Xanga journal

AGELESS

Sign up for my Notify List and get email when I update!

email:
powered by
NotifyList.com


powered by SignMyGuestbook.com

Get your own diary at DiaryLand.com! contact me older entries newest entry

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007 - 11:29 a.m.

It's Howdy Doody time

That's how I felt when the Library Director called two hours before work and asked if I could do a 15 minute segment on the radio about Reader's Advisory. I had done a 5 minute segment several months ago about Research at the library, and it was fairly painless especially since the radio show host did most of the talking. But this was to be different. I had to set up the six areas of Advisory and tell all about Nancy Pearl, etc. etc.etc. Luckily, altho I did have to have a few notes to refresh myself, the host and I had a good visit, and the 15 minutes flew by, at least for me.

It is easy to get tongue-tied when trying to explain something, and I did several times, but nothing too serious. I even remembered the address and phone number of the library, after forgetting that the host had warned me hours before that we would be closing the segment with that information.

I love Reader's Advisory work. It's really just telling someone about a book you think they might enjoy. According to library talk, a class in that subject needs to be added to Library Science curriculum but most librarians just do it without even thinking twice.

The only real experiemce needed is knowledge of the books available. I could never read all the books in our library and am not even interested in some topics, but any place in the stacks has a book that can hold the attention long enough to skim through it and remember it for a patron. The Rule of 50 is highly recommended. For those people under 50, just grab a book and read the first 50 pages. That gives a good idea of the story line, characters, setting, etc. For a reader, that is also the limit a book should be given to grab the attention. I should have learned that earlier in life instead of feeling each book started had to be finished.

The Rule of 50 changes a little for those over 50. Subtract your age from 100 and that is how many pages to read. For me that is only 35 pages before putting the book aside for more interesting fare. What a novel(tee-hee) idea!

Improving reading speed is also a way to help in Reader Advisory. I found a web site called Spreeder.com that I have been using. I already read about 500 wpm, but little by little speed can be built up without losing comprehension.

|

EE's devotional

newAutumn Leaves

previous - next

about me - read my profile! read other DiaryLand diaries! recommend my diary to a friend! Get your own fun + free diary at DiaryLand.com!