Readers' Advisory Competencies

A framework for readers' advisory work in libraries

Competencies

May 2026

How to Use this Document

These competencies are intended to:

Support individual professional growth
Guide organizational training and expectations
Provide a shared vocabulary for readers’ advisory work

Local contexts vary widely, and these competencies are not intended as a rigid template. Individuals and/or libraries should adapt competencies to reflect their unique needs and organizational structure. For example, a staff member whose work is primarily with young children might think about ways that the relational advisory competency can be adapted to conversations with caregivers, or how the story knowledge competency can be centered on early literacy reading.

Please note that the competencies may be updated as new information becomes available. In that case, the date at the top will be updated.

Introduction

Modern readers’ advisory is a relationship driven practice that positions every library staff member as a catalyst for patrons’ deeper engagement with reading and with the library. This document outlines the core competencies with levels of expertise that support this approach, offering clear guidance for training pathways, performance expectations, and organizational practices that make readers’ advisory genuinely part of everyone’s role. When libraries inspire and nurture a lifelong love of reading, they lay out the groundwork for a community with stronger critical thinking, greater empathy, and more active civic participation. By intentionally building a culture of advisory services, libraries elevate the patron experience, strengthen their communities, and deliver an impact that lasts far beyond a single interaction.

Overview of Skill Levels

Three skill levels describe how proficiency scales across each competency area, ranging from essential daily practice to high-level strategic expertise. These levels help identify the specific competencies required for professional development.

Core level: Demonstrates foundational knowledge and skills, performs core tasks consistently, and uses established processes and tools. This level is about awareness and participation. It is the level that would be appropriate for all staff.
Advanced level: Independently handles complex situations; develops new processes; improves local practice; and mentors peers. This level is about regular application and improvement. It would be appropriate for staff who regularly provide advisory services or have dedicated advisory roles.
Expert level: Shapes strategy, practice, and culture; trains others; evaluates impact; and drives innovation. This level is about leadership. It is the level that would be appropriate for anyone deeply involved in RA as a profession, whether in a supervisory or non-supervisory position.

Competency Areas

Eight competency areas define the foundational domains of knowledge and practice that shape effective advisory work. Together, they represent the core capabilities libraries want to cultivate to deliver high-quality, reader-centered experiences for all patrons. The eight competency areas are designed as complementary, interdependent practices that collectively comprise advisory work, rather than standalone or optional skill sets.

Understands the history and modern landscape of advisory services, including foundations, principles, and connections to organizational strategy.

Core level
Understands the history of readers’ advisory services. Articulates the unique value that libraries have in helping people develop a lifelong love of reading. Demonstrates a commitment to helping all people read what they like. Understands that advisory services are core to the mission of the library.
Advanced level
Aligns individual readers' advisory work with library goals and strategic plans. Demonstrates the professional habits of an exemplary reader's advisor as a model for others. Shares knowledge with colleagues and takes advantage of opportunities to develop stronger advisory skills.
Expert level
Creates and leads readers' advisory strategy, promotes professional development opportunities, mentors staff, evaluates the library's advisory offerings, and advocates for readers' advisory in the library. Measures the outcomes and impact of advisory services.

Knowledge across genres, formats, appeals, themes, and audiences.

Core level
Defines and identifies core story elements (e.g. genres, appeals, themes) and can explain how this language helps readers find what they like. Practices applying basic story elements in searching for potential suggestions. Demonstrates open-mindedness and avoids personal judgement based on format, genre, authorship, or perceived literary merit.
Advanced level
Applies robust story vocabulary (e.g. genres, appeals, themes) to help readers find what they like. Personalizes matches and identifies read-alikes for unique or challenging requests. Identifies own reading preferences and biases and expands personal reading boundaries by intentionally exploring unfamiliar genres or formats.
Expert level
Mentors colleagues in advanced advisory. Identifies staff that are experts in various genres and uses their expertise to guide others. Attends and presents at professional development training or conferences as a thought leader for readers’ advisory.

Understands how the local community discovers stories, available options for access, and how the library collections fit community needs.

Core level
Is familiar with local library collections and understands basic ways patrons discover and access reading materials. Directs users to the best available options.
Advanced level
Works with collection management colleagues to maintain inclusive, wellcurated collections through weeding and usage analysis. Communicates patron insights to influence selection, address unmet needs, and improve discovery.
Expert level
Directs collection strategy by anticipating demand and identifying community needs. Takes part in creating policies, standards, and best practices that reflect how the library’s collections serve the community. Channels community insights into purchasing decisions.

Understands that reading is an individual activity that also contributes to a strong community.

Core level
Knows that people read for varied reasons including entertainment, escape, learning, or connection. Engages respectfully with all readers, supports reader preferences, and accommodates the needs of parents or caregivers when they accompany a reader.
Advanced level
Shows a strong understanding of reading motivations including identity, choice, and cultural influences. Understands how to foster a lifelong love of reading and actively pursues multiple ways of achieving that in the community.
Expert level
Uses knowledge of readers and reading culture to shape advisory services and library strategy. Adapts services based on changing reader behaviors. Serves as a thought leader, helping others understand readers and why they read.

Builds connections with individuals through conversations intended to help people find what they want based on their unique reading interests.

Core level
Demonstrates exemplary customer‑service behaviors (e.g. welcoming attitude, active listening, rapport) to build reader relationships with all patrons. Understands how to translate user language into effective book searches. Recognizes the types of questions to ask that lead to helpful reader insights and how to adapt the questions for different audiences.
Advanced level
Conducts in depth readers' advisory conversations that center readers' needs. Can use reader cues (both verbal and nonverbal) to help patrons expand their reading horizons when appropriate. Uses library programs to build relationships with readers.
Expert level
Ensures that staff have training or professional development opportunities to hone relational advisory skills. Is available to assist with complex reader conversations. Develops and sets service standards that ensure consistent, high‑quality relational advisory across the organization. Researches different theories of reader personalities and motivations.

Creates engaging pathways that recognize and illustrate the diverse nature of the library community to help people discover materials they might love, including physical and digital displays, programs, form-based readers’ advisory, reading challenges, lists, online content, and newsletters.

Core level
Understands different promotional advisory methods and how they enhance discovery. Helps create and maintain promotional pathways.
Advanced level
Plans and develops engaging promotional advisory pathways. Applies best practices for different kinds of pathways. Uses promotional advisory strategies to empower readers who prefer self-directed readers' advisory.
Expert level
Leads organization‑wide promotional advisory strategy and evaluates outcomes to inform future investments. Advocates for incorporating advisory pathways into library experiences such as the catalog, website, self-check, hold shelf, etc.

Applies professional tools, social media discovery channels, reviewer networks, and emerging technologies to surface trends; keeps up with the evolving landscape of advisory services.

Core level
Understands the importance of staying informed about cultural trends that influence reading habits. Can identify what tools are available to aid in doing readers' advisory. Develops familiarity with tools.
Advanced level
Regularly consults sources including professional tools (e.g. NoveList), reviews, media outlets, podcasts, and social media to stay current with professional and reader discourse. Identifies key sources of curated content, including reading lists, awards, and media coverage. Uses trends to support readers' advisory at the library. Shares knowledge of trends with others.
Expert level
Identifies staff gaps in knowledge and actively seeks out new training and professional development opportunities for staff to stay current in all aspects of readers’ advisory. Leads opportunities for staff to discuss trends, the tools they prefer, and trends observed through interactions with patrons.

Works to ensure advisory is integrated throughout the library, connecting readers not only to materials but also to programs, events, and services that support their interests and reading lives.

Core level
Understands how readers’ advisory connects to all library services and recognizes opportunities to direct readers to relevant programs, events, or other offerings when they align with reader interests. Collaborates with colleagues to provide more complete support for readers.
Advanced level
Collaborates across teams to intentionally integrate advisory services throughout the library. Helps create reader-centered experiences by ensuring that materials, programs, and services reinforce one another. Helps support relationships with external partners when appropriate.
Expert level
Builds a culture of cross-department collaboration that positions readers’ advisory as a shared responsibility across the organization. Trains staff to connect readers to materials, programs, and services based on their interests. Develops and evaluates strategies that align advisory programming and outreach to holistically meet reader needs. Builds partnerships with organizations outside the library to extend strategy beyond library walls.

Conclusion

These competencies are designed to describe readers’ advisory practice and help rekindle a shared commitment to it. Readers’ advisory has always been central to the library’s role, and this framework is intended to affirm its value. We hope you’ll use it to ensure that helping readers find stories that matter to them remains an essential and visible part of library service.

This document was developed by the individuals below. Their insights, practical experience, and thoughtful guidance shaped the framework and definitions.

External advisors

Stephanie Chase, Executive Director, Libraries of Eastern Oregon

Lucy Donnelly, Kansas City Public Library, Readers’ Services Librarian

Autumn Friedli, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Program Services Coordinator

Lynn Lobash, New York Public Library, Associate Director, Readers’ Services

Dodie Ownes, Denver Public Library, Adult Services Librarian

Michael Santangelo, BookOps, Director, Collections Management

erin sladen, Denver Public Library, Advisory Services Program Manager

Duncan Smith, Retired Co-founder of NoveList

Kaite Stover, Kansas City Public Library, Director of Readers’ Services

Steph Topping, Niagara Falls Public Library (ON), Information, Resources, & Connections Leader

Barry Trott, Library of Virginia, Adult Services Consultant

Rebecca Vnuk, LibraryReads, Executive Director

NoveList staff

Danielle Borasky, Vice President, NoveList

Lauren Campbell, NoveList, Senior Readers’ Advisory Librarian

Lindsey Dunn, NoveList, Senior Readers' Advisory Librarian

Victoria Fredrick, NoveList, Director, Book Discovery

Kathy Lussier, NoveList, Director, Product Content and Services

April Mazza, NoveList, Learning Content Specialist

Yaika Sabat, NoveList, Manager, Reader Content and Services

Use of these competencies

The Readers' Advisory Competencies are freely shared for use by libraries. Vendors and other organizations should contact novelistcommunications@ebsco.com before reproducing, adapting, distributing, or incorporating this content into products, services, or promotional materials.

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