The Artful Book Display: Getting It Right

The other day I posted my most popular tweet of all time. I didn’t really mean to but, as with most things on the internet, it’s never the tweet or the post that is most important to you that catches on like wildfire. In this particular case I was at Anderson’s Bookstore in Naperville to […]

The other day I posted my most popular tweet of all time. I didn’t really mean to but, as with most things on the internet, it’s never the tweet or the post that is most important to you that catches on like wildfire. In this particular case I was at Anderson’s Bookstore in Naperville to see Jason Reynolds speak about his new Spiderman/Miles Morales book series. Naperville isn’t particularly close, but these days that man’s worth driving hundreds of miles to see. Until this day I’d only ever been to Anderson’s location in LaGrange, and at one point I had a little time to kill. I wandered about and saw this book display:

HogwartsBookDisplay1

Which led to this tweet:

HogwartsBookDisplay

What’s so clever about a display like this is that it allows the bookstore to sell a wide variety of new books in an eye-catching display done, you have to admit, with very little work. All the employees had to do was print out the little signs and select the books. Batta bing, batta boom.

At my public library I do the adult book displays and having to come up with original collections can be tricky. Surprisingly, I haven’t been able to locate a website or blog that brings together all the different kinds of displays that are out there. There are some Pinterest pages, absolutely, but I would love a site entirely dedicated to them.  Maybe one exists.?Public, I put it to you! Does such a thing exist? I know that the blog Library Displays is now defunct.  Has anyone plucked up the mantle?

I’m also quite fond of children’s book displays located in places where children’s books are not a given. For example, here is a display I discovered recently at my local bike shop Bucephalus Bikes:

BikeShopDisplay

It was Eti Berland who saw this and wrote to me, “Celebrating literacy found in community spaces. Sounds like a blog post that needs to exist :)”  She’s absolutely right, of course, but it’s tricky.

In no way can this blog be the site for all those great displays. . . . but, if you wanted to send me some that you think are particularly keen I’d be more than happy to include them here. In the meantime, here are some links you might find helpful in your display-ing:

It’s a start.

Share

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?