RA for All Roadshow Visit the RSA Day at the Peoria Public Library

Today I am at the Peoria Public Library to provide the Keynote and 2 breakout sessions [that repeat, so four sessions but on 2 topics] for the Resource Sharing Alliance Training Day. It is a sell out, but all of the details are here.

I am excited to be there and thankful that RAILS provided RSA with a grant to make my appearance possible.

Below you can find the information about the entire day. I am sharing it because I think they have put together a wonderful day of training for a wide variety of library staff to partake in. I have inserted the links to my resources and slides where applicable.

Click here to see the announcement on L2 also.

RSA Day 2019!

When:		Wednesday, March 20, 2019 (9:30 AM - 3:30 PM)
Where:		Peoria Public Library (In Person, Max: 150)
Cost:		Free

All RSA member libraries are invited to a day of training.

Member Library Group: RSA Consortium
Event Coordinator: Alissa Williams
Email: alissaw@mortonlibrary.org
Phone: 309-263-2200

Join us on March 20, 2019 at the Peoria Public Library – Main Library for an exciting day of training. For our 3rd annual event we have altered the schedule to provide more in-depth sessions.
 - Breakout sessions #1 & #2 will repeat as will sessions #3 & #4.
 - Lunch is provided.

Please note Peoria Public Library – Main Library doors do not open until 9 a.m. 

The Schedule for the Day is as follows:

9:30-10:40 Welcome & Keynote
Keynote: “RA for ALL” Becky Spratford

• This talk follow Becky's 10 Rules of RA Service

Readers Advisory belongs in every library, no matter its budget. The implementation of this vital service is the responsibility of every staff member—from pages to directors, from those behind the scenes to the ones on the front lines. This program will remove the mystery behind providing great RA service. Using her “Ten Rules of Basic RA Service” as a guide, Becky Spratford will use your own love of your favorite books to show you how to help any patron find their next great read. It's not as hard as you think. But more importantly, you will learn why a staff that can harness the power of sharing a great read will become a stronger team and improve service to all patrons.

10:45-11:30 Breakout Sessions #1
11:40-12:40 Lunch
12:45-1:30 Breakout Sessions #2
1:45-2:30 Breakout Sessions #3
2:45-3:30 Breakout Sessions #4

We are pleased to announce our keynote speaker is Becky Spratford of RA for ALL. 

Becky Spratford 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 , and is on the Steering Committee of the Adult Reading Round Table .

She is under contract to provide content for EBSCO’s NoveList database and writes reviews for Booklist . Becky is also known for her work with horror readers as the author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror , Second Edition [ALA Editions, 2012] and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association who honored her as a special guest of honor at StokerCon 2017 for her contribution to the genre. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAforAll .

Becky will present her keynote “RA for ALL” as well as two breakout sessions. Her appearance is made possible by a RAILS Continuing Education Event Grant.

Breakouts #1 & #2:
   1. Booktalking Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town by Becky Spratford
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 shares the secret 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.

• Slide access here

    2. Cataloging Maintenance Center
Learn about what services the cataloging and maintenance center offers to all Illinois libraries.

    3. IMRF Basics
IMRF Field Representative Randy Stevens will provide you with an overview of your IMRF benefits. 

    4. RSA Cataloging (Session 1) & RSA Past, Present, Future (Session 2)
In Session 1 Cataloging topics will be discussed. In Session 2, RSA staff will share a brief history of RSA, our current state, and what our future holds as we work on a strategic plan and more granular, practical membership levels.

    5. Rural Libraries Unite! How to Feel Less Alone in a Small Rural Library
Are you new to your small rural library? Do you feel isolated and out of step with your bigger library neighbors? Do you wonder if you can find a mentor who understands the issues you face? You are not alone--Illinois has many small rural libraries and we are blessed with a sharing community! Join us at this session to:meet other staff members of small rural libraries, ask questions unique to small rural libraries, identify groups and mentors (Peoria Area Directors, Renegade Reference, Rural Directors etc). Presented by Beth Duttlinger and Michael Baumann. 

Breakouts #3 & #4:
    1. RA Rethink: Merchandising and Upselling Edition
If someone told you there’s a practical and easy way to increase circulation, patron visits, program attendance and the job satisfaction of your staff, would you do it? Of course you would. Librarian Becky Spratford has developed a method you can use to accomplish all of this and it plays off of the skills, talents, and interests you already possess. She’ll explain how to deepen staff involvement in readers’ advisory in a way that gets everyone from staff to patrons excited. You are spending a lot of effort and money on cultivating good collections, but are you giving those collections a fair chance to shine? Are you linking your work with patrons as you find them items to your programming and other services? Do your patrons even know the full breadth of what you offer them? And how are you measuring results? With just a few simple tweaks to how you already market your collections, services, programs and even staff, Becky will help you leave a trail of happier and more engaged patrons in your wake.

• Slide access here

    2. Practice Makes Perfect: Difficult Patron Role Play
Have you ever been yelled at by a patron? Have you ever had a patron get annoyed and decide to urinate over the computer keyboard because you do not understand his message? What about the patrons who think it is okay to bring their dogs into the library and eat the books? What about the patron who plays all the staff against each other so they never have to pay fines? These are just some of the TRUE problem patron stories that have been heard over the years in libraries everywhere. Ryan Franklin from the Illinois State Library and Michael Baumann from the Toulon Public Library will be acting out some of these scenarios, and giving the audience a chance to get involved. Volunteers will be given a chance to act as a problem patron, and see how a committee member would react.

    3. Big Day Programming
Many libraries have begun hosting large scale programming. Laura Warren will be discussing her library’s annual Star Wars Day, Amanda Shaffer will be telling us about Harry Potter Day, and Joel Shoemaker will be giving information on his Metamora Square(s): An Intergenerational Initiative program. We will have ideas about running these sorts of programs at your libraries, as well as advice on scaling these programs up or down to fit your patrons. We will talk about tips and tricks for running these sorts of programs on a budget. 

    4. RSA Cataloging (Session 3) & RSA Past, Present, Future (Session 4)
In Session 3 Cataloging topics will be discussed. In Session 4, RSA staff will share a brief history of RSA, our current state, and what our future holds as we work on a strategic plan and more granular, practical membership levels.

    5. Fine Free Libraries
Learn from libraries that have gone Fine Free on why they made the decision, how they implemented it and what the results have been.