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![](https://libraryaware.com/3744/Files/AnonymousDisplay/f77e971a-20ef-4a76-a327-fbbbe9c9ed99) |
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June
2024 |
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![two girls in library reading two girls in library reading](https://libraryaware.com/3744/Files/AnonymousDisplay/c0f44057-c94a-46f6-9949-38b1d1e1549c) |
Adult Services Notes |
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Library of Virginia Training |
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Resources for Answering Difficult Patron Questions
Financial Literacy Resources and Virginia Law Libraries |
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Financial literacy is a hot topic right now, and one that can be of interest to all ages. Join Erin Creighton, Adult Services Department Head at Central Rappahannock Regional Library, to learn about resources to make financial literacy programming easier. This session will cover outreach ideas, passive programming, free resources, and finding program partners.
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Legal questions can be challenging in the public library. And you always need to be careful that you are not providing legal advice to users.
Join Suzanne B. Corriell, Circuit Librarian U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Alexis Fetzer Sharp, State Law Librarian, Virginia State Law Library, Supreme Court of Virginia, and Charlie Schmidt, Law Librarian, Richmond Public Library to demystify helping users with legal questions.
Topics will include: What’s the difference between providing “Legal Information” and “Legal Advice,” Federal court resources, resources from the Virginia State Law Library, and Public Law Library Resources. |
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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. 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.
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| Canva and Design for Libraries: Page Layout and Social Media Design
Shelli Robertson, Lancaster Community Library, Sheena Johnson, Pulaski County Library System
I applied for this class to help me in better implementing Canva in my social media marketing process. The elements and principles section dealing with colors and lines was quite helpful in understanding streamlining posts to make them appealing to patrons.
The work on imagery and layering (sharpening and blurring as well) I found helpful, as we do rely quite a bit on graphics for our youngest patron programs. The information on text choice and design and usage gave some new ideas on choosing fonts based on audience.
For example, it was explained that using no more than 3 font styles per design is recommended as well as making sure the fonts compliment each other, to minimize distraction in the post. For designs focusing on adult patrons, it was recommended to use fonts such as Times New Roman instead of, say, Comic Sans to present a more mature look.
For images in a design, a point that was brought up was to scale the images with the textfor better visuals. For example, do not have your image take up 80% of the space while your font is miniscule, as the patron will miss the written information.
I think a course more in depth on the different aspects of Canva (such as the new AI function) would be beneficial, but overall I found this course to be beneficial to me in my role as Technology Specialist at my library in the social media marketing aspect of my job.
“Canva and Design for Libraries: Page Layout and Social Media Design” was a really informative program for someone like me- someone that had not really made it into the Canva realm yet. I had been using Microsoft Publisher for years and didn’t really have the need to make the switch. As more and more professionals were switching then I started to understand that the benefits and freedoms were much greater. This class provided me with first-hand experience using the application with someone that was comfortable explaining particulars that, frankly, would have taken me much longer to understand by working alone.
Some topics our instructor highlighted (that were particularly important to me):
Basic design elements and principles on a successful flyer. Some of the most useful she highlighted were balance, rhythm, and harmony.
Portraying the most beneficial information toward the bottom right of the flyer since this space is most often read. She all discussed other placements that were effective.
Typographic design was discussed as it expresses fonts that are received well and she also indicated fonts that were complimentary to one another.
She discussed some elements of copyright and fair use in regards to images and text and discussed some alternative options of finding copyright free materials.
The instructor also took the time to go through many options presented in Canva to give everyone a dip into the possibilities that are offered -- it was a lot of information, and she explained it well in our short time together. She made the material easy to understand and I am grateful for the opportunity to have taken this class. I have started working within Canva to create our library advertisements as opposed to using Publisher, which had been my general go to in the past. I look forward to the next opportunity that VLA has to offer.
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Transparent Language Online
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Transparent Language is a part of the resource suite available to public libraries through Find It VA!
It is an outstanding language-learning tool that is useful for library staff as well as library patrons. It also includes excellent marketing support that makes it easy for you.
Here are some important features to know about. |
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Survival Spanish for Library Staff
What are some of the most common service points during which library staff may need to communicate with patrons in Spanish? Transparent Language has you covered on: |
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Learning Features
Transparent Language provides lessons on the basics of Listening, Reading, and Speaking. It has the added benefit of teaching learners to Write and to Type so they may immediately participate in social media and email.
Transparent Language includes 120 languages - 80 of them are non-English paired languages. For instance, Spanish speakers can learn French in their native tongue. It also includes English As a Second Language instruction from beginner to advanced immersion levels. |
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Marketing Kit
Transparent Language has a robust marketing kit for libraries. It includes materials for your web site as well as social media videos and posts for Facebook, Instagram, and X.
You can choose among immediately useful promotional topics themed around holidays, events, time of year, and topic. Explore the Transparent Language Marketing Kit. |
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Want to know more about using and marketing Transparent Language?
You can learn more about Transparent Language in the Find It VA Public Library Staff Certificate, available in the LVA Niche Academy.
You can also learn more about marketing Transparent Language Via the Marketing Find it VA pathway also in Niche Academy. |
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Network of the National Library of Medicine 101
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The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) serves as an outreach program of the National Library of Medicine. The NNLM network is a collaboration of members from various organizations including public libraries, academic health sciences libraries, hospital libraries, special biomedical libraries, information center and community-based organizations.
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NNLM offers training, funding, and access to the member network. Faith Steele, NNLM Outreach and Education Librarian, will provide an overview of NNLM, the current initiatives, and how it can support your health information outreach and engagement efforts.
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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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I Partner with My Public Library Awards
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Starting June 1, 2024, Let's Move in Libraries will begin accepting nominations for the 2nd Annual I Partner with My Public Library Awards.
The awards are an opportunity for a public library to celebrate a local partner with whom they have worked to improve the lives of members of their community.
Last year, the Norfolk Public Library's nomination of Stop the Violence was an award winner for the collaborative effort to "provide positive outlets for youth to engage and interact through library programs and community-enriching programs."
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Find out more about the award process and submit a nomination. Nominations are accepted through the end of August, 2024.
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Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
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Are you up to speed on the latest publishing trend? While titles blending fantasy and romance have been around for ages, the newest hot genre among readers is "Romantasy."
According to NoveList Plus's Gillian Speace, romantasy features titles with "Epic quests, large-scale battles between good and evil, and individuals who find their seemingly fated mates." All the fantasy elements are there, but what drives the story, and hooks the reader, is the romantic tension between the characters.
While these books don't always wrap things up tidily for the protagonists, they do follow the traditional romance path, bringing together seemingly ill-fitted characters, who strike sparks and then strike up a relationship. It's the romance that brings the characters to life. |
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If you are not sure where to start with romantasy, check out the titles tagged with NoveList Plus's newest genre heading "Romantasy." You can also find titles in this new genre heading by using this search GX Romantasy in NoveList. Looking for YA Romantasy titles? Check out this teen romantasy list from developed by Autumn Winters at NoveList.
Checking out the NoveList Plus homepage is a great way to keep an eye on trends in RA topics, as there is usually a new feature posted every month. So let NoveList help build your RA skills and knowledge. |
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Musical Bingo for Aging Adults |
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The Green Sea (S.C.) Floyds Library partners with a local county agency on aging to provide a bi-monthly program series focused on maintaining cognitive skills.
Musical Bingo features music that the participants would have heard in high school. According to the library, the music helps develop "[happy] memories, better moods, a desire to socialize, and general mental and physical well-being.
Read more about how you can replicate this innovative program . |
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Featured Virginia Programs
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Fairfax County Public Library
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Local artist and educator, Sophia Han, led Fairfax County Public Library users in a Korean paper illustration craft program on hanji, traditional Korean mulberry paper.
Hanji paper is traditional handmade paper from a tree native to Korea. While the hanjigrim craft gives an illusion of paint, it is composed of small pieces of traditional, naturally dyed paper pasted together by hand. Hanji contrasts tough durability with delicate and intricate textures. |
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For more info, contact Gabi Kim Huesca, gabi.huesca@fairfaxcounty.gov
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Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
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At the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library's Plant Swap event, patrons are invited to bring a healthy (pest-free) plant or cutting to swap, take a look at Gordon Avenue Library's Tiny Seed Library, and learn about gardening from Piedmont Master Gardener experts.
If participants don't have something to swap but want to adopt a new plant they're still encouraged to stop by-- due to the generosity of our participants, there are usually plenty of extra plants for those without a plant to contribute.
Gordon Avenue Library has held this program twice a year since October 2021 on the front porch of the library (or in the meeting room during inclement weather) |
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The event has grown from a houseplant swap to swapping all kinds of plants. Our partnership with the Piedmont Master Gardeners during the last two swaps has provided an additional educational component as well. We have around 100 participants each time.
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For more info, contact Camille Thompson, cthompson@jmrl.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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