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Creating Engaging Book Displays
The document discusses strategies for creating engaging book displays in libraries to enhance book discovery and customer experience. Key points include reflecting patrons' interests, using eye-catching design, promoting hidden collections, and being responsive to current events and community themes. It emphasizes the importance of making displays visually appealing, interactive, and fun for both librarians and visitors.
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Creating Engaging Book Displays
- 1. CREATING GOOD BETTER AWESOMEENGAGING DISPLAYS Susan Brown Chapel Hill Public Library #bookdisplays
- 2. WHAT YOU’LL LEAVEWITH… • Understanding of value of displays • Basics of engaging display content • Basics of engaging display design • Creative ideas from me – and you!
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- 4. WHY DO WEDO DISPLAYS? • Increase circulation • Highlight underused collections • Better serve browsers • Celebrate holidays/special events • Why do you do them???
- 5. It’s all aboutDISCOVERY “In an era where readers can find discover books in the supermarket, on their iPhone, via Amazon, and from social sites such as Goodreads and Pinterest, we need to make sure that libraries are engaged in book discovery and consider it a priority. Engaging book displays are just one way of helping readers discover great books.”
- 6. And CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE “Butit is our collections of circulating books and materials that are our most visible attributes and most effective components in providing a rewarding experience to our visitors. So it is essential that they be arranged in ways that make them easy to find and also irresistible to browse.” -Anythink Visual Branding Guidelines
- 7. And ENGAGEMENT! En/gage: a)to hold the attention of: <her work engages her completely> b) to induce to participate: <engaged the shy boy in conversation>
- 8. 22 Photos of,34 Ideas for, and 20+ Rules for Creating Engaging Displays
- 9. 1. Displays shouldreflect your patrons' interests, not your personal interests. You might be fascinated by ancient Japanese sword fighting or the history of dominos, but that doesn't mean that books on those topics will make a good display.
- 10. GAME NIGHT ludopieces byajmint, CC SA 3.0
- 11. 2. Displays shouldbe popular. While a fair amount of time might be spent filling a display fixture, the ultimate goal is for that fixture to be empty. If, after a day or so, the same books are still on the display unit, consider a new topic.
- 12. 3. Don't limityourself to books. Whenever possible, include a mix of audiobooks, DVDs, and even CDs. Or only audiobooks, DVDS, and CDs.
- 13. 4. The books(or movies or cds) should be the stars of the display. Choose items with fresh, visually appealing covers in good condition. Buckram bindings should never, ever be on display.
- 16. 5. While thebooks are the stars, eye-catching visual signage is extremely important. This does not require bells and whistles or a graphic design degree. In fact, when it comes to display signage, less is more.
- 17. • Incorporate whitespace into the sign design. • Alternately, consider filling up the canvas with one great image. • Use fewer words rather than more: if you need a full sentence to explain what the display is about, you need to re-think the idea. • Choose card stock over construction paper and simple color palettes over neon and glitter.
- 21. TRUE CRIMES crime scenetape by ash photoholic, CC BY 2.0
- 23. FALL feuille rouge byash monnaiux, CC SA 3.0
- 24. TURKEY DAY pumpkin pieby brownies for dinner, CC BY 2.0
- 25. 6. Choose asimple, readable font over an intricate one. A few fonts I would suggest removing permanently from your display repertoire: Algerian, Bauhaus, Comic Sans, Jokerman, Old English, Ravie, and Snap.
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- 27. Algerian Bauhaus Comic Sans Jokerman OldEnglish Ravie Snap Arial Californian Century Gothic High Tower Times New Roman Poor Richard Verdana
- 31. Austen & After Austen& After Austen & After Austen & After
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- 35. HAUNTED HOUSES These books will keepyou up all night!
- 36. HAUNTED HOUSES haunted houseby barbara, CC BY 2.0
- 37. 7. If thereis an icon or other key visual element associated with the theme of the display, be sure to include it in the signage. This might be a logo or a symbol or simply an author's photo. It may be all the sign needs.
- 42. 8. Use propsjudiciously. You want browsers to interact with the display by taking items off. You don't want them to feel that if they do that, they will be messing up a work of art.
- 47. 9. You wantthem to check display items out, so make it clear that they can. This may be obvious to us, but it is not always so for our customers.
- 50. 10. Add value.A great way to add value to a book display is to include a bookmark with further reading, listening, or viewing.
- 52. 11. Cross promote.Readers who find your displays interesting might also enjoy your library's book blog or be interested in resources like NoveList or NextReads email newsletters . Consider a small sign that points them to these resources.
- 53. 12. Use Chase'sCalendar of Events judiciously. While the list of special months might be interesting and might appeal to our urges to inform and educate, our displays should be popular, not pedantic or preachy.
- 55. National Chicken Month chickensby christine paulus, CC BY 2.0
- 57. 13. Let popculture inspire your displays. Leveraging pop culture demonstrates that libraries are fresh, fun, and relevant, not stodgy, serious, or old-fashioned.
- 60. 14. Let currentevents inspire your displays. Displays - like libraries - should be responsive and relevant. Stay in tune with the local and national news.
- 63. 15. Let yourcommunity inspire your displays. Is this year the centennial of your town's founding? Consider a local history display. Is the local theater opening a production of Hair? Consider a display of books about the 1960s that also promotes the production.
- 64. 16. Consider movingbeyond tightly themed displays to more general ones that can be used anytime – or continuously: • Staff Picks • Patron Picks • People You Should Meet • Greatest Hits of the ____ (insert decade) • Good Books You May Have Missed • Award Winners • What Your Neighbors Are Reading • Genres • Other ideas?
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- 69. 17. Promote "hidden" collections,but only if they pass muster with Rules #1 & 2.
- 71. 18. Unless theitems are priceless or irreplaceable, do not put book displays behind glass. It's the equivalent of a "nanny-nanny, boo-boo" to customers.
- 74. 19. Be flexible.Be willing and ready to change plans and throw up a display based on the news of the day.
- 76. 20. Have fun!Displays should be fun, both for you to create and for your customers to browse.
- 78. BUT WAIT! THERE’SMORE… • SIZE DOES MATTER • LOSE THE CLIP ART • SUPPLY IS IMPORTANT • WORKS FOR KIDS, TOO • MAKE SURE THE SQUEEZE IS WORTH THE JUICE • MAKE IT EASY FOR EVERYONE
- 79. WANT TO KNOWMORE? • Anything Visual Branding Guidelines • Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping • Pinterest & Flickr • Retail environments
- 80. WANT TO FINDIMAGES? http://techsoupforlibraries.org/blog/free-images- library-website-newsletter
- 81. QUESTIONS? IDEAS? Susan Brown ChapelHill Public Library sbrown2@townofchapelhill.org
Editor's Notes
- #2 Explanation of title Not just good or pretty or fun, displays serve a purpose! Definition of engagement – covered in later slide
- #3 Why we do displays What items to put on display How to create display signage Topics/themes for displays
- #4 Started on blog with ten Wrote it for novelist with 20 When I review my blog stats, it is not Facebook or Twitter or content marketing that readers are most interested in. Hands down, the most popular post ever on my blog – one that readers find while perusing the archive or by googling for information on the topic – is "Ten Tips for Better Book Displays". The Google search terms that lead people to the post include "how to make a good book display," "library book display ideas," and "better book displays for libraries." This information leads me to two conclusions - 1) libraries are doing book displays and 2) librarians want to make them better. I write a lot about social media engagement, but it is clear that even in the digital era of e-books and Pinterest, visually appealing physical displays with interesting topics are still a great way to engage readers. It’s also clear that a lot of folks want some help with them, so hopefully this session today will do just that!
- #5 -I’ve presented this session at a variety of libraries and workshops and I always ask why people do displays. These are the answers I most often get. -ASK for participants to chime in why they do them – if for another reason -These are all good reasons, but I think they relate back to another, overarching reason: - Position the library as a place that cares about readers/browsers/customers
- #6 DISCOVERY This goes back to positioning ourselves as a destination for readers (and listeners and viewers)
- #7 ANYTHINK gets it! Engaging displays make for a better customer experience. Imagine going into a bookstore that had no displays. Just rows and rows of books. Hard to imagine, right? Displays are just one of the many touch points that comprise the total customer/user/patron experience in the library.
- #8 And yes, ultimately it’s about engagment! Engagement is a word that is used often but rarely defined. En/gage: a) to hold the attention of b) to induce to participate Spine out books do not hold attention Cluttered, unfocused displays do not grab or hold attention Browsers/users looking for something to hold their attention Participate might mean pick up the book and actually check it out Participate might mean grabbing a bookmark off the display for next time Participate might mean…..
- #9 And yes, ultimately it’s about engagment! Engagement is a word that is used often but rarely defined. En/gage: a) to hold the attention of b) to induce to participate Spine out books do not hold attention Cluttered, unfocused displays do not grab or hold attention Browsers/users looking for something to hold their attention Participate might mean pick up the book and actually check it out Participate might mean grabbing a bookmark off the display for next time Participate might mean…..
- #10 This is a direct corollary to the best piece of RA advice I ever got - It’s not about you! It’s about what the reader wants from a display – what people are interested in, what people are talking about. NOT what you are interested in or what you want to talk about. Doesn’t mean your passion can’t inspire display, just means that you should generalize it a might more: For example, So, it follows that…
- #12 One measure of success with displays is that they are empty! Your approach to displays should be flexible enough that if something isn’t working, it can be easily changed FLEXIBILITY IS KEY!
- #13 I don’t know of a library out there in 2015 that only has print books. There MIGHT be a patron or two who ONLY check out print books, but I’d wager that they overwhelming majority of users check out lots of different formats. So be sure to include them on your displays! OR ONLY MEDIA DISPLAYS Examples – music genre, Audie Award, audiobooks for families, grammy winners Other ideas?
- #14 We’ll talk about how important signage is in just a bit – that’s what should draw them in, but the items on display are what should shine.
- #15 Buckram Dated Cover Barcode on front (example form Library I worked at)
- #17 Look at signs in stores, banks, restaraunts, etc Here are a few basics…
- #20 Good topic – interesting books but sign is Cluttered Hard to read, lots of words White Space
- #21 Still uses finger print Hones in on CSI Uses graphic that is familiar from pop culture Intriguing, engaging, easy to read
- #26 You never see stores using these fonts, so why should libraries use them?
- #27 Retail merchandisers know that crisp, modern sans-serif fonts are highly readable and visually engaging. Some good ones to use on your next sign include Arial, Helvetica, or Century Gothic.
- #28 Retail merchandisers know that crisp, modern sans-serif fonts are highly readable and visually engaging. Some good ones to use on your next sign include Arial, Helvetica, or Century Gothic.
- #31 You don't have to choose between serif and sans serif fonts, but do make sure they coordinate with the display. Book Antiqua would not go well with a display of graphic novels, but would work nicely with a Classic Fiction display.
- #39 Talk about fixtures and plexi vs foamcore
- #41 Talk about images “stretching” Hi res Logo will inform font choice – if any
- #43 A single bicycle wheel propped next to the sign for a display about cycling. A small vintage suitcase can serve as the stand for the sign for a travel display. Choose one element over lots of smaller tchotchkes. Tim Gunn quote
- #49 Here, the sticker that is used on display books is incorporated into the small signage that is included in the display…
- #50 Here, the sticker that is used on display books is incorporated into the small signage that is included in the display…
- #51 Little more work, but can be really great Do you do this? Nancy going to talk a little about Novelist and Library Aware are working on something like this
- #52 For a "Back to School" display, consider including a small book mark with "Ten Great Books about Academia" on one side and "Ten Great Movies about Academia" on the reverse. Even after the book display is dismantled, readers can still enjoy the topic. Nordic Noir Short Stories Read Alikes Would have removed some tsochtckes!
- #53 Nonfiction displays could link to resources Travel display could contain info about Mango Languages or pronuncitor
- #54 Many librarians turn to this standard reference work for inspiration for monthly displays. While the list of special months might be interesting (and sometimes hilarious -- see Rule #20) and might appeal to our urges to inform and educate, our displays should be popular, not pedantic or preachy. Is it interesting that January is Clean Up Your ComputerMonth, Glaucoma Awareness Month, and International Creativity Month? Maybe. Were millions of people watching Downton Abbey during January, clamoring for more books and movies just like it? Definitely.
- #55 Yes, we should highlight special months and causes. And yes, our displays should be relevant and interesting. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, display stayed full At the same time, everyone was talking about Downton Abbey! Also, take a chance to be creative about these special displays: Black History Month – Jimi Hendrix, Comment about diversity – LGBTQ month, ALSO INCLUDE LGBTQ authors in your everyday displays (same with Af Am, Latino, etc.)
- #58 Remember, displays should be popular (Rule #1 and #2) and fun (Rule #20). Who doesn't love Shark Week? How about a display of "If You like Downton Abbey" with books and movies? Leading up to the Academy Awards, how about a display called "And the Oscar Goes to…" that features Oscar-winning movies, biographies of Oscar-winning actors, and nonfiction about Hollywood personalities and politics? And seriously, who doesn't love Shark Week? Leveraging pop culture demonstrates that libraries are fresh, fun, and relevant, not stodgy, serious, or old-fashioned.
- #59 IDEAS? What’s going on now? Internet memes for cat display Walking Dead, Breaking Bad Nerd & Hipsters
- #61 In late 2012, everyone was talking about the "fiscal cliff." This would have been a perfect time to put up a display of books about personal finance or economics. In the weeks leading up to the election, a "Presidents & Politics" display would have been great, with popular non-fiction about presidents, fictional accounts of presidents, and movies and TV shows like The West Wing, All the President's Men, or the HBO adaptation of John Adams. Show’s your’e releveant and responsive Signage doesn’t have to be difficult
- #64 You can add value to a display like this by asking the theater to contribute free tickets for a promotional giveaway.
- #65 - Could make great signage that could be used over and over again
- #70 Books about to be weeded Books from the bottom or top shelf Books that haven’t checked out Instead, stuff that should check out Stuff that is inaccessible because of Dewey, layout, etc.
- #71 PBS display Masterpiece theatre Ideas from your libraries
- #72 Putting books in a locked glass front display case says "Here are some great books from our collection, but you can't have them!" - Nobody puts Baby in a corner
- #74 Local artists Things on loan from museum
- #77 Show some personality!