How to create a world famous Readers' Advisory Program
Dates: 3/15/00,3:45 PM through 3/17/00,1:14 PM (4 postings)
|
Fiction_L Archives
How to create a world famous Readers' Advisory Program
|
|
Postings are in chronological order (as received by the list server), with the original posting at the top of the page.
FROM: [removed]@camden.lib.nj.us
DATE: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 15:45:45 -0500
I have been asked to put together a plan for a world famous Readers'
Advisory Program. If money and time were no object, what would you want to
see included in this program.
We will be implimenting a program over the next few years and I have to
answer the question I just put to you along with budgetary needs so we can
plan for the future.
Thank you all.
Nan
Nan Rosenthal
Librarian
Camden County Library
203 Laurel Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043
(856) 772-1636 x3321
[removed]@camden.lib.nj.us
http://www.camden.lib.nj.us
"When I get a little money I buy books: and if any is left over I buy food
and clothes. " - Erasmus
FROM: Susan Henricks <[removed]@server.silo.lib.ia.us>
DATE: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 12:03:28 -0600
Think of setting up your program in five steps: tools to do the job,
training staff, evaluting your collection to see if it facilitates
browsing, promotion, and evaluation. They will be ongoing and an integral
part of the readers' advisory service.
Critical to include will be the tools the staff needs to do the job! Print
sources such as those recommended by Saricks and Brown, _Fiction Catalog_,
and _Genreflecting_ . Others might be Gale's _What Do I Read Next_? and
genre specific reference sources such as _Happily Ever After_ for romance
and _Murder. . . A Subject Guide to Mystery Fiction_ (just as examples.)
At least a comprehensive genre reference book that covers the genre the
majority of your readers' advisors are *not* familiar with.
I'd want at least three comprehensive cross-genre book titles and one video
guide available... multiple copies... to provide for both patrons and
staff use.
And don't forget to buy Saricks and Brown's _Readers' Advisory Service in
the Public Library, Guiding the Reader to the Next Book_, and _Serving
Readers_ by Ted Brown for each staff member! These books will provide an
overview of the service for new employees, act as a refresher to a more
experienced reader's advisor, and be a springboard for creative and new
ideas for all.
Complement print materials with web-based info. Evalute web sites and
bookmark for patrons' use to facilitate their browsing.
Speaking of facilitating browsing, etc... take a good look at your
catalog. Can you add subject headings, genre terms, etc? This can be a
highly useful tool for both librarian and patron.
Training is critical and type can accommodate any budget. If money is no
object, send personnel to regional/state/national conferences/workshops
and/or roundtables where programs are available which focus on readers'
advisory. If this is cost prohibitive, training can be done in house by a
consultant who is knowledgable in the field.
People coming into the library may ask any staff member on duty for help...
if money is no object, have a trained reader's advisor available whenever
the library is open.
Maybe you'd like to have staff trained in speed reading. Sounds funny, and
while readers' advisors are not required to have read every book they
suggest, it's an important part of the job.
After the service is launched, you might want to consider partnering with
other libraries to form a genre study group. Great way to learn new stuff,
share, see another perspective.
In the money-is-no-object readers' advisory development I'd want to include
lots of goodies to facilitate browsing, etc. Bookmarks can be made
(inexpensively!) say in different colors for each genre containing a
mini-review or abstract of a book in that genre. Insert in a book of that
genre when a patron checks out the material... Use with booklists.
Booklists will be good,too! Alleviate overload patrons might face in
browsing.
Maintain booklists... build them.
Promotion of the service would be a big part of the money-is-no-object
Readers' Advisory service. Anywhere from billboards to TV and radio, and
when the budget reality becomes apparent, there are other ways to promote.
Local newspaper announcements, newsletters, etc. Go outside the library to
give booktalks.
Money no object? Have a roving reader's advisor on the floor to ask
patrons if they are finding what they need. Oh! And how about an author's
visit?
How about personalized readers' advisory service? After your database of
booklists has been input for a few years maybe patrons can fill out a
one-page questionnaire about the type of books they enjoy reading and from
this form the readers' advisor could generate a list of annotated titles
from this database.
Buy attractive book displays that show off books to their advantage.
What fun! :)
Good luck,
susan
/
Susan Henricks
Southeastern Library Services
4209 1/2 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52804
319.386.7848
FROM: "Karen Traynor" <[removed]@midyork.lib.ny.us>
DATE: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 07:11:15 -0500
----- Original Message -----
From: <[removed]@camden.lib.nj.us>
To: <[removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 3:45 PM
Subject: How to create a world famous Readers' Advisory Program
> First, let me thank all of you for so many wonderful ideas that I have
read
> and used from Fiction_L. I have been a lurker for years and this is the
> first time that I have posted anything. So here goes my question to all of
> you experts out there.
>
> I have been asked to put together a plan for a world famous Readers'
> Advisory Program. If money and time were no object, what would you want to
> see included in this program.
>
> We will be implimenting a program over the next few years and I have to
> answer the question I just put to you along with budgetary needs so we can
> plan for the future.
>
> Thank you all.
>
> Nan
>
> Nan Rosenthal
> Librarian
> Camden County Library
> 203 Laurel Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043
> (856) 772-1636 x3321
> [removed]@camden.lib.nj.us
> http://www.camden.lib.nj.us
>
> "When I get a little money I buy books: and if any is left over I buy food
> and clothes. " - Erasmus
>
>
>
FROM: "Jeni Comly" <[removed]@boulder.lib.co.us>
DATE: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 13:14:22 -0700
Jeni Comly
Boulder Public
Return to March 2000 thread menu | Fiction_L Archives Menu
|
The Webrary® and Fiction_L are services of the Morton Grove Public Library
"Webrary" is a registered trademark of the Morton Grove Public Library. All rights reserved.
|