RA Training Day Slides – The Catalogue as an RA Tool

The RA training day went well this past Monday. It was great to see a room of about 19 library staff members eager to learn about readers’ advisory! In addition, we had a handful of staff from libraries throughout Nova Scotia, from Yarmouth to Cape Breton, attending our session.
I think the training went well, and [...]

The Catalogue IS an RA tool: Annual RA Training Day

In November, our Readers’ Services Team will be holding our annual Ra training day. As usual, it is an introductory training for new staff, or for readers’ advisors in the library who either need a refresher or haven’t yet attended a formal RA training. New this year, we’ll also include a handful of [...]

New Reader’s blog highlights the catalogue as an RA tool

I’m always looking for ways to further the relationship between the library catalogue and Readers’ Advisory services. I believe the catalogue is an important RA tool and cataloguers are key Readers’ Advisors.
This month, our library launched an RA blog called The Reader. It’s a public blog, created for patrons and staff. As a member of [...]

Cataloguing component in RA training course

Last week our library held a Readers’ Advisory training session for those staff members new to RA work, or new to the library and interested in RA work.
For the first time, a cataloguing component was introduced into this training. This is a big step for the catalogue in public libraries. With the shift toward social [...]

Aesthetically pleasing book labels

Here’s a new idea for book labelling.  I have to admit, I kind of like it.
I wonder, taken a step further, if they could include the subject and genre headings or a suggestion for a catalogue search that would bring up similar books.  That would really enhance access.  Or, if the label includes other book recommendations.  [...]

Narrative Nonfiction – A New Genre Heading?

With the growing popularity of Readers Advisory Services, it is to be expected that skills and expertise will grow to incorporate nonfiction as well. We are starting to see this trend in Canada.
Not only are patrons happy to seek the assistance of a Reader’s Advisor (RA) when attempting to find that “perfect” summer novel, but [...]

Coming out from behind the catalogue: Cataloguers and Readers’ Services

When I think of cataloguing, I typically conjure up images of the old card catalogues or online catalogues. I think of organizing information and creating access to that information through some type of format for patrons to refer to.
There is an image that cataloguers are the behind-the-scenes choreographers of the library. Not a bad image, [...]