Week 15 Prompt

Librarians market their fiction collection in an effort to grab the attention of patrons as well as to offer suggestions to their readers. Sometimes patrons are looking for these suggestions. Sometimes they may be coming to the library for a specific item, but if the fiction collection is marketed well, a new author or genre may be discovered and additional books may circulate. Marketing the library’s fiction collection occurs inside the library, but also through the library’s website and through social media.  Increasingly there are many tools that can market the collection while taking little staff time.

Sometimes it is difficult for readers to choose a book from the stacks, particularly if a specific title is not on their radar.  Eye catching displays can attract a reader’s to a smaller selection of books. In my library, there is presently little space for book displays. The tops of shelves are usually the only spots that can be earmarked for displays. Although I work in the youth services department, many of the same ideas would be effective elsewhere in the library. Often we’ll target a specific author, award winners or sometimes even a particular color to use in a book display. Near Valentine’s Day our book display was quite eclectic with only red books.  Both new and older books were displayed; many of them books that had not been checked out in months. Having them featured in a display increased their visibility and resulted in increased circulation. Displays should catch the attention of every visitor to the library if they are well done.  This is where it really pays off to have an artistic staff member! 

Often patrons will appreciate learning about a specific genre, a subject or author but are hesitant to seek the attention of the librarian. Read-alike bookmarks and annotated book lists are effective ways to market the fiction collection, both while the patron is visiting the library and later at home. Bookmarks and book lists should be placed in a prominent location, such as near a circulation or reference desk.  An additional benefit to this kind of marketing is that it can reach outside the library walls as they can be dispersed to family and friends.   

Book trailers, shown on a screen either near a circulation desk or in an open area that is not reserved for quiet study or reading can be a good way to market the fiction collection.  Staff members can volunteer to make book trailers on a rotating basis of new books in a favorite genre or by a favorite author.  This is also an inexpensive way to catch the attention of readers to new titles.