Early reviews can be one of the most important tools for a readers' advisor. Your readers will often come into the library to ask about the newest books because they are seeing them in the bookstores or in the media and they want to get information about the book to make a reading decision. Library staff who have direct access to publishers' reps - Dewey Divas and Dudes - may be seeing forthcoming books and getting reviews however this is not available everywhere. There is a new program in Canada which will keep you informed about the new forthcoming reads with reviews available. Loan Stars will launch shortly and it will provide library staff with lists and reviews for forthcoming titles before books are even published. This project is a partnership between BookNet Canada, Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), Canadian library associations, library vendors and publishers. Library staff can volunteer to be readers and reviewers.
Loan Stars is based on a similar American program, Library Reads. This program features ten library staff picks per month. The books featured are largely fiction with a few narrative non-fiction included. The format of the Canadian version will be revealed when the tool is launched and it will be a great source of information for selectors and advisors.
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