I've heard of some libraries trying out a "Blind Date with a Book"
display, particularly around Valentine's Day, and I think it could be a
particularly effective method for helping patrons interact with books in the romance genre specifically. I wouldn't limit the display to only novels, however; patrons could check out a mystery book, audiobook, movie, or graphic novel! All of the items in the display would be anonymized somehow, like by putting each one in its own brown paper bag, and then librarians could create descriptions for the items in the form of personal ads that would be easily visible to patrons. For example, a personal ad for
The Time Traveler's Wife could read something like:
Lovestruck novel seeks passionate reader who enjoys getting so caught up in romantic adventures that they lose their sense of time.
This format could apply equally well for other types of media and the display could also include romantic comedy movies (like Love Actually) and coming of age graphic novels with a romantic twist (like Blankets by Craig Thompson). The personal ads on the items could help readers decide if they're looking for a safe, familiar romance recommendation or something that might push them a little out of their comfort zone, and the display might even draw new fans into the genre!
"Blind date with a book" has become a popular fad. I first saw it at my library and thought it was a really cool idea. Then I started seeing it other places and realized how large of a thing it has become. The only thing that gets me is that it's mostly romance books that they use this type of display for, but I think they could use it for just about any genre. I do like your idea about including other media besides books. It has the potential to reach a wider range of patrons to your display. Nice touch. :)
ReplyDeleteI have done the blind date with a book display before and it was widely popular. We were sure to write a brief description of what the book could entail without totally giving the title away. We also took this concept and recycled it for Christmas and just had an "unwrap a story" display. This one was fun because we focused more so on the kids department than just the adults!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea and think it’s a great way to find new books. I’ve seen these displays at my local bookstore and always want to buy one, but have yet to. Sometimes the descriptions sound like something I might have read before, and I’m worried about ending up with a book I already have. At the library this would be a good promotion, because the book is free and if you accidentally get something you’ve already read, you can return it and try again!
ReplyDeleteWe just did Blind Date with a Book at my library for Valentine's Day, and it was a hit! We did not limit the books to romances, though. We wrapped books up and then used Sharpie to write a few bullet points/clues about what the reader would be in for.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of the personal ad way better though! That is really clever.
Excellent idea, I love your Time Traveler's example as well. Funny and clever. Full points!
ReplyDelete