Readers Day Toolkit
03. Planning the day
Step one is to decide several key factors and create a plan. Who is it for? What resources do you have to deliver it? What are you hoping to get out of it?
3.1 Who is it for?
This is key to the day and will affect the content and particularly the marketing strategy. Is it aimed at existing readers' group members, potential new readers, a specific age group, or readers of a specific genre? It could be all of these but the clearer you can be about this the better. If you are trying to attract new audiences your marketing will need to be much stronger than if you are going for existing group members or library users. If you are aiming at a spread of age groups you will probably need different print materials for each age group.
3.2 Resources:
Readers' Days are expensive activities to deliver. You will probably need to pay for authors' fees, an MC or chairperson, venue, refreshments, added materials such as delegates' packs and badges, sundry stationery items and prizes, publicity materials and programmes.
You will also need to commit considerable staff time to planning and administration of the event including dealing with bookings, with extra staff being available to help on the day itself.
Fees:
You can cover some costs by charging a booking fee. Enthusiastic readers will pay, but remember that the more you charge the more exclusive the event becomes. Expectations of how much to pay for an event will vary according to where you live. £15 would be reasonable in one part of the region but would seem extortionate in another. It's worth checking out what fees are charged for other cultural activities in your area. If you can make it a free event it is advisable still to get people to book so that you know you have an audience for the day.
Partners:
An excellent way of covering some costs can be through involving partners. This could be a partner organisation offering to host the day- providing the venue and /or catering.
Some publishers have been known to cover their authors' fees. This is an ever-changing area. As more library authorities have been organising events with authors this has become increasingly expensive for publishers to support. However, with The Reading Agency's Reading Partners project more strategic planning may happen. At this stage it is probably still worth asking but don't be surprised if publishers are more keen to offer prizes or books for goody bags.
Try to build a partnership with your local Arts or Cultural team. They may be interested in helping to plan the day, or to contribute an element to it such as a storytelling session or a lunchtime entertainment.
Grants and sponsorship:
It may be possible to apply for an Arts Council grant (Grants for the Arts) to support your fees for the day, particularly if you have never held a previous readers' day, if you are particularly going to promote new writing or to reach a new audience. There is currently a six week turn round on bids below £5,000. The Literature Officer at the Arts Council England, NW is currently Avril Heffernan who you should speak to before submitting your bid. You can download the bid form from www. Artscouncil.org.uk
It may be possible to find a local company to sponsor some part of your event such as the refreshments or publicity. You will have needed to approach them well in advance of the day to explain what you are trying to achieve and why their support will be helpful and appropriate.
3.3 Benefits:
The benefits to your organisation in holding a day will mainly be in goodwill and profile. You should aim to get media profile of the event to include some quotes from satisfied audience. Obviously those who attend will have a good time and will enthuse about it to their friends, family and colleagues. You should gather in a bank of enthusiastic comments useful for subsequent reports.
You may see an increase in reservations for specific titles promoted on the day. You may also see an increase in issues and enquiries about future activities.
If people book to attend you will have a bank of contact details. You should ask people if they are willing to go on a mailing list for future events. You could also find out if they are already library members and encourage joining.
If you are in the position of wanting to start new readers' or friends' groups this is an obvious opportunity to get people signing up.
Your Lead Councillor and/or Head of Service will have the opportunity to speak to and meet a large audience of enthusiastic service users, which will reflect very well on your department.
You personally will gain a lot of useful experience of delivering and promoting a complex event.
