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July 2024 |
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Adult Services Notes |
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Library of Virginia Training |
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Confidently Equipping Your Library
for Content Challenges |
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A national trend of content challenges has left some libraries struggling to respond, especially to complaints arising outside of the library’s normal processes. This training can help you be more confident about handling complaints.
Presenter Carson Block has more than 26 years of experience as a library technologist and is the co-creator of the Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit. |
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Watch Carson's intro to the presentation and the learning outcomes
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Dates:
August 13th: Roanoke County: Hollins Branch
August 14th: Chesterfield County: Midlothian Branch
August 15th: Virginia Beach: Operation Smile Headquarters Time: Cost: |
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News from Library Development & Networking
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RUSA Online Training Reports
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In partnership with ALA's Reference and User Services Association, LDND is delighted to offer training opportunities for Virginia library staff. So far this spring, we have awarded 13 seats in RUSA online training classes.
Scholarship recipients are asked to report out on key points or topics. Read the reports below.
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| Canva and Design for Libraries: Page Layout and Social Media Design
Athena Williams, Alexandria Library
I learned a lot in the class, but I was hoping to learn more about creating flyers as well as the social media posts used as the example. I think a longer class or series would be great. I appreciate the opportunity to take the class. I received the recording that I can go back to for future reference.
Topics covered in the class
Introduction to Canva and differences/features of the two versions: Free and Pro.
Brief description of the principles and elements of design, for example:Line, color, shape and value for elements; and balance, contrast, gradation and scale for principles.
The class focused on creating a social media post, specifically for Instagram.
Color theory was explored, i.e. what colors go together using the color wheel and how once chosen you could lighten/darken both the images and fonts.
Instruction on how to find/use free images from Pixabay was discussed in creating posts and how to create a free log in. Pixabay doesn’t require attribution like some other sites. Did not recommend using Google images because of possible copyright issues.
Fonts were discussed: how certain ones are more readable than others. For example, fonts without serifs tend to be more readable: She used Canva Sans and her favorite font Glacial Indifference. |
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| Quiet Leadership: Foster your identity as an introverted or quiet leader to inspire beyond words
Victoria Hauser, Henrico County Public Library
The course began by addressing stereotypes that are often associated with introverts in an extroverted world. Introverts are often told to be more assertive or outgoing, or it is thought that they lack people skills because they do not speak up. The instructor then reviewed the Myers-Briggs Personality quiz, highlighting personality types that are common to the library field, and the Clifton Strengths Finder, which identifies what people naturally do best. She provided a link to the Mind Tools Leadership Style quiz, and we were encouraged to take the short quiz and submit our results in the poll. The course then moved into more specific ways that introverts process information and function in work settings. The instructor described ways of working with different personality types, including sending meeting agendas ahead of time so that employees can think about the topics, or allowing employees to give feedback outside of meetings so that they can process their responses before sharing. The instructor then posted two discussion points asking participants what type of leader are you based on the leadership style quiz and how can you apply that towards overcoming bias towards introverts. Participants could post a response in the chat or unmute to speak. I appreciated hearing a few different scenarios and the instructor's responses. However, I felt this portion went on for too long; it was nearly thirty minutes of the ninety-minute course. It also seemed to go against the advice provided by asking participants to share without any advanced notice. I also found it difficult to toggle between people speaking and reading through the chat responses. The course concluded with real world tips on ways to create successful working environments These were interesting and helpful points, though it felt that they had less to do with introvert-extrovert dynamics and more to do with having a workplace that is inclusive of different styles. There were also several slides that had exercises, but we were running low on time, so the instructor covered those briefly. I plan to explore these further and put into practice. Overall, I appreciated the course. As an introvert, it gave me a lot to think about when interacting with co-workers and working with a team.
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Access Video Just for Kids
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While the content may be aimed at children, it is parents who are most likely to take advantage of the great resources available in the Find It VA Access Video Just for Kids collection, especially in the summer when long car or plane trips can be made easier with quality entertainment.
Content includes great science and nature shows, videos on history, geography, and arts, read-along picture books, and classic TV shows for kids of all ages, including Sesame Street, Callou, Reading Rainbow, Redwall, Arthur, and the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
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All Virginia public libraries have a link to Access Video Just for Kids on their website, making the library the go-to destination for engaging and free video content for kids. You can access useful marketing resources for Access Video Just for Kids to help you get the word out to library users of all ages.
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Financial Literacy Programming
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Financial literacy is a hot topic right now, and one that can be of interest to all ages. Erin Creighton, Adult Services Department Head at Central Rappahannock Regional Library, reviewed resources to make library financial literacy programming easier, including outreach ideas, passive programming, free resources, and finding program partners.
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Access the Recording
| Niche Academy is open to all Virginia library staff members and library associates such as trustees and Friends board members. If you do not have a Niche Academy account, please use your library email address to sign up. If you do not have a library work email, you may register with a personal email, and we will contact you to confirm that you are affiliated with a Virginia library. |
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Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
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We spend a lot of time and energy building collections, cataloging materials, and developing readers' advisory services, but we often find ourselves wishing more readers came to ask us for reading suggestions.
This is where marketing readers' advisory comes into play. Like any other aspect of library services, we need to keep our support for and interest in helping readers in the public eye.
There are lots of ways to make sure that your reading community views the library as an important and willing source of assistance in finding new authors and titles, supporting book discussion groups, providing reading-focused programming, and helping individuals learn more about their own reading habits and interests. Here are just a few ideas:
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Don’t treat readers’ advisory questions as secondary to reference question.
Review your signage.
Turn reference queries into readers’ advisory queries.
Use the library newsletter and other communication tools, both print and digital, to promote readers’ advisory services and programs.
Put reading lists out in the stacks where they are near appropriate books
Use displays to circulate materials that readers otherwise might not know you have.
Develop quick readalike lists for materials with high hold lists so staff can give them to readers when the place them on the holds list.
Consider offering form-based readers’ advisory service. |
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The Brodhead Memorial Public Library in Wisconsin held a popular introduction to sourdough bread-making where participants learned about why sourdough works the way it does and how to create a starter.
The library provided ingredients and instructions so that attendees could take home their own starter mix and get baking (in a week or so). |
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Featured Virginia Programs
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Mushrooms: Putting the "Fun" back in Fungus |
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Bedford Public Library hosted the Bedford Area Master Gardeners to explore the Fun World of Fungi at the library!
The library supplied participants with Shitake Mushroom Plugs to get them started on their mushroom-growing journey. |
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Topics Included:
What is a mushroom?
What are the health benefits associated with mushrooms and fungi?
The Different types of mushrooms
How to safely grow your own mushrooms at home (specifically Shitake Mushrooms) and where to get supplies
Choosing and preparing logs for growing Shitakes
Mushroom pests |
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For more info, contact Veronica Terry, vterry@bpls.org
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Prince William Public Libraries
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Pressed Flower Mini Tea Lights |
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Using 6 oz jars, mod podge, pressed flowers and twine, patrons created their own handcrafted tea light in this fun craft project.
The library ordered a set of jars online, but notes that collecting clean, recycled jars would be a good way to cut costs as well as give an upcycling twist to the program. |
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For more info, contact Shannon Ball, SMBall@pwcgov.org
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Pamunkey Regional Library
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Seed Starting for the Adventurous Gardener |
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The Ashland Branch of Pamunkey Regional Library hosted Master Gardener and Ashland Library Associate Dian McConnel for a program on how to successfully raise flowers, vegetables, and herbs from seed.
From how to read a seed packet label to the best seed companies for particular types of seed and from using a grow light to how to trim and when to transplant, participants learned how to successfully grow a complete garden from seed.
Equipped with information from the Virginia Cooperative Extension and knowledge gained from her many years of experience as a Master Gardener, Dian provided participants with all the tools they need to “get growing” in the garden. |
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For more info, contact Joanne Jones, jjones@pamunkeylibrary.org
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Recent articles on topics of interest to Adult Services |
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This newsletter is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is published by the Library of Virginia Library Development and Networking Division.
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