RA for All will be on holiday all next week, which means this is the last Monday before Thanksgiving for the Monday Discussion. Each year, I have asked you to chime in on what in your professional life you are most thankful for.
I'll go first.
I am thankful that although there is a lot of change going on at our library-- change in staff, change in director, change in an entirely new catalog, changes to our building coming soon---that our patrons keep coming in day after day, with their questions, reading requests, and eagerness to use our services. Things may appear to be in flux, but in reality, none of the most important things really change, The building and the books are firmly entrenched, and they not going anywhere!
Today is also book club day. I am thankful to each and every one of the members of my book club. We all learn so much from each other and we have fun together. Our meetings truly are the highlight of my month at work.
I am also thankful that the oft predicted demise of the printed book and libraries has not come to fruition. I am bombarded with emails on the hottest new books, my new shelves are overflowing with options for readers, and patrons have been leaving with arm-fulls of books all morning. People are reading lots of ebooks too. We keep adding more, but the ease of ebooks only appears to be adding to the amount they are reading in all formats. It is a boon for readers.
No matter where I work now or in the future, I will always be thankful for books.
For today's Monday Discussion, share what you are most thankful for in your chosen field of librarianship.
For past Monday Discussions, click here.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Friday, November 14, 2014
My Collection Development Philosophy in a Soundbite
Today I got to spend 2 hours with a library graduate student who was interviewing me for her Readers' Advisory course final paper.
I have done this many times before...heck, I taught the class for 8 years...but nothing makes you really think about why you do what you do more than being interviewed by a grad student.
To prepare for her visit, I really sat down and thought about the questions she was going to ask me. As a result, I had to think about everything I do, much of it without conscious thought anymore [14 years will do that even to the more introspective among us].
One of the questions she asked me, which I did think about ahead of time, was to define our collection development philosophy. I came up with the following phrase...
Our fiction collection is Responsive and Responsible.
I am proud of that one because it describes what we strive to do and it is alliterative [always a happy bonus]. But what does it actually mean?
My service community is a pretty typical working to middle class, major city suburb. We need to have all the big name best sellers, the classics, and a wide collection of good reads in between.
We listen to our patrons, both what they tell us they like AND what the data shows us they like. We find backlist gems that they should have liked, but might have missed, and pull them out in displays to give them another try. We don't spend money on titles no one will read.
Click here for a longer post from 2011 when I wrote at length about ordering fiction for a general collection.
The larger point I want to make here is NOT to have you simply appropriate my CD philosophy, but to really think about your own. Think about what you are trying to accomplish as a whole, and then try to pare it down into a simply word or phrase. Sometimes a soundbite is a great way to remind yourself of the WHYs behind your daily job. And, I have not lost the irony of the fact that this is much like honing the essence of a book down into 3 appeal terms.
Also, inviting grad students into your libraries and allowing yourselves to be interviewed for their term papers is another great way to keep you on your toes. We happen to be right down the road from a major MLIS program, but with Internet degrees, anyone could have MLIS students living in their communities. Make sure you are on their radar.
Get yourself involved with the education of our career's future. You will help them to learn by observing "real world" applications of the theory they are learning, AND they will help you to reevaluate your decision making processes. It is a CE boon for both parties.
Me, I'm going back to being responsive and responsible.
I have done this many times before...heck, I taught the class for 8 years...but nothing makes you really think about why you do what you do more than being interviewed by a grad student.
To prepare for her visit, I really sat down and thought about the questions she was going to ask me. As a result, I had to think about everything I do, much of it without conscious thought anymore [14 years will do that even to the more introspective among us].
One of the questions she asked me, which I did think about ahead of time, was to define our collection development philosophy. I came up with the following phrase...
Our fiction collection is Responsive and Responsible.
I am proud of that one because it describes what we strive to do and it is alliterative [always a happy bonus]. But what does it actually mean?
My service community is a pretty typical working to middle class, major city suburb. We need to have all the big name best sellers, the classics, and a wide collection of good reads in between.
We listen to our patrons, both what they tell us they like AND what the data shows us they like. We find backlist gems that they should have liked, but might have missed, and pull them out in displays to give them another try. We don't spend money on titles no one will read.
Click here for a longer post from 2011 when I wrote at length about ordering fiction for a general collection.
The larger point I want to make here is NOT to have you simply appropriate my CD philosophy, but to really think about your own. Think about what you are trying to accomplish as a whole, and then try to pare it down into a simply word or phrase. Sometimes a soundbite is a great way to remind yourself of the WHYs behind your daily job. And, I have not lost the irony of the fact that this is much like honing the essence of a book down into 3 appeal terms.
Also, inviting grad students into your libraries and allowing yourselves to be interviewed for their term papers is another great way to keep you on your toes. We happen to be right down the road from a major MLIS program, but with Internet degrees, anyone could have MLIS students living in their communities. Make sure you are on their radar.
Get yourself involved with the education of our career's future. You will help them to learn by observing "real world" applications of the theory they are learning, AND they will help you to reevaluate your decision making processes. It is a CE boon for both parties.
Me, I'm going back to being responsive and responsible.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Character Likability in Fiction
Lepucki takes a hard look at the issue by asking herself if she were a character in fiction...the real her...would people like her? Hammy
I loved this take on the issue because whether or not a reader has to LIKE the main character is one of the hardest things to decipher as we help leisure readers in a public library setting.
First, it is something that is MAKE or BREAK for many readers, but they may not even know that about themselves. Yes, I have helped people who don’t even realize liking the protagonist is the most important appeal factor, so asking them does not help you understand their preferences.
Second, even with seasoned veterans like myself, the likability of characters in fiction is toward the bottom of my initial questions list. I often have enough trouble getting a patron to tell me about a book they have recently enjoyed.
Third, even readers who HATE most books where the protagonist is unlikable, still once in a while like a book where the characters are despicable (see Gone Girl), but only that specific book, for a completely unrelated issue. [They want to keep us on our toes.]
It’s enough to drive even the most dedicated RA Librarian crazy.
So, all of you read Lepucki’s take on the issue. As an author, she has really thought about the issue, and her insights such as, she unintentionally made likable character AND the fact that no real person is 100% likable all the time, among others will help you to help readers better. At the very least, it will remind us work to gauge our patron’s tolerance for unlikability.
And, at the very least, it will give you some stock lines you can use to soothe an angry patron who wanted a likable protagonist, but didn’t know it, and you gave them something they hated!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services and ARRT Renewal Time
Although I missed the program, I was able to follow the tweets from those who were there here.
But, today I really want to remind all of you about the book itself. The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services is a no-nonsense, practical guide to providing quality Teen Services in your library. Teens just don’t walk up to the designated teen desk only. Everyone needs to be prepared to help them.
Heather’s is also particularly well versed in providing RA to teens; she wrote a book on that too!
I realize budgets are tight, and you might not have money to buy this book now, but don’t use that as an excuse not to improve yourself or your library. The book is part of the collaboration that came out of the work Heather and Karen do with the wonderful Teen Librarian Toolbox. So I urge you to at the very least, check that wonderful resource out. Anyone who works at a public library can learn something to help them to help patrons better.
And, now that the program is over, it is marks both the end of ARRT for 2014 and the start of ARRT Renewal Season. Look for posts in the coming weeks about the wonderful things we have planned for 2015!
*Full disclosure, Heather’s books are published by ALA Editions, same as my book.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
RA Programming Alert: National READATHON Day
National Readathon DayConsider this: 53% of 9-year-olds read for pleasure daily, and by the time they turn 17, that number drops to 19%. Without your help, book worms may soon become an endangered species.
That's why Penguin Random House and the National Book Foundation are launching National Readathon Day. We're asking book lovers across America to pledge to read for four hours starting at noon (in respective time zones) on January 24, 2015.
Make your commitment here on FirstGiving and fundraise to support the National Book Foundation's efforts to create, promote, and sustain a lifelong love of reading in America.
You can fundraise individually, join an existing team, or start your own of friends, family, and colleagues.
We'll be offering incentives and prizes to help keep you motivated to fundraise and #MakeTimeToRead on January 24, when we'll celebrate how important reading is to American culture.The first thing I did when I read this notice was email a cross department team of people at my library to start reserving space and to begin planning an event for this day. I am not even working at the library today, but this could not wait.
--
The mission of the National Book Foundation is to expand the audience for literature in America. Its programs include BookUp, 5 Under 25, the Innovations in Reading Prize, and the National Book AwardsIf you need more information about the National Book Foundation or National Readathon Day, email bsamuel@nationalbook.org. And for press inquiries, email syoung@nationalbook.org.
The second thing I did, is write this post.
Please, if you work at a public library, click through and learn more about the READATHON. It perfectly matches all public library missions, and will be a wonderful PR opportunity for the library.
And, on a side note, I was just starting to get sad all over again about the cancellation of World Book Night. This was the time last year when we were gearing up to choose the books and start planning our participation. Jose wore his WBN shirt to work last week, and I was feeling down about not having WBN to use to promote reading out in the community this year.
But now....
I am going full out on READATHON starting now. Want to join me?
Monday, November 10, 2014
Monday Discussion: Training Needs?
Today's Monday Discussion is a way for me to better plan how I can help you.
I am starting to revamp my genre specific trainings and want to know where to prioritize my efforts.
So far I have requests for Romance and Historical Fiction in early 2015. And of course, I have been entrenched in the genres of Crime Fiction for the ARRT Genre Study (which continues throughout 2015.)
But here is my question to all of you...Which genres do you feel the least strong in? We can even go into subgenres too.
Let me know here or on Twitter. It will not only help me plan my training programs but I can also plan out what genres to focus my posts on in the coming year too.
So let me know where your knowledge gaps are and I will try to help.
For past Monday Discussions, click here.
I am starting to revamp my genre specific trainings and want to know where to prioritize my efforts.
So far I have requests for Romance and Historical Fiction in early 2015. And of course, I have been entrenched in the genres of Crime Fiction for the ARRT Genre Study (which continues throughout 2015.)
But here is my question to all of you...Which genres do you feel the least strong in? We can even go into subgenres too.
Let me know here or on Twitter. It will not only help me plan my training programs but I can also plan out what genres to focus my posts on in the coming year too.
So let me know where your knowledge gaps are and I will try to help.
For past Monday Discussions, click here.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Soapbox Rant About Judgemental RA Librarians
Those of you who know me, even a little, know that I am not a person who is ashamed to state my opinion, even if it means disagreeing with a majority opinion. I am never rude about it, but I am blunt. As my library bff likes to say, “you don’t suffer fools...at all.”
So, I am always especially affronted when after years and years [and years] of me [and others] in the RA world reminding people that no matter what, to serve adult leisure readers effectively you MUST remember Betty Rosenberg’s first law of reading, “Never apologize for your reading tastes,” I still encounter those who do not follow it.
Modern RA service is non-jedgemental. However, it still happens regularly that I hear a librarian disparage a patron’s choice of reading material as “trashy,” or “terrible.”
Now I could choose to view these statements as job security for me [that person needs more of my training sessions]. But, I will not lie, my heart breaks a little every time I hear this kind of talk.
Recently, I overheard someone complaining about their patrons as a whole and not being able to get them to read anything good, despite going out of their way to NOT buy the books they would enjoy and instead buy the books they SHOULD be reading.
This person was speaking near me; definitely not to me. Well, I could not stand for this and interrupted a conversation I was not a part of [remember I don’t suffer fools].
It is 2014 people. We are not providing the RA service of the 1930s where the goal was to graduate readers to higher materials. We are here to help library patrons have a positive reading experience. TO make it positive we find them a book that they would enjoy based on what they already know they enjoy. I don’t care what it is!
Now that isn’t what I said to this mystery person. No what I said was something like, “Excuse me, I couldn’t help over hearing you, but I am concerned that you might need to rethink your collection development strategy. You need to be identifying the books your patrons would most enjoy and buy those first and foremost. If you want to try out different kinds of books on them to see if they will like them, you could try to ILL those books first and see how it goes before altering your purchasing decisions.”
We had a short, slightly uncomfortable conversation which continued along the lines of me politely chastising this person for making horrible leisure reading decisions and offering to continue the conversation later.
No one was rude, but I cannot stand here and call myself a RA expert and trainer and allow these things to be said right in front of me. I am not here to make friends. I don’t work this hard to simply keep the status quo going in a straight line. No, I am here to make patron experiences better by training librarians to be more effective reader’s advisors, and if that means upsetting a few [wrong] people along the way, oh well.
So, when I recently saw this article on the Barnes and Noble blog entitled, “5 Reasons to Never Be Embarrassed By a Book You Love,” I realized that sadly, I needed to pass this on to librarians.
Please read it. Think about yourself. Think about your patrons. Check yourself. Are you too judgey? Are you making purchasing decisions based on what your patrons actually like to read or are you buying what you think they should read? Are your displays featuring books your patrons love or the books you think they should be reading?
[Display note. Our display guru John, hates culinary mysteries, but guess what, patrons love them. It’s November...cooking and baking season. What fantastic display did he put up this week? Yup, culinary mysteries. People love it. It’s adorable, eye catching, and full of wonderful reading choices. And, the books are flying off the shelves. Yay John.]
So that’s my rant. I am sad that it needed to be said, but I feel better now that I have spoken up. Feel free to leave a comment whether you agree or disagree.
So, I am always especially affronted when after years and years [and years] of me [and others] in the RA world reminding people that no matter what, to serve adult leisure readers effectively you MUST remember Betty Rosenberg’s first law of reading, “Never apologize for your reading tastes,” I still encounter those who do not follow it.
Modern RA service is non-jedgemental. However, it still happens regularly that I hear a librarian disparage a patron’s choice of reading material as “trashy,” or “terrible.”
Now I could choose to view these statements as job security for me [that person needs more of my training sessions]. But, I will not lie, my heart breaks a little every time I hear this kind of talk.
Recently, I overheard someone complaining about their patrons as a whole and not being able to get them to read anything good, despite going out of their way to NOT buy the books they would enjoy and instead buy the books they SHOULD be reading.
This person was speaking near me; definitely not to me. Well, I could not stand for this and interrupted a conversation I was not a part of [remember I don’t suffer fools].
It is 2014 people. We are not providing the RA service of the 1930s where the goal was to graduate readers to higher materials. We are here to help library patrons have a positive reading experience. TO make it positive we find them a book that they would enjoy based on what they already know they enjoy. I don’t care what it is!
Now that isn’t what I said to this mystery person. No what I said was something like, “Excuse me, I couldn’t help over hearing you, but I am concerned that you might need to rethink your collection development strategy. You need to be identifying the books your patrons would most enjoy and buy those first and foremost. If you want to try out different kinds of books on them to see if they will like them, you could try to ILL those books first and see how it goes before altering your purchasing decisions.”
We had a short, slightly uncomfortable conversation which continued along the lines of me politely chastising this person for making horrible leisure reading decisions and offering to continue the conversation later.
No one was rude, but I cannot stand here and call myself a RA expert and trainer and allow these things to be said right in front of me. I am not here to make friends. I don’t work this hard to simply keep the status quo going in a straight line. No, I am here to make patron experiences better by training librarians to be more effective reader’s advisors, and if that means upsetting a few [wrong] people along the way, oh well.
So, when I recently saw this article on the Barnes and Noble blog entitled, “5 Reasons to Never Be Embarrassed By a Book You Love,” I realized that sadly, I needed to pass this on to librarians.
Please read it. Think about yourself. Think about your patrons. Check yourself. Are you too judgey? Are you making purchasing decisions based on what your patrons actually like to read or are you buying what you think they should read? Are your displays featuring books your patrons love or the books you think they should be reading?
[Display note. Our display guru John, hates culinary mysteries, but guess what, patrons love them. It’s November...cooking and baking season. What fantastic display did he put up this week? Yup, culinary mysteries. People love it. It’s adorable, eye catching, and full of wonderful reading choices. And, the books are flying off the shelves. Yay John.]
So that’s my rant. I am sad that it needed to be said, but I feel better now that I have spoken up. Feel free to leave a comment whether you agree or disagree.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
More On the Person Vs Algorithm RA Debate
This article has been circulating around, but in case you missed it-- What Book Should You Read Next? Putting Libraries and Algorithms to the Test.
It is an in depth look at the different ways we can provide RA service.
It is an in depth look at the different ways we can provide RA service.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Brand New Program Debuts Today: Taking It To the Streets
This morning I will be debuting a brand new program for the Maine Regional Library System-- Taking It To the Streets: Adult Programming Outside the Library.
I am very excited to finally have a reason to create this program. I originally proposed it for PLA 2014, but it was not accepted. I have to say I was honestly surprised that it was not accepted. Not because I am so awesome, but because our programs like Trivia Night and Book Lovers Club are among the programs I get asked about the most by other librarians.
Well, no more waiting. Here is the link to the slides, or you can click on the first slide below. And ironically, later tonight I will be hosting an election night edition of Trivia Night.
If you are interested in my Taking It To The Streets program, contact me and we can talk about how I can bring it to your library.
I am very excited to finally have a reason to create this program. I originally proposed it for PLA 2014, but it was not accepted. I have to say I was honestly surprised that it was not accepted. Not because I am so awesome, but because our programs like Trivia Night and Book Lovers Club are among the programs I get asked about the most by other librarians.
Well, no more waiting. Here is the link to the slides, or you can click on the first slide below. And ironically, later tonight I will be hosting an election night edition of Trivia Night.
If you are interested in my Taking It To The Streets program, contact me and we can talk about how I can bring it to your library.
[Editor’s Note: If you signed up for the webinar, I also sent your 2 examples of the "visual round” for Trivia Night]
Monday, November 3, 2014
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