Updates

It's a busy week or two here at the Chippewa Falls Public Library, so I thought I'd catch up:

1) Kindles--We now have a total of 11 Kindle E-book readers; nine with adult books and two with children's and young adult titles loaded on them. They can only be checked out at our library (no holds can be placed on them) and they must be returned directly to a staff member (and not put in the drops). Also, those wishing to check them out must sign an agreement showing that they have read and understand the Kindle circulation policy. It sounds like a lot, I guess, but it only takes a second. Try one out.

2) Floor-plan Changes--When you come into the library, you'll notice that the place is looking quite a bit different. The reference collection has been moved into what heretofore has been the "lounge." The plan is to use the space in front of the windows as a seating area and move the computers out of the glare. Keep an eye on it.

3) National Sewing Month--September is national sewing month. There are few hobbies more useful or impressive (when the skill is sufficient), and we have a great display of sewing skill in our entrance lobby. Stop and take a look this month!

New Books Relocated

One thing they warn about in business is bad product placement. I once worked in book retail, and the store manager told me that the reason all the new age and religion books were tucked in a quiet corner on the second floor while mystery and romance were next to each other at the top of the escalator was because of the different personality traits of the readers of those respective genres.

Mystery and romance readers tended to be busier, quicker-moving folks while the type of person who wanted to read St. John of the Cross was a more introspective sort...less apt to be "in and out"...and less likely to really browse (and buy) if forced to hang out in a high-traffic area. Magazines and computer manuals were near the coffee shop on purpose; research showed that computer geeks and magazine readers drink coffee. And so on.

With that kind of thing in mind, we've moved the new books--which used to be tucked away in the lounge on the north wall--up closer to the check out.

Now the lounge can be used for its real purpose: a reading area. As it was, there was a good deal of traffic in and out of the lounge, which disturbed the "Sit and Read" library users. Also, the new books are in an area of higher traffic, making it more likely that an interesting new selection will be spotted by someone not specifically looking for that particular book. Before this, new books were a destination. Now they can be more of a wayside, which we hope will expose more people to them.

The Career Collection and Civil Service/Test Preparation books have been moved to where the new books were, by the way. What better place to work on one's resume'?