Check It Out (No, Really)

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:

• Recognize the real barriers that keep patrons from engaging with your collection, including time constraints, reading identity, and competing distractions
• Identify what individual readers are actually looking for and connect them with books that match their interests and habits
• Use readers’ advisory techniques to recommend titles that readers are more likely to stick with and enjoy
• Design displays, programs, and experiences that spark genuine excitement about reading
• Reach reluctant or inconsistent readers with strategies that work across different ages and communities
• Use your knowledge of the collection and outreach opportunities to strengthen a lasting culture of reading

Together, these outcomes equip participants with practical approaches for connecting patrons with books they will enjoy and fostering a lasting culture of reading.

This course is especially helpful for:

• Public and school library staff working directly with readers of any age
• Librarians responsible for readers’ advisory, programming, or displays
• Staff trying to increase circulation and engagement with existing collections
• Anyone looking for more effective ways to connect patrons with books they’ll actually enjoy

If that sounds like your role, you will probably see yourself in this course.

This course will feel especially relevant if you:

• Have great books on the shelves but struggle to get them into patrons’ hands
• See flat or inconsistent circulation and are not sure what is driving it
• Regularly hear “I’m not a reader” and know that is not the full story
• Want better ways to match readers with books they’ll actually finish and enjoy
• Need practical strategies that go beyond displays and passive promotion

This course was built for libraries that want to turn interest in reading into actual engagement.

THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF 3 ON-DEMAND MODULES:

Module 1: Children and Teens

Every lifelong reader starts somewhere. This module explores how identity, literacy, discovery, and access shape a child or teen's relationship with reading — from a toddler's first storytime to a teen choosing their own books — and what public and school libraries can do to strengthen that relationship at each stage. You'll see real examples of reader’s advisory and programming that meets young readers where they are, whatever their ability or interest.

Module 2: Adults

When did you last think of yourself as "a reader"? This module invites you to reflect on your own reading journey as a starting point for understanding the adults who walk through your library's doors. From a twenty-something rediscovering reading to, to an adult balancing a busy schedule, to an older adult adapting to vision changes, adults face real and varied barriers that keep them from reading. You'll explore how libraries are addressing these barriers directly, through readers' advisory, accessible formats, outreach, and more.

Module 3: Families and School Communities

Reading culture isn't built alone. This module looks beyond the individual reader to the families and school communities that libraries help turn into lifelong reading environments. You'll see how public libraries build family reading culture and family literacy services, and how school libraries extend that culture to the entire school community with engaging activities and programs.

COURSE ADVISOR & INSTRUCTORS

Julia Torres, Youth Services Administrator, Denver Public Library

Julia Torres (MAEd, MA, MLIS) is a veteran language arts educator, librarian, and author with over 20 years of experience developing literacy practices that engage young readers and inspire educators. She has held leadership positions in national organizations such as NCTE (Executive Board Member) and YALSA (Executive Board Member) and is sought after to create instructional content for educators and librarians with the support of major publishers of children's literature, including Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Little Brown, Scholastic, and more. Julia has developed training for educators and librarians for School Library Journal, PBS Education, ISTE + ASCD and more.

COURSE INSTRUCTORS TO COME!

Getting a book into someone’s hands is one thing. Getting them the right book—the one that makes them forget they ever said they didn’t like reading—is something else entirely. This course focuses on how to make those connections happen more consistently.

You’ll build a practical approach to creating a reading culture in your library. That includes strengthening your readers’ advisory skills, designing experiences that make books more appealing, and addressing the real challenges that get in the way, from time constraints to reading identity to competing distractions. The goal is not a quick spike in circulation, but a more sustainable pattern of engagement.

COURSE FORMAT

This is a fully self-paced online course with 3 modules. You can move through the material on your own schedule during the 6-month access period.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

This course is designed to take approximately 10 hours to complete. Because it is self-paced, you can move as quickly or gradually as your schedule allows.

COURSE ACCESS

You will have access to all course materials for six months from the materials unlock date.

CREDIT & CERTIFICATE

Complete all course requirements to earn 10 professional development credit hours and a Library Journal certificate of completion.

ACCESSIBILITY

All video recordings feature auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com.

SUPPORT

For support, contact course-support@libraryjournal.com.