Library and Information Week 2009

The theme for this year’s LIW (25-31 May) is designed to highlight the self-directed discovery element of public libraries.

Is anyone using this theme to promote self-help tools that they have available in their Libraries for Readers. Does anyone have any great ideas for how we could promote the self-help aspect of our Readers Advisory services?

We spend a lot of time talking about the Readers Advisor/Reader relationship, but what about those readers who like to help themselves? How do we cater for these very important (but often invisible) customers?

RA Online video

The team at Libraries Unlimited who are behind the online databse - RA Online - have also put together a series of 'training' videos with Sarah Statz Cords. You can view them online at http://rainfo.lu.com/videos.aspx.

Even though my library doesn't currently have a subscription to this database, I have used it before and I certainly enjoy the blog, plus I really like the product. What I like about this video series is the ideas it gives me, the ones where I think, "mmm ....... maybe we could do something like this?" - not necessarily for using a particular RA tool but for RA generally, an extension of the training we've all done (in-house or with the Rewarding Reading program). An opportunity to take what we've got, what we've learned, the steps so many of us have taken since beginning the State Library's Learning 2.0 program, and move it all up a level - extend ourselves and lead the way for RA and RA training.

It could be exciting! It'd certainly be fun.

RISG - RA Forum

Don't forget about the new Reference & Information Services Group Forum - it's a place for healthy discussions about the many and varied questions we may have about Readers Advisory - check it out, ask a question, join in the discussion!

Training in readers advisory work

Read this short report from a conference session at PLA in Minneapolis with some ideas for how to keep readers advisory training going. There are some ideas you may be able to use in your library.

Seminar Presentations

Frank Inkster from Manly Library and Philippa Johnson from Gosford Library have both uploaded the information from their presentations at the Romancing Your Readers RA Seminar at the State Library on the 4th of March.

Fran's Presentation - Blogs and Their Content

Philippa's Presentation - Gosford Library's Readers Advisory Website

More to come!