Eleanor-Rose Gordon

Star Learner Eleanor Gordon is part of a cohort of Essex Libraries staff completing Understanding book appeal. The aim of the training is to build stock knowledge and boost staff confidence to work creatively with books and readers in their libraries.

Through the work she did on this course, Eleanor demonstrated an evident empathy with readers. Her insightful conversations with readers helped them to find something new that they would enjoy, but also gave her a better understanding of areas of fiction that she didn’t herself read, so that she could help other readers as well. 

Eleanor has pin-sharp observation skills that she uses to analyse and understand the kind of read a book is offering from the visual clues on the cover so she can put the right book together with the right reader. Her analysis of specific parts of the collection in her library was very precise and her suggestions for widening the choices for readers in those areas were thoughtful, creative and relevant.  In her work on this course, Eleanor demonstrated an impressive mix of skills: a talent for making analytical assessments, creative experimentation, empathic understanding of what readers want and practical ideas to help readers explore the collection more widely.

Eleanor’s clear grasp of the principles of reader-centred work and intelligent ways of applying them will introduce new practice into her library and are certainly a basis for developing a range of fresh projects that will contribute to purchase and policy decisions in future.

We wish Eleanor a bright future in libraries, she has contributed some of the best work we have seen from learners taking this course.

Eleanor says:

"Having analysed our Fantasy collection I feel more confident to advise readers on what they are looking for in this area …- if they want a traditional, masculine, conventional imagery (or) if they are looking for something more atypical - whether diverse, female authors, more inclined towards historical or mythological or romantic - I hope I could point them in the right direction!  I intend to advise my superiors on certain titles and authors that could be ordered for our library to diversify our stock and improve our range. In the meantime, I will use my knowledge to curate more varied and cross-genre displays." 

Eleanor can be contacted about her experience with this training course.  eleanor.gordon@essex.gov.uk