Listeners’ Advisory: Webinar for Now and a Save the Date Announcement for Later

RA for All is back from vacation all revved up and ready to get back to helping you to help your leisure readers.  Today I want to put the focus on your audiobook patrons.

The rise in popularity of podcasts has also led to a resurgence in audio book consumption. Listeners’ Advisory is becoming an important skill that anyone who works with leisure readers needs to become better at.

Back in May of 2014, I discussed how NoveList created the first librarian centered audiobook listeners’ advisory resource in this post.

Then while I was on vacation this past week, they hosted the free webinar entitled, "Did You Hear That? It’s the Exploding World of Audiobooks and Listeners’ Advisory.” You can watch the recording here.

One of the best things about this webcast can be found in the resource documents that NoveList has included here, especially the access to an exclusive Library Journal survey on audio books use in libraries.

Even if you do not watch the webinar, please take a look at the resources, I cannot stress enough how useful they are.  I have been home for 1 day, and I already directed a colleague to the Listen to a Book in 15 Minutes resource.

The emergence of audiobooks and listeners’ advisory as a top RA trend has been on our radar at ARRT also. In fact, I am on the planning team for an in person training event for ARRT that will be coinciding with the Audie Awards and BEA both here in Chicago.

As of right now I can confirm that I will be moderating a panel that includes someone who writes audiobook reviews for a library collection development audience, someone from NoveList, someone from the RUSA Listen List committee, a narrator, an audiobook producer, and a publisher.  All attendees will receive a free audiobook and a copy of Audio File magazine with their very reasonable registration fee.

I will have an official announcement soon, but the date and time have been confirmed so please save this date:

Monday May 9, 2016
9:30 am-12 pm
Downers Grove Public Library 

This program is a few days before BEA starts and the Downers Grove Library is steps from a train stop. If you haven’t made you plans yet and can come to Chicago a little bit early, please plan to do so. This is going to be a fun and useful program.

We can’t wait to help you to help your listeners.