Week 15 Prompt: Marketing the Fiction Collection

Prompt:

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.

Response:

Marketing a library’s fiction collection is not always simple and must be planned. A bunch of books thrown together as a display might not be the most effective way to market the collection. Marketing must be thought through and planned ahead of time. The following are a few marketing ideas.

Displays are a good way to highlight books in the fiction collection. As I mentioned, placing random books together doesn’t make for a useful display. Taking the time and finding a topic of interest and books that fit this topic are important. I also think a nice sign or banner is important because it tells patrons why the books are even separately displayed, it also draws attention to the display. A booklist in conjunction with a display helps patrons find other books that cover the topic. Displays during programming also help market the fiction collection. Patrons who attend a program are probably already interested in the topic, so a display would be a good way for them to easily find books on the topic without having to scour the stacks. 

Social media is another great marketing tool. Social media gives the library a chance to interact with patrons online. Social media also allows libraries an opportunity to not only market programming and the fiction collection, but also connect patrons with books. “I believe that libraries are missing the social aspect of social media.  The interesting and addictive part of Facebook and Twitter is the connection. Tweets have to be more than “we have a program tomorrow” to hold patrons’ interest, and too many of that variety will make people tune out—missing that one program that might have brought them through the library’s doors,” (Hilyard). Libraries can post reviews written by the staff and patrons, readers’ advisory booklists, new books lists, and start conversations about books, which could lead to RA opportunities. Social media is a good way to highlight certain books in the collection. 

The library’s newsletter and the local newspaper are also good ways to market the fiction collection. A newsletter would be a good spot to feature patron book reviews. It would also be a great place to highlight some of the new books purchased for the fiction collection. Answering readers’ advisory questions would also indirectly market the collection. The local newspaper might be willing to publish a list of the new books available in the library. Collaborating with the paper might result in marketing opportunities for not only the fiction collection, but the library as a whole.  

I think marketing involves being open to new ideas and listening to what works for others. Marketing ideas don’t have to be specific to a certain genre. A marketing idea that worked for Amish romances just might work for supernatural thrillers. Trying something is better than not marketing at all. If it doesn’t work, there is always something out there that will work. It’s just a matter of taking the time and thinking about the community and what they might find intriguing. 

Work Cited

Hilyard, Nann Blaine. "The Expanding Scope of Readers’ Advisory." Public Libraries 49.1 (2010): 10-25. Print.

Week 14 Prompt: LGBTQ Fiction and African American Fiction

Week 14 Prompt: 

Consider yourself part of the collection management committee of your local library, or a library at which you would like to work. You must decide whether or not to separate GBLTQ fiction and African American Fiction from the general collection to its own special place. Some patrons have requested this, yet many staff are uncomfortable with the idea - saying it promotes segregation and disrupts serendipitous discovery of an author who might be different from the reader. Do you separate them? Do you separate one and not the other? Why or why not?

Response:

I have to start by saying my research for this topic introduced me to many helpful RA and collection development resources that I was unaware of. 

My special topic paper was about genrefying the library collection, and I don’t think separating adult fiction by genre works well. There are many books that fall into multiple genres, so how does one effectively separate these books? “But here’s the dirty truth: LGBT books are not a monolith group, and nor are the members that belong to it. In fact, if you look carefully, you will find that LGBT literature is a robust genre, ranging from poetry and essays by sex workers to campy lesbian novels to gender variant young adult novels,” (Wanner). By shelving fiction in the traditional manner by author last name and title, patrons are exposed to all genres of fiction.

I agree with the staff who are uncomfortable with separating the genres, particularly with the LGBTQ literature. LGBTQ literature is still somewhat controversial at some libraries, and if that genre is separated, patrons might feel uncomfortable going to this different area to find books they enjoy.

If patrons are asking to move the genres because they are afraid they will accidently read one, I would tell them to make sure they read the synopsis that is usually on the back of the book or on the inside flap of the cover. I would also suggest that if they are uncomfortable with a book they check out, they can return it without finishing it.

Instead of separating LGBTQ and African American fiction, I might suggest putting stickers on these books to designate them as LGBTQ or African American. A RA book list might help patrons without separating the genres or forcing patrons to ask library staff for assistance. “Many patrons who are interested in LGBT materials will never approach the reference desk in the first place. Providing anonymous, asynchronous, or self-serve options are critical for this population,” (Wanner). 

The only way I would consider separating LGBTQ fiction and African American fiction is if the readers of the genres asked for them to be moved. “Harvey (2005) found that contrary to the view persistently adhered to by public library services that LGBT people do not want separate LGBT sections, that their LGBT Advisory Group regularly reported that more than less LGBT people found it invaluable to have a separate LGBT section in the main library with reservations being available through on-line catalogue for more rural libraries,” (Rivers). 

I think surveying these readers and asking for their opinions on the placement of these genres would be very beneficial. A small survey could be placed in the books and patrons could return them with the books. Based on the results, one or both genres could be separated if readers feel it will better help them find books.

Works Cited

Rivers, Ian. Out of the Ordinary Representations of LGBT Lives. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Pub., 2012. Print.

Wanner, Amanda. "Providing LGBT Reader's Advisory Services." What Are You Reading. 5 May 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://whatareyoureadingblog.com/2014/05/06/providing-lgbt-ra/>.

Week 13 Prompt: Young Adult, New Adult, and Graphic Novels

Prompt: Though this week's group of "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults. Obviously, graphic novels are becoming more acceptable, but I still had to fight to get my progressive library in a liberal college town to purchase a book club kit containing graphic novels. The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff. How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we? I can't wait to read your thoughts on this

As an adult, I can read what I want to read. No one should tell me what I can or cannot read. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Everyone has different tastes. Young adult, new adult, and graphic novels are all legitimate book categories that everyone should be able to read if they so desire. There are several genres I am not interested in, but I don’t tell people not to read them. If you want to read it, read it. 

 “To simply give up on romance novels or young adult literature as hopeless categories of fiction, fit only for the weak-minded or young and incapable of improvement, is to embrace a kind of snobbery and rigidity about what is worthy and what is not. A hopeless belief in love and a happy endings is not the only perspective that’s adolescent,” (Rosenberg). 

I think adults reading YA is continuing to gain acceptance, especially with the popularity of The Fault in Our Stars and everything John Green. Patrons of all ages were requesting Fault at my library. A good book is a good book no matter the genre or the target audience. 

At my library, many adults read young adult and new adult fiction. The new adult fiction is not separated into its own section or category—it is mixed with the adult fiction. People probably don’t know they are reading a New Adult book, they just know it’s fiction. The YA fiction is in a separate area—the Teen Room. At times, the Teen Room is loud and unruly. I can understand why adults wouldn’t want to go in there. Because of the location of the YA, chances are there are adults who would read it, but they feel strange going into the Teen Room.

Graphic novels are another story at my library. I love graphic novels, but I know a few coworkers who don’t like them at all. I purchased Saga for my library and I thought one of my coworkers was going to have a heart attack. (It was award-winning and I kept hearing about it everywhere. Why shouldn’t my library have it?)

There are many benefits to graphic novels; they are much more than cartoons. They are a great way to get reluctant readers reading. They also help visual learners understand a story; many of Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted into graphic novels. 

I think we have to ignore the naysayers. If adults want to read YA, NA, and graphic novels, we have to provide them for the public. Circulation stats would be one way to prove that these books are worthy and that patrons agree by checking them out. Placing copies of YA books in the adult collection would be one way to ease some embarrassment. An adult wouldn’t have to feel weird and go into the Teen Room to find a book. An adult might be open to reading a YA book if it was on the shelf.

I think making these genres visible would also help. Instead of hiding graphic novels in the corner, place them in a spot where they will be seen. Displays featuring these genres is also another way to show that the library accepts them as “real” books. 

When we are working with a patron on readers’ advisory, we need to mention these genres. Even if the patron isn’t interested in the category, at least they are aware they exist. We have to get the word out that we don’t care what patrons read, we just want them to read something and enjoy whatever it is.

“But then I remember that the truth about reading is that when you’re absorbed in a good book, thoughts of the other books on your reading “to do” list fall away. The book in your hot hands at that very moment solves all your desires and needs. The specter of, say, Emma Bovary, doesn’t loom over Hazel Grace Lancaster from “The Fault in Our Stars,” booming in a French accent: “Read me, I am more important than she is!” And as for the Y.A. war? When you’re deep in a good book, you won’t even hear the drumbeats,” (Wolitzer). 

Works Cited

Rosenberg, Alyssa. "No, You Do Not Have to Be Ashamed of Reading Young Adult Fiction." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 6 June 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2014/06/06/no-you-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-reading-young-adult-fiction/>.

Wolitzer, Meg. "Look Homeward, Reader." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/fashion/a-not-so-young-audience-for-young-adult-books.html>.