Secret Shopper Assignment

For my secret shopper assignment, I went to a small library branch within Montgomery County, Ohio. I was greeted when I neared the main desk with a smile and “How can I help you?” I asked if the librarian at the desk could recommend a good western book to read - preferably one that does not have a colonial or sexist worldview. I specifically mentioned this was for a grad school assignment. The librarian nodded in understanding, as if she had similar concerns about this literary genre. She began to look in the library’s catalogue and then walked to the paperback western section.

I thought that this genre would not be so popular, but it is, and especially in paperback form. The librarian picked up a book and read the back. She chuckled and handed me this book, which was from an incredibly popular and long-running western series. I read the back and began to laugh, too. What an absolutely hilarious summary, written in a fairly self-aware and silly tone! Perfect, I thought.

The librarian, not too long after we began to discuss my book query, even texted her husband to ask for a western recommendation, since he is a fan of the genre. Once we returned to the desk, her husband had texted her back and recommended a book from a subgenre of westerns called “neo westerns.” The book he recommended from that genre was No Country for Old Men. I remembered that book was made into a film, and from what I could recall, the film was supposedly fairly violent. Since I wasn’t interested in reading something suspenseful, I chose the first book she picked.

Soon after I checked out the book from the library, I began to read the first page. Within two paragraphs, the author graphically referenced sex and referred to women as the “weaker sex.” Considering that I did not want to read a western that is sexist, I was surprised to discover that this particular series is well-known for being an example of the “adult western” genre, which often includes graphic sexual descriptions - a natural hotbed of sleaze and sexism. 

I am not a prude by any means. I wear colorful wigs and have visible tattoos, after all, but I was a little surprised that she would steer me into that direction, especially since graphic sexual content can be triggering and/or off-putting for patrons. I would assume that an important question to ask during the reference interview would be, “Are you okay with a book that is a bit over-the-top raunchy but overall silly?” In defense of the librarian, I do seem like the type, based upon a visual assessment, that I am an open-minded reader, and that is correct, but I simply wanted to make a note of the potential oversight in this readers advisory interaction. 

One other potential oversight is that she didn’t consult any other database other than the library’s OPAC. Perhaps Goodreads has a list that might be relevant to my query? What if she had typed in “modern” or “feminist westerns” in Google? Perhaps that search would have yielded some interesting results that approach the western genre in a fresh and diverse light? Even though I am not familiar with the western genre, I have heard about the anti-western subgenre before, in which the protagonist is often Native American or a woman. If the librarian had performed a quick Google search, she may have encountered that western subgenre. 

Despite that I have addressed some minor concerns in the librarian’s readers advisory service, I am still pleased with the overall interaction. She was personable (greeted me immediately, smiled, and seemed interested) and also seemed to care about establishing a relationship with me as a reader and library patron. The fact that she checked with her husband for a book recommendation is quite sweet, actually. There are few environments like a library, where I can interact with a service professional for an extended period of time, and feel no pressure to buy or like anything. Interactions like these are gems, and for the most part, these are the types of interactions that I often have with other librarians, even as a patron.

As someone who has worked in libraries for nearly five years, and two of those years have been in reference-related fields, I can attest to the fact that the service I received at this library branch is probably similar to what I would give as well on a “good day” of mine. Libraries are a highly fluid environment where staff are often overworked and deal with one unexpected crisis after another, especially during a pandemic. When I visited this branch, it was actually quite busy, and I was thankful for the amount of time that the librarian gave me. She mentioned two books and used different means to find both of them - that’s a decent amount of personalized attention in a busy and potentially understaffed library branch. 

When she mentioned her second recommendation, if I recall correctly, I actually did not mention my displeasure of intensely violent books out loud. I merely quickly thought that and picked the first book without probing further in the neo western genre. Perhaps my nervousness with social interactions prohibited me from being an ideal patron in that particular instance? With that in mind, one must always approach each interaction in a live environment as wonderfully imperfect; however, with each interaction, both the librarian and patron grow as readers and humans.