Speaker: Amy Alessio, Dan Schnepf
Format: Genre

Speaker: Sarah Statz Cords
Format: Genre

 

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (January)
Speaker: Becky Spratford
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "A History of Love" by Nicole Krauss
Place: Berwyn Public Library

2010
HORROR READERS ADVISORY: HOW TO HELP YOUR SCARIEST PATRONS (September)
Speaker: Becky Spratford
Format: Genre
Place: Downers Grove Public Library

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (July)
Speaker: Greta Ulrich
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "Digging to America" by Anne Tyler
Place: Niles Public Library

GOING V.I.R.A.L.* (VIRTUAL INTERACTIVE READERS ADVISORY) (June)
Speaker: Toby Greenwalt, Virtual Services Coordinator Skokie Public Library
Format: Nuts & Bolts Discussion
Place: Skokie Public Library

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (April)
Speaker: Becky Spratford
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz
Place: Itasca Community Library

READERS, WRITERS, BOOKS, AND BLOGS (March)
Speaker: Rebecca Vnuk
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Oak Park Library

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (January)
Speaker: Ted Balcom
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "Disgrace" by J.M. Coetzee
Place: Arlington Heights Memorial Library

2009
QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (October)
Speaker: Tuki Sathaye
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "Dreamers of the Day" by Mary Doria Russell
Place: Itasca Community Library

ALL ABOUT AUDIOBOOKS (September)      
Speakers: Susan Gibberman, Head of Reader Services at Schaumburg Township District Library; Amy Peterson, Popular Services Librarian at Schaumburg Township District Library
Format: Genre
Place: Schaumburg Township District Library

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (July)
Speaker: Debbie Walsh
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "Amsterdam" by Ian McEwan
Place: Geneva Public Library

WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE (May) 
Speaker: Various RA Experts
Format: All-day program
Place: Glacier Canyon Lodge at Wilderness Way, Wisconsin Dells 

QUARTERLY LITERARY FICTION BOOK DISCUSSION (April)
Speaker: Ted Balcom
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed: "Luncheon of the Boating Party" by Susan Vreeland
Place: First meeting: Arlington Heights Memorial Library; subsequent meetings: various libraries

 

WHAT LIBRARIANS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLISHING (AND HOW TO FIND OUT!) (March)
Speaker: Nora Rawlinson, Co-founder and Editor www.earlyword.com
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: LaGrange Public Library

2008
RA 2.0: BLOGS AND WIKIS (October)
Speaker: Sarah Statz Cords, Associate Editor Reader's Advisor Online; Monica Harris, Young Adult Librarian, Oak Park Public Library; Karen McBride, Web Services Librarian, Des Plaines Public Library
Format:  Nuts and Bolts
Place: Schaumburg Public Library

NONFICTION READERS ADVISORY: WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW TO HELP OUR READERS (July)
Speaker: Neal Wyatt
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: White Eagle Banquets, Niles

AUTHOR PROGRAM: MARISSA DE LOS SANTOS (May)
Speaker: Marissa De Los Santos interviewed by Rebecca Vnuk
Format: Author Program
Place: Skokie Public Library Author

RETURN OF THE GENRE BOOT CAMP  (April)
Speaker: ARRT Steering Committee Members
Format: Genre
Place: Oak Lawn Public Library

2007   
GENRE BOOT CAMP  (September)
Speaker: ARRT Steering Committee Members
Format:  All-Day Program
Place: Priory, Dominican University, River Forest

GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR RA DEPARTMENT  (July)
Speaker: Barry Trott, Williamsburg (VA) Regional Library
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: White Eagle, Niles

BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP  (May)
Speaker:  Ricki Nordmeyer
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed:  "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See
Place: Indian Prairie Public Library

 

WELCOMING TEENS INTO YOUR LIBRARY (2 sessions in April)
Speaker: Heather Booth, Downers Grove; Ann Carlson, Oak Park-River Forest High School; Maggie Hommel, Park Ridge
Format: Genre
Place: Des Plaines Public Library; Downers Grove Public Library

2006
READERS ADVISORY 101 (2 sessions: April, May)
Speaker: Jeanne Etling, Debbie Walsh, Debbie Wordinger
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Oak Lawn Public Library, Arlington Heights Memorial Library

AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA LIPPMAN (July)
Speaker: Laura Lippman interviewed by Ricki Nordmeyer
Format: Author Program
Place: Skokie Public Library

READERS ADVISORY 201 (2 sessions: September, October)
Speaker: Joanna Hazelden, Merle Jacob, Rebecca Vnuk, Vivian Mortensen
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Oak Lawn Public Library, Arlington Heights Memorial Library

2005
BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP  (April)
Speaker:  Debbie Wordinger
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed:  "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam
Place: Oak Lawn Public Library

 

NOT ANOTHER CLICHED DISPLAY (May)
Speaker: ARRT Steering Committee Members
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Itasca Country Club

 

BARBARA D'AMATO (July)
Speaker: Barbara D'Amato
Format: Genre Study, Author Program
Place: Chief O'Neill's Pub, Chicago

 

BEHIND THE BLOCKBUSTERS (September)
Speaker: Mary Munday, Susanne Clower, Karen Kleckner, Rebecca Vnuk
Format: Genre Study, Nuts and Bolts
Place: Held at White Eagle Banquets, Niles

 

2004
ARE YOU SCARED OF THE HORROR GENRE? (March)
Speaker: Alan Ziebarth
Format: Genre Study
Place: Ashton Place, Willowbrook

 

21st CENTURY FICTION: A SYMPOSIUM (May)
Speaker: Duncan Smith, Catherine Sheldrick Ross, William Crowley
Format: Two-Day Workshop
Place: Dominican University, River Forest

 

READERS ADVISORY BEGINS AT HOME (October)
Speaker: ARRT Steering Committee Members
Format: Small Group Discussions, Nuts and Bolts
Place: Chateau Rand, Des Plaines

 

2003
COMMON PROBLEMS, UNCOMMON SOLUTIONS (March)
Speaker: ARRT Steering Committee Members
Format: Small Group
Place: Ripples, Darien

 

BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker:   Ted Balcom, Corky Lee
Format: Open Discussion
Book Discussed:  "Plainsong" by Kent Haruf
Place: Des Plaines Public Library

GRAPHIC NOVELS: NOT JUST FOR YAs!  (July)
Speaker: Ray Olson, Gordon Flagg
Format: Genre
Place: Itasca Country Club

 

CHRISTIAN FICTION (October)
Speaker:  John Mort, Travis Trasher
Format: Genre Study
Place: Ashton Place, Willowbrook

 

2002
FORGOTTEN TREASURES: AUTHORS OF THE 1950s-1990s YOU SHOULD KNOW (April)
Speaker: Joyce Saricks, Merle Jacob, Alan Ziebarth
Format: Small Group
Place: Ripples, Darien

READERS ADVISORY WEBSITES: DRAW READERS INTO YOUR WEB (PAGE) (July)
Speaker: Chapple Langemack
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Itasca Country Club

 

FORGOTTEN TREASURES: AUTHORS OF THE 1950s-1990s YOU SHOULD KNOW (September)
Speaker: Joyce Saricks, Merle Jacob, Alan Ziebarth
Format: Small Group
Place: Navy Pier, ILA Conference

 

FLIGHTS OF FANTASY (October)
Speaker: Ricki Nordmeyer
Format: Genre
Place: Chateau Rand, Des Plaines

2001

SELF-GUIDED READERS' ADVISORY TRAINING (March)
Speaker: Roberta Johnson
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Itasca Country Club

 

BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker: Debbie Walsh and Ted Balcom
Book Discussed:  "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam
Format: Open Discussion
Place: St. Charles Public Library

 

MAKE MINE A MYSTERY (July)
Speaker: Gary Warren Neibuhr
Format: Genre
Place: Chateau Rand, Des Plaines

2000
BOOKTALKING AT THE SHELVES (March)
Speaker: Vivian Mortensen
Format: Small Group
Place: Crystal Palace, Des Plaines

 

MULTICULTURAL AUTHORS (July)
Speaker: Nancy Pearl  
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Ripples, Darien

 

LOVE...IN THE AFTERNOON (October)
Speaker: Kristen Ramsdell, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Kathy Hendrickson
Format: Panel Discussion
Place: Itasca Country Club

1999
BOOK DISCUSSION DYNAMICS (March)
Speaker: Rachel Jacobson
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Crystal Palace

 

BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker: Debbie Walsh and Debbie Wordinger
Book Discussed: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt 
Format: Open Discussion
Place: Niles Public Library

 

ADVENTURE GENRE (June)
Speaker: Michael Gannon
Format: Genre
Place: Inn of Burr Ridge

 

READ-A-LIKES (October)
Speaker: Joyce Saricks and Ricki Nordmeyer
Format: Small Group
Place: Itasca Country Club

 

1998
ANNOTATIONS (March)
Speaker: Merle Jacob
Format: Small Group
Place: Diplomat West, Elmhurst

 

RA 101 (May)
Speaker: Debbie Walsh, moderator; Vivian Mortensen, Mary McKeeth, Barbara Kruser
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Diplomat West, Elmhurst

 

YA AND ADULT BOOKS FOR YAs (July)
Speaker: Jan Byczek
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

 

MYSTERY GENRE (September)
Speaker: Elizabeth Peters, Ricki Nordmeyer
Format: Genre
Place: Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Arlington Heights

 

1997
LISTEN AT YOUR LEISURE (April)
Speaker: Nancy Liggin, Park Ridge; Barbara Rosenblatt, Recorded Books
Format: Genre Study
Place: Banquets by Brigante�s, Park Ridge

 

BOOK DISCUSSION ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker: Debbie Walsh, St. Charles
Book Discussed: "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson
Format: Open Discussion
Place: Indian Prairie Public Library, Darien

 

WEEDING YOUR FICTION COLLECTION (July)
Speaker: James Sweetland, University of Wisconsin
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Best Western Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

 

GENREFLECTING AND BEYOND (October)
Speaker: Diana Herald, Genreflecting
Format: Genre Study
Place: Diplomat West, Elmhurst

 

1996

GUILTY PLEASURES (March)
Format: Small Group
Place: Banquets by Brigante, Park Ridge

 

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (June)
Speaker: Roberta Johnson, Morton Grove
Format: Genre Study
Place: Best Western Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

 

MAKING YOUR LIBRARY READER FRIENDLY (October)
Speaker: Debbie Wordinger, Indian Praire (designing a new library); Sally Schuster, Addison (redesigning an older library); Sue Peterson, Brain Snacks (bookstore)
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Diplomat West Banquets, Elmhurst

 

1995
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS (March)
Format: Small Group
Place: Banquets by Brigante, Park Ridge

 

CONNECTING READERS ADVISORY (May)
Speaker: Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: ILA, Peoria

 

READABLE CLASSICS (May)
Speaker: Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie (facilitator)
Format: Small Group
Place: ILA, Peoria

 

HISTORICAL FICTION (May)
Speaker: Sharon Karpiel, Elmhurst; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Joyce Voss, Arlington Heights; Debra Wordinger, Indian Prairie; Merle Jacob, Chicago
Format: Genre Study
Place: ILA, Peoria

 

GENRE 101: WHAT EVERY LIBRARIAN NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROMANCE AND SUSPENSE GENRES (May)
Speaker: Joyce Saricks, Downer Grove
Format: Genre Study
Place: ILA, Peoria

 

FIRST YOU READ: WHY AND HOW GENRE STUDY WILL IMPROVE YOUR READERS ADVISORY SERVICE (May)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Format: Genre Study
Place: ILA, Peoria

 

BOOK DISCUSSION LEADERS� ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park; Debbie Walsh, St. Charles; Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie (facilitator)
Book Discussed: "The Shipping News" by E. Annie Proulx
Format: Open Discussion
Place: Downers Grove Public Library

 

FEATURING FICTION: A HOW-TO PROGRAM (May)
Speaker: Carolyn Reinhard, Arlington Heights (on displays); Ricki Nordmeyer, Villa Park (setting up a mystery wall); Pat Groh, Skokie (on marketing the collection)
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Diplomat West, Elmhurst

 

THRILLERS (September)
Speaker: Barb Kruser, Niles (political thrillers); Linda Lacy, Wheaton (legal thrillers); Nancy Liggin, Park Ridge (medical thrillers)
Format: Genre Study
Place: Best Western Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

1994
BOOKS LIVES AND VIDEOTAPE (April)
Speaker: Duncan Smith
Format: Four all-day workshops�two beginners and two advanced cosponsored with NSLS
Place: NSLS, Wheeling and SLS, Burr Ridge

 

READABLE CLASSICS (May)
Speaker: Merle Jacob, Chicago (moderator)
Format: Small Group
Place: Banquets by Brigante, Park Ridge

 

BOOK DISCUSSION LEADERS� ROUNDUP (May)
Speaker: Debbie Wordinger, Indian Prairie (facilitator)
Format: Open Discussion (Not a We-all-read-one book program)
Place: St. Charles Public Library

 

THE POWER OF THE ROMANCE NOVEL (September)
Speakers: Cathie Linz and Linda Wiatr (authors)
Format: Genre Study
Place: Diplomat West Banquets, Elmhurst

 

FICTION FINDING SOLUTIONS (October)
Speakers: Ellen Hines, Arlington Heights (fiction subject headings); Barb Kruser, Niles and Sally Schuster, Addison (genre labeling)
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

 

1993
READING CLUBS FOR ADULTS (March)
Speakers: Betsy Levins, Elmhurst; Shari Hetzke, Arlington Heights; Carol Hackwe, Roselle
Format: Nuts and Bolts Panel Discussion
Place: Banquets by Brigante, Park Ridge

 

DISCUSSABLE BOOKS (June)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Format: Speaker followed by small group discussion
Place: Inn of Burr Ridge, Burr Ridge

 

HISTORICAL FICTION (September)
Speaker: Merle Jacob, Chicago; Sharon Karpiel, Elmhurst; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Joyce Voss, Arlington Heights; Debra Wordinger, Indian Prairie
Format: Genre Study
Place: Harvey�s, Westmont

 

1992
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HORROR LITERATURE: ILA CONFERENCE (March)
Speakers: Muzette Diefenthal, Arlington Heights (moderator); Nancy Brown, Downers Grove; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Nancy Liggin, Park Ridge; Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge; Joyce Voss, Park Ridge
Format: Genre Study
Place: ILA Conference, Chicago, IL

 

ROMANCE FICTION (April)
Format: Small Group Discussion
Place: Banquets by Brigante, Des Plaines

 

THERE ARE NO BAD DRAGONS: FANTASY LITERATURE (June)
Speaker: Marlene Ogg, Evanston
Format: Genre Study
Place: Harvey�s, Westmont

 

CONNECTING BOOKS AND READERS: HOW TO DO READER�S ADVISORY (ALL-DAY CONFERENCE) (October)
Speaker: Mary K. Chelton, Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries, Maryland
Format: Two presentations by Ms. Chelton
Place: Knickers, Des Plaines

 

1991
MAKING CONVERSATIONS ON ILLINOIS LITERATURE (March, April, November)
Speaker: Robert Bray, Rediscoveries: Literature and Place in Illinois
Format: Genre Study
Place: CANCELED ALL THREE TIMES

 

GENTLE READS (May)
Format: Small Group Discussion
Place: Diplomat West Banquets, Elmhurst

 

SELLING AUTHORS AND BOOKS (September)
Speakers: William Love, author of "The Chartreuse Clue"; Nancy Liggin, Park Ridge (moderator); Shauna Hawkins, Evanston, Caryl Mobley, Arlington Heights; Mary Nelson, public relations consultant
Format: Nuts and Bolts Panel Discussions
Place: Mr. Peters, Mt. Prospect

 

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HORROR LITERATURE (November)
Speakers: Muzette Diefenthal, Arlington Heights (moderator); Nancy Brown, Downers Grove; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Joyce Voss, Park Ridge; Nancy Liggin, Park Ridge; Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge
Format: Genre Study
Place: Minneapolis, Minn MFLA Conference

 

1990
FICTION THAT MAKES YOU SMILE (March)
Format: Small Group Discussion
Place: Jerry Sharko�s, Lisle

 

ARRT'S THIRD ANNUAL ILA BOOK DISCUSSION (March)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Book Discussed: "My Antonia" by Willa Cather
Format: Book Discussion plus comments by Ted Balcom
Place: ILA Conference, Springfield, IL

 

NUTS AND BOLTS: READER�S ADVISORY SERVICE (May)
Speakers: Nancy Brown, Downers Grove (moderator); Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge; Joyce Anderson, Indian Trails; Penny McCreight, Calumet City
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Salt Creek Golf Club, Wood Dale

 

WINDY CITY MURDERS: MYSTERY NOVELS SET IN CHICAGO (September)
Speaker: Neal Nye, Park Forest
Format: Genre Study
Place: Delphian House Restaurant, Hickory Hills

 

1989
GHOSTS, GHOULS, AND GORE: AN INTRODUCTION TO HORROR FICTION (March)
Speaker: Ray Olson, Booklist
Format: Genre Study
Place: Harvey�s, Westmont

 

ARRT�S SECOND ANNUAL ILA BOOK DISCUSSION (April)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Book Discussed: "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner
Format: Book Discussion plus comments from Ted Balcom
Place: ILA Conference, Pheasant Run, IL

 

BEYOND THE SECRET GARDEN: ADULT FICTION BOOKS THAT APPEAL TO TEENAGE READERS (May)
Format: Small Group Discussion
Place: Brookwood Country Club, Wood Dale, IL

 

MANAGING THE FICTION COLLECTION: ALL-DAY CONFERENCE (October)
Speakers: Sharon Baker, University of Iowa (keynote speaker); Dorothy Rasmussen, Skokie (ordering out of print books); Lewis Rosenblaum, Guild Books (bookseller�s point of view); weeding fiction speakers: Ted Balcom, Villa Park; Carol Blohm, Highland Park; Muzette Diefenthal, Arlington Heights; Joyce Voss, Park Ridge
Format: Two presentations by Baker plus choice of one small group presentation
Place: White Eagle Golf Club, Naperville

 

1988
FOREIGN AUTHORS EVERY LIBRARIAN SHOULD KNOW (March)
Speaker: Alan Schwartz, Oakton Community College
Format: Genre Study
Place: Hackney�s, Wheeling

 

ARRT'S FIRST ANNUAL ILA BOOK DISCUSSION (May)
Speaker: Ted Balcom, Villa Park
Book Discussed: "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Format: Book discussion plus comments by Ted Balcom
Place: ILA Conference, Chicago, IL

 

BOOKTALKING: THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF LIBRARIANSHIP (June)
Speaker: Hazel Rochman, Booklist
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Harvey�s, Westmont

 

FICTION MEN READ: BOOKS WITH A WIDE MALE READERSHIP (September)
Format: Small Group
Place: Brookwood Country Club

 

1987
NON-FICTION THAT READS LIKE A NOVEL (April)
Format: Small Group
Place: Brookwood Country Club, Wood Dale

 

HOW TO PREPARE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY (July)
Speakers: Brad Hooper, Booklist; Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge; Donna Hicks, Northbrook
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Brookwood Country Club, Wood Dale

 

ADVENTURE, DANGER, ROMANCE: THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN GENRE FICTION (September)
Speaker: Joy Kennedy, Arlington Heights
Format: Genre Study

1986
SCIENCE FICTION 101: PAINLESS THERAPY FOR THE ALLERGIC (January)
Speakers: Lynn Fancher, College of DuPage; Georgine Olson, Lake Forest; Cris Sakalis, Thomas Ford
Format: Genre Study
Place: Harvey�s, Westmont

 

GOOD BOOKS THAT ARE LOST IN THE STACKS (April)
Format: Small Group
Place: NSLS Headquarters, Wheeling

 

GENREFLECTING WORKSHOP: ALL-DAY CONFERENCE (October)
Speakers: Betty Rosenberg, author of Genreflecting (keynote speaker); Merle Jacob, Skokie (mystery); Eugenia Bryant, Skokie (romance); Joyce Voss, Franklin Park (humor); Jan Johnston, Crystal Lake (gentle reads); Nancy Thomas, Addison (espionage); Georgine Olson, Lake Forest (science fiction)
Format: Two presentations by Ms. Roseburg plus choice of two small programs on specific genres
Place: Brookwood Country Club, Wood Dale

 

1985
BEST AND WORST OF THE YEAR (January)
Format: Small Group
Place: SLS Headquarters, Burr Ridge

 

READ-ALIKES (May)
Speakers: Mary Goulding,SLS; Merle Jacob, Skokie; Nancy Brown, Downers Grove
Format: Panel
Place: NSLS Headquarters, Wheeling

 

THE UNABASHED BOOK DISCUSSION: HOW YOU CAN DO IT GOOD (October)
Speakers: Ted Balcom, Villa Park (moderator); Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove; Vivian Mortensen, Park Ridge; Eloise Burfisher, Des Plaines; Margaret Monsour, Bensenville; Mary Sue Brown, Elmhurst
Format: Nuts and Bolts
Place: Plentywood Farm Restaurant, Bensenville