Here's the RA cheat sheet handout:
THE CHEAT
SHEET YOU CAN BE PROUD TO HAVE
Holley, Reference Librarian/Emmet O’Neal Library
205-445-1117 – hwesley@bham.lib.al.us
Online
Sources that Rarely Fail
Early
Word – www.earlyword.com
About EarlyWord
Welcome to EarlyWord. Thanks for joining us.Every day, we post
stories about books you need to know:
Each Friday, we post our New Title
Radar, to alert you to the titles you need to know the following
week; the ones that will grab headlines, new titles by repeat popular authors
and a “Watch List” of books that may take off through word of mouth.
Throughout the week, we issue holds alerts on
titles that are building unexpectedly long wait lists, readers advisories on
titles with popular appeal, plus information on media attention on books .
On Thursdays, we look at best seller lists, highlighting debuts
and breakout authors.
We also alert you to books being made into movies.
You can sign up for our RSS feed,
follow us on Twitter, or,
if you don’t need daily information, you can also sign up for our weekly
newsletter, delivered every Friday.
In
addition to book news, EarlyWord offers many other features:
GalleyChat — Once a month, librarians join us to
talk about the hottest galleys. Young Adult GalleyChat is the third Tuesday of
the month (the next one is April 17). Adult
GalleyChat is the first Tuesday (the next one is May
1). Information on how to
join each is
here.
AuthorChat — We also hold frequent
chats with authors. Sign up for Penguin’s First Flights to receive galleys of forthcoming books
from debut authors and be invited to a live chat with the author. Also coming
up is a chat with Wiley Cash, author of A Land More Kind Than Home (sponsored by
HarperCollins/Morrow).
The links on the right serve as a librarians toolbox:
Book Previews — media picks for the
upcoming season (we’re between seasons right now; summer picks will be coming
soon)
Best Books, Spreadsheets — all
the picks by major sources in one list, convenient for ordering
Awards — links to the major book awards (the
Pulitzers were
announced on Monday and the IACP
Cookbook Awards last
week).
Bestseller Lists — current national and
speciality lists
Coming This Month — picks of the month
Consumer Media, Book Coverage —
links to the reviews your customers read
Movies & TV Based on Books, with tie-ins — upcoming and current
movies with tie-in title information. Also, links to Movies
Based on Books — Trailers.
Publisher Contacts — links to publisher services created for
librarians and to library marketing staff.
Publisher Catalogs — browse
the new season’s catalogs to see what’s coming and what publishers are excited
about. You can download the current catalogs, from the links on the lower right
(under “Download Publishers Catalogs). If you cannot find the imprint you are
looking for, check Publishers Catalogs — Imprint Locator
Nora Rawlinson,
Co-Founder and Editor
Nora
Rawlinson was editor of Library Journal and editor-in-chief ofPublishers Weekly for 12 years. Before that, she was
head of Materials Selection for Baltimore County Public Library, a system
renowned for its innovations under the legendary and often controversial
director, Charles Robinson. Baltimore County was the first major public library
to centralize selection. It was also known for buying for popular demand. Nora
wrote a piece explaining this then-radical collection development philosophy,
called “Give ‘Em What They Want,” which is still assigned reading in many
Library Schools. At Library Journal, she introduced
many new columns, which are still part of the magazine – PrePub Alert, the
Collection Development series, Classic Returns, and Readers Shelf. She was
hired in 2005 by Time Warner Book Group (later Hachette Book Group) to set up
library marketing for their imprints. EarlyWord is an outgrowth of her belief that the
more libraries understand about publishing, the better they can be as selectors
and readers advisors.
Nora
speaks often at publishing and library conferences.
Chris Kahn, Ad
Sales Director
Chris Kahn joined EarlyWord in May ’09, after being the Director
of West Coast Sales for Publishers Weekly.
Shelf Awareness – www.shelf-awareness.com
About Shelf Awareness
Shelf Awareness publishes two newsletters, one for general
readers and one for people in the book business.
Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers, our
new newsletter, appears Tuesdays and Fridays and helps readers discover the 25
best books of the week, as chosen by our industry experts. We also have news
about books and authors, author interviews and more.
Shelf Awareness: Daily Enlightenment for the Book Trade, which
we've been publishing since June 2005, provides booksellers and librarians the
information they need to sell and lend books. It appears every business day and
is read by people throughout the book industry.
Readers’ Advisor Online
www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog
www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog
Each Monday, RAO posts the “RA Run Down”
Welcome to the blog for readers' advisors and bibliophiles who work
with readers. You'll find essential news, tips, fun stuff, and a community for
exploring RA issues. The blog is presented by the Reader's Advisor Online
NoveList RA News newsletter
Visit www.nextreads.com and find the “Sign up for NoveList Newsletters” button under the Log In box. Select “NoveList RA News” then enter your name, email address, and make up a password for your account. Click Subscribe.
NPR Books – www.npr.org/books
Visit www.nextreads.com and find the “Sign up for NoveList Newsletters” button under the Log In box. Select “NoveList RA News” then enter your name, email address, and make up a password for your account. Click Subscribe.
NPR Books – www.npr.org/books
NPR Books not only has author interviews and book
reviews, but also lists of books created by NPR editors and other authors. They also have original content by Nancy
Pearl. If people in America are talking
about a book or author, it will show up here.
Shelf Renewal – www.shelfrenewal.com
Some duplication, but the following is a great list
of genre blogs & websites. Please
note that the list was originally posted March 2011, some links may no longer
be active.
General
Early Word – http://www.earlyword.com/ (pre-pub alerts)
Books On the Nightstand – http://booksonthenightstand.com/
BookDwarf – http://www.bookdwarf.com/
ShelfLife - http://shelf-life.ew.com/
Book Maven Media – http://bookmavenmedia.com/blog/
Men Reading Books – http://menreadingbooks.blogspot.com/
No Shelf Required – http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/ (ebooks)
Audiobooker – http://audiobooker.booklistonline.com/ (audiobooks)
The Millions – http://www.themillions.com/
Publishing
GalleyCat – http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/
Nathan Bransford – http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
Bookstores
Omnivoracious (Amazon) – http://www.omnivoracious.com/
Unabashedly Bookish (Barnes and Noble) –http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/bg-p/UnabashedlyBookish
Powells - http://www.powells.com/blog/
Readers Advisory
RA for All – http://raforall.blogspot.com/
Reader’s Advisor Online - http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/
Blogging for a Good Book – http://bfgb.wordpress.com/
Book Group Buzz – http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/
LitLovers - http://www.litlovers.com/
Genres
Romance/Women’s Fic
Smart Bitches Trashy Books – http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
All About Romance – http://www.likesbooks.com/
Chick Lit is Not Dead – http://chicklitisnotdead.com/
Early Word – http://www.earlyword.com/ (pre-pub alerts)
Books On the Nightstand – http://booksonthenightstand.com/
BookDwarf – http://www.bookdwarf.com/
ShelfLife - http://shelf-life.ew.com/
Book Maven Media – http://bookmavenmedia.com/blog/
Men Reading Books – http://menreadingbooks.blogspot.com/
No Shelf Required – http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/ (ebooks)
Audiobooker – http://audiobooker.booklistonline.com/ (audiobooks)
The Millions – http://www.themillions.com/
Publishing
GalleyCat – http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/
Nathan Bransford – http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
Bookstores
Omnivoracious (Amazon) – http://www.omnivoracious.com/
Unabashedly Bookish (Barnes and Noble) –http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/bg-p/UnabashedlyBookish
Powells - http://www.powells.com/blog/
Readers Advisory
RA for All – http://raforall.blogspot.com/
Reader’s Advisor Online - http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/
Blogging for a Good Book – http://bfgb.wordpress.com/
Book Group Buzz – http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/
LitLovers - http://www.litlovers.com/
Genres
Romance/Women’s Fic
Smart Bitches Trashy Books – http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
All About Romance – http://www.likesbooks.com/
Chick Lit is Not Dead – http://chicklitisnotdead.com/
Nonfiction
Citizen Reader – http://www.citizenreader.com/
A Reader’s Place – http://areadersplace.net/
Black Writers
White Readers, Meet Black Authors – http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/
Historical Fiction
Reading the Past – http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/
Literary
Bookslut – http://www.bookslut.com/blog/
Elegant Variation – http://marksarvas.blogs.com/elegvar/
Horror
RA for All: Horror – http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/
Citizen Reader – http://www.citizenreader.com/
A Reader’s Place – http://areadersplace.net/
Black Writers
White Readers, Meet Black Authors – http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/
Historical Fiction
Reading the Past – http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/
Literary
Bookslut – http://www.bookslut.com/blog/
Elegant Variation – http://marksarvas.blogs.com/elegvar/
Horror
RA for All: Horror – http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/
YA
Forever Young Adult – http://www.foreveryoungadult.com/
YA Librarian Tales - http://yalibrariantales.blogspot.com/
Science Fic/Fantasy/Paranormal
Wicked Lil Pixie - http://wickedlilpixie.com/
SF Signal – http://www.sfsignal.com/
Science Fiction and Fantasy – http://sciencefictionfantasy.blogspot.com/
Graphic Novels
Comics Worth Reading – http://comicsworthreading.com/
Mystery
The Rap Sheet – http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/
Forever Young Adult – http://www.foreveryoungadult.com/
YA Librarian Tales - http://yalibrariantales.blogspot.com/
Science Fic/Fantasy/Paranormal
Wicked Lil Pixie - http://wickedlilpixie.com/
SF Signal – http://www.sfsignal.com/
Science Fiction and Fantasy – http://sciencefictionfantasy.blogspot.com/
Graphic Novels
Comics Worth Reading – http://comicsworthreading.com/
Mystery
The Rap Sheet – http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/
Chatty/Personal
Running with Books – http://runningwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Shelf Love – http://shelflove.wordpress.com/
Bookshelf Monstrosity – http://bookshelfmonstrosity.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Reads - http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/
Book Binge – http://thebookbinge.com/
A Girl Walks into a Bookstore – http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/
Not Blogs, but you should know them…
Kent District Library’s What’s Next – http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp
Stop You’re Killing Me – http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/
Locus Online – http://www.locusmag.com/
Indiebound – http://www.indiebound.org/
ShelfAwareness – http://www.shelf-awareness.com/
Running with Books – http://runningwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Shelf Love – http://shelflove.wordpress.com/
Bookshelf Monstrosity – http://bookshelfmonstrosity.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Reads - http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/
Book Binge – http://thebookbinge.com/
A Girl Walks into a Bookstore – http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/
Not Blogs, but you should know them…
Kent District Library’s What’s Next – http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp
Stop You’re Killing Me – http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/
Locus Online – http://www.locusmag.com/
Indiebound – http://www.indiebound.org/
ShelfAwareness – http://www.shelf-awareness.com/
Adding Reviews to the
Catalog
How to Add a
Review
1.
Go to the library's Catalog.
2.
Find the title that you want to review.
Quick Tip: Make
sure the title reflects the format you want to review. Reviewing the print
version? Make sure you selected a print version of the title, not the DVD or
Audiobook version.
3.
In the display of the full record, click on Add a Review
4.
You will be prompted for your name and library card number.
Once
you are logged in, you may write your review.
5.
Enter a title for your review in the box called "Review
Headline:"
Quick Tip: Make it
short and interesting.This will display in the catalog as the link to your review
Example: Old age is no fun
6.
Enter your review. Use the Guidelines below to help you write a
brilliant review.
7.
When you have completed your review, click 
8.
Review your work and click either 
or 
As soon as you click the OK button, your review will be sent to
Library staff for approval. It will not appear until Library staff approves it.or
Guidelines for Reviews
Thank
you for choosing to add a review. The Guidelines below will help you get
started.- You may do only
one review per title and may review any item in the catalog.
- Reviews should
focus on the item's content and context. What did you like? What didn't
you like?
- Feel free to
refer to other titles in the catalog and how this title relates or compares
to them.
- The ideal
review will be clear and concise with a minimum of 50 characters and be
less than 300 words long.
What to Avoid:
- Full name or
contact information.
- Plot lines or
details that will spoil the book or other item for others.
- Commentary on
other specific reviews or reviewers.
- Information
about speaker's tours, lectures, etc.
- Profanity,
obscenities, libelous or spiteful remarks.
- Phone numbers,
web sites, mail addresses, emails or URLs.
- Using the
review process as a forum to promote your own work.
- Sales or
promotional information.
- Soliciting
others to make positive or negative reviews.
- Please sign
your review with your first name, alias, or initials. We will not share
your personal information.
Publishing the reviews is at the discretion of the Jefferson County Library
Cooperative (JCLC). Reviews may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
JCLC. Reviews may be deleted by JCLC at any time for any reason. All submitted
reviews become property of JCLC.
COMPLEMENTARY READING
Wiegand, Wayne
A. “Misreading LIS Education.” Library Journal 122.11(1997): 36+ Expanded
Academic ASAP. Web. 19 April 2012.
Wyatt, Neal. “An
RA Big Think.” Library Journal July
(2007): 40-43.
“Exploring
Nonfiction.” Library Journal February
15, 2007: 32-35
“Reading
Maps Remake RA.” Library Journal November 1, 2006: 38-42.
Here are the notes taken during the discussion:
PROGRAMS
Pull a selection of books on the topic. Don't have a rolling display shelf? Simply load them up on a cart and take them right into the program.
Regularly scheduled programming
Brown bag
lunches
Crafting
Movies/Documentaries
Bookgroups
Crafting
Movies/Documentaries
Bookgroups
Zumba/exercises
(Springville road every Friday)
Children’s
storytimes, books related to the theme
Specially planned programs
Author
visits (We recently had a program with a woman writing about relatives who survived the sinking of the Titanic. That is a great way to get some of those possibly dusty 910.45's off the shelf!)
Speaker topics
Speaker topics
Sports
Seasonal book previews-Fall is usually a big publishing push. Host a program letting your community know about hot new books in which they may be interested.
Earlyword
Shelf Awareness
Readers’ Advisor Online’s blog – every Monday, the “RA Run Down” post
Novelist Readers Advisory Newsletter
NPR Books
Shelf Renewal
Shelf Awareness
Readers’ Advisor Online’s blog – every Monday, the “RA Run Down” post
Novelist Readers Advisory Newsletter
NPR Books
Shelf Renewal
Fantastic
Fiction
Gnooks.com –
visual readalike flowchart
OUTREACH
Children’s and Teen librarians
frequently have captive audiences with their school visits. Where can adult reader’s advisors seek
outreach opportunities?
Garden clubs
Retirement homes/communities
Book groups outside the library
Retirement homes/communities
Book groups outside the library
After school
care
Child care
centers
Offsite
bookgroups: senior activity center, be a visiting/consulting moderator for other groups
Neighborhood
associations
BOOKTALKING
What questions do you like to ask?
What was the
last thing you read and liked?
What are you
in the mood for?
What are your content deal breakers?
What are your content deal breakers?
What kind of
movies do you like to watch? (for me, works especially well with teens)
Are you looking for something heavy or light/fun or thought-provoking/etc?
Are you looking for something heavy or light/fun or thought-provoking/etc?
Contemporary/historical,
national/international, regional/cosy?
Do you have any tried-and-true
methods for booktalking titles you haven’t read or don’t like?
Google?
Amazon?
Wikipedia?
Author’s
webpage
Sources for brainstorming
hard-to-find books?
everyone@bham.lib.al.us
Smart
Bitches, Trashy Books HABO – blog and Facebook
CATALOG REVIEWS
Every review you add to the catalog
enriches the experience our patrons have when they use it. Every review you encourage your patrons to
add earns you double bonus awesome points. (See the Cheat Sheet for instructions on how to do this or visit
DISPLAYS
What have been your most popular
displays?
Bestsellers
Historical
fiction
Alabama
authors
Southern
writers
Books into
movies
Book club
selections
Downton
Abbey readalikes
Romance
Espionage
Americans in
Paris
Survival
stories (Truth is stranger than fiction)
Travel
writing
Displays
around words (winter, heat, anniversaries, etc.)
Florida
series fiction
Dewey
decimal (ufo, real ghost stories, regional travel, classics,
party/entertainment)
What’s on
the cover
Books that
bite
Obituary
shelf/in memoriam
What websites/other resources do you
use to search for display ideas and/or materials?
Brainstorming
Where have
you run out of shelving space?
Word
searches in Millennium
Google &
Google Images
Do you ever work props into your
displays?
What kind of signage works best with
your patrons?
Do you have a designated display area
that your patrons are used to browsing?
SOCIAL MEDIA
Pinterest
Book groups
Author
visits
Staff
favorites
Facebook
Reading
suggestions
Contests
