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April 2026 | |
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Adult Services Notes |
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Virginia Writes/Indie Virginia |
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With the addition of Lyrasis’s Indie Author Project to Library of Virginia’s set of resources, Virginia public libraries now have a great new opportunity to connect with local authors and writing groups, as well as offering readers access to a wide range of new eBook content.
In this recorded session, Roy Serrao from BiblioBoard walked librarians through the Virginia Writes project. This introduction will get you all the information you need to share and promote the Virginia Writes resources and collection with your local authors and readers. |
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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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News from Library Development
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Virginia Writes Indie Author Project Contest |
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Submissions for BiblioBoard's 2026 Indie Author Project (IAP) Annual Contest officially open on April 1! This is a great opportunity for libraries to spotlight local authors and connect them with a wider audience through the library network.
Authors can submit their materials to the IAP contest, which will be judged by a panel of librarians from around the country, and those materials will automatically be added to the Indie Virginia collection as well. Interested in being a judge for the contest? Find out more details and fill out the volunteer form.
If you want to promote the contest to your local author community, BiblioBoard has created ready-to-use marketing materials to help you spread the word, including printable flyers, social media graphics, and press release templates.
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LVA/RUSA Scholarship Reports |
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In partnership with ALA's Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), LDND is delighted to offer opportunities for Virginia library staff to attend online training presented by RUSA.
Scholarship recipients are asked to report out on key points or topics. Read the reports below.
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| Simplify communications to increase access, trust, and efficiency
Heather Carter, Smyth County Public Library
Thanks to an LVA scholarship, I was able to attend this live online training session with Lee Shainis. The main goal he set forth at the start of the webinar was to make communications easier to receive and understand. I liked the fact that this was a live interactive session with other library employees from different areas who were seeking to improve exchanges with groups such as patrons, co-workers, and staff in other locations.
There were multiple takeaways explored to simplify and improve emails or other types of public written communication. Transparency equals trust. If you want to be understood:
Use short sentences and bullet points. Edit your messages before sending them. Remove the fluff - shorten by 50% without changing the message. Write public surveys on an eighth-grade reading level for best comprehension. Limit and define acronyms. Avoid words with multiple meanings.
Because people receive several emails per day, to improve communication, messages should be clear and concise so that they will be read and easily understood. If emails are too long or confusing, people on the receiving end will often ignore the email, disengage, misinterpret the message, or feel dumb because they do not understand the content.
To simplify verbal communications, we should be more aware of our speech and slow down to be better understood while talking. Other suggestions are:
Enunciate End sentences Avoid filler words One way to clarify written or verbal comprehension is not to ask, “Do you understand?”. Rather, confirm comprehension by asking,
Which part can I explain more clearly? What questions do you have for me? What feels like the next steps for here?
I found this training to be a great reminder of simple yet effective changes we can make to improve communication with those around us. This leads to better comprehension, efficiency, and productivity. I would recommend this training to anyone who is seeking to improve their professional communication skills and the results they receive from written surveys or just emails with colleagues. To learn more, you can visit Lee’s website and subscribe to his newsletter.
Thank you to the Library of Virginia for making this training possible.
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Chris Fleming, Massanutten Regional Library
Simplify communication to increase access, trust, and efficiency is a really good starting point for being more specific, concise, and professional in communications. Taking a minute or so to edit emails for content and extraneous words before sending is also found to be helpful. The instructor gave tips on using AI if that is something you want (or are required) to use. Over all the main point of the webinar was seemed to be:
Reduce content without losing context Be clear and concise Do not speak in idioms, use easily understood language (for native speakers and those learning English) Leave out expansive details, you can link to those for the people who need it Bullet points are easier than long paragraphs
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Support Local Businesses with UniversalClass |
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Are you looking for ways to support your local entrepreneurs & small business community?
With the free, self-paced online training in your library's UniversalClass subscription from the Library of Virginia, anyone interested in building their business skills can take the classes that they need.
Share information about this free resource with your local chamber of commerce, the economic development and small business departments in your city or county, local small business support organizations like SCORE, |
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and anyone else who works with users trying to build their business skills. UniversalClass offers classes in business-focused areas such as accounting, finance, marketing and sales, project planning, and business plans as well as a host of classes on soft skills such as team building, decision making, and customer service.
You can find promotional materials in the UniversalClass Library Marketing Kit from our partner Transparent Language. |
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The Semiquincentennial of America is here! As part of our efforts to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and U.S. independence, the Education & Outreach team has been adding new entries to Document Bank of Virginia, the Library of Virginia’s online classroom resource for teachers and students. Take a look at some of our favorite primary source documents related to the Revolutionary era at our Teach VA250 webpage: Teach VA250 | Library of Virginia
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Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
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Readers' Advisory Survey Report |
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In February, we surveyed library staff in Virginia about their approaches to providing services to readers, any training needs, and what challenges their libraries faced in offering readers' advisory (RA) services.
The survey indicated that there is a strong foundation for readers' advisory services in the Commonwealth, with the over 300 respondents indicating that their library provided some type or types of RA service, ranging from book displays and reading lists to in-person reading suggestions to form-based RA to book and author programming.
The survey also gave some insight into the training needs around working with readers as well as the challenges that some library staff face when providing RA services. This information will inform the work we do at LVA, |
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as well as offering guidance to libraries interested in developing or expanding services to readers, viewers, and listeners.
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Virginia Library Projects
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From the editor: This feature in the newsletter is an opportunity to share interesting projects that Virginia libraries are implementing to improve access to resources, build relationships, or improve services. If you are interested in sharing a project your library is doing, please reach out to Barry Trott, barry.trott@lva.virginia.gov, to discuss writing it up. This month features a piece from the Smyth County Public Library on building community connections. For further information, contact Kristin Wheeler, kristinw@scplva.net
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Monday Morning Mingle:
A Bright Spot in Our Week |
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Building relationships is at the heart of what library staff do. The Smyth County Public Library has developed an interesting tool to foster this work. (Editor)
Around Smyth County, we all know what it's like living in a small, rural community. People are spread out, money is tight, and it's easy to go long stretches with very little social interaction.
That's exactly why Monday Morning Mingle at the Smyth County Public Library has become so special to our group.
Every Monday, we gather together, some of us early birds with coffee in hand, others rolling in right on time, and we start the week with good company and something creative to do. It's relaxed, it's friendly, and it has quickly become something many of us look forward to. |
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Crafting That Brings Us Together
Our group has really taken to the book wreaths. What started as a simple craft has turned into one of our favorite things to do together. There's something comforting about tearing pages, shaping them, and watching a wreath come to life. But honestly, the best part is the chatter around the table, checking in on each other, swapping tips, and sharing stories while our hands stay busy. It's not really about the wreaths (though they're turning out beautifully) it's about the connection.
Recipe Swaps With Heart
Our recipe swap has been another highlight. People bring recipes that mean something to them. Holiday traditions, budget stretchers, family favorites, and dishes passed down through generations. When someone shares a recipe, they usually share the memory that comes with it, and that's what makes this part of the mingle so meaningful. It's a wonderful reminder that even though we come from different backgrounds and different kitchens, food always brings people together.
Crafting for Hospice Patients
One of the most meaningful parts of our group is the time we spend making small handmade items for hospice patients in our area. These projects give us a chance to put something kind out into the world something soft, comforting, and made with care. For a rural community like ours, where everyone knows someone facing illness or caring for a loved one, this feels especially important. It's our way of reminding people that they're not forgotten.
Why Monday Morning Mingle Matters to Us
Life can feel pretty lonely out here, especially for folks who don't drive, live alone, or are dealing with tough times. Monday Morning Mingle gives us a place to go, a reason to get out of the house, and a group of people who are genuinely glad to see us walk through the door. It doesn't matter if someone comes to craft, to talk, or simply to be around others. What matters is that everyone belongs. Every Monday morning, we start the week with connection, kindness, and community and that's something worth celebrating. |
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The Westerville (OH) Public Library in Missouri is offering an interesting take on book discussions that allows participants to "delve deeper into a subject and ask the kind of questions they might want to ask the author."
The particiapants all read the same book, and the library then hosts an event with "a professional associated with the topic," who brings their experience to the group. |
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Club members can then engage with the presenter to explore the topic in more detail than they would in a traditional book club setting. Sample programs have included:
A hostage negotiator talking about James Patterson's Michael Bennett series. The county coroner talking about Mary Roach's "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Cadavers." A local matchmaking agency speaking about Jennifer Probst's "Searching for Someday."
Find out more about how you can start your own Tell Me More Book Club. |
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Featured Virginia Programs
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Pittsylvania County Public Library
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Adopt A Plant: A Plant Share Program |
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To celebrate National Houseplant Month, the Pittsylvania COunty Public Library launched its Adopt-a-Plant/Plant Share initiative in January 2025. Drawing from our collection of more than 30 in-house plants, staff propagated new cuttings--rooting them in water or soil and potting them in repurposed containers such as tin cans, glass jars, plastic cups, and thrifted pots. With potting soil as our only expense, the program remained both eco-friendly and budget-conscious.
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Each plant was paired with a custom care card featuring its name, growing conditions, and basic care instructions. We also curated a display of library books on houseplants and plant care to support patrons' continued learning. The program's debut was a tremendous success, with 50 plants and cuttings adopted by patrons. Because our library plants continue to thrive, we are able to take regular cuttings for future giveaways.
A second Plant Share event in August drew even more interest, and we distributed an additional 62 plants. Several patrons even contributed their own clippings, allowing us to expand our plant collection with new species. This ongoing program has quickly become a patron favorite. Visitors regularly express their surprise and delight that the plants are offered at no cost, and the community enthusiasm has encouraged us to continue the Plant Share throughout the year. |
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For more info, contact Jeanette Short, jeanette.short@pcplib.org
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Know Your Rights w/ Sin Barreras/Without Barriers |
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Augusta County library hosted an event with Sin Barreras/Without Barriers. Participants enjoyed an informational Know Your Rights presentation, that focused particularly on immigrant rights and information. This presentation was conducted with a local nonprofit specializing in immigrant advocacy and support services.
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For more info, contact Keith Bell, kbell@augustacountylibrary.org |
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Powhatan County Public Library
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New to Powhatan: Local Food and Local Fun |
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There are many new folks moving into the area. It's really hard to find places to go and things to do when you don't have the ability to log onto the internet, nor is there a place to get ALL the information.
So, the library put together a program that consisted of all the local farmers, growers, clubs, and organizations that provided programming. |
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They had a representative get up and talk about what they do and offer. The patron left with a folder with all of the flyers and schedules of the speakers and the presenters hopefully left with new patronage.
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For more info, contact Michelle Wells, mwells@powhatanlibrary.net
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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 Division.
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