Form-Based RA: What Asynchronous RA Can Teach All of Us (even those not offering such an option) About Service, Appeal, and Working With Readers
September 24-25, 2013For the past six years, many libraries have been using form-based readers’ advisory to reach readers in a new way. Over 100 libraries are currently offering readers the opportunity to fill out a reader profile form, either in print or online, and receive thoughtful reading suggestions in response. The development of reader profile forms gets at the heart of RA work—how do we present appeal in a way that enables readers to easily talk about their reading? What are the most effective questions we can ask readers? How much should we share about each title? Do we need to be face to face to connect with readers?
Join library people from RUSA, a division of ALA, for the next CODES Conversation* to talk about all aspects of form-based RA, from practicalities such would form-based RA work well at your library, how long should forms be, and how to put together a team to respond, to more general questions focused on talking with readers and making suggestions that surprise and delight.
This free, moderated discussion is open to all—just subscribe to the discussion at http://lists.ala.org/sympa/subscribe/codes-convos, then follow and contribute (or lurk!) as you wish.*CODES Conversations are focused electronic conversations on current issues facing collection development and readers’ advisory librarians—or anyone interested in those areas.
This announcement was sent out by the CODES RA Committee and I thought I would share it in case anyone is interested in joining in. (It can mean a lot of email in the two days of the conversation, so you may want to use a separate email address from your usual or have the messages go directly into a designated folder.)
a