Unsorted
A new look for new novels in Bury Libraries
Beginnings
It started the way a lot of things do - almost by accident. Money had been juggled, it was February, we had something extra in the book fund and it had to be spent before the end of the financial year. We were also only too aware that, like many other libraries, our issues were falling, we weren't attracting enough borrowers under 35 and those who came frequently asked for things we didn't have. Our stock selection was conservative, bookshops had piles of interesting looking things, best sellers included, that we hadn't bought partly due to timidity. 'Well, it looks O.K, but will it issue?'; 'I don't think my borrowers would like that'. In addition we were about to unveil public access PCs in two locations featuring links to various 'bookish' sites including the then very new Whichbook.net - and knew that with only about 20% of the titles on the database in stock the chances of anyone finding the books their search had suggested was low.
Put all this together with a visit to Stockport, where we were very impressed by the 'Unclassified' section installed in partnership with 'Branching Out', and a collection was born. We would buy lots of contemporary fiction in paperback, using titles from Whichbook as a starting point, and display them attractively to encourage impulse borrowing. With any luck word of mouth would bring in those elusive younger adults as well.
Building the collection
We had Whichbook as a starting point, the challenge was to buy as many of the books on it as we could. It took visits to two suppliers but we ended up with sets of bright, varied and very mixed books of every genre from chic lit to hardcore science fiction of which about half were on the Whichbook list and half chosen because they looked right and fitted the very vague criteria: concentrate on the new and unfamiliar, take chances, if it looks safe or dull leave it on the shelf.
The name came next; 'Unsorted' surfaced while I was sitting in a traffic jam and seemed the perfect word to describe the planned face-out display arranged any way but alphabetically. A look was needed as well as a name; the section had to appear special. It was time to design a logo. The answer was the word Unsorted in a typeface called 'Ransom' - every letter different - printed in rainbow colours. We made headers and posters for the shelves, stickers for the books, fliers for the counter (No time to choose? Grab something Unsorted), gave the staff a very brief training session and put everything out in the most prominent position possible.
Results
It worked; it was such a success that we now have collections in every branch. The books issue well and not just to the target under 35s, people of every age tell us it's their favourite bit of the library. In fact someone said recently, 'All you need now is a bar and the place would be perfect'. Then there is the assistant from another authority who drops in on her way home because she can't find anything to read in her own library.
The staff, some initially sceptical, have taken to it with enthusiasm, take pride in keeping it looking good and now automatically choose additions to the collection from new paperbacks. Equally important, they remove stock when it starts to look shabby.
The Whichbook tie-in? Well we still have the link, it's on our OPAC now, and we know that there is a reasonable chance we will have the books. What is certain is that Unsorted will remain a valued part of Bury's reader development strategy for some time yet.
Further information from Maxine Goda:
MaxineG@bury.gov.uk
