More CE Opportunities for ALL Library Staff

I figured I would keep this week of posts about CE and virtual programming going. As I mentioned on Monday, I feel like everyone is finally over the initial panic of "how do we do this library thing when we are closed," and actions are starting to take shape.

Today I have two specific resources to point you to, but please note, none of these have to be accessed immediately today. Think of this blog as your bookmark cache. They are here when you need them. In fact, that is my goal ALWAYS for this blog, to be a place to hold ideas and links for you for later.

First is a new resource from Library Journal/School Library Journal. Access it here or see the links below:

Dear Librarians: This special newsletter is designed to help you share resources with your patrons at home. Send it along or share the elements with the community you serve.

Like it but not a subscriber? Sign up here

Not interested? Opt out here

The idea here is to find different ways to be of service to your patrons beyond just offering virtual programs. For example, my LJ editor, Kiera Parrot, has a great series that you can pass on to your patrons on how to organize your books at home. She is currently on part 2 which is a break down of the major genres [from a patron perspective].

This article is great to pass on to patrons, but do not underestimate how important it is for ALL OF YOU, even the RA experts, to read. One of my biggest RA tips is to "Flip Your Focus and Think Like A Reader." It's the alternative title to my RA for All signature program and the thesis behind how I approach all of my RA training. The best way to learn how to help our patrons find their next good read is to reconnect with ourselves as readers. When we think like a reader, we are better able to understand and help our patrons, even those who like books that we ourselves do not.

This is what Kiera is doing in this article, explaining the genres to readers. Every single one of you can learn from this right now. Read the article as a reader, a patron. Look at the genres with fresh eyes, eyes that are less concerned about the genre "rules" and more concerned about why readers enjoy stories.

But as content to pass on to your patrons, it is brilliant. You will be connecting your patrons with the books in their own home in a way that connects them back to you and your guidance. And that is the overall message of this entire newsletter. So use the link above to access it and subscribe. Then push out this content over the course of the week [a little at a time] to your patrons.

Second for today, a little bit more of the traditional RA training. NoveList sent out this newsletter with a list of FREE resources, from archived crash courses in the genres [all a great watch after reading Kiera's article above] to brand new training opportunities both from them and other places.

The idea behind these trainings is to both help you offer some of your traditional RA services in a virtual environment AND to keep your skills sharp for when we return [which is even more important as you lose touch with the daily interactions with readers].

Click here to see the full list of options with links.