[Publib] Book club kits

[Katie Gardner]

Hi Jill,

We've been collecting and lending Book Club in a Bag kits for almost two
years.  While there have been some challenges, overall it's been a
wonderful experience.  Believe me, it will save you a lot of time and
it's a great way to share with your patrons and fellow libraries.

1.  How did you fund the purchase of the books and the container (bag,
box, etc.) they're in?

I am fortunate in having a supervisor and director who really supported
the idea of book club kits.  Both saw the value in saving all of the
staff time that went into getting and keeping track of multiple copies
via ILL.  And they particularly liked the fact that we could share our
kits with our patron book groups and other libraries' book clubs. We
started with a separate budget for this collection, but now this money
has been incorporated in the general fiction budget.

We originally sent the books in plain old cardboard boxes, but we now
use nylon tote bags leftover from last summer's Summer Reading Club.
These have worked beautifully; they're strong, compact, and easy to
carry.   
 
2.  How did you decide what titles to collect for your kits?

We take suggestions for titles from patrons in the library's discussion
groups and private groups. (They tend to want to read the same
things...)  The final selections are made by me, since I lead the
library's discussion groups and manage the Book Club in a Bag lending
program.  The only requirement is that the books must be available in
paperback and our folks find the trade paperbacks easier to manage.
 
3.  What policies do you have pertaining to the kits that are different
from your other collection/circulation policies?

The kits may be borrowed for six weeks (whereas our regular lending
period is 2 weeks).  Patrons may purchase a book for $5 after the
discussion (some buy them to share with far-away friends or relatives,
which I think is great!).  There is a $5 fee for all lost or damaged
books.
 
4.  Any unexpected problems that came up with regard to the kits?

Here are some suggestions from our experience:

TRACKING
Our biggest challenge has been keeping track of all of the kits,
especially as our collection has grown.  We haven't cataloged our kits
(though we're working on this), so for now we track them in an Excel
spreadsheet.  The trick is keeping track of kits on loan and managing
reservations for kits in the future.  I rely on reminders in my Outlook
calendar to keep up with everything. 

STORAGE
With 32 sets of 15-20 books each, storage is an issue.  We have around
10 kits in use at any given time and we keep the rest in a storage
cabinet that is nearly full.  Find a place to store your kits with
enough room to grow--you'll be amazed how quickly they'll stack up.


PUBLICITY
Get the word out about your kits!  I highly recommend making your list
of titles available online and/or in print.  Share your list with your
neighboring libraries, your library system (if applicable), and anywhere
you might reach patrons with private groups.  Our list is available
online at our website (http://plainfield.lib.il.us/booklovers/kits.asp)
and we also have a brochure.  We've done a lot of word-of-mouth
marketing to patrons who were requesting multiple copies for their book
groups.  Once they understand the way the program works, they really
seem to appreciate the ease of borrowing our kits. 

INVOLVING STAFF  
Make sure to explain how the kits work to everyone on staff who might
interact with a patron or library who wants to borrow a kit.  And
whatever you choose to call your kits, I recommend being as consistent
as possible in using that name.     
 
Good luck--this is a fabulous service to offer your patrons!

Katie Gardner Allan
Reference & Readers' Advisory Librarian
Plainfield Public Library
705 N. Illinois St.
Plainfield, IL 60544
815.436.6639
kgardner at plainfield.lib.il.us