Fiction_L Archives Reviving a book club Dates: 1/12/05,2:56 PM  through  1/12/05,5:58 PM  (2 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2009-current     2007-2008     1996-2006    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to January 2005 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Leslie Blanchard" <lblanchard@cals.lib.ar.us>
REC'D: 1/12/05, 2:56 PM

Dear fiction-l:

I am looking for some ideas to increase membership in two book clubs that meet at the branch library where I am the Associate Manager. One group meets the second Saturday afternoon of each month and the members discuss any and all books they've read over the past month. The second meets the third Tuesday morning of each month and usually discusses a particular title or author. Neither group is genre driven which the members seem to prefer, the discussions are always very lively, and the folks who come always tell us what a great time they had.

I would appreciate hearing about any advertising and marketing strategies or successful themes that other libraries have used. In the past we have asked members to bring their friends, given away prizes, and we always have a lovely refreshment table.

Thank you,

Leslie Blanchard
Associate Manager
Terry Library
2015 Napa Valley Drive
Little Rock, AR 7221
501/228-0129
www.cals.lib.ar.us

FROM: Andrew Smith <asmith@mail.wrl.org>
REC'D: 1/12/05, 5:58 PM

You don't say how many you have in attendance at either group, which could
be important - if you have 15 regular attendees, you might look at forming
a new book group and focusing your efforts to starting that one. If you
have 3 or 4 regular attendees and want to improve those numbers, the
standard marketing tools - newspaper, newsletter, bookmark, community
access TV announcement, signs in front of the meeting room (who knows, if
you leave the door open and patrons hear the group having a good time,
they may want to join!) - might be effective. If your community has any
kind of relocation resources for new residents, add book group
announcements to them. When you do get new members, be sure they feel
included by asking the current members to 'adopt' a new person.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Andrew Smith asmith@mail.wrl.org
Readers Services Librarian
Williamsburg Regional Library (757) 259-4050
7770 Croaker Road
Williamsburg, VA 23188 www.wrl.org/bookweb
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005, Leslie Blanchard wrote:

> Dear fiction-l:
>
> I am looking for some ideas to increase membership in two book clubs
that meet at the branch library where I am the Associate Manager. One
group meets the second Saturday afternoon of each month and the members
discuss any and all books they've read over the past month. The second
meets the third Tuesday morning of each month and usually discusses a
particular title or author. Neither group is genre driven which the
members seem to prefer, the discussions are always very lively, and the
folks who come always tell us what a great time they had.
>
> I would appreciate hearing about any advertising and marketing
strategies or successful themes that other libraries have used. In the
past we have asked members to bring their friends, given away prizes, and
we always have a lovely refreshment table.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Leslie Blanchard
> Associate Manager
> Terry Library
> 2015 Napa Valley Drive
> Little Rock, AR 7221
> 501/228-0129
> www.cals.lib.ar.us
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>

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