Millenials in the Library

Millennials in the Library. Presenter Jennifer Kushell and guests Mandy McGee and Monica Harris. College of Dupage, 2009. DVD.

This is a recording of the teleconference that was broadcast by the College of DuPage as part of the Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve series on November 13, 2009. Running time is 90 minutes.

Description from College of DuPage Press:
The Millennial Generation, Generation Y, Echo Boomers, Digital Natives, and the Trophy Generation are all terms used to describe people born in the United States between the early 1980s and the late 1990s. Shaped by a heady mix of culture, politics, and technology, "Millennials" have had an unprecedented exposure to mass media, pop culture, instant communication, and cultural freedom woven together by a complex technological net. Jennifer Kushell, President of the YSN.com (Your Success Network) and author of "Secrets of the Young and Successful," will explore the social impact Millennials will have on our culture and specifically on our libraries. Having worked extensively with this powerhouse, global generation, Jennifer will answer the questions: Who are Millennials? How do they interact with information and technology? In what ways can our libraries better serve them as patrons, students, and staff?

Jennifer will be joined by Mandy McGee, Librarian and Manager of Adult and Teen Services, and Monica Harris, Teen Services Librarian, from the Oak Park Public Library. Please join us for an exciting discussion on library adaptation to the changing face of our patrons.

Writing Reviews for Reader’s Advisory

Hooper, Brad. Writing Reviews for Reader’s Advisory. Chicago: ALA, 2010. 808.066028 Hoope ISBN 978-0-8389-1017-7

Reviews are an important resource for readers' advisory and collection development. They are also a helpful promotional tool, introducing patrons to what is new on the shelf. This resource includes: tips for writing strong, relevant reviews; different ways reviews can be used to promote your library; and, a chapter by Joyce Saricks covering the how-tos of reviewing audiobooks. Whether the ultimate goal is writing for a library website, book club, or monthly handout, or freelancing for a newspaper, magazine, or professional journal, readers will find plenty of ideas and insight here.

Assessing Service Quality: Satisfying the Expectations of Library Customers

Hernon, Peter, and Ellen Altman. Assessing Service Quality: Satisfying the Expectations of Library Customers, 2nd Ed. Chicago: ALA, 2010. 025.5 Herno 2nd Ed. ISBN 978-0-8389-1021-4

Because of technology, the old measures of service quality no longer apply. If libraries are to succeed, they must see themselves in competition with other institutions and sources of information--especially the Web--and make customers feel welcome and valued. This classic book is brought fully up to date as Peter Hernon and Ellen Altman integrate the use of technology into the customer experience. They offer solid, practical ideas for developing a customer service plan that meets the library's customer-focused mission, vision, and goals, and challenge librarians to think about customer service in new ways, including

* Distance education
* Use of library Web sites
* Partnerships and consortia for electronic collections
* Ways to effectively embrace change for continuous improvement

Senior librarians, library directors, and trustees will learn how to see the library as the customer does with the aid of dozens of tools to measure service quality--from mystery shoppers and benchmarking to surveys and group interviews.

The Power of Booktalking

The Power of Booktalking. University of Wisconsin-Madison, SLIS, Continuing Education Services. Neal-Schuman, 2009. DVD. ISBN: 9781555706838

From the description:
"With this groundbreaking new DVD, all you need is one hour to learn the gamut of approaches, styles and skills that make booktalking one of the most powerful techniques in promoting reading across all ages. Both beginning and experienced librarians will benefit from this dynamic set of real-life presentations, and the diverse group of speakers makes it easy for you to find and develop a personal style that is both comfortable for you and effective for your audience. The DVD also comes with companion files, including PDFs with tips and strategies, lists of related books, and a complete Webliography."

I previewed half of the segments, and my biggest impression is that even those without a flair for drama can give good booktalks. A variety of people give demonstrations, including school librarians at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and a teen librarian from a public library. This resource could be helpful for classroom teachers, too. -- Jen