RA Resources for All: MLS RA SIG

Okay this post title has a lot of abbreviations, but I did that for 2 reasons. 1, its all too long for the post title and 2, I wanted you to read the post even if it was just to decode all of those abbreviations.

In Illinois we have library systems that work together to provide services much like other states have county systems.  My local library system is the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) and it serves special, public, academic, and school libraries in Chicago and the close-in south and southwest suburbs (not counting the Chicago Public Library which is its own system).

Among the services that the system offers is a chance for librarians interested in certain topics to create "Special Interest Groups," otherwise known as SIGs.  There has been a SIG for Readers Advisory for many years.  Not only does the MLS RA SIG meet regularly, but they share their work and conversations on the MLS website.

The group meets every other month and focuses on a specific genre. Click here to read their reports. These are a great resource for reading lists, basic resources, and general discussion on a leisure reading topic by actual librarians, in the trenches, working with real readers.

This brings up a larger issue. If you are working at a library or with a group of other librarians, please share your work on the web. This is why I spend the time blogging and it is the main reason I have a my students post their work on the class blog. They do so much great work that could help other librarians or readers. Why not share it so it can help others?

So thanks to the MLS RA SIG members for meeting in order to improve their RA skills, but also, thanks for sharing your great work with the wider world.