Professional Development Podcast

I found a website, SirsiDynix Institute, that contains podcasts that are seminars that can be used for professional development in the library science field. This website was found using the Podcast Search Service engine: http://www.podcastsearchservice.com/. The podcasts cover a variety of subjects that deal with the issues that face many librarians today and provide real insight about the current hot topics in librarianship. These podcasts just do not discuss the issues, but they also equip librarians with ideas and solutions. The great thing about this site is that experts and leaders in library science conduct the web seminars. Also, some of the podcasts may include additional materials such as a slideshow or handout that can be used to follow along with the broadcast.

Guide to Roving: An Essential Service for Library 2.0, by Joan Giannone, is one of the podcasts I listened to. It’s all about how to reach out to patrons who are reluctant to ask the staff for help. Joan Giannone’s specialty is in this area, and she works with librarians and staff on ways to make this happen. This podcast has slides and can be used as training to implement roving. Ms. Giannone explains that Library 2.0 is all about the users and reaching out to those who are reluctant to ask for help. She says that the library staff should be a “roving reference”, which means the staff should actively seek out those who do not use the library’s services to its fullest (Giannone, 2007). The podcast then goes into detail on how to implement the roving technique into libraries and the challenges, such as library layout and getting the staff on-board, that a librarian may face.

References

Giannone, J. (2007, December 11). Guide to Roving: An Essential Service for Library 2.0 [audio and slide files]. Retrieved from http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/Resources/Podcasts/20071211_giannone.mp3