Learn with NoveList

Your staff is your library’s most valuable resource, and ongoing professional development keeps their skills sharp and relevant. We can help build the confidence and capacity they need to represent your library more effectively to readers, whether it’s at the desk, in the stacks, or through book displays, newsletters, and social media. These interactive staff development sessions are designed to help all staff, no matter their position, understand their role in connecting with readers and promoting the library.  

NoveList has been working to help connect books, readers, and libraries for more than 25 years. Our experts have extensive library experience, so they know and understand the challenges your staff face. They will work directly with your staff to guide them in developing effective strategies and exciting ideas for inspiring your community of readers. 

Email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com to get started.

Is some of your staff new to readers’ advisory? Do you want help getting staff at all levels ready to excel at connecting readers with books? This course is just what your library needs.

An expert from NoveList will get staff on an even footing in their understanding of readers’ advisory, share strategies for working with readers, and teach the foundational principles for providing excellent readers’ advisory service.

Participants will be introduced to important concepts like the history and philosophy of readers’ advisory, the basics of the readers’ advisory conversation, the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in readers’ advisory service, and learning the broad basics of appeal and other NoveList story elements. 

This course is recommended as a two-hour session.  

Example learning outcomes include:  

• Identifying effective strategies for talking with readers, including using reader-friendly language.
• Understanding the concepts of appeal, genre, and themes, and how they can be used in readers’ advisory services.
• Applying the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to readers’ advisory services.
• Valuing readers’ advisory as a critical service that fosters the overall library mission.

Do you want to help your staff have a basic understanding of a broad range of the most popular and challenging fiction genres?

An expert from NoveList will introduce participants to many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mysteries and thrillers, romance, horror, Christian fiction, mainstream/literary fiction, and historical fiction.

Participants will get an overview of current genre trends for adults and teens, tips to keep up with various genres, and titles to know, with an emphasis on diverse titles and authors.  

This course is recommended as a two-hour session.  

Example learning outcomes include:  

• Identifying current trends in popular genres and tools they can use to keep up with future trends.  
• Recognizing what qualities attract readers to certain genres.  
• Applying strategies for recommending books to readers even when they are unfamiliar with the genre.  
• Finding extensive lists of titles to read or recommend.  

Whether your readers love a steamy marriage of convenience romance or can’t get enough of thought-provoking first contact stories, the NoveList story elements — appeal, genre, and theme terms — provide a great way to talk to your readers.

Participants will learn how to supercharge their readers’ advisory skills by gaining a thorough understanding of the story elements in our Secret Language of Books and how they can be used to help readers.

This course is recommended as a two-hour session.  

Example learning outcomes include:  

• Understanding the concepts of genres, appeal terms, and themes and how they can be used in readers’ advisory services.
• Applying strategies for working with readers to identify which story elements they value.
• Identifying search strategies to improve their readers’ advisory skills.
• Using readily available tools to streamline their passive and active readers’ advisory activities.

Research from the Pew Institute shows the main reason people get a library card is because they want to check out materials like books, e-books, and audiobooks. Libraries must promote the breadth and depth of their collection. The collection is the core of library work and is the base for all the other work of the library.

Your staff will leave inspired to engage the entire community in the entire collection, reaching readers in the places where they are both looking for reading suggestions and places where they didn't even know the library could help them. 

This course is recommended as a two-hour session. 

Example learning outcomes include:

• Understand the importance and mechanics of coordinating their collection promotion efforts to support their overall library’s goals and strategy.
• Implement best practices in library collection promotion in print, on digital platforms, and in personal interactions with community members.
• Gather ideas for innovative promotions that delight readers.
• Use metrics to analyze the effectiveness of collection promotion efforts and increase engagement on various platforms.

Do you want your staff to better understand their role in growing your circulation and programming numbers in an effective way? Do you or your staff find the idea of marketing overwhelming? Learn how to create a marketing strategy customized to your library using proven practices that get measurable results.

You and your staff will leave with a plan to increase circulation, promote events and services, as well as create brand awareness and library loyalty through goal-based, measurable library promotions.  

This deep-dive course is recommended as a ten-hour course and can be broken up into sections for easier remote learning. A four-hour course is also available. 

Example learning outcomes include: 

• Marketing your library with website and social media. 
• Measuring and analyzing key metrics. 
• Using data to improve results. 

Raising awareness and garnering stakeholder support of libraries is particularly challenging right now. Whether you’re concerned about budget cuts, seeking additional funding, or want to remain relevant especially while your services are limited, an advocacy plan is essential. Let a NoveList expert guide you in developing, implementing, and measuring an effective strategy for telling your library’s story in a way that’s sustainable, tailored to your library’s specific needs, and involves all staff. 

This deep-dive course is recommended as a six-hour course and can be broken up into sections for easier remote learning.  

Example learning outcomes include:  

• Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and developing strategies around them
• Tying a brand awareness strategy to a library’s overall strategy and the community’s needs  
• Building community and stakeholder support
• Using storytelling in your advocacy strategy