Secret Shopper

 

For this assignment, I decided to go to the local branch of our county library. The entire experience started off on shaky ground as I had trouble locating a Reference librarian to begin with. Apparently, they do encourage their patrons to use the technology available to find things as opposed to a person. The Reference librarian I interacted with began by asking me the last new book I read and really enjoyed. I informed her that I had been rereading a lot of titles I have already read, including The Walking Dead, but that the last new book I remember reading and enjoying was Mister Magic by Kiersten White. 

This prompted her to ask which genres I really enjoy. I informed her that I really enjoy mysteries, thrillers, suspense, horror, and LGBTQ+ materials. She immediately suggested that I look at some pre-curated book lists that they always have available in Reference for patrons to take home.  I asked if she could recommend anything else, because the authors listed weren’t really my cup of tea. I told her that  I normally don’t read the authors that are the most popular or the most checked out at the library, and I can’t pass up a good horror book. This is the part of the process where it felt like the Reference librarian struggled a lot I did notice that she was the only one on the desk, therefore her attention was more than likely split, and I'm sure that didn't help. 

She then informed me that one of the biggest trends in horror fiction right not is vampire stories and she recommended Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas. I told her that vampires aren't really my thing in literature. However, when she suggested the title A Haunting on the Hill, it caught my attention, because it reminded me of The Haunting of Hill House. As it turns, out, it is connected. I asked where I could find it and she wrote the call number, instructing me to go back upstairs to the main floor. After searching a little, I was able to find it. 

Overall, the experience was a positive one, because I was able to find something of interest to me. However, I did find it a little clunky. I found myself having to ask more questions and give a lot of details to kind of make the conversation progress to a successful conclusion. Going into this interaction, I thought it would flow a little more smoothly, but overall, I think it was successful.