Library services: Adding collaboration to ‘passive’ reader’s advisory

Through my studies in librarianship this week, I’ve been exploring ways to make a type of library service more collaborative: in this case a “passive” reader’s advisory display on a public library’s website that links to horror-themed results in the library’s online catalog. I thought I’d put together and narrate a slide presentation to add a visual element to my reasoning.
https://youtu.be/F0m2bQP_wkg

Sexuality and reader’s advisory

A question was posed to me as part of my studies in Children’s and Young Adult Literature: How would I provide reader’s advisory for young people who are looking for books related to sexuality?

Readers’ advisory as evolving practice

An idea that stood out for me this week for my studies in librarianship was the evolving practice of readers’ advisory (RA) to focus on the reader.

‘Find books here!’ with bookmarked resources

SRCSA students, staff, and families: Explore this collection of bookmarked resources for finding and reading books (plus a collection of Google Slides for several of my read-alouds). To get started, navigate to the landing page for our school library catalog, via https://santarosacity.follettdestiny.com/

Children’s books that support diversity, ‘connection’ and engaging in ‘the work’

Pictures from seeds, created by children in ‘Religious Explorations’

My work in library “Readers Advisory” can surface any time, in any capacity. At the church where I work part-time as administrative coordinator for Religious Explorations, I was asked to identify children’s books that reflect the church’s mission: to “Embrace Diversity, Empower Connection, Engage in the Work.”

The librarian’s ‘customer service’ hat

What would my ‘customer service’ hat look like?

Among library blogs, 500 Hats by Barbara Braxton is a personal favorite; it expands the perceptions of people who think of librarians only as “keeper of the books.”

Each entry focuses on one of many “hats” worn by the library professional.

Hats are a big part of my image and so in that vein, I offer thoughts on my “customer service” hat. Customer service is a big part of my daily activities in Bellview Elementary School library.

Teen self-help with self-checkout for privacy

Credit: aphroditzy on Tumblr

With this awesome sign created by library supervisor Justin Azevedo, the Sacramento Public Library points teens in the direction of sensitive information that they may be too embarrassed or afraid to ask an adult to help them locate. The sign reminds teens about self-checkout to help protect their privacy.

As Azevedo told Buzzfeed News, “I would notice how popular teen books on these topics were, but how rare actual questions about them from teen library patrons were. Most of the topics would be embarrassing to ask about, but some of them could threaten their privacy or even safety if asked in front of people or discovered by parents in a search engine history.”

Because the Dewey numbering system is a subject classification, many of these topics will likely have their counterparts in the same order in our Jackson County libraries — and our teens, too, can access them in privacy through self-checkout machines. (The photo was first posted by Tumblr user aphroditzy and Buzzfeed News elected to share a reblog by user kassysgalaxyyy).

‘Crunch’ by Leslie Connor

I subscribe to various email lists related to library services to children, and in response to requests for recommendations on two very different topics, one book immediately came to mind.

I posted a review of Crunch by Leslie Connor (Katherine Tegan Books, 2010) in December 2013.

More recently, I recommended the book across one of the listservs I subscribe to. My recommendation was in response to a request for books with an environmental theme.

Set in present-day, Crunch depicts what happens when gasoline supplies abruptly disappear.

Autism book list: Fiction divided by age

Books out from the library

The growing roster of fiction on my list of books for people on the autism spectrum could easily stand as an independent list of autism “read-alikes” — except that entries vary as to age of target readership as reflected in the age of the main character. So this morning, I subdivided the fiction into juvenile, young adult and adult categories.

‘The Doubt Factory’ by Paolo Bacigalupi

Alix Banks thinks she knows what her dad does for a living. He works in public relations, making sure his clients get good publicity. Where’s the harm in that?

But then Alix’s luxurious private school becomes the target of a sophisticated prank. And a mysterious stranger makes contact with her and raises an unsettling possibility: that Alix Banks’ father isn’t just in public relations.

In a “four-story tagging job,” the numbers “2.0” drip red from a building’s windows, and “thousands and thousands and thousands of rats” swarm their way out of the building.

Librarians ‘wear many caps’

On INALJ.com, Rebecca Tischler has contributed a great essay highlighting five things that people don’t realize that librarians do.

‘Students Engage with Journalism’ on Slideshare

Book list: Students Engage with Journalism from Cynthia M. Parkhill

Originally written as a blog post on June 2, 2014, this book list has been formatted for insertion into a binder for easy use during reader’s advisory. It highlights four upper-elementary level books about students engaging with journalism.

Children’s literature: Early influences

In an online forum for my Early Childhood Education class, students are asked to think back concerning their earliest experiences with books. “Do you remember a parent, grandparent, or teacher reading to you? As you learned to read, were you encouraged to read, and what sorts of books did you like and/or dislike and why? Was reading modeled at home by other family members?”

‘The Fault in Our Stars’ read-alike library display

Here’s something I’d love to duplicate in the Bellview Elementary School library — customized for our students’ reading preferences — when school resumes this fall.

Created by Julie Wood and showcased at Library Displays, this is a John Green read-alike display, “relevant to the current movie release of ‘The Fault in Our Stars.’”

In her description of the display, Wood discusses design motifs that played off the color scheme and cloud motif on the original book jacket art.

The blog administrator pairs Wood’s display with a link to a Buzzfeed compilation by Arielle Calderon, “17 Books to Read if You Liked ‘The Fault in Our Stars.’”

Even librarians can read more

An essay posted this week at Personal Branding Blog has direct relevance to a recent online chat that addressed advice for people who are new to working in a library. Nance Rosen argues that the most successful business people read, way beyond their business field.

Read-alikes: Students engage with journalism

Student journalism is a rich subject to explore for themes that include the ethics of reporting and the responsibility of a news publisher to the community it serves. This booklist features several books written for upper-elementary reading audiences. While the youthful protagonists come from varying backgrounds, they all engage with the power and responsibility of news media.

Report emphasizes importance of diversity in library services for children

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has released a new report, “The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children.”

YA reader’s next book? How about one of these

Via Epic Reads, here are 25 adult books for fans of YA. For list of titles and link to video chat, visit http://www.epicreads.com/blog/25-adult-books-for-fans-of-ya/.

LibraryReads recommendations debut this fall

Readers’ advisory has a chance to expand its scope. From Molly Driscoll, writing for the Christian Science Monitor, libraries all over the country will contribute to a Top 10 recommendation list starting this fall.

Driscoll cites a statement by Robin Nesbitt, collection management director of the Columbus Metropolitan Library:

“Every day, thousands of people who work in libraries recommend books in all categories and genres to the communities they serve. LibraryReads will harness their passion and deep book knowledge, and create a new way to connect readers and authors, using the incredible collective outreach of library systems, big and small, across the country.”

LibraryReads is overseen by a committee that includes library staff members and advocates, with assistance from the Association of American Publishers and American Booksellers Association. Any regular library employee can make a recommendation. Selections will be compiled from top picks.

‘Diversity in Youth Literature,’ released by ALA

Diversity in Youth Literature: Opening Doors Through Reading, edited by Jamie Campbell Naidoo and Sarah Park Dahlen, has been added to my wish list for professional investment.

Newly released by ALA Editions, Diversity in Youth Literature surveys representations of common and lesser-known culture groups in literature for teens.

Of particular relevance for me is the inclusion of cognitive disabilities among examined youth cultures in this book. Young adult fiction is prominent on my list of recommended books for people on the autism spectrum.

Because we experience high rates of bullying, this informs my interest as well. I regularly survey the treatment of bullying in books and audio resources.

Diversity in Youth Literature interests me as a resource for library collection development. I see value in materials that speak directly to the experience of under-represented groups and this book offers both context and guidelines to select “the best in diversity literature.”