Thursday, April 20, 2017

Prompt 15 - Some Ways to Promote Fiction
1. A TOOL - I would like to post weekly or monthly RA type posts on our website - one for each genre.  I would choose a great book and provide an annotation of the book (or series, if it's a series.) Then I would include: If you like _____ or (the ________series), try:
and then list some read alike titles or series.
2. A SERVICE -  I would like to provide a service like "The Reader's Advisor is In." I could put out a sign when I'm in the library, like: "Looking for your next great read?" ask for Jodi at the Information Desk. Although I'd be available whether I put out a sign or not, patrons may not know this help is available.
3. A PROGRAM - I would like to have a program to teach participants about appeal factors, articulating a book's appeal and the rule of three. Then, I would let them do that for books that they've read. I'd ask them to write it out and attach it to the books and then I'd make a display of their books.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jodi,

    I really liked your idea about putting out a sign for reader's advisory service. The fact that it would call you by name makes the idea of asking a librarian for help seem a little more personal and less intimidating. The idea of advertising this service at all is helpful too, because I think sometimes patrons don't see us as fiction readers just like them, and they may not know we even offer this service. Great ideas!

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  2. Jodi, these are really all great ideas. Posting a variety of genres on the website would be an effective way to meet many patrons' interests. I bet if you put out a sign advertising "The readers advisor is in" it wouldn't be long until patrons were coming in to seek your help on a more regular basis.

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  3. I like the service idea. Oftentimes I feel like librarians expect patrons to know what we mean by the words we use such as "reader's advisory" or "reference desk" but actually they might not know that this means they can ask the people at this desk for help finding something to read! Using a simple and straightforward phrase such as "Looking for your next great read?" ask for Jodi at the Information Desk" could help end any confusion for people who may want to engage in this service.

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  4. Hi Jodi.

    My library actually did something like your second idea. We built a kind of / sort of replica of Lucy's "The Doctor Is In" booth from the Peanuts but made it a "The Librarian Is In." We use it at big programs as a way to promote our RA services but also to actually provide RA. It's been a bit hit so far.

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  5. Great prompt response with innovative and easy to implement ideas. A little on the short side for a response, but still full of great content.

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  6. I love your second idea. It's cute and it would grab attention. You may even have people come to the reference desk who may not have known that was even an option with a sign like you describe.

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