The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with PCI Webinars to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar. Please do not register directly with PCI. Members who register directly with PCI are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Because we are working with an outside vendor, it is important that you cancel your registration in the event that you are unable to attend the live webinar.  A recording of the webinar will be available on the PCI Webinars Niche Academy website about a week after the live webinar.  If you have any issues registering or signing into the PCI Webinars Niche Academy website, please let us know.  Please do not contact PCI Webinars or Niche Academy directly about their live webinars or webinar recordings.

Description

2025 has moved into our rearview, everyone is eager to jump into the fresh start of 2026, but hold up for just a bit longer. It is important, every year, to take a step back and look critically at the year that was before setting goals or service plans for the next year.

Join noted Readers' Advisory expert, Becky Spratford as she walks you through the highlights [and lowlights] of 2026 in Adult Leisure Reading.

From the biggest trends, to the authors, titles, and genres that broke through, Becky will break it all down for you, wringing out the best of 2025 to take with us as we plan our service to Adult readers for 2026.

Who will Benefit from this Program:

All Staff that Interacts with Patrons, All Circulation Staff Members and Reader’s Advisory Staff

Presenter

Becky Spratford [MLIS] is a Librarian in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. She writes reviews for Booklist and a Horror review column for Library Journal. Becky was a 24 year locally elected Library Trustee and a former Board member for both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with Horror readers,

Becky is the author of three text books for library workers, most recently, The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Third Edition [ALA Editions, 2021] and the recently released Why I Love Horror [Saga Press, 2025]. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, currently serving as the Association’s Secretary and Co-Chair of their Library Committee. You can follow Becky on Bluesky @raforall.bsky.social