Prompt: Marketing your Fiction Collection
There
are several ways to market a fiction collection for your library. A primary
tool we use at our library is LibraryAware. LIbraryAware is so thorough that
all three ways to market your collection can be done by using this tool. The
main reason is that the program is very easy to use and saves staff time, which
we all need more time for at the library. LibraryAware does a lot of the work,
including book descriptions, so all we have to do is pick the book or movie. We market our collection through newsletters,
flyers, and programs.
One
way LibraryAware markets our fiction collection is by emailing book choices to
people through Nextreads newsletters. Patrons can pick out which newsletter they
subscribe to on our website, and it emails lists of new books by genre, such as
thriller or nonfiction, or by the New York Times Bestseller lists. Another way we market collections using
LibraryAware is by making flyers, which we promote on our social media,
website, or display wall. We make event
flyers and book flyers on topics such as April National Poetry Month. I use
LibraryAware to promote staff picks in the library. I ask staff members if they have a good book
they would like to recommend. I put the choice in LibraryAware in a template,
and it is done.
Another way we market the collection with
LibraryAware is by using it to promote the books in the library. For example,
we advertised a flyer called Winter Reading Bingo. LibraryAware assigned the Winter Reading Bingo
categories based on reading, and we promoted it on social media, our library,
and our website. It was very popular because it was for adults instead of just
the Summer Reading Program, which leans toward children. The winner received a $25
Amazon Gift Card and a book-related sticker when they turned in the bingo
sheet. LibraryAware makes it so easy to do programs!
Hi Brenda, the first time I heard of Library Aware was in the form-based RA webinar we watched for this week. Do you know if it's a service connected to Novelist? My library can't afford Novelist unfortunately, so I assume we couldn't afford this either, but it sounds amazing. We also do Winter Reading aimed primarily at adults. We used Beanstack's BINGO feature and designed the challenges to encourage readers to branch out of their norm. We didn't have great numbers for participation, but hopefully we will improve next year- live and learn!!
ReplyDeleteYes, LibraryAware is owned by Novelist. I hope you have more participation next year in your Bingo program. The first year is always the toughest.
DeleteThe Winter Reading Bingo challenge sounds like a great way to get patrons to explore different genres/formats during a time when many may experience a reading lull.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Winter Reading Bingo challenge idea! Our reading challenge for adults has always just been "read 5 books and write them down" and this would be so much more fun and involved!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! Library Aware is such a great resource!
ReplyDelete