Presented on Wednesday, October 16, 2024
RA for All: Flip the Script and Think Like a Reader
Readers Advisory belongs in every library, no matter its budget. The implementation of this vital service is the responsibility of every staff member -- from pages to directors, from those behind the scenes to the ones on the front lines. This program will remove the mystery behind providing great RA service. Using her "Ten Rules of Basic RA Service" as a guide, Becky Spratford will use your own love of your favorite books to show you how to help any patron find their next great read. It's not as hard as you think. But more importantly, you will learn why a staff that can harness the power of sharing a great read will become a stronger team and improve service to all patrons, especially the hardest to reach ones.
Booktalk Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town
Booktalking is at the heart of what we do with patrons each and every day at the public library. Whether we are sharing books informally at the service desk, presenting a prepared list of books, putting together displays, or posting information online, talking about books is something we do each and every day. It is a core service, but it is also hard to teach. Booktalking is more of an art than a skill, but with the right guidance and some practice, it can go a long way toward engaging your patrons and re-energizing your staff, especially when you consider all of the non-book items in your collections that you can "talk" as well. Join experienced Readers' Advisor Becky Spratford as she shares the secret behind delivering great book talks and gives you tips and tricks you can begin using right away to hone your own skills. Rediscover the power and joy that comes from sharing the joy of a good read.
Demystifying Genre
Nothing is scarier than trying to help a fan of a genre you yourself don't enjoy. You want to help that, for example, Romance reader, find the perfect book, but you are having trouble knowing where to begin because ...eeek!... you don't read Romance. you are afraid they will find out you are a fraud. How can YOU possibly help THEM?!? Never fear, in this program, Readers' Advisory Expert, Becky Spratford, will teach you the basic appeals of the major genres, give you the inside track on what a fan of that genre is most drawn to, and provide you with talking points to get your genre readers to tell you what they want. This program focuses on providing you with a diverse and inclusive list of up-to-date authors; only authors will be discussed. You will leave this session with the confidence and skill to help fans of every genre, regardless of whether or not you have ever read a book in that genre yourself. And that will leave a rail of happy patrons in your wake
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