How to Give a Booktalk Instructor: Michael Cart An Infopeople Workshop Winter 2006

This Workshop Is Brought to You by the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

Introductions Name Library Position Have you done booktalks previously?

Workshop Overview Defining “booktalking” Booktalking skills Practicing booktalking –Fiction –Nonfiction –Nontraditional Presentation tools and resources

Defining “Booktalking” What it is: –Structured enthusiasm for a book –A mini-mystery with a cliffhanger ending What it isn’t: –A review or critique –A memorized excerpt from a book

Types of Booktalks Formal (written and memorized) Impromptu Shelftalks (doing it in the stacks) Read-alikes Fiction Nonfiction

Potential Audiences Students –in library –in classroom Adults Senior Adults Multigenerational – from nine to 90 Clubs and organizations - book discussion groups - service clubs

Why do booktalks? What experiences–good or bad– have you had of booktalking?

Share Your Booktalk on “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” with a partner Exercise #1

Booktalking Do’s Know your audience Include a variety of titles READ the books! Take notes Outline your talk

Planning the Talk Start with a “grabber” Include a narrative arc End with a cliff-hanger Borrow shamelessly from –reviews –dust jackets –colleagues

How long should a booktalk be?

Finding Booktalking Resources Bibliography Webliography

Selecting Appropriate Titles Are you booktalking fiction or nonfiction? Who is your audience? Is your program thematic? Are there curriculum connections?

Venues and Formats Where will you booktalk? –The library –A classroom –In the community Formats –Bare bones –Bells & whistles –Interactive

Booktalk Techniques Pace yourself –Don’t rush –Pause for dramatic effect (& laughs!) Props? If you must... Use visuals Take advantage of technology Practice, practice, practice

Using Props and Visuals Use props sparingly –And only when appropriate Be sure the audience can see visuals –Transparencies –PowerPoint slides

Booktalking Issues to Consider About the author? Writing word for word? Reading from the book? Audience participation? How many books? How long, o Lord?

Techniques for Reading Aloud When to read aloud Be prepared Don’t rush Don’t mumble Enjoy yourself –But don’t ham it up!

Booktalk Don’ts Booktalk books you haven’t read Include books you dislike Read your booktalks Give away the ending Mumble Let them smell your fear Bore your audience (less is more)

Exercise #2 Revise Your Booktalk Using the Booktalk Planning Template

At the Booktalk Bring a handout Have the books available Prepare a few extras...

Nonfiction Trends Narrative style High visual content Graphic novels Novels in verse

Exercise #3 Use Your Booktalk Template to Plan a 60-second Nonfiction Booktalk

Booktalking Nonfiction High interest subjects –Biography –Autobiography/memoirs –History –Adventure –Pop culture –The “ew-gross!” factor

Nonfiction Techniques Virtually same as fiction Make curriculum connections Don’t forget the visual –Use pictures as a hook

Take Advantage of Technology Audiobooks Websites –Author sites –Publisher sites –Movie tie-ins

Doing a Podcast What are podcasts? Booktalking vs. talking about books The Infopeople experience

How can booktalks be used in library programming?

Exercise #4 Fill in a Planning for Using Booktalks in Library Programming Template

Summary and Review Final thoughts

In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. -—Eric Hoffer quoted in Vanguard Management (Quoted by Warren Bennis in “On Becoming a Leader.” Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1989