Week 15 Prompt Response

               At one public library I used to work at, I helped with coming up with ideas for a monthly book display in the adult department and selecting the materials to put on it. It was a circular display with multiple levels. We chose a different theme each month and we included items on the display from different sections (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Graphic Novels, and DVDs) that were all related to that specific theme. This display seemed to be very effective and popular; materials were frequently taken off of it and checked out. Based on seeing how well this display in the adult department worked at that public library, I think that would definitely be a go-to idea for me for promoting the fiction collection at any public library. I think these types of thematic displays are an easy and effective way to market materials because they’re easily accessible by patrons and can be visually appealing as well.

               At a different public library I used to work at in the children’s department and technical services, another marketing idea implemented there in the adult department was “staff favorites/staff picks.” Because I didn’t work in the adult department there, I’m not completely sure how “successful” this marketing was, but I was aware of it and participated in it as a staff member. The adult books, both fiction and non-fiction, that had been chosen as staff picks were displayed cover out near the section that they were normally shelved in (at that library, fiction was shelved by genre), with a colored piece of paper sticking out of the top of the book (like a tall bookmark) that indicated it was a staff pick. I really like that type of idea for marketing a fiction section (or any section) in a public library, because I think singling out a book as someone else’s “favorite” or “pick” could definitely inspire someone else to be interested in checking it out. It’s also an easy marketing tool to implement and requires minimal planning and time, so it is something that can be done on an ongoing basis without being a large burden on staff.

               Finally, in Promoting and Marketing Readers’ Advisory Collections and Services, one marketing idea discussed by Joyce Saricks (2005) is booktalks (p. 155-156). I took the class “Materials for Youth” several semesters ago, and in that class we discussed and practiced doing booktalks for children’s materials, but I had not really thought much about doing booktalks for adult books. I really like the idea of booktalks for adults because I think these talks can be an interesting, succinct way for people to hear about new books. Saricks (2005) explains that five minutes is the general timeframe used for each book at her library (p. 156), and I think that is an appealing aspect of this type of marketing: it does not require a huge time commitment from the patron but it can still help them become familiar with more books they may be interested in reading.

Works Cited

Saricks, J. (2005) Promoting and marketing readers’ advisory collections and services. In Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library. Chicago: ALA. 136-160. [Files - Canvas]