Time to Register for ILA-- Post Includes RA for All and ARRT News

So much ARRT and ILA news today-- some of it I have been dying to share but was waiting patiently for today, and some of it is still not ready to pass on yet.  Too much awesome library stuff.

Let me start at the beginning...

Last year I was on the Illinois Library Association’s Conference Planning Committee. [You can click here to read more about that.] It was a great experience, I met librarians from all over the state who work in all types of libraries, and I got to see how a conference is put together from start to finish.

As part of the 2014 committee, I also got to see the very beginning of planning for the 2015 conference. Normally, this would be no big deal having just gone through the entire process, except for the fact that this year, 2015, all of the Illinois Library Associations have pulled together, for the very first time, to put on one giant state library conference!

From the conference website:

"The 2015 All for One Conference: A Library State of Mind brings together library organizations in Illinois for a chance to connect, network, and learn together. Academic, public, school, and special libraries will come together for the first combined annual conference of the Illinois Library Association and Illinois School Library Media Association, in collaboration with the Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries and the Special Libraries Association Illinois Chapter. "

Okay, so first the RA for All conference related news... RA for All [aka- me] is a Silver Sponsor of the entire conference.  [Click here and scroll down the right gutter to see the proof that my check cleared.] Specifically, I will be sponsoring the much needed Saturday morning coffee for all attendees. This is the coffee which will be served the day after the Awards Gala [and its cash bar]. More on exactly what you can find from me besides coffee at the conference is one of the things I am not prepared to share yet-- but it is in the works.

Speaking of the awards gala, as I have mentioned before, this is the first year that ARRT is sponsoring the Readers’ Advisory Service Award to be given out at the gala. The winner will be announced sometime in August or September.  The awards gala costs $45 extra with your registration, but from what I hear, it is going to be great- dinner, dancing, and more. Plus we have a fun contingent of ARRT people planning to be there and celebrate our new award and it’s inaugural winner. I have already secured my spot.

ARRT is also behind another honoree at the gala, but that is also something you will have to wait to find out.  I promise though, it is news all of my readers, regardless of what state (or country) they live in, will be excited to learn.  

And finally for today, ARRT and I have teamed up to present the following conference program on Saturday morning:

Genre Study Success!: Working Together to Help Leisure Readers  

The Adult Reading Round Table [ARRT], the country’s oldest group dedicated to developing readers advisory skills and promoting leisure reading, has been using the genre study as a training program for more than twenty years. This year, ARRT wants to share their success. Genre studies are a great way for librarians at any library that serves leisure readers at any age level to work together to improve their skills. At their essence, genre studies are group-centered discussions about categories of popular reading. Participants engage in a shared reading experience, compare reactions, and discuss both the books they have read and how patrons interact with the genre. As the actual study itself can take many forms, ARRT will walk you through the process of crafting a genre study model that works best for your needs, sharing their time tested tips and tricks to insure success for you, your staff, and, most importantly, your readers.

This program will help workers from any library where there are leisure reading patrons-- public, school, and even some academic.

So, what are you all waiting for? Registration opened today.  Go sign up.  This is going to be a fantastic conference, a chance for all library workers, from all library types, to be together. I hope to see you there.