Virtual RA Training in 4 Sessions

One of the most cost effective and easiest ways you can get me to provide comprehensive training for large numbers of library staff is by hiring me to do a 3 or 4 month virtual  series. This series includes programs that build off of each other and can be attended live or join demand.

And the cost for these 90 minute sessions is only $300 per session.

For $50 extra per month,  I will also meet with the organizer for an extra 30 mins a month to help facilitate "homework" or mandatory extension exercises. This works very well for larger library systems with a centralized CE person, but less well for situations like the one I am using as an example below. That being said, every session comes with exercises for all participants to bring back to their library and use with their items immediately.

All virtual training programs are interactive, and in fact, during the live sessions we actually build crowd-sourced resources that all participants (live or on demand) and use at their library to help readers immediately.

The most popular time to do these trainings is Jan-April, but I can make Sept-Dec work for 1 or two organizations still. The key here is you need to book me soon. In fact, that is why I am posting this today. I  want to  make sure you all have time to book me. I think if you get in  touch and we finalize by early November I should have room for virtual sessions.

I should note, I can do this slate in person as well. November is the earliest I can do that. 

My goal is to make myself obsolete. To train everyone to provide stellar RA Service for all ages of readers at their public or school library. These multi-month training sessions are a great way to make my goal happen. I can interact with more of you at once, for a fair price. It is effect and effective. 

Click here to contact me.

And see below or click here for my upcoming series for Pennsylvania Libraries. Only those in PA can attend, but you can click through to see descriptions and get an idea of what I can offer.

Professional Development Opportunity: Readers’ Advisory Workshops with Becky Spratford

Our ability to connect readers to books they’ll enjoy is at the heart of library service. Books have the power to shape ideas and attitudes and library workers are in a position to expose their communities to diverse themes, genres, authors and characters that broaden their understanding of the world around them. It is not always easy to convince a customer that they’ll connect with a title that feels outside of their comfort zone, and it takes a solid knowledge of the collection and a great conversation to do so.

Readers’ advisory (RA) is a skill that can be learned and developed. Join RA expert Becky Spratford in a series of four virtual workshops that will help hone and broaden your RA abilities, including booktalking, merchandizing your collection, and learning how to integrate anti-racist principles into your readers’ advisory work.

You are welcome to attend all four as each training builds on skills learned in the previous workshop, but you do not need commit to attending all four.

This training series is suitable for all library staff.

RA for All: Flip the Script and Think Like a Reader
Thursday, July 20, from 10:00 to 11:30 AM
Register here

Booktalking Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town
Tuesday, August 8, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM
Register here

Demystifying Genre
Wednesday, August 30, from 10:00 to 11:30 AM
Register here

Actively Anti-Racist Library Service to Leisure Readers: Foundations
Tuesday, September 26 from 1:00 to 2:30 PM
Register here

Please send any questions to Julie Moore (julmoore@pa.gov), Professional Development Advisor, Bureau of Library Development, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

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Becky Spratford [MLIS] is a Readers’ Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. Becky is a 21 year locally elected Library Trustee [still serving], a Board member for the Reaching Across Illinois Library System, and on the Executive Board of the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with horror readers, Becky is the author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Third Edition [ALA Editions, 2021]. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association and currently serves as the Association’s Secretary and organizer of their annual Librarians’ Day. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAforAll.