1 Book Buzz Online 24/7 Virtual Reading Clubs and what we’ve learned about them

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3 TPL Book Club Demographics  95% female  34% 50 – 65  54% 65+  68% retired

4 Why online?  Reach younger demographic  Respond to public shift towards online  Creation of a virtual branch so we can offer in-branch programs online

5 What’s out there Online book clubs at 6 public libraries (2004):  Book Clique of Tippecanoe County  Baltimore County Public Library  Hennepin County Library  Columbus Metropolitan Library  Halifax Public Library  Ottawa Public Library

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8 Online vs. In-person  Membership unpredictable  Less immediacy  Less social, emotional connnection  More time for in-depth analysis and discussion  Less pressure to participate (Subscribe/unsubscribe freely)  Less time investment (no travel)  Participants are anonymous  No meetings  24/7

9 Find out what they want!  Hennepin County Library survey 2003  Book Buzz survey 2005

10  Do they want to talk online?  Online users 97% interested  In-branch users 15% interested How do they want to do it ?  45% prefer post with notification  20% website posting  14% live chat  13% blog  8% listserv

11  What they want to discuss  78% fiction  High interest in non-fiction, mystery, biography  Moderate interest in sci-fi/fantasy, graphic books Who they are  76% female  41% 18 – 35  34%  18% 50 – 65  8% 65+

12 The Ideal  User-friendly attractive web page  Customizable notification  Dedicated facilitator  Public input into book selection  Added value on page – blog, author chats/visits, readalikes, readers’ advisory, contests

13 Who and Why  Facilitator essential  Responds to comments  Stimulates discussion  Provides a distinctive voice  Provides continuity  Builds relationships  Provides readers’ advisory  Team approach  Provide different perspectives

14 How much staff time? (wishful thinking?) Tasks  Choosing titles/themes  Research supporting materials  Create webpage contents  Create read-alike annotated list  Guiding discussion  Total Estimated time (monthly) 1 hour 6 hours 7 hours 2 hours 8 hours depending on activity 24 hours (not including reading of book)

15 Time and money?  External costs for design $53,000  Staff resources for development  Web librarian 50 hours  Project librarian200 hours  Staff resources for maintenance  Book club librarian21 hrs/wk  Web librarian 2 hrs/wk  Web technician 1 hr/wk

16 Target Audience  The adult reader, 20 – 40  Medium reading level (at minimum)  Internet savvy  Primarily women

17 What we asked for

18 What we got

19 What they gave us

20 What we asked for

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28 METHODS FOR MODERATORS How to run a book club 24/7 without going crackers

29 GETTING READY FOR LIFT-OFF  Establish criteria  Choose books  Decide on a launch date  Make contact  Make lists

30 THE CRITERIA  Promoting library use  Numbers  Available for purchase in paperback?  Check out online book clubs, including non- library ones  Fiction and/or non-fiction?

31 LETTING THE PEOPLE DECIDE The pros and cons of holding members’ votes for book picks

32 “FINGERSMITH” AND THE DISCUSSABILITY FACTOR

33 AFTER TAKE-OFF MODERATION: WHAT’S INVOLVED 1. To screen or not to screen?

34 2. WRITING IT UP

35 4. THE BLOG: Set your tone, and get yourself known Your blog is a great place to let members know who you are You can refer them to articles but in your own style You can write your own book reviews and comments, too

36 5. THE CASE of the DISAPPEARING DISCUSSION: or Expect the unexpected

37 PROGRAMMING AUTHOR CHATS CONTESTSSURVEYS

38 LIVE ONLINE ! AUTHOR CHATS LIVE ONLINE ! AUTHOR CHATS DAN KALLA DAN KALLA THIS MAN WANTS YOU to join him for a LIVE ONLINE AUTHOR CHAT on BOOK BUZZ, about his medical thriller RAGE THERAPY

39 CONTESTS JOIN US ON NOV. 22 For a chance to WIN THIS BOOK LIVE AUTHOR CHAT with DAN KALLA Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.

40 EFFECTIVE SURVEYS /WriteBetterQuestion.htm  If in doubt, throw it out  Keep your questions simple  Stay focussed  Only one topic per question

41 GETTING THE WORD OUT 1. Combined Efforts Bryan Lee O’Malley on Book Buzz and Keep Toronto Reading

42 GETTING THE WORD OUT 2. Online

43 An online interview

44 BellaOnline does us up proud

45 Posts are not the whole story - Is your membership growing? - “Survey says?” - How many hits? JUDGING YOUR SUCCESS or DON’T LET THE POST-STATS DRAG YOU DOWN

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