Unshelve your collection - Pairing Books on a Display (includes partnership/passive programming ideas)

 

I have written about book buddies as a book display before – those books that have similar vibes or remind you of each other. Another version on this theme is to create book pairings, like those created in restaurants with wines. Book clubs sometimes will pair books to give their members a way to gain a deeper understanding of a theme or context. You can provide some suggestions for any patron by creating a book display or online book list with pairing suggestions.  

One way to think about it is to pair a classic title with a book that updates or takes another view of the story - think Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. The latter updates the story from the point of view of the first Mrs. Rochester. Another would be the work of H.P Lovecraft with books like The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle. That novella looks at "The Horror at Red Hook" from the viewpoint of a black man.

 Newer fiction titles can be paired with older books. Non-fiction and fiction can be paired together. You can cross genres by pairing romantic suspense with a mystery or traditional suspense novel.  It can be done to give patrons an option while they wait for a title with a long hold list or as a way of providing patrons with an option after they finish a great read.

Below you will find some lists with pairing suggestions. Ask your coworkers for ideas and don’t forget young adult and juvenile materials! Let interested staff present it as options on a dating app or wine list. 

Perfect Pairs: Books that Go Together Like Cats and Bookstores - Book Riot
What are good pairs of books to read together? - Reddit
Books in Pairs: Pairing up my 2024-reads -  The FictionFox
classic vs. Contemporary: Novel Pairings by Character and Archetype - lit & more
My Favourite Fiction and Non-Fiction Book Pairings - Keeping Up With the Penguins
Books that are better together: 16 favorite novels for book clubs - Modern Mrs. Darcy
Adult Fiction and Nonfiction Read-Along Book Pairings - Book Riot

If you want to go a step further, find a local coffee or wine shop and ask them to help you curate a list of drinks to pair with various book titles. This is clearly not something that has a firm right or wrong answer. Patrons of both the library and the business can be encouraged to contribute their own suggestions for pairings. 

The book list and drinks can be posted in the local business and on their social media and/or website. It is a fun way to draw in readers and highlight your local small businesses. By putting the information in the business and on their social media you may reach an audience who is not already using the library which should be one of your goals with marketing. 

Here are a few lists to give you an idea of what is possible:
Wine and Words : Perfect Pairings for Book Lovers - Drink in Life
Literary libations: 21 book & drink pairings for every taste - Libby Life
Pair Your Favorite Coffee Drink With A Matching Book! - Union University Library Blog

Five for Friday - Baking Edition

While I emphasize over and over that bestselling/titles with many holds don't need our help, I know there are libraries and times when your supervisor or board may want a hot title used in your social media. My suggestion is to use that book to draw attention to other books. In the picture below, I have put Milk Street Bakes in a stack with four older books. At my library, cookbooks by Milk Street always have holds. I have placed it in this image with four other books including a book about Kwanzaa and a book by a black author. Given that Hanukkah and Kwanzaa have not ended, including books about both would be appropriate. Also, those celebrating any holiday can use other cookbooks to prepare baked goods for their celebrations. Keep cookbooks in mind for any cultural heritage month, by the way. It is the most popular display I put up for Black History Month. 

 

Book Display Basics - eBooks and Physical Books on a Display

For this post about book display basics, I am going to talk about how you can tie your digital collection and your physical collection together on a display. There is no reason why they should be kept separately. Not every patron will be familiar with your ebook collection or that you carry books which can be requested or put on hold. 

When you create a display inside your building, add QR codes directing patrons to the book if you have it in an eBook collection. You can create a digital display in most eBook platforms and can list read alikes that you have in digital format. Don't forget to put bookmarks in the books advertising the eBook services you have. Include both eBooks and eAudiobooks when you are creating these lists and creating QR codes to the books in your collection. eAudiobooks have become wildly popular. 

You can also mirror the subject or theme of the display in the digital collection even if you don't have the same titles. If you set up a display on folk horror, football, or tea parties - find books that match that theme or subject in your eBook/eAudiobook collection. You can put a sign up on your physical display to let your patrons know that there are additional titles available online. 

If you have a blog, you can include links to both your catalog and eBook/eAudiobook collection. This will also allow your readers to see that you have titles they will love in several formats. I do encourage you to put large print books in your book displays. However, you can use the merging of the eBook and physical format displays to remind your patrons that any eBook is large print and the print can be as large as you need.

Another passive readers advisory technique that you can use is to put shelf talkers on your shelves near the authors, series, and books that you have in digital format as well. A shelf talker is a card or form that fits inside a plastic holder that hangs from your shelf. Include the URL or a QR code to your digital collection. 

September Book Display Ideas

 September is almost here already and it's time to start thinking about book displays. Planning and scheduling them in advance is the best way to make certain that they are best able to help you market your backlist, programs, and services. Have fun with them and let staff be creative but don't lose sight of how they can be a serious marketing tool. 

Back to school is the first topic that comes to mind when September rears its head. (Even though many students will return to class in August.) No doubt your youth librarians have picture books with themes including first day of school. There are also many juvenile fiction titles about school friendships and problems. Look to your adult fiction and non-fiction sections for books which reference school or teaching. Don't forget books about mathematics, grammar, and other basics. In addition, work with your local schools to see what topics, upcoming assignments, and focus areas would be most helpful to your patrons. Curate lists of your eBooks and databases that will also help students and teachers. 

Labor Day is September 2. For adults, there are fiction titles which focus on different careers and work in general, even if just in the title. Remember that we are trying to put backlist titles face out and give them some more attention rather than create a perfect collection of books on a given topic. Check your collection for books about careers, the history of the labor movement, and labor law. There are also usually plenty of youth titles covering careers and work. 

9/11 has been given the name Patriot Day. Your collection likely includes titles related to the event and the aftermath. Here are some lists with some suggestions: 

Flight 93 Recommended Reading from the National Park Service
Seven More Books Worth Reading About 9/11 and Its Aftermath from the Council on Foreign Relations
9/11: Books About the Impact of September 11, 2001 from Chicago Public Library
7 Books for Kids About September 11 from the Floyd County Library
Remembering 9/11 with Kids & Teens from New York Public Library

Mawlid, the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, is celebrated by Muslims on September 15 and 16. Collect titles about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad for adults and children. If you find few in your collection, bring this up to whomever does collection development for your library. Planning book displays is a great way to identify where your collection could use some additional titles. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15. As a build up to Halloween and spooky season, set up a display of Hispanic horror authors. The Horror Writers Association has a blog, the Seers Table, which includes interviews with diverse authors. The Smithsonian has a page with information about Hispanic Heritage Month. Don't forget cookbooks, history books, and books about civil rights struggles in the Hispanic community. 

 The autumnal equinox falls on September 22. With the growth of interest in paganism and witchcraft, your collection likely includes some titles which could be incorporated into a display. Include books with fall themes or fall images on the cover including craft books. There are cozy mysteries and romance books which would work on a display. 

Books to Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox and Harvest Time! from Evanston Public Library
Autumn Equinox from Goodreads
Autumnal Equinox: Books & movies for fall from Oak Park Public Library

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19. This is a fun holiday to celebrate with book lists and displays. Use pirate broadly and reach into your fiction collection to find titles. Your adult non-fiction collection likely includes books about historical pirates as well as more modern ones. Any book with pirate in the title or a pirate on the cover is fair game for a display. 

Arrr, Ahoy Me Hearties! Books for International Talk Like a Pirate Day from Book Riot
International Talk Like a Pirate Day Book List from Charles County Public Library
Books to Read for Talk Like a Pirate Day from Jacksonville Public Library
Talk Like A Pirate Day from San Jose Public Library

Hobbit Day is September 22. You should include cozy reads as well as read alikes for Tolkien's creations. For read alikes, look into the epic fantasy that your collection includes. Think about creating a book list or display that has the spirit of Hobbits rather than exact matches. Your library's staff likely have their own favorite cozy reads. In addition, include breakfast books because a second breakfast is always a good idea. 

Comfort Reads For Hobbit Day | Staff Favorites from Orem Public Library 
There and Back Again: Hobbit-Inspired Reads from Chicago Public Library 
Happy Hobbit Day! from Arapahoe Libraries
Books Like Lord Of The Rings from Goodreads
15 Books Like Lord of the Rings from Book Riot

National Indoor Plant Week is September 15 - 21. With the increase in interest in indoor plants and the rise of the "plant parent" this is a good time to review your collection for current titles on the subject. Beyond non-fiction books about plant care and identification, look for fiction with plants on the front including lush general plant themes on the front. As this has been a trend recently, there should be plenty of candidates. 

Book Recommendations Based Upon Your Favorite....

The website The Portalist recently ran an article called "Sci-Fi and Fantasy Recs Based on Your Favorite Foods and Drinks." As I have mentioned before, these sort of lists are flexible and there are really no right or wrong answers. They have been created based upon a reader's favorite character in a movie or TV show, astrological sign, tarot cards, and more. Publishers often send out lists like this as part of their marketing emails or library newsletters. 

Take advantage of these ideas to market your own backlist and promote those titles that can benefit from the spotlight that a book display can provide. Don't worry about using the same titles that are included in the email or newsletter; instead take the idea and apply it to the titles you have in your physical or digital collection. While the themes can promote creativity and provide an interesting and fun task for staff, the real purpose of a book display is as a marketing tool for the books which are in your collection and not receiving promotional help from publishers, TV/movie adaptations, or other media focus. 

Here are some ideas to get you started but don't feel as if you need to follow any of these precisely. Take The Portalist list and change it to favorite coffee drinks or desserts. 

The book to read based on your favourite Taylor Swift song - from Penguin Random House
What To Read Based on Your Favorite Taylor Swift Era - From Penguin Random House
Taylor Swift Song Titles and Lyrics Pop Up in the Names of These 17 Books - From People Magazine

Read Based on Your Zodiac Sign 2024 - from Pima County Public Library
The Best Books to Read This Year, Based on Your Zodiac Sign - from Readers Digest
Which Mystery Subgenre Should You Read Based on Your Zodiac Sign? - from Murder & Mayhem

What to Read Based on Your Fave TV Show - from Kensington Books
19 new books to read in 2022, based on your favorite TV show - from Business Insider
If You Love This is Us, Read This—And Other Book Recommendations Based on Your Favorite TV Shows - from Parade Magazine

10 YA Books to Read Based on Your Favorite Aesthetics- from Drizzle and Hurricane Books
Books to Read Based on Your Favorite Aesthetics - from Hachette Book Group
The books to read based on your aesthetic - from Libby Life

12 Books To Read Based Off Your Favorite Baked Goods - from Epic Reads
20 Desserts Inspired By Literature - from Books, Baking, and Blogging
Ice Cream Book Recommendations - from Arapahoe Libraries

Book Display Inspiration Using One Book - Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

 Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World, has a new book out called Horror Movie. It's a cursed film horror novel centered around "The Thin Kid," the only surviving cast member of a 1993 art house horror film and a modern day remake of that film. A more complete plot summary is available at his website. I reviewed the novel for Library Journal where it received a star. 

Because of the subject matter and setting, this title is a great basis for a book display. There are some great books about cursed films and there are plenty of iconic 1990's horror films that can be paired with the novels. Tremblay also has a Gen-X sensibility that can be drawn into your display. Put up signage about Cursed/Lost films, include a QR code so patrons can put Horror Movie on hold and promote your backlist!

The Lovecraft eZine has a list of five books about cursed films. 
Goodreads has a list of Lost Film & Cursed Movie books.
CrimeReads has an article/list with crime novels about cursed films. Don't worry about skipping around between genres.
Tor Nightfire has their own list of horror books about cursed films. 
Bookriot has a list of Thrillers About Cursed Movies. 
Reactor Mag has their own article about The Best Niche Genre? Creepy Books About F*cked Up Films That F*ck People Up.

Goodreads has a list of Books Set in the Nineties and a list of New Historical Fiction Books Set in the 1990's!
SheReads has their own list of The Best Fiction Set in the 90's. 
Borrow an idea from Penguin Random House and their list of 20 Bestsellers Published in the 1990's.
BookRiot has 9 Books About Coming of Age in the 90's.

For some films, you can use Wikipedia's list of Films Based On Horror Novels.
IMDb has their list of Horror Films of the 1990's 
Entertainment Weekly has curated a list of the The 20 Best 90's Horror Movies.