Thursday, April 20, 2017

Week 15 Prompt


One way to market my library’s fiction collection is by making more effective use of social media. By asking librarians to post their current reads on a library instagram or by taking a leaf out of New York Public Library’s incredible pinterest--I mean, book-- library patrons would not only be able to find reading recommendations in the visually attractive, modern format that is more and more mediating people’s media intake, they could also share their own thoughts, opinions, and readalikes.

Another way to market my library’s fiction collection is to borrow Sarick’s excellent idea of putting together a “Good Fiction You May Have Missed” cart. I particularly liked this idea not only because it’s simply a clever, effective marketing technique, but because of the opportunity it affords for amplifying books that may have been marginalized by the white supremacist/capitalist/patriarchal nature of our society. Because it is not as overtly political as a specially-themed display, the Good Fiction cart has the benefit of offering for readers’ consideration books that they might shy away from usually. At the same time, readers could just as easily choose to avoid books not to their taste.

Finally, as I’ve demonstrated before on this blog, I really have a taste for reader’s advisory which ties into programming. I think a library’s fiction collection can be marketed in concert with virtually every program. Offering a lunch-time concert series? Display fiction at the back of the room which features a musical theme. Hosting a knitting club? Put together a booklist of recommended audiobooks for patrons to listen to while they craft. Technology workshops, lectures, and even financial literacy workshops could all be productively tied in to fiction collection marketing--maybe put out a display of gentle reads to accompany that financial workshop, for example!

3 comments:

  1. Hi Avery.

    I really enjoyed your suggestions. I love the idea of a "Good Fiction You May Have Missed" cart. My library will often do a "Popular" shelf or a "Other Patrons Recommend" or even a "Staff Picks" shelf, but I like that the "Good Fiction You May Have Missed" cart really focuses on lesser known items. You could even put little labels on it favorably comparing the books to a big best seller. "If you liked this...you'll like this" kind of thing.

    And I totally agree with you about incorporating marketing/promotion into programming. So easy and so effective!

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  2. Great prompt response! You've got some innovative ideas that can definitely help! Full points!

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  3. I love the idea of listening to audio books while knitting! We have a loom knitting club, maybe we could incorporate audio books into it! Thanks for sharing!

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