Although Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) locations have temporarily closed all across the Fraser Valley, that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to access digital content and resources from the library. With the world at large seemingly shut down until further notice, there’s never been a better time to dive into a good book — or better, add titles to an ever-growing “to read” list. FVRL’s My Reading Adviser can help bookworms with both of these aspirations, offering personalized recommendations at any time to help you find your next read.
My Reading Adviser was a pilot program that began in 2018 and was continued as a service going into 2019. Users are asked to fill out an online form gathering information on what they’re looking for, what authors and titles they’ve enjoyed in the past, and what topics they want to steer clear of. Once the form has been submitted, readers are contacted within two business days via the email they provided and offered recommendations by a reading adviser.
There are currently six reading advisers, each advertising different genre specialties that range from LGBTQ+ literature and erotic fiction to Christian fiction and children’s books. The advisers offer an enticing range of expertise that’ll snag any demographic, and they hold none of their savviness back in their recommendations.
After submitting two Reading Adviser requests with separate staff members, I can confidently give this service a vote of approval. Both requests were met with an abundance of recommended titles — enough reading material to easily last me for months. Every book mentioned also had an attached link to where I could reserve it through FVRL, which was a great added touch. The titles I was encouraged to check out weren’t just lists of books that might interest me; each was related to information I had put into my form and was sold through synopsis or praise.
Furthermore, after browsing through some of my adviser’s public reading lists, I can also say that I wasn’t exclusively recommended their favourite titles. It was personalized for my individual taste, and if I mentioned enjoying both psychological and post-apocalyptic horror, there were separate recommendations for each genre. Both advisers also encouraged me to reach out if I wasn’t happy with the suggestions or if they included too many books I’d already read. End thoughts: this is an amazing service that requires next to no work on the part of the reader.
When it comes to checking out books from the library right now, although physical book returns and pickups have been suspended, digital content from FVRL can still be accessed. Those interested can sign up for an eCard online and take out ebooks on apps like OverDrive or its sister app, Libby. Libby is a free app that allows users to connect to their active library cards, allowing them to borrow ebooks and audiobooks more easily than ever from a smart device. Unless you’re fiercely devoted to physical books, this app is a game changer in terms of allowing readers to lighten the load of books they carry with them while still expanding their libraries.
When you’re being haunted by upcoming finals and the news is scarier than usual, there can only be one solution: read more books. Even if libraries might be closed temporarily, the determination to stick your nose in a good book can still prevail. Start with FVRL’s My Reading Adviser service and find out for yourself how quick and easy it is to get a curated suggestion list for just about any genre.
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.
