Reader reviews
I like to visit my local bookshop every few weeks, the stock changes regularly and I like the displays of new books and the increasing selection of books by local authors. One thing I really like is the idea of ‘book reviews’ in-store. Every few shelves there’s a little postcard, handwritten by a member of staff, reviewing a title. The reviewer often provides other recommendations to the reader, which I (sometimes) find interesting. Being cynical, this could be a marketing ploy, to try and up-sell certain titles or cross-sell, but even if it is, it adds a bit of the human touch.. the handwritten card, the name, the fact I could go and find the member of staff (which I sometimes do) it all adds something to the experience. I’ve been to one library that did something similar, often as a result of book group meetings. Do most libraries do this sort of thing?
If the library collate these reviews, they could add them to their website and link them to to the library catalogue..
If I found someone–regardless of their credentials–who consistently offered up good choices for books, I’d get to know that person, a friendship in the offing.
I like going into movie stores and glancing at the “Staff Picks” selection. You get an idea of the cross-section of folks working in that store and whose tastes veer closest to yours.
Remember, Quentin Tarantino worked in a video store for years and his knowledge of films grew to encyclopedic proportions.
Thanks for this…
Cliff Burns
January 23, 2008 at 3:00 pm