Often, the path you end up on in life is meandering rather than direct. Basia Wilson is a published and award-winning poet and a literary magazine editor from South Jersey. Now one of NoveList's valued BookChat Specialists, she found the job via pit stops as an independent bookseller and library circulation assistant.
"It was a really dynamic kind of job," says Basia about her time working at a bookstore. "There's a lot of customers in and out with all kinds of very specific needs, just like at the library. There's a great deal of overlap between the two kinds of fields."
Basia started working at the library a few months before the pandemic, so she and a few of her colleagues worked together to start the first form-based readers’ advisory (RA) program at that library, which allows readers to fill out a short form to get recommendations for books to read.
"I became familiar with NoveList because of doing form-based RA service and finding books based on what words customers used to describe what they wanted," remembers Basia.
Basia credits doing her work in the library for giving her the confidence she needs to make top-notch recommendations.
"The readers' advisory program helped me focus on the nitty gritty of what a reader wants out of a book," explains Basia "Readers are drawn to certain themes, elements, or genres, but they may not say it that way. Helping a reader put words to their wants is what allows you to make meaningful recommendations for them."
Her fondest memories in the library are of helping kids on book release days when they would anticipate getting the latest Dogman or Dairy of a Wimpy Kid title.
"I remember one kid came in, and they were so excited about getting the new title that they said, 'I'm so ready for the new book I could punch myself in the face,'" laughs Basia. "Hearing this unbridled enthusiasm from children was one of the best parts of a library job."
After leaving the bookstore and the library, Basia was looking for remote work opportunities and found a job at NoveList writing recommendations for the database. She then received an invitation to apply for a BookChat role.
"Writing those read-alikes is definitely a primer for the work that BookChat entails in terms of identifying the key traits of a book and trying to pinpoint what kind of reader would be interested in it," explains Basia.
Basia considers making recommendations for BookChat the best of both worlds when compared to form-based readers' advisory (RA).
"Form-based RA involves doing research, and you have the luxury of looking up a title in NoveList or another electronic tool that can guide you in choosing books," says Basia "At the same time, with BookChat you are giving real-time recommendations like you would in person. You are there with the person digitally, but still have the database as a tool."
Making the best recommendations means taking risks
When asked about the biggest challenge, Basia highlights the need to take risks and be patient if you don't get it right the first time.
"There's always the chance that a reader may not be interested in the kinds of titles you might start out offering, and that's always a sign that you need to dig a little bit deeper into what it is that they're looking for," advises Basia "And then, of course, you might have a reader who is really prolific, and they’ve read everything you are suggesting. It's important to be able to take those kinds of risks and think outside of the box of your own expertise if needed. But you have to start by taking a shot and suggesting something."
One of her favorite chat interactions involved a patron who was looking for books for a young reader that illustrated the concept of figurative language.
"That was an unexpected request that threw me for a curve," remembers Basia. "But I ended up going with poetry books for kids because they're illustrated, humorous, fun, and accessible to young readers. We had a lot of fun digging into titles that had a lot of wordplay and puns."
One chatter asked for books like The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and it didn't hurt that Basia took a class on 1950s literature with a reading list full of other titles about mental health that matched nicely with that title. Basia feels that the value of BookChat is in the variety of people who work behind the virtual desk.
"Readers can be very unique, and their needs can vary so widely," explains Basia. "It's beneficial to have a support team that also has a wide range of expertise. BookChat is like a brain power boost, if you will, because suddenly you have support that might be far out of your own field of knowledge or your own expertise right at your fingertips."
BookChat is available as an add-on to NoveList Plus. If you’re not familiar with BookChat or have yet to see it in action, click below to get more info.
