ALA Virtual – Community Through Connection
An online event with educational programming, special author events, and social networking.
New Discoveries in Reference: The 26th Annual Reference Research Forum
Wednesday, June 24, 2020 | 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM CT
Reaching Potential Users through Proactive Chat
Proactive chat, a pop-up widget inviting users to access chat reference services at the point of need, has tremendous potential to equalize access to expert reference services, but implementing this service sustainably can pose challenges. The existing literature shows that proactive chat can help more users with real reference questions connect to library services, but the significant increase in chat volume can be intimidating for libraries with fixed staffing models. This presentation focuses on implementation choices like pop-up trigger time that can impact chat volume and question complexity with the aim of helping practitioners right-size this service to their libraries.
Moderator: Qiana Johnson – Collection and Organizational Data Analysis Librarian, Northwestern University Libraries
Speakers: Stacy Gilbert – Social Sciences Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder; Kate Tallman – Acting Head, Government Information Library, University of Colorado – Boulder; Philip White – Earth Science & Environment Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder; Laura Costello – Virtual Reference Librarian, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Amy Kimura – Web Services Librarian, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Adrienne Warner – First Year Experience Librarian, University of New Mexico; David Hurley.
Suggesting Own Voices to All Readers: EDI and RA Service
Thursday, June 25, 2020 | 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM CT
Providing robust readers advisory service that values equity, diversity and inclusion principles goes beyond simply adding more titles by “own voices” authors to our collections. Join two national experts on the topic of EDI in Collection Development and Readers’ Advisory as they provide the information librarians need to confidently place more “own voices” titles into adult patrons’ hands, in every community, serving all populations, not just the ones most represented in the local census. Learn tangible skills to help build enthusiasm for reading & discovering diverse books, to deepen readers’ advisory service through thoughtful inclusion of EDI principles in all RA interactions, and to explore small press and self-publishing as sources for new titles to discover. It’s a core mission of libraries to connect books with the readers whose lives will be enriched by them.
Speakers: Becky Spratford – Readers’ Advisory Specialist, RA for All, La Grange, Illinois; Robin Bradford – Collection Development Librarian, Pierce County Library System
Register online
Note: Attendance at these sessions is included in your ALA Virtual Event registration. Access information will be sent out one week prior to the event.