displays

Promoting our recreational reading collection

We have a smallish collection of novels in our academic library to give staff and students the option of relaxing with a book, rather than studying one. This collection is receiving a promotional boost pre-Christmas with this eye-catching display on level 1 of our library on the Manawatū campus. Our lending team have put this together and utilised some clever 3D effects to give some visual interest.

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Love the humour!IMG_2408

IMG_2407I think I fancy a little Riesling with my reading this summer!

Do you have a rec reading collection in your academic or special library? How do you go about promoting it?

 

 

So it’s like YOUR Google?

At Massey University Library we have recently launched our Discover database –  which offers an integrated Google-style search of many of the Library’s article databases, ebooks, the catalogue, Massey Research Online and other resources, instead of searching each resource individually. Anyone can search Discover from our Library home page. Our publicity for Discover stepped up a notch this week at our Turitea campus with a simple but eye-catching display going up. We are starting to get more of branded look for our posters now using a specific template. We got the posters printed by our printery on campus so we could get some larger sizes, and had them finish them in a nice matt finish.  
 
 
The posters include quotes from initial student feedback:
 
 
 
Today we had a quick working party in the office to staple sweets to bookmarks and we then took them out to the Information Commons to hand out to students (felt a bit like channelling my inner flight attendant*). So that quick promotional effort reached over 100 students and it was a winner – we got several students asking us about Discover – one said “so it’s like your Google?” Right on the money. I think that actively distributing promotional materials with the added attraction of some candy is a technique that is well worth us trying again in the future.

 

 *In New Zealand flight attendants walk up and down the aisles distributing sweets before getting organised for landing.

 
 

Displays I like #2

Last week I was lucky enough to visit Dunedin to continue working on the content for the upcoming LIANZA marketing workshops I will be co-presenting with Liz Knowles. While I was there I got to have a look around Dunedin City Library. These are the recommended reading displays at the Library, which is the main library in the Dunedin Public Libraries system.

Just like the sweets positioned close to the checkout in the supermarket, these eye-catching displays are positioned alongside the self-issue machines to entice borrowers to take a few more books home with them.

Behind the self-issue machines and the display stands is an example of what you can do to refresh tired old display boards – just recover them with some interesting fabric.

The “we recommend” sign is part of the consistent signage throughout the library – I even saw a “Mind your head” sign that was the same design. Now that is attention to detail 🙂

Displays I like #1

I didn’t have to go far to find this one – this display is showcasing the Massey University Distance Library service at our Turitea campus library in Palmerston North.

 The photo doesn’t show it effectively but the graphics have a 3D effect as the images aren’t positioned flat against the display board. I think the effect is really eye-catching. And your eye is drawn to the central part of the display with its key message (we deliver books to you!), with the detailed information around the outside.

Distance Library Manager, Heather Lamond, tells me that the display was  the work of team member Div Collins. Good stuff 🙂