RA Seminar notes

No comments
Last week I was lucky to go to the RA seminar at the State Library with Sophie, Tynelle and Becky.
I took copious notes because I am also doing this subject at TAFE and was asked to share with the other students. Here are my notes if you'd like to have a browse. I've added the links to all the sites mentioned at the seminar. One link I didn't add was for a booklet given out at the seminar from Novelist. You can access it online and download it. It has a very comprehensive list of book appeals.
https://www.ebsco.com/promo/novelist-the-secret-language-of-books?_ga=1.226733981.1241209583.1458545785



2016 Readers Advisory Seminar
State Library NSW
March 23rd 2016
Literary Fiction and Western
Presented by Joyce Saricks author of:
Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library


Published by American Library Association, 2005.

Joyce Saricks talked about both Literary Fiction and Westerns. She spoke well about both genres with understanding and enthusiasm.

The links below are for the notes provided on the day. These notes are very comprehensive; please take the time to read them.

Literary Fiction
Appeal of Genres that Appeal to the Intellect
(Literary Fiction, Mysteries, Psychological Suspense, Science Fiction):
Complex puzzles, ideas, and relationships challenge a reader intellectually. Provocative issues and positions force readers to consider carefully, to view
the world differently.
Compelling pace drives these novels, sometimes more leisurely, sometimes
adrenaline-fueled.
Tone is often unsettling.

Westerns
(Westerns, Fantasy, Historical Fiction)
Settings—whether real or imagined—and background details matter.
Often slower paced to accommodate extensive details and world building.
Stories may build on historical characters or events or retell familiar
Tales.
Timeless—or out-of-time quality. Don’t date as quickly; classics remain
popular.

Joyce linked the two genres and came up with a list of titles that combined the two genres. Although this is included in the notes I thought I’d add it here.
Peter Carey (True History of the Kelly Gang),
Annie Proulx (Close Range),
Larry McMurtry (The Last Kind Words Saloon),
Mary Doria Russell (Epitaph),
Philipp Meyer (The Son),
Ivan Doig (English Creek),
Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men),
Lin Enger (The High Divide)


An interesting point for me was that Joyce was looking for Australian westerns. Do we have such a genre or would we call it “pioneering stories”, “stories from the bush” or perhaps “settlers’ stories”?  Another interesting point that was discussed with a colleague was the difference in our indigenous history and the treatment of this.  Has the treatment of and attitude toward indigenous peoples changed with the retelling of these stories over time?


Snippets and Bit and Pieces from the rest of the day.

Evaluating Readers Advisory
·         Use data from Enquiry Completion Rate to see if RA needs training
·         Look at Council’s goals/strategic plan, how does RA fit in?
·         RA includes not only the interview but
Þ    Online information
Þ    You might also like links in catalogue
Þ    Displays of genres new items
Þ    Social media
Ø  Facebook
Ø  Twitter
Ø  Instagram
Ø  Tumblr
·         Look at other libraries RA to determine best practice e.g
·         Share RA activites
Keeping up with what’s hot
·         Readers Advisory wiki http://readersadvisory.wikifoundry.com/
·         Early word http://www.earlyword.com/
·         Love reading UK http://www.lovereading.co.uk/
·         The Book House http://ww2.thebookhouse.com.au/default.asp
Þ    You need to be a member or your library does…
·         Good reading magazinehttp://www.goodreadingmagazine.com.au/
·         Novelist
·         Goodreads annual listshttps://www.goodreads.com/list/show/47649.Best_books_of_2014
·         Twitter-subscribe to publishers and read their posts
·         Facebook groups for genre readers
·         RA for all by Becky Stratford http://raforall.blogspot.com.au/
·         Bookriot podcastshttp://bookriot.com/category/podcast/
·         Fantastic Fiction https://www.fantasticfiction.com/

Best advice-Use twitter, look at publishers every couple of days to see what’s being released!

Library Reads Initiative
·         http://libraryreads.org/ is an American site. An Australian one is being developed by Megan Mutch and Melanie Tolnay called Librarian’s Choice. This is NOT the link
as it is not quite ready yet.

Comics
COMIC-GONG Comic Festival at Wollongong hosted by Wollongong library
·         Builds community
·         Expanded collection
·         Increased loans
·         Strong library media support
·         Increased number of patrons
·         Cosplay, artists, youth services, demonstrations, merchandise.
·         Library controlled therefore “free” and has a strong library presence
·         One day

Sydney Comic Conversation Developed by Ashfield library

·         2015 6 libraries participated
·         2016 14 libraries will participate
·         One week in school holidays
·         Workshops, Creator trail, Artists,
·         Marketing will be better

Community Reading Programs
·         One Book One Wagga
·         One Book One Region (Tamworth)

Genre Labels to consider
·         GLQBT
·         Rural Romance
·         Chick Lit
·         Paranormal
·         Aboriginal
·         Local Author
·         Gentle Reads

Þ    Can we label too much?
Þ    Cross over genres?
Þ    Insult one genre reader by labeling incorrectly?
Þ    Subjective view?
Þ    Catalogue support?

Shoalhaven Library
“So you think you can print in the blink of an eye
So you think you can scan and email that guy?
Oh Baby…Yes you can work this baby”

·         Positive feedback from video
·         Increased membership and loans
·         Increased hits on other Shoalhaven videos on youtube promoting reading and library activities.

Judy Atkinson RA for children


This was streamed on Youtube you can listen. (The video component did not work and it’s a still screen. Do not be discouraged the information is very good.)



It was a very good day and included a nice lunch. Thanks for the opportunity to learn new things and develop some new skills. Ingrid

No comments :