|
|
|
August
2023 | |
|
|
Adult Services Notes |
|
|
|
Library of Virginia Training |
|
|
|
|
The Library of Virginia offers a robust collection of resources to support genealogists, local historians, students, and scholars, and many of these collections can be accessed online without coming to Richmond.
This upcoming series looks at collections from LVA that support public library users and library staff and connects you with the resources you need to get your patrons started with researching at LVA from their homes or local library.
Find all the program descriptions and registration information on the LDND Info Center's CE pages. |
|
|
News from Library Development & Networking
|
|
|
RUSA Online Training Reports
|
|
|
In partnership with ALA's Reference and User Services Association, LDND is delighted to offer training opportunities for Virginia library staff. this spring, we awarded 21 seats in RUSA online training classes.
Scholarship recipients are asked to report out on key points or topics. Read the reports below.
|
|
|
| Reference Interview 101
Amanda Bloodgood, Hampton Public Library; Rita Scrivner, Hampton Public Library
Reference Interview 101 is a great introduction to working behind the reference desk. I have been working the Reference Desk at a public library for a little over a year now, and I appreciate the variety of situations this class introduces. The class has helped me slow down during the reference interview and ask more pertinent questions in order to uncover the real question a patron has if they seem uncertain. The importance of body language and facial expressions when working with the public have always seemed intuitive to me. However, I can understand the focus of the instructor on this topic, because we are not always aware of how we appear to patrons when we're distracted or busy at the desk.
I’ve been working in reference for almost 15 years, and I love content that I can approach as a new employee with a fresh perspective. The methodical process of drilling into a question to find the real information need is endlessly fascinating and different with every interaction.
One thought I am left with is how much a successful reference interaction depends on two things: traffic load on the desk and the other duties of the staff answering questions. I’m at the Reference Desk right now and I don’t want to call what’s happening “interruptions,” but I have stopped writing this to help people probably 20 times since I began.
So a busy desk is a mixed blessing: the folks with an information need are finding you, you’re helping them sometimes many times over years, but with every added person, every added responsibility, there’s a little less time – energy – thought – focus – you have left. How to balance that mixed blessing is my career-long challenge.
|
|
|
Niche Academy Spotlight
| Checkout the great self-paced training opportunities in the LVA Niche Academy. |
|
|
|
Professional Development Collection
|
|
|
Did you know that LDND has a collection of professional development titles available via ILL from the LVA collections? The collection has over 117 titles (with more being added) and is a great resource for building your knowledge and skills. With topics ranging from programming to planning, makerspaces to management, and copyright to community-centered libraries you are sure to find something here to help you in your practice. Use your library's ILL service to request a title.
Search the LDND
Professional Development Collection
|
|
|
|
Americans and the Holocaust Traveling Exhibition |
|
|
"With support from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), the American Library Association Public Programs Office (ALA PPO) is seeking sites to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition that examines the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s."
Review the guidelines and apply online
Deadline for applying is October 14, 2023 |
|
|
Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
|
|
|
Adult Reading Challenges
Everyone likes to feel that they are achieving something, right? That's why gamification of programs can really be successful.
NoveList has some great reading challenges for adult readers to spur ideas for library reading promotions. Each year the NoveList team creates twelve challenges that encourage readers to stretch out of their comfort zones a bit and try something new.
You can see all the challenges on the NoveList blog.
Build your community of readers with adult reading challenges! |
|
|
|
|
Book Bathing
Building off the Japanese practice of forest bathing, sometimes called “taking in the forest atmosphere,” the Grace Van Dyke Bird Library at Bakersfield (CA) College developed a book bathing program, that provided "an opportunity for library users to reimagine the physical space of a library and engage all of their senses through a guided mindfulness audio experience."
Read more about this innovative project.
|
|
|
Featured Virginia Programs
|
|
|
|
Mini Canvas Painting and Cookies Night |
If you needed a sugar rush or a new decoration for your office, this program provided opportunities in spades. Patrons could paint and take home their own 4 X 4 canvas painting with an easel and enjoy home made cookies. You don't have to be a Bob Ross or baker to make this program a success. |
|
|
For more info, contact Keith Bell, kbell@augustacountylibrary.org
|
|
|
Fairfax County Public Library
|
|
|
Tiny Canvases
| One of the activities during our Winter Reading Challenge was providing a tiny canvas painting kits to patrons ages 5 and up. After painting a picture, people were invited to upload a photo of their artwork.
Library staff added the photos to our Tiny Canvases Art Gallery: https://research.fairfaxcounty.gov/adult/tiny-canvases-gallery.
|
|
|
For more info, contact Renee Edwards, renee.edwards@fairfaxcounty.gov
|
|
|
Lancaster Community Library
|
|
|
A Special Evening With ... Tidewater Trusts and Estates |
|
|
Library users enjoyed an overview of estate planning from local lawyer, James A. Butts, IV, of Tidewater Trusts and Estates.
Known to the community as "Alfie," Mr. Butts shared his decades of estate planning experience with participants, who learned about wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance directives. |
|
|
|
|
Recent articles on topics of interest to Adult Services |
|
|
|
|