Montcalm County Staff In-Service

I am very excited to be spending today in Greenville, Michigan presenting a brand new in-service day program for the staff of 7 area libraries.

I have taken 3 of my most popular programs and reworked them into an exciting day to both teach and inspire all library staff.  I will be combining exercises and participation in a revival style program.

Yes, I said revival, and no this is not a religious program, but I am looking at this as a chance to spread the RA gospel to all library workers.

Revival is a term that is all about restoration; returning vigor; a renewing of beliefs.

That is what I will be doing, restoring the staff's faith in why they started working at the public library in the first place.  I am coming to rekindle the flame and remind them of their passion for reading.

This is going to be a wonderful day of energy, encouragement, and training.

Below is the schedule of events with links to the presentations both for the participants and those of you following along at home.

With my recent decision to leave my job at a public service desk, I am going to have a lot more time to take this RA for All show on the road. So contact me if you are interested in having me come spend the day at your library.

Now let's get started.

8 am to 10:30 am: RA for All: From Pages to Directors, this program is aimed at any staff member in the library who interacts with patrons. Being able to provide good RA service from any desk in the library will help staff communicate effectively and ensure satisfied patrons. Using her “Ten Rules of Basic RA Service" as a guide," Becky Spratford will show you how to help any patron find their next great read. It's not as hard as you think.  

10:30 am -10:45 am: BREAK 

10:45 am -12 pm: Booktalking: Harnessing the Power of Sharing Books with Patrons: 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 services desk, presenting a prepared list of books, 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. Join experienced Readers’ Advisory Becky Spratford as she demystifies the secrets behind delivering great book talks, giving you tips and tricks you can begin using right away to hone your own skills. Rediscover the power and joy that comes from sharing books with patrons.

12-1: Lunch

1-2:30: Bridging the Physical Virtual Divide: Promoting books in the virtual world is a tricky proposition. On the one hand, you want to exploit tools like blogs, Twitter, and the ever expanding collection of social media options to reach more readers, but on the other hand, you do not want to forget about your core brick and mortar customers. Readers' Advisory expert, Becky Spratford is here to help. Using examples from her library and others, Becky will share her tricks and tips for navigating this key service issue without sacrificing your core services. Although she will not recommend or evaluate specific social media platforms, Becky will leave you with an overall philosophy and key strategies that can be easily implemented at your library across a variety of platforms.