We already know that TV and Movies are a great conversation starter at our libraries. Because we carry books and offer ways to access TV and Movies, doing displays that offer readalikes for visual media and watchalikes for books is something we have done for years.
However, a fun twist on this "old standby" has been popping up recently, one that is not only a great conversation starter, but also something that reminds our users that we are always here to give anyone a reading rec at any time-- Reading Recommendations for characters.
My colleague Alex Brown has written a couple of these for Tor.com. Their lists include:
- SFF Reading Recommendations for the Characters of Ted Lasso
- SFF Reading Recommendations for the Characters of Good Omens
Current Summer Scares author Maggie Tokuda-Hall has "Buzz Buzz! Recommended Reading for the Characters of Yellowjackets" on the same site.
I love this idea because you can get the entire staff involved. Send out an all staff email and ask for people to nominate their favorite TV shows and movies to turn into one of these lists. Start with the media with the most nominations and then send out a google form with the main characters and ask people to recommend a read for the fiction characters. They can do one or all. But here's the think, when you ask everyone to help, you are bound to get suggestions for every character because working together is your best resource.
Build lists and displays from the answers. Put them online, on website, social media, and in the building on display and print lists.
Then ask your patrons to suggest titles for the lists you post and/or they can nominate TV shows and Movies that you can tackle next. Add this interactive element to get more conversations started about your entire collection.
I also think this is a wonderful multi-generational opportunity. So for example, you take a popular kids show like Bluey and ask the kids and the grownups to suggest books for the main characters. Then make a display that showcases their suggestions. When kids are obsessed with something, it also takes over the parents lives. I would have loved a reading rec list for the characters in Cars when my son was young-- for him and me. At the very least, it would have given us another talking point connected to the movie which he talked about about day and night.
Here's the is the thing about creating conversation starter displays and lists-- they start conversations about your entire collection. And conversations by default are interactive.
This is a wonderful chance to get the entire staff (and eventually, your patrons) involved in suggesting books. Use your best resource-- each other. Crowdsource idea and lists. Get everyone involved who wants to. Engage them in your brand-- Books.
It also announces that you care about what other types of stories people in your community are consuming even when they are not checking it out of the library. You want to help them make connections across all of their leisure story consumption, regardless of the format. They do not know that you do this automatically. But if you show them you are thinking about it for one show or movies, I promise you they will ask about more, especially if you have a display or online list that asks them to leave a note or a comment with what you should tackle next.
This will not only engage staff and patrons to participate but it also shows that you are always thinking about suggesting books to people to read for fun-- no matter whether they are living and breathing humans in front of you or beloved fictional characters.
Bonus: if you do the first one, guess what? You can start with one of your favorite TV shows or movies.
If you give this a try, let me know and I can share your displays and lists with my readers. Click on the RA for All logo any time for my contact information.
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