two
questions: ð1Þ What underlies book selection criteria and reasons for reading, respectively;
that is, what exactly do survey Q23 and Q24 measure? ð2Þ How are these two measures related to each other? These questions underscored the need for more accurate and specific
definitions of the concepts central to an understanding of leisure reading and its effect on
readers’ lives: the appeal and the role of books and reading.
Despite the fact that researchers employ different terminology, there is much similarity
in the findings of numerous studies investigating the relationship between reading and
readers. In their comprehensive overview monograph Why We Read and How Reading Transforms Us: The Psychology of Engagement with Text ð2006Þ, Nicola S. Schutte and John M. Malouff
discuss various reasons, incentives, and motivations for reading, including learning from
role models and experiencing life vicariously; excitement, entertainment, and satisfaction of
curiosity; self-determination, identity, and help with life choices; general well-being and contentment with life; and connecting to others and building social bonds, to name just a few.
They also examine the relationship between favorite texts and choices of specific genres,
on the one hand, and personality traits, on the other hand. Finally, they explore the notion
of emotional and cognitive involvement in the process of reading, which transforms the
reader and brings about both short- and long-term changes, including, but not limited to,
the altered state of consciousness, an improved understanding of others, new perspectives
on the world and life, an increased range of emotional and cognitive responses to events and
people, enhanced sensitivity and empathy, and developing and reaching goals. The authors
include a fascinating chapter on the possible negative changes ensuing from reading and present useful suggestions for maximizing benefits from reading. These suggestions rest on the
discussion of reading attitudes and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for reading.
Gordon A. Sabine and Patricia Sabine ð1983Þ, in a study sponsored by the Centre for the
Book in the Library of Congress, highlight the ways in which books make a difference in
readers’ lives. They talk about books reflecting the readers’ lives and mind-sets, providing encouragement and empowerment, allowing escape, inspiring careers, changing one’s outlook
on life, opening new perspectives, presenting role models, helping with personal choices, giving hope, and just making readers feel better.
In turn, Jackie Toyne and Bob Usherwood ð2001Þ employ a “combined qualitative methodological approach involving a social process audit, uses and gratification’s technique, and
reader response theory,” with the purpose “to establish a greater understanding of the function of the public library in providing a reading experience” ð2Þ. Based on “the views of the
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people who read fiction and other forms of imaginative literature borrowed from public
libraries” ð2Þ, they enumerate common reasons for reading: escape ðinto other worlds,
through associations or through aesthetic pleasureÞ; relaxation; a chance “to abandon the
here and now”; self-development, including personal insight and insight into other people’s
situations; and reading for instruction in order to gain some practical knowledge, acquire
or improve literacy skills, or learn about the world. They also discuss the significance of reading in readers’ lives, interrogating reading as a physiological or bodily function, the contribution of reading to the development of imagination, and reading as an attribute of identity.
Building on the in-depth and comprehensive analysis of 194 interviews with avid readers, Catherine Sheldrick Ross ð1999, 2001, 2006Þ creates a comprehensive model that reflects how readers choose books for leisure reading. Ross’s selection criteria are divided into
five inclusive categories and further subdivided into multiple elements: ð1Þ the reading experience wanted/the reader’s mood; ð2Þ alerting sources used by readers to gather information about books ðe.g., browsing, friends’ recommendations, reviews, advertisements, to
name just a fewÞ; ð3Þ elements of books that readers take into account in making a selection
ðe.g., subject, characters, settingsÞ, many of which closely mirror Saricks’s book appeal elements; ð4Þ clues on the book itself ðe.g., author, genre, coverÞ; and ð5Þ cost and time involved in gaining access to a book.
Some similar themes and ideas can be found, for example, in Nadine Rosenthal’s ð1995Þ
collection of interview-based readers’ stories, Speaking of Reading; Jim Burke’s ð1999Þ I Hear
America Reading, which recounts the letters with descriptions of reading experiences sent to
the author; and numerous other reading studies emanating from various disciplines, including but not limited to psychology, sociology, education, and LIS. The findings of the current
study, which operates with criteria for book selection and reasons for reading as key terms,
also echo the previous research.
Notwithstanding varying methodologies and approaches, different disciplinary perspectives, different groups of readers in the focus, and different terminology used to describe results, on close inspection, all of the aforementioned studies attempt to answer two questions: ð1Þ Why do people read? ð2Þ What do people read for? There is an essential difference
between these two questions, the first signifying the cause of reading, the reading stimulus
or prompt, and the second, its result or outcome. This difference exemplifies the distinction between the appeal and the role—two terms that frequently appear undefined or vague
in the LIS literature.
To redefine reading appeal in a meaningful way it is also essential that the book be reconceptualized. The book can be seen as a discrete physical object and a content carrier, in
which case Saricks’s definition of appeal applies. But it also can and should be seen as a
socially contextualized entity with a myriad of connections to individual readers and the social support infrastructure ðe.g., publishing, media, advertisement, libraries, bookstoresÞ,
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which give it life, which grant it meaning. If multiple connections are severed and the book
falls out of the social milieu—that is, it is not advertised, reviewed, promoted, sold, distributed, and eventually read—it ceases to exist. For the book conceived of as a socially
contextualized entity, Saricks’s definition of appeal will not suffice.
One of the definitions of appeal imparted by The Oxford English Dictionary Online is “attractive influence or power,” while Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus defines it
as “the power of arousing a sympathetic response” ½both emphases added.5 If these definitions
are applied to reading, appeal would mean the power to invoke interest in reading ðpowerÞ
and to set off an action of reading ðresponseÞ. In other words, appeal is the cause of leisure
reading. Respectively, the role, “a function or part performed especially in a particular operation or process,” is the meaningful functional outcome and the result of a reading action.6
The following argument builds on this definition.
Methodology of Interpretation
The hermeneutic analysis of interviews, in conjunction with preceding surveys, allows for
the elucidation of a complex relationship between the appeal and the role of reading. Although interpreting is frequently viewed as a separate step of the qualitative data process,
in this study, “data collection and analysis form½ed an integrated activity” ðMellon 1990, 24;
cited in Westbrook 1994, 245Þ. During the interview, readers and the study’s author negotiated and clarified meaning, and the author made a concerted, consistent effort to help the
readers make sense of their stories. At a later stage, transcribed interviews provided a chance
to find additional valuable meaning. Steinar Kvale’s five-step technique, efficient and congruous with phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis, was used for data organization and interpretation. It included condensation, categorization, narrative structuring, meaning interpretation, and ad hoc tactics for the generation of meaning ðKvale 1996, 188–204Þ. This five-step
technique was combined with guidelines and criteria for qualitative data analysis presented
by Michael Q. Patton ð1987, 144–64Þ.7 The interpretation of meaning followed the pattern of
the hermeneutical circle and adhered to the seven canons of hermeneutic interpretation ðKvale
1996, 46–51Þ. Kvale presents an excellent laconic definition of the hermeneutic circle: “The understanding of a text takes place through a process in which the meaning of the separate
parts is determined by the global meaning of the text, as it is anticipated. The closer determination of the meaning of the separate parts may eventually change the originally anticipated meaning of the totality, which again influences the meaning of the separate parts,
and so on” ð47Þ.
5. Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “appeal.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus, s.v. “appeal.”
6. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus, s.v. “role.”
7. Versions of the methodology description appear in other articles based on the same large study; see Dali ð2012,
2013aÞ.
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The Library Quarterly
The seven canons are these: ð1Þ “the continuous back and forth process between the parts
and the whole” that is viewed “as a circulus fructuosis, or spiral, which implies the possibility
of a continuously deepened understanding of meaning”; ð2Þ an end of interpretation at the
point of a “good Gestalt,” or “an inner unity of the text free of logical contradictions”; ð3Þ “the
testing of part interpretations against the global meaning of the text”; ð4Þ “the autonomy
of the text”; ð5Þ “knowledge about the theme of the text,” which ensures an interviewer’s sensitivity “to the nuances of meanings expressed and the different contexts”; ð6Þ presuppositions inherent in interpretations, that is, performing interpretations within “the tradition
of understanding ½a researcher lives in,” being aware of the effect of these presuppositions,
and making these presuppositions explicit; and ð7Þ the mark of “innovation and creativity . . .
ðevery understanding is a better understandingÞ” ðKvale 1996, 48–50; all emphases are in
the originalÞ. In compliance with these principles, all interview transcripts were read
through entirely to gain a general understanding and a feel of themes, trends, moods, and
opinions. A preliminary sketch of themes and their relationships and structures was created.
Then all the transcripts were read “vertically” as the author looked for the most salient characteristics of individual readers. This reading was followed by a few “horizontal,” or thematic, readings of the transcripts in order to elucidate themes and subthemes. Each new
thematic interpretation yielded verification against the whole of interview data and against
other individual interpretations in order to ensure the unity of meaning and to resolve possible contradictions. When the final report was deemed unified, coherent, and free of inner
discrepancies, a “good Gestalt” ðKvale 1996, 48Þ was established and the interpretation process stopped.
The following major themes with corresponding subthemes were considered for the
discernment and articulation of the concepts of appeal and role and their relationship: appeal
elements, the process of reading, and the role of reading. The components of each concept are listed
below.
1. Appeal elements: ðaÞ Book-related: type of book ðgenre, central themes, specific characters,
specific settings, specific seriesÞ; author ðspecific categories of authors, closeness of
an author’s logic to readers’ mind-set, personal favorites, reputation of an authorÞ;
publisher; writing style ðreading complexity and general tone, treatment of topics
and characters, quality of narrative, quality of translationÞ; informational value and
practical usefulness; amount of information about a book available prior to reading;
physical availability of an item, ease of access; language of presentation; and ðbÞ Readerdriven: curiosity; personal situation, needs, and mood at the moment; advice of
friends or specialists; overall popularity of a title/author/series.
2. The process of reading and the role of reading: ðaÞ prereading, ðbÞ reading proper, and
ðcÞ postreading.
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3. The role of reading: roles divided ðaÞ by reader’s perception into recognized and
unrecognized and ðbÞ by type into universal and specific for certain groups of
readers. All the roles further divided into ðcÞ psychological and instrumental.
The following section elaborates on these concepts and their interconnection.
Reading Appeal as a Two-Dimensional Concept
Distilled from the empirical data collected in the study, appeal emerges as a function of the
book-related appeal and the reader-driven appeal, that is, appeal related to readers and their social
environment. This validates and reinforces the need to use the term reading appeal in addition
to or in lieu of the term book appeal.
Book-Related Appeal
Compared to Saricks’s definition, book-related appeal, as it has emerged in this study, is much
broader and more inclusive; it encompasses not only appeal elements suggested by Saricks
but also many elements considered by Saricks as separate entities. One of the most significant
elements is a type of book, which involves not only the genre ðe.g., memoirs, classics, biographies, and mainstream fiction, or “books about life,” as readers called themÞ but also other
elements. Readers may be attracted by particular central themes, for example, immigration, erotica, or politics. They may look for a certain “life-reaffirming” outcome of dramatic events, “optimistic life energy and vitality,” or a common thread in the books from various genres ðe.g., “At
least I tried”Þ, and so on. Readers may become attached to specific characters ðe.g., Nero WolfeÞ
or be drawn to much broader categories of protagonists ðe.g., female protagonistsÞ. Specific
temporal or geographic settings, either familiar and easily identifiable or emerging as dreamy,
desired destinations, serve as yet another appeal element. The excitement and thrill of a new
encounter with recognizable and loved characters and favorite settings leads to an undeniable appeal of sequels and specific series.
The appeal of an author is important. Some readers clearly prefer and seek out books by
certain categories of authors, such as female writers, writers of a specific ethnic origin ðe.g.,
African American writersÞ, writers of a certain social status ðe.g., émigré writersÞ, and so on.
Some readers not only develop attachments to the broader categories of authors but also
cultivate their personal favorites, as illustrated by the following responses: “Bertrice Small is
my favorite romance author with settings in past centuries”; “If Grisham is translated, or
Süskind, or ½Dan Brown, or Pamuk, I will read their books with great pleasure, no matter
what they write”; “I read practically all books by ½Sidney Sheldon.”
Particularly appealing may be the closeness of the author’s logic to the reader’s mind-set, the
kind of internal harmony and fit between the writer’s words and the reader’s feelings. Readers may simply sense, for example, that a “woman writer writes more logically, more closely
to a feminine mind.” They may experience the sort of epiphany in the process of reading,
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as though their secret desires and inner thoughts, which were “dormant” “deep inside” and
never verbalized, have now been put in words and given life by the author: “I read this
book, and every word penetrated me so deeply, you know: ‘Oh, my, it’s so true, so true,
so true!’ ” A reputation and standing of an author in the literary world ðin addition to his or
her popularity with readersÞ constitutes another appeal element. As a result, not only do
readers tend to buy this author’s own works, they also trust the series and anthologies compiled or edited by this author and are willing to try the titles recommended and promoted
by him or her.
A similar appeal of reputability and trustworthiness is operational in the case of publishers. In addition, some readers associate production by certain publishers with appealing physical characteristics of books, such as the portable format, paper quality, typeset, and cover
design and colors. The same book issued by a different publisher with a different cover does
not feel or read exactly the same despite the identical content.
The writing style is a paramount appeal element. Readers seek out works with a certain
reading complexity and general tone, at times “serious and intellectually challenging” and at other
times “lighthearted and entertaining.” Realizing the mastery and greatness of classical literature, readers may not necessarily find it appealing because these books are too multilayered,
complex, and “difficult to read” and because they require “peace and quiet, and some spiritual serenity.”
The treatment of topics and characters is an extremely important appeal element, be it the
“stream of consciousness,” the absence of “shooting and bloody turf wars,” or the down-toearth, matter-of-fact approach: “I like it leveled. Like the life goes.” A memorable, special,
and unique way of portraying protagonists can be equally appealing ðor unappealing, for
that matterÞ: “He writes Mr. X. . . . He delineates specific characteristics that become absolutely understandable to you. It no longer matters to you whether this Mr. X has a family; what his name is; what color his eyes are; and how he dresses. . . . To me, it was kind
of a surprise: how can you possibly write 400 pages without a single brush touch on one’s
eyes, one’s face, etc.? All in all, quite fascinating.”
The quality of narrative—“sophistication, sincerity, professionalism in writing, and an intriguing plot”—has also emerged as a major appeal element. Interestingly, the plot is perceived as part and parcel of a narrative that determines its quality or a lack thereof. Some
people like books that are “easily swallowed” and “so captivating that you cannot put ½them
away. . . . It works like a magnet, and you get hooked.” Other readers are drawn to books
that are written “in life-like” “succulent language, presenting a lucid, reflective, polished human thought” and that are free of “scientific jargon.” It is crucial that readers can relate to
“the aesthetics of ½the language” and the “sentence structure and style”; otherwise, the
book rings “alien.” Equally unattractive are “monotonous, boring” books with an “awkward,
verbose, and watery” narrative style. For those who read books in translation, the quality of
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translation, undeniably, constitutes a crucial appeal element. Avid, experienced readers can
detect and reject “literal translations” that “completely succumb to readers’ demands.” Instead, they will be looking for “deft translation, ½in which the reader can feel the style”
and “the original author’s language.” This is how one reader reflected on the translation of
a few books by Orhan Pamuk: “Very effortless translation. Even not knowing the Turkish
language, not knowing much about the life and history of Turkey, you can really relate to
what the author is talking about.”
If the book is conceived of as a socially contextualized entity, then it has to be assumed
that its appeal is born even before the reader gets hold of the actual physical or electronic
item. The appeal is delivered through mass media and other sources conveying information about the item to the reader. It is not surprising therefore that the amount of information about the book available prior to reading was listed by readers as an appeal element. If there
are multiple mentions of the title and plentiful descriptive and evaluative information about
it, the book is more likely to become appealing and eventually be chosen for reading.
The informational value and practical usefulness of the book has been noted as an appeal
element in the current research as well. While reading fiction books, readers learned about
medieval Paris ðPerfume: The Story of a MurdererÞ; the history of Turkey, its politics, social life,
and religious tensions ðbooks by Orhan PamukÞ; Japan and the life of geishas ðMemoirs of a
GeishaÞ; and the turning points in American history and the history of the American South
ðGone with the WindÞ. Some fiction books, such as Dan Brown’s novels, served as a sort of
travel guide. Readers accounted for the usefulness of books in helping them to get through
a monotonous factory work shift, to improve their English-language skills, and to learn about
a new city where they assumed residence. Some previous reading studies also focused on
the informational value of leisure reading, most notably Rosenthal ð1995Þ and Ross ð1999,
2004Þ.
An interesting appeal element is the physical availability of an item and the ease of access,
which can be illustrated by the example of a vacationing reader. If an individual does not
own an e-reader, which can hold numerous titles, he or she will likely go on vacation carrying only a book or two in his or her limited-weight luggage. In the course of two days, the
books are read, and the reader falls into an anxious state of reading thirst. Suppose the hotel
resort where the reader has landed houses a random collection of books that he or she
would not ordinarily read. Yet, under the circumstances, these titles will look awfully appealing. To paraphrase one of the readers who took part in the study, we are not always what
we read because, occasionally, people read something completely out of character, simply because it is available and constitutes the only reading choice. Conversely, difficulty getting a
desired title could become a major appeal element. A reader may hear about a thoughtprovoking and quirky book that had a really small print run and get word that someone
out there has already bought or read it. And yet the reader in question cannot gain access
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to it. The pull of the unattainable: some readers will move mountains to locate the desired
title.
Finally, for those who read in more than one language, the language of presentation is
an appeal ðor nonappealÞ element. If reading is done with a purpose to improve a reader’s
knowledge of a foreign language or to read an original of the title previously read in translation, the foreign language becomes appealing. Reading in the native language will be appealing mostly due to the desired emotional response and often regardless of the quality and
type of books, especially when it comes to humorous and satirical literature, religious and
spiritual titles, or light entertainment and self-help ðsee also Dali 2012, 2013aÞ.
Reader-Driven Appeal
In the constellation of reader-driven appeal elements, the most crucial one is curiosity. Curiosity drives people to read about the lives of celebrities, foreign cultures, food establishments,
politics, fashion, and practically any imaginable topic. Curiosity is probably one of the most
universal sources to invoke interest in reading and set off an action of reading, which is the
definition of appeal advocated in this article. Curiosity applies not only to topics, facts, events,
and personalities; readers may pick up a book merely to satisfy their curiosity “about what
people write these days and what’s being published.” Curiosity about how much is remembered after many years, whether the same book feels different, and whether it has the same
effect on the reader is a significant appeal of rereading. Notably, Schutte and Malouff ð2006Þ
also highlighted curiosity as a driving force for reading.
Readers’ personal situations, needs, and mood at the moment are a powerful appeal element that
has appeared in many previous studies under different names: needs, reasons, motivation,
and so on ðsee “The Appeal and Role of Reading” sectionÞ. At times, readers feel like “something more familiar,” “something light, something that ½they could . . . put away and . . . later
on pick up again and start reading from any spot.” Other times “they encounter the situation that prompts ½them to read about jealousy or intrigue, education or the human evil.”
There is a book for every mood, as this romance reader recounts: “I pick up a book depending on my mood. When I feel like relaxing but not going too deep into the book, I pick
up Sandra Brown. When my heart is aching for something and my soul is restless, then I pick
up Danielle Steel.”
Another source that invokes interest in reading and thus produces appeal is the advice
of friends or specialists, such as librarians or teachers. Finally, the overall popularity of a title, author,
or series is a strong socially determined appeal element. If a book is promoted by major review sources and media personalities, such as Oprah Winfrey and the New York Times Book
Review, and flashes its cover at readers from numerous web sites, book stands, and bookstore displays, it will surely hook the reader. If many people around the reader—known
and unknown—actively talk about this book, reading it becomes practically inevitable, if
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only to gain awareness of its content and to avoid awkward social situations wherein
“everyone discusses it, and you have no clue what it is.” “If many people have read ½the
book and discuss it, ½other readers may want to read it too. It does not mean that ½they
will necessarily like it.” This reader-driven appeal element is different from the aforementioned book-related appeal element called the amount of information about the book available
prior to reading, which encapsulates the reader’s exposure to sufficient informative material
about the title and implies an informed decision by the reader about reading or not reading
the title in question. In the context of the overall popularity of a title, author, or series as an appeal element, the reader is faced with the social hype about the title and significant social
expectations or social pressure for reading this title, whereas he or she may not necessarily invest in acquiring much descriptive or evaluative information about the title. These
two elements undoubtedly bleed and blur into each other and probably appear as the least
clear and most debatable. In fact, a valid argument can be made for inverted categorization, that is, considering the overall popularity of the book as a book-driven appeal element
and the amount of information about the book as a reader-driven appeal element. However,
the chosen categorization of these elements remains as close as possible to the interpretation provided by the study participants and as true as possible to their logic and the distinction they made. Moreover, the suggested distinction can help readers’ advisors to tell the
reader who bases his or her reading choices on careful research from the reader who is willing to try anything popular and famous.
The Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading
Appeal is an integral part of the reading process, organically connected with the temporal
stages of reading and other attributes of reading discussed earlier, such as the role of reading. To elucidate this connection, the Temporal-Dynamic Model was created. It rests on the
analyzed survey and interview data. Temporally and dynamically, leisure reading emerges as a
three-stage process: prereading, reading proper, and postreading. At the prereading stage, confronted
with the decision on what to read next and what book to select from a plethora of available
options, readers, first and foremost, consider the anticipated effect of reading, as illustrated by
the following examples:
Sometimes, you get in a sad mood . . . nostalgic, let’s say. . . . And you know that if you
opened novelettes by O. Henry, it would do the trick. Although sometimes, they have
a shade of heartache, they still leave a glowing impression. For me it’s like a sure cure.
Well, that’s basically what happens when you read classics: you always get something out of it, something for yourself, some conclusions for your life and future.
But when you read ½humorous detective stories, it just goes in and out.
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It is the anticipated effects of reading, often referred to as reasons for reading, that are
captured by survey Q24 ð“What are your reasons for leisure reading?” ½see the online appendix for the complete surveyÞ. Readers may anticipate to be entertained, “to have some
good giggle before the night time,” to discover interesting factoids they have been curious
about, to cope with depressive moods, to get advice on healthy living, to make it through
a monotonous work shift, to drive away insomnia, to catch up on something that everyone
else is reading, and so forth. Of course, readers may anticipate more than one effect from
the same book.
An anticipated effect may or may not materialize at the stage of reading proper; a fulfilled and materialized anticipation translates into a role that reading plays, that is, into the
meaningful functional outcome of reading; an unfulfilled anticipation means that no role
is played by reading. Nevertheless, it is difficult to think of a situation in which a book does
not play any role at all. A role does not have to be rendered only as a dramatic, life-altering
change in the reader’s life or consciousness; it can be relatively small-scale, routine, and mundane. At the postreading stage, a role can be established as long as the process of reading is
functional and serves some purpose. It can be as simple as diffusing boredom in the sluggish afternoon hour or killing time waiting at the doctor’s office. Viewed through this lens,
every instance of reading plays some role.
The anticipated effect of reading is mediated by reading appeal, as previously defined.
Usually, a few interconnected appeal elements are at play simultaneously when the decision about reading a particular book is made. Choosing a book, readers often examine the
actual text or physical item, trying “to determine its style and quality and to guess its basic
plotlines by the blurbs on the back cover” ðthe book-related appealÞ; they pay attention
to what is “watched or read or talked about by others,” while pondering the question of
“how acceptable it is for them personally” ðthe reader-driven appealÞ. The answer, of course,
depends on “their personality, mood, and time available” ðthe reader-driven appealÞ. It can
be argued that appeal is always present in reading decision making. Even when a reader
claims to have come across a title “by chance” or to have picked it up “totally at random,”
there is always at least one appeal element that prompted him or her to make the final decision. It could be a recommendation from a friend ðthe reader-driven appealÞ, it could be
a lack of an alternative that made a particular title appealing under the circumstances
ðthe book-related appealÞ, or it could be a catchy cover ðthe book-related appealÞ or a successful advertising pitch ðthe reader-driven appealÞ. In any case, no reading choice is ever
“by chance.”
Not every appeal exists before the actual reading; certain appeal elements appear in
the process of reading and are often cited by readers in the description and explanation of
what they liked about a book. Similarly, not every effect can be anticipated. Many books,
picked for totally different reasons, surprise the reader for good or for bad and may play a
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role very different from the anticipated one. Nevertheless, as the study shows, the process
of reading cannot be initiated without some anticipated effect in the reader’s mind, which
necessarily relies on at least one appeal element. Two examples, presented in table 1, demonstrate the link between the appeal and the role in practical terms.
A role of reading or of a book may or may not be recognized as such by readers themselves, which was very obvious in the course of this study. A total of 137 “most memorable”
books were meaningfully discussed during the fourteen interviews, and only in sixty-four
instances did readers identify and verbalize specific roles that books and reading played in
their lives. In nineteen more cases, the role of reading was implied by readers and discerned
from the subsequent analysis of interview transcripts. In the fifty-four remaining cases, readers
merely discussed their choices in terms of appeal elements that made them like or dislike a
book or an author and enjoy or drop the reading of a particular title. Such functions of reading
as relaxation, pleasure, escaping to a world of fantasy, entertainment, and distraction, to
name just a few, were not normally recognized as roles by readers, although, as argued here,
all these can be tangible, legitimate roles that leisure reading plays.
The roles of reading can be divided into universal, found in any reading population, and
specific, unique to specific reading audiences ðe.g., immigrants,8 teenagers, groups of professionals, elderly readers, readers with health limitationsÞ. Figure 1 provides a visual representation of the relationship between the appeal and the role of reading and connects the
temporal stages of reading—prereading, reading proper, and postreading—to the complex
dynamics that take place at every stage and involve appeal elements and roles of reading.
In other words, figure 1 is a visualization of the Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading described in this section.
In sum, the presented reconceptualization of reading appeal is different from Saricks’s
traditional definition of appeal in a number of ways. First, it brings the reader into the equation, accounting for reader-driven appeal. This step is paramount for the practice of RA and for
the understanding of not only what people read but also why they choose to read certain
things. The answer to these what- and why-questions is not always in the features of the
book or other reading matter. For instance, there are readers who appear not to have firmly
established reading tastes or attachments to particular genres or authors and whose tastes
are very eclectic. Seemingly, there is no logic, system, or consistency in how they choose leisure reading material. A more in-depth investigation, however, may reveal that the only common denominator to all the titles they read is the fact that the titles are popular with their
friends and widely discussed in the media. These readers read in order to stay socially included and connected and are attracted by the potential socializing effect of reading rather
than particular qualities of individual books. Under these circumstances, it would be futile
8. For examples and discussion of immigration-specific roles, see Dali ð2013aÞ.
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Table 1. Relationships between Reading Appeal and the Role of Reading
Example 1
Anticipated effect
Possible mediating
appeals
Role
“I know when I start reading,
I’ll be transported into a
different world far away from my
problems.”
• A particular author who is loved
ðbook-relatedÞ
• A captivating historical setting
ðbook-relatedÞ
• A book is part of the well-known
series that has never left the
reader disappointed
ðbook-relatedÞ
• A particular mood or life situation
ðreader-drivenÞ
Escapism, relaxation, distraction
ðoften not recognized by readers
as “a role” per seÞ
Example 2
“I will learn how to cleanse
my body of harmful fats,
and I will feel better.”
• A genre ða nonfiction
book on diet and fat flushÞ
ðbook-relatedÞ
• A reputable, familiar author
ðbook-relatedÞ
• A recommendation from a
friend who has applied the
book’s advice and feels great
ðreader-drivenÞ
Healthier lifestyle and
improved physical well-being
ðoften recognized by readers
as “a role”Þ
to look for appeal in book characteristics because the appeal is in the reader’s psychological state and social situation. From a different angle, based on the reader’s perception, bookrelated appeal emerges as a much broader and more inclusive concept than that presented
by Saricks; it encompasses not only themes, genres, authors, and publishers, among others,
but also a broad array of social connections created by books and other reading matters.
When discussing appeal, readers do not differentiate between intangible/abstract ðe.g., mood,
atmosphere, toneÞ and concrete/objective ðe.g., genre, subjectÞ characteristics of books. All
of these elements constitute equally valuable appeal in the reader’s terms.
The Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading is an accommodating, integrated model that
brings together multiple elements of the reading process, involves both readers and reading
matters, and explicates the relationship between reading appeal and the role of reading. It
accounts for both book-related and reader-driven appeal elements and reflects the temporal changes and evolving nature of reading. Visually accessible and clearly laid out, the
model presents the process of reading effectively and highlights the ways in which leisure reading works from the moment the reader decides that he or she wants to read
something until the book is finished. Readers’ advisors should be sensitized to the nuances of descriptions of reading experiences provided by readers who seek reading advice.
For example, when readers talk about a book being important or influential or about a
book playing a role in their lives, it does not necessarily mean that they “liked” the book.
Perhaps, it just served a purpose or was instrumental but was not necessarily enjoyed. In
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Figure 1. Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading
this sense, a clear definition of the role of reading presented herein and its relationship to
reading appeal and the process of reading should be useful for readers’ advisors.
Discussion
In a departure from Saricks’s established definition of appeal as “a feel of a book and elements of books, to which the reader can relate,” this article, based on the critical analysis of
data empirically collected from a sample of avid readers, conceptualizes the book as a socially contextualized entity and casts the notion of appeal in a new light. These data bring
forth the readers’ interpretation, understanding, and articulation of reading appeal. As a
result, reading appeal emerges as a two-dimensional concept—a function of both bookrelated and reader-driven appeal elements.
Compared to Saricks’s concept of appeal, which has been prevalent in the field of RA
for many years, the newly proposed concept of reading appeal has both advantages and
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shortcomings. While Saricks’s definition of appeal was developed specifically for books, the
concept of reading appeal, due to its inclusivity and flexibility, can be applied to any type of
reading and leisure materials: online publications, periodicals, and audio-visual productions,
to name just a few. Unlike Saricks’s concept, which focuses specifically on book characteristics and captures appeal only partially, reading appeal accounts for both book-related and
reader-driven appeal elements, thus presenting a more panoramic and holistic vision of appeal. In Saricks’s definition, book appeal is limited to pacing, characterization, story line, and
frame ðsetting, atmosphere, background, tone, etc.Þ, whereas the proposed definition of bookrelated appeal is multidimensional and more inclusive and comprehensive.
From a different angle, since Saricks’s definition is related to book characteristics, it can
be easily incorporated into textbooks and workshops; it lends itself to a clear visual presentation and thus can be explained and taught in a fairly straightforward fashion. Mastering
reading appeal, in contrast, requires longer periods of training for readers’ advisors and more
involved teaching modules, such as onsite interactive workshops, reflective exercises, creative
activities, and role-playing. In the course of the RA interactions, Saricks’s appeal elements
can be discerned by asking fairly standardized questions; as a result, shorter and less extensive training for readers’ advisors may suffice. In contrast, maintaining a conversation that
will elucidate the less tangible reader-driven appeal demands a great deal of artistry, sophistication, and flexibility on the part of readers’ advisors; as such, more extensive education and
training are called for.
The practical application of Saricks’s concept implies the knowledge of reading matters,
whereas the implementation of reading appeal in professional practice necessitates some
knowledge of reader psychology and reading behavior in addition to knowledge of reading materials. By the same token, Saricks’s appeal elements can be easily integrated into
the RA tools ðincluding print materials and electronic databasesÞ for the purpose of information retrieval. The use of socially dependent book-related appeal elements and readerdriven appeal elements for searching and retrieval of reading materials is more problematic, although not impossible. In general, reading appeal does not lend itself to automation
as easily as the traditionally defined book appeal and requires flexibility and sophistication on
the part of the human readers’ advisor. Despite the fact that reading appeal is more timeconsuming and labor-intensive to master, it can bring the undeniable merit of new and
improved RA.
Conclusion
The central conclusions reached in this article are as follows:
1. The term book appeal should be replaced with the term reading appeal.
2. Reading appeal is defined as the power to invoke interest in reading and to set off an action
of reading.
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3. Reading appeal is a two-dimensional concept—a function of book-related and readerdriven appeal elements.
4. The scope of book-related appeal should be broadened from that outlined by Saricks;
it should encompass the many components not considered to be appeal elements by Saricks,
including, but not limited to, subjects, plot summaries, themes, genres, authors, and publishers.
5. Based on readers’ views, book-related appeal consists of ðaÞ type of book ðgenre, central
themes, specific characters, specific settings, specific seriesÞ; ðbÞ author ðspecific categories of
authors, closeness of an author’s logic to reader’s mind-set, personal favorites, reputation of
an authorÞ; ðcÞ publisher; ðdÞ writing style ðreading complexity and general tone, treatment
of topics and characters, quality of narrative, quality of translationÞ; ðeÞ informational value
and practical usefulness; ð f Þ amount of information about a book available prior to reading;
ðgÞ physical availability of an item, ease of access; and ðhÞ language of presentation.
6. Based on readers’ views, reader-driven appeal consists of ðaÞ curiosity; ðbÞ personal
situation, needs, and mood at the moment; ðcÞ advice of friends or specialists; and ðdÞ overall
popularity of a title/author/series.
7. The broad and inclusive definition of reading appeal allows for the identification of the
appeal of any kind of reading and leisure material, not only books.
8. Appeal elements are not static qualities of reading materials but an integral part of the
reading experience and the reading process.
9. Temporally, the reading process consists of three stages: prereading, reading proper,
and postreading, with appeal elements mediating the reading experience at each stage.
10. The role of reading is the meaningful functional outcome and result of reading.
11. An understanding of the relationship between the role of reading and reading appeal
is paramount for an understanding of the reading process, the reading experience, and the
provision of readers’ advisory.
12. The Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading explicates this relationship and presents
it visually.
Building on empirically collected readers’ opinions, this article has fleshed out the concepts of reading appeal and the role of reading and has traced the link between the notions
of the anticipated effect, appeal, and role of reading. These concepts, central to the study of
the reading experience and commonly employed in reader studies, are rarely clearly defined
in the research literature. This article also situates appeal as a point of connection between
reading scholarship and RA research. Consequently, the contributions made by this article to
the theory and practice of readers’ advisory will be of interest to library practitioners, reading scholars, LIS students, and, particularly, those directly involved with RA. The findings,
conclusions, and model presented herein should help readers’ advisors become more attuned to the complexity of the reading experience and to the intricacy of the notion of ap-
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peal. Equipped with an improved knowledge and understanding of readers, they will have a
better chance of offering meaningful reading advice.
Contrary to Saricks’s statement that “the ability to listen to what an individual reader
enjoyed and to translate those comments into appeal allows us to work with a wide variety
of readers without delving deeply into their reading background or personal details” ð2005,
63Þ, this article advocates greater familiarity with the reader’s reading experience and personality, doing so without violating professional boundaries and endangering the reader’s
privacy and personal space. Discussing how to discover the reader’s history without overstepping professional boundaries, providing specific training and educational guidance, and
laying out a step-by-step application of reading appeal in practice are beyond the scope of
this article and a topic of another publication ðDali 2013bÞ.
Some may argue that the presented vision of RA is impractical in a busy public library
and that the needed staff training may be a daunting and time-consuming task. Even more
harshly, some may also claim that overworked, multitasking public librarians may be unwilling to expend extra energy on RA activities. However, the same argument can be applied to
any area of library work that requires serious improvement and rethinking, not only RA but
also reference, information literacy, outreach, and technological upgrades, to name just a few.
If the attitude of complacency is indeed adopted by librarians, then a real change and a tangible improvement in RA services will never come. Then libraries will have to concede, “however unwillingly,” that they do “not provide RA services but, rather, ready reference information about fiction and narrative nonfiction to read for leisure” ðDali 2013bÞ. Yet the
author absolutely does not believe that this will be a widespread attitude of public librarians. The scores of enthusiastic future librarians, avid readers, creative thinkers, and committed literacy advocates in the author’s classes on reading and RA every year boost her
optimism, as do many caring readers’ advisors who are willing to try new things and who
are engaged in continuous professional development. Moreover, steps are being made to
provide practicing librarians with specific suggestions for the application of the new type
of RA, including the employment of specific interview techniques ðDali 2013bÞ, and these
efforts will continue.
In a similar vein, some may contend that readers have neither the time nor the interest
in sharing their readers’ histories and having a lengthy engagement with readers’ advisors.
It may certainly apply in some cases; we do see rushed and stressed readers pressed for time.
It is also possible to imagine that an encounter with a passionless and hurried librarian can
discourage readers from an enjoyable and fruitful RA conversation. By and large, the above
statement about readers is just a conjecture, a guess and an impression; there is no proof
that it characterizes the majority of readers. There is no empirical support to the fact that
most readers are in the rush to get out of the library, especially when it comes to something as favored, cherished, and fascinating as leisure reading. In truth, there is no direct em-
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pirical support to the contrary either. However, numerous reading studies, some of which
are mentioned in this article, and the proliferation of reading-based social networking, book
groups, and book clubs are an excellent indication that readers are very much keen on social interactions around reading and reading matters. This inspires a fair degree of confidence
that readers are likely to be interested in deeper and lengthier interactions with readers’
advisors and that if the latter wish to become and remain active participants of the vibrant
reading milieu, which at present stretches way beyond the library walls, they will engage
with readers on a more in-depth and meaningful level.9
There are obvious signs that some libraries do consider such engagement important.
Even the web-based RA forms mentioned in the introduction reach beyond the predefined
appeal-based categories and collect less specific and less structured information. For example, the Williamsburg Regional Library ðn.d.Þ form inquires about the reading history, inviting the readers to mention the authors they like or dislike and to explain their feelings
about these writers. The Salt Lake County Library ð2012aÞ form poses an even more openended question: “Please tell us anything else you want us to know about your reading preferences.” The inclusion of such questions in online RA forms further invalidates the
argument about the lack of staff time and enthusiasm for RA and about the burden of additional RA training. If librarians can budget in the time to read, interpret, and analyze
reader responses in online RA forms, if they are able to engage in back-and-forth correspondence with readers, why can they not carry out the same practices on site and in person? Compared with an online form, a face-to-face interaction will have all the advantages
that an interview has over a survey and allow for developing rapport, clarifying expectations, achieving better understanding, and making more accurate interpretations and, as a
result, more satisfactory reading suggestions. A face-to-face RA interaction will also introduce
a much needed conversational element and flexibility into the process, whereas a static webbased form will always convey a feel of formal questioning.10
Reading is not a straightforward stimulus–response interaction between a reader and
a book; nor is the RA interaction or the practice of RA in general. RA must reflect the nuanced and evolved nature of the reading experience, its temporal, dynamic, personal, psychological, and social dimensions. The road to mastering the complex notion of appeal and
developing an understanding or the reading experience is neither easy nor quick. It not only
requires the knowledge of book characteristics, genres, and authors but also necessitates
an understanding of reading behavior, reading experience, and, most important, the reader
and his or her psychological and social situation. In practical terms, it calls for more than
9. This and the preceding paragraphs were written in response to the comments kindly offered by the article’s
anonymous reviewers, not in reaction to the views expressed in any particular publication.
10. That is not to suggest that the practice of online form-based RA is faulty; this practice should continue in order
to broaden the reach of RA. That is to say, every mode of RA has its strengths and weaknesses, and there is always
room for improvement.
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a single RA course on fiction and nonfiction genres taken as part of the LIS degree; other
courses on reading, taken in or outside of the program, are absolutely crucial. These courses
should address the social context of reading, the psychology of reading, the nature of the
reading experience, and the interdisciplinary study of reading, involving research from education, sociology, literary studies, and so forth. In addition, trainings and workshops that
help readers’ advisors translate their theoretical knowledge of the reading experience and
readers into the practical skill of effectively handling RA interactions are necessary.
To be sure, once the relevant information about not only reading matters but also the
readers is collected, readers’ advisors will take advantage of the great research and retrieval
capabilities of electronic RA databases, social networking sites, and print tools. In today’s
overwhelming world of print and multimedia output, it is imperative that we tap into a wide,
well-organized repository of knowledge about fiction, nonfiction, and cinematic and audio
production. However, boosted by the knowledge and understanding of readers and readers’
situations, the executed searches will be completely different and result in a different set of
suggestions.
It is hoped that this article will provide a start for a lively discussion on the future of
RA. While fully acknowledging the validity and practical usefulness of the existing approaches
to RA, it nevertheless makes a concerted effort to raise awareness that the practices and
concepts that have held for decades should be revisited, reconsidered, and broadened in the
light of new developments in both reading scholarship and RA in libraries.
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Keren Dali: assistant professor at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto. Her published
work includes peer-reviewed authored and coauthored articles in the Journal of Academic Librarianship, Library and Information Science Research, Library Resources and Technical Services, College and
Research Libraries, New Library World, Reference Librarian, and International Information and Library
Review, among others. She is also a coauthor ðwith Juris Dilevko and Glenda GarbuttÞ of Contemporary World Fiction: A Guide to Literature in Translation. Dali teaches courses on reading theories and
practices, international perspectives on reading, readers’ advisory, global information and culture, reference services, collection development, and the foundations of LIS. E-mail: [email protected].
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