Week 6 Prompt Response (Romance Promotion)

 

Those of us in the book business know that Romance is, in a word, popular. A 2013 study revealed that 53% of public libraries surveyed “agreed” that romance was a high circulating genre at their library while 31% “strongly agreed.”

Yet, disdain for romance novels is an unfortunate part of American literary tradition- one that faces frequent challenges in author talks,  books, and newspaper articles  It’s important for the public library to show support for Romance fans not simply because they are a large group of avid readers, but in order to make sure these readers recognize the library as a supportive, even enthusiastic, place to pursue their love of the genre. 

Fortunately, it’s clear that romance readers love to get together. Numerous conferences are held annually around the country to sold out crowds. This powerful engagement among romance readers further indicates a ready crowd for Romance-themed library events. An initial step toward bringing quality events of this type to the library will be to join the Romance Writers of America (RWA) as an affiliate member for the very affordable cost of $10 per year. This will give the library access to RWA staff genre experts for library panels, promotional materials for in-house displays and events, and access to RWA’s Speakers Bureau to connect the library with romance authors for in-person or online events. Next, we can collaborate with members of the local RWA chapter to host a monthly Romance themed book club. As a supplement to the book club, and perhaps attracting more patrons, the library can host a Romance-themed documentary night screening films that explore the world of Romance writers and readers such as “Where the Heart Roams” or “Love Between the Covers.” Multiple and ongoing events will establish the library as a haven for Romance readers with the opportunity to expand these offerings based on interest and feedback.

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2021 at 10:58 PM

    Wow, you made some great points about how the reading world treats the romance genre! I'm not a big romance reader myself, but as I've spent time working in a library, I've noticed the way that some people "look down" on romance books and their fans. This may be a bit of a ~leap~ but it's likely tied to the ways in which our culture as a whole treats the interests of women. Chick flicks...pumpkin spice lattes...romance novels are just one of many victims of derision because their audience is majority female. Anyway, I digress, I think a romance book club is a simple but effective solution! There aren't any genre-specific book clubs at my library but I think it'd be a real hit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erin CataldiMarch 3, 2021 at 2:13 PM

    You make so many excellent points and I love the variety of your ideas! i also appreciated that you included so many hyperlinks to help make your points. Full points!

    ReplyDelete

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