Week 15 Prompt

Question: 

What do you think are the best ways to market your library's fiction collection? Name and describe three ways you do or would like to market your library or your future library's fiction. These can be tools, programs, services, displays - anything that you see as getting the word out.

Answers:

First, I would start low-tech and low cost.  Those in charge of the library and their superiors love low cost options.  Creating a display of books, audio books, and/or DVDs can be very simple as placing books on a table with a sign.  It can be elaborated with posters, banners, colors, lights, and even a unique display set up.  I feel the key to a great library display is that it needs to be eye catching and located in an area of high foot traffic, such as near the front doors, circulation desk, and even the washrooms.

Below are several books displays I found on Pinterest. 

A fun idea for Halloween.  This is not practical for patrons to check out the books.  However, the library would use book sale books for the props and then put horror themed books, DVDs, graphic novels, and audio books next to them. 

This display would catch your attention or you would walk right into it!  J This 3D display may or may not work with your library depending on space, but is a great idea for getting noticed.  

This is a great idea.  Patrons can pose behind display.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles could take pictures of their loved ones as superheroes.  Even us comic book nerds would think that this is fun.  Take a large box, trace the outline, color, and cut out the whole for the heard.  Fun and very low cost.  Place a table of graphic novels and super hero movies next to the display. 

My next set of ideas is to go more high-tech, but also keeping the cost low.  For my Audio Visual class this semester I created a video advertising the new location of my library’s graphic novel section.  I wrote an outline of the script and did all the videotaping and editing myself.  I used YouTube video editor to edit the video.  If I had more time I would have downloaded free editing software and learned how to use it.  I wanted my video to start out on a serious suspenseful note and then turn really wacky.  It took many takes and editing.  Here is the video I created: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBLweTx1WW8

With countless people use the internet on a daily basis the library can use it to advertise, alert, and teach their patrons.  Libraries are creating blogs, vlogs, screen captures, and webpages. For my Audio Visual class, I also created a video game event to coincide with this year’s International Video Game Week.  I made up the library (named after my dog).  Here is the URL: http://dachshundlibraryvideogames.weebly.com/

For my History of the Book and Genealogy classes I created a website about the history of my library’s building, mural, and nature walk.  I also added more content to cover the history of the towns three library buildings.  Here is the URL: https://lowellhistoryblog.wordpress.com/ . 

The last suggestion I have is very low tech, but effective.  The library can use fliers, word of mouth, and newspapers

When a patron come to the library’s circulation desk to check out books the library worker can inform the patron that they are putting a flier inside one of the books highlighting the previous month’s new fiction and non-fiction books.  These fliers can also be hung up at local community centers, schools, and businesses.  

When the reference desk is helping a patron locate a novel by a certain author they can inform the person that the library has other books by the same author available.

The local newspaper has a community bulletin section.  The library can advertise upcoming programs, activities, and information.