Week 6 Prompt response- Promoting the romance genre in your library
During my first year managing a school library, I ran an extremely successful "Take a Chance at Love-Go On a Blind Date with a Book" campaign during the week of Valentine's Day. My primary display table was festooned with dangling hearts, pink and red streamers, and piles of brown paper packages (is there anything more appealing, really?) For students, I put books inside blank manila envelopes with only the age rage written on the front. For teachers and parents, I simply indicated that it was an adult-level book. Most books were library books, but I added an extra incentive and hid a few books in there that people could keep. The idea, of course, was to get people to read outside of their comfort zone, and most ended up really enjoying the surprise.
In a public library setting, this could be used to entice people to read a specific genre, i.e. romance. Romance novels of all sub-genres get wrapped in plain brown paper (and yes, tied up with string!), with only a number of hearts drawn on the cover to indicate the level of "spice" in the narrative. Think one heart for gentle romance, four hearts for spicy, five for REALLY spicy. Participants can compete in a scavenger hunt to find certain elements of the romance genre in their books (a tall/dark/handsome hero, a lady in a corset, honor besmirched, a secret letter, sidelong glances, etc.). A completed scavenger hunt serves as the entry form for the contest to win a signed copy of the the latest Danielle Steel (or other favorite romance author) novel.
To create a year-round interest in romance novels, we can host a "Spice of Life" book club/potluck that meets once a month, rotating the sub-genres of romance. Participants are invited to bring a dish either inspired by the story itself, or simply food that is spicy, or associated with love and romance in some way or another (chocolate-covered strawberries are always welcome). This will be promoted as a "not your mother's book club" event. The idea is to get people together so they can have fun with their reading, to create a social event around books that doesn't take itself too seriously!
To create a year-round interest in romance novels, we can host a "Spice of Life" book club/potluck that meets once a month, rotating the sub-genres of romance. Participants are invited to bring a dish either inspired by the story itself, or simply food that is spicy, or associated with love and romance in some way or another (chocolate-covered strawberries are always welcome). This will be promoted as a "not your mother's book club" event. The idea is to get people together so they can have fun with their reading, to create a social event around books that doesn't take itself too seriously!
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that you chose to hide a few books that patrons could keep in with the library books. I think that this is definitely an inciting factor that adds to the surprise of not knowing the title. Definitely a cool twist on a program that I have seen done before. I also really love the 'not your mother's book club' idea, because I feel like too often people stigmatize book clubs as boring and stagnant; let alone the stigma that can come with romance novels. If you are interested, or maybe for sharing with the book club, there is this great documentary about the romance genre and industry called "Love Between the Covers". I would highly recommend it. I believe that it is available on Netflix still.
I have never been part of a book club, I think because part of me does have that idea that it would be intolerable and boring to listen to other people talk about books while sitting in a circle or whatever. The best conversations I have about books or movies or music is usually when I am in a social setting and conversations happen naturally. So I started thinking how much more fun a book club would be if it were like a cocktail or potluck party! I am so going to check out that documentary, though! I am a documentary fanatic (incidentally, my friend just told me she found a "documentary club" in her city. It's like a book club but they watch and talk about docs. THAT sounds like so much fun!)
DeleteOh my gosh! I just finished the documentary! What an amazing (and much needed) perspective. I had NO IDEA what a loving, supportive community exists around romance authors. My preconceptions and, quite frankly, my snobbery around romance has been put in check. Thank you so much for this recommendation! I can't wait to go into work and tell my co-workers about this. I have lived with the names of these authors for so many years, working in libraries. I see them on book covers getting checked out more than any other genre. And seeing them actually talk about their craft, their process, how they influence and help each other...wow.
DeleteI just added that documentary to my queue on Netflix. Thank you for the recommendation!!
DeleteI really like all of your ideas! Do you read Romance yourself? If you don't, do you think you could cover the level of detail needed for each book you selected from Readers Advisory tools? I just found many of NoveList's entries on different Romance novels to be kind of sparse in detail.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I actually just read my first romance novel for my annotation this week, so I figured I would explore some ideas associated with that. In terms of finding info about different romance novels and authors, the best place I have found to look to is other people who really enjoy romance. When I had to pick a book for this genre annotation, I asked some of my patrons who are avid romance readers. Because you are correct, I don't necessarily find the entries in various sources overly helpful. Romance readers are devout, and in my experience, LOVE to talk about their favorites. So, I ask a lot of questions and take notes (when I am talking to patrons in my library program it is always over the phone). People are always the best resources when it comes to learning about a genre that I don't read. Thanks for the thoughts!
DeleteWord of mouth is not to be underestimated!!
DeleteWhat a great take on blind date with a book! I loved that you hid some freebies in there. Patrons love extra incentives! I also loved the heart rating system to state spiciness level!! Full points!
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