How to increase library usage

Our church library began nearly 40 years ago. Many years ago it was an active part of church family life. In recent years things became less active partly because the librarian (my mother-in-law) past away. For the last year I have been working with the library staff to refurbish the library. We are proud of the work we have done and there have been many new books and DVD's added. I have advertised in multiple ways and tried to entise people to come in but we still havent had the traffic coming through the door that we were hoping for. I have been doing an "Author Spotlight" in the window display which has stirred a little bit of interest but I really am hoping for more. Please help!

Have you considered "visiting" the adult Sunday classes or asking to speak for a few minutes with the various Bible study groups? Take your registration forms or other pertinent info to offer, and perhaps 4 or 5 books to briefly "Book Talk." Another idea would be a short list of new books (with call numbers) in a bookmark size format - they might show up later and bring that book mark as a reminder list. Keep the class visit short & sweet, and be sure to check with the leaders first.

You might try asking the children's leaders to have a library visit day. When we do this for our young children, we have them select a book which we put aside for them, and give them a reminder slip (you can tape a skinny slip around their wrist as a reminder!) so their parents will stop in at the library and pick it up on their way out. This way parents are alerted they've selected something and it doesn't get misplaced before the end of church. If their parents are not registered for library, we have them sign up then. We tried letting the kids check out and take books back to class but so many were late or permanently lost, we couldn't continue that. If that is too inconvenient, you could always send a library assistant over at the end of the class to hand out the books as the parents arrive.

Keep in mind that around the holidays circulation generally tapers off, but January will be less busy, so start a new promotion now. There are still plenty of chilly days to cozy up with a good read!

Replies

Joanne Ladewig January 1, 2011 21:48

Have you considered "visiting" the adult Sunday classes or asking to speak for a few minutes with the various Bible study groups? Take your registration forms or other pertinent info to offer, and perhaps 4 or 5 books to briefly "Book Talk." Another idea would be a short list of new books (with call numbers) in a bookmark size format - they might show up later and bring that book mark as a reminder list. Keep the class visit short & sweet, and be sure to check with the leaders first.

You might try asking the children's leaders to have a library visit day. When we do this for our young children, we have them select a book which we put aside for them, and give them a reminder slip (you can tape a skinny slip around their wrist as a reminder!) so their parents will stop in at the library and pick it up on their way out. This way parents are alerted they've selected something and it doesn't get misplaced before the end of church. If their parents are not registered for library, we have them sign up then. We tried letting the kids check out and take books back to class but so many were late or permanently lost, we couldn't continue that. If that is too inconvenient, you could always send a library assistant over at the end of the class to hand out the books as the parents arrive.

Keep in mind that around the holidays circulation generally tapers off, but January will be less busy, so start a new promotion now. There are still plenty of chilly days to cozy up with a good read!
- April Spears > Joanne Ladewig January 7, 2011 7:53
  
  Thank you, We did a library visit day but I really like the reminder slip idea! The bookmark idea is also great! These
  
  ideas will be my next project.

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