How do libraries pick books – and how has it changed?
One of the most important roles a librarian has is book selection. The materials you choose to feature on your shelves have a direct impact on patron engagement with the library as a whole.
Technology and data have made many aspects of a librarian’s job more streamlined and less time-consuming. But selecting new titles is still completed manually, is often fragmented, and can rely on guesswork.
Just because things have always been done in a certain way, doesn’t mean they should stay the same…
And in this blog, you might discover a solution.
How do librarians currently select books?
How librarians select books depends on where they’re based – but no matter what, it’s a legacy system.
In the US, it’s manual selection. Spreadsheets, email threads, manual cross-checking…it’s a hard task to fit into a librarian’s already overstretched schedule.
In the UK, it’s usually supplier selection. A budget is allocated, and suppliers choose materials based on overall popularity, rather than specific demographic or usage information. However, many libraries in the UK will use manual selection too.
Technology has evolved, but selection processes haven’t. Regardless of which selection process your library uses, it’s rarely straightforward, often based on gut feelings, and always time-consuming – or, you outsource to someone who couldn’t possibly know your patrons the way you do.
Why is this an issue?
It’s simple, really: currently, selections aren’t being made using internal data.
Instead, materials are selected using either hours of time-consuming manual research – which rely on experienced librarians to get them right.
If there’s one thing librarians don’t have enough of, it’s time. Staff shortages are squeezing capacity. Budget constraints mean every purchase needs to perform.
It is estimated that over a million books are published per year – and that isn’t counting translations, audiobooks, or new editions of existing texts. Even the most experienced librarian can’t keep on top of all the titles their patrons want to read.
The ultimate goal is always to create high-performing collections that patrons love. That’s why librarians need to activate their superpower: using real collection data to make selections.
The Power of Data-Based Selection Processes
You might not realise it, but smart data-based selection can be seen in every aspect of our lives.
Netflix creates personalised lists of movies and TV shows it thinks you will like.
Spotify creates unique playlists of music based on what you already listen to, and even splits songs into different genres so you can find the perfect song for every mood.
Amazon has a list of recommended products to add to your basket.
What do all of these platforms have in common?
They use data to make recommendations.
In Amazon’s case, purchases of recommended products accounts for 35% of their annual revenue. Just imagine how this approach could transform your circulation and check-out rates…
Historically, this kind of technology has been missing in the library sector.
Not anymore.
Introducing cHQselect
cHQselect is our brand new selection tool that helps libraries to confidently buy books.
We’ve spent the last year listening to the issues you are facing in work every day. The pressures on librarian time, budgets, and teams.
The goal of cHQselect is to make librarians feel much more confident in collection building, by making the entire process simpler and faster, and ensuring that your budget is spent on books your patrons actually want to read.
The result is a tool that doesn’t just make your life easier – it’s a tool that transforms you into the super librarian you really are.
How does it work?
cHQselect analyzes trends within your library system and individual branches to provide data-based recommendations of what you should buy, why you should buy it, and the number of copies you will need.
Every recommendation is explained in plain English, and you can find out extra context at the click of a button. When creating a cart, every book is analyzed with your ILS holdings to see if you already have a copy or alternative format, and duplicates are automatically removed from your cart. This cross-checking saves days of labor intensive manual work.
When books are added to your cart, they are automatically ranked in popularity and likely performance, based on your existing collection data, making refining your choices easier than ever.
Best of all…this isn’t a separate system that your team will need extensive training to use. It’s been built by the collectionHQ team to seamlessly integrate into your existing workflows, so every collection related decision can be made in one place.
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Ready to see smarter book buying in action?
Book a demo with the cHQselect team and join the libraries leading the way into a future with smarter book buying.