Hertfordshire Libraries, Heritage and the Arts - Hertfordshire County ...

Section 4 - Library Stock and Reader Development“Reading is a private invisible activity andreaders seldom gather in the same place atthe same time. It is easy to underestimatethe place that reading has in our lives.Reading as a leisure activity is morepopular than gardening, DIY, spectatorsports events and visiting the cinema”(Social Trends)Publishers and the national media realisethe importance of this new audience forbooks evidenced by the popularity of TVbook slots, and the role libraries have toplay. As a result, libraries now have accessto major media promotions such as theBBC’s “Who do you think you are” andITV’s “Richard and Judy’s Summer Reads”,both of which are supported with displaysand multiple copies of titles. These provevery popular with the public.• “One Book for Stevenage” where thelibrary service works in partnership withStevenage Borough Council, StevenageCollege and the local Bookshop.Everyone in the town is encouraged toread the same book. The libraryprovides a focal point for this importantinitiative and staff are instrumental inselecting a title which will appeal to awide range of people. Multiple copies ofthe book are available for loan andsupporting events take place in thelibrary.• A talk to an capacity audience “Stepback in Time” took place atBorehamwood library in partnership withthe museum service to celebrate 50years of Borehamwood.• Author Kate McMahon spoke to anenthusiastic audience of 80 at WatfordCentral Library about her writing.ICT has created a whole new world ofopportunity for books and readerdevelopment, bringing together twoapparently competing areas of the service.Publishers and organisations whoadminister prizes such as the Man Bookerand the Orange prize now see the benefitsof involving libraries. Libraries supportthese promotions with displays of stock.Some of the reading groups who meet inlibraries shadow national prizes, resulting insome heated discussion and impassionedrecommendation.“Reader development starts with a respectfor the individual reading experience. Eachreader is the judge of their own best book.Reader development seeks to encouragepeople to try something different or new tothem – it’s about stretching boundaries andopening up possibilities”(Opening the Book)Events in libraries are wide ranging. Recentexamples include:Using computers in libraries, everyone inHertfordshire can access reading web sitesand participate in online activities such aslive author chats for World Book Day oronline voting for book promotions.Challenges for 2007• The Books and Reading pages on theHertsDirect web site will be developedfurther, building on the work carried outin 2006 to significantly improve the site.• A new e-newsletter, focussing on booksand reading, will be launched during2007. Taking advantage of new emailmarketing methods it will highlight titlesand services to users in a lively, populare-magazine format.• Hidden Histories, a lottery fundedinitiative to mark the bi-centenary of theact to abolish the slave trade will besupported by libraries. Activities will takeplace in October to tie in with BlackHistory month.17