Amazon editors select 50 great American love stories, one for every state.
(↬ Page Turner)
This is a cool idea for libraries to promote their collections. I am obsessed with the issue of library handselling, because too often we have received complaints at Library Journal from our readers that the titles we choose as our Best Books of the Year never circulate. They are too “literary” or too “narrow.” Well, that’s not really LJ’s fault. Maybe those titles didn’t circulate because those complainers did nothing to promote those books.
With the exception of books that get rave reviews or a big marketing push by their publisher, most new titles don’t automatically fly off the shelves into readers’ hands. Most readers are fairly conservative, reluctant to leave their comfort zones to try sometimes challenging, difficult material. Such books need tender nurturing by booksellers and librarians.
That’s why I applaud innovative and fun efforts like the Maplewood Public Library’s ”Blind Date with a Book” to encourage readers to be adventurous and try a title they would have never read otherwise. Anywhoo, I have been collecting other great book promotion ideas on LJ’s Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/libraryjournal/fun-ideas-to-market-your-collection/.
Perhaps I’ll incorporate some of these ideas in our Best Books of 2013 feature!
