Library Teaching Readers To Use New Database.

Bookworms in the Keweenaw Peninsula will soon have a suggested list of reading material to choose from. The Portage Lake District Library is implementing software called “Novelist”.. that will make suggestions based on a reader’s likings.

‘Novelist is the library’s reader recommendation database that our patrons can use to find what the website calls read-a-likes. So they can input authors titles or series that they’ve enjoyed. And the database will recommend them other authors or books that they might like’, says Dillon Geshel, Library Director.

Geshel says that the database also comes with book discussion guides and would be a good tool for teachers, and class room applications as it will help build lesson plans.

‘The database also syncs with Good Reads which allows our users to read reviews of the books, once they find them in the Novelist catalog and there’s also a click through link for every novelist item to the library’s catalog, so if they find a book that sounds interesting to them they can actually link to the library’s catalog and see if it’s available there.’

Geshel will be hosting two tutorials at the library this month teaching people how to use the resource.

‘We’re encouraging patrons to bring their computers or tablets so they can follow along, but they don’t have to do that, they can just show up and listen.’

Both tutorials are free and take place on Wednesday January. The first is at 1:00 pm, and the second at 6:00.