Taking the Slow Books Revolution Online: Virtual Readers' Advisory in the Academic Library

The Slow Book Revolution is about encouraging narrative-length, self-directed reading without distractions – reading that is sustained and requires critical thinking and creativity. College students, one of the least read populations in the country, should be encouraged to spend their leisure time absorbed in a dialogue with a good book. Who better to guide this age group toward good books and slow reading than the academic librarians that interact with them every day? This lightning talk will discuss the place of readers’ advisory in academic libraries and effective ways to promote recreational books and encourage a culture of reading on campus through online tools such as blogs, social media, and library websites.