It is what you read when you dont have to that determines what you will be when you cant help it – Oscar Wilde
The University of Guelph Library opened its Gryph Reads Leisure Reading collection to students, staff and faculty in July 2013. With the collection established, the focus of the Gryph Reads Committee has shifted. A new library-wide committee focuses on not only collection development, but promotion, building awareness and increasing user engagement through events and marketing. This session will engage participants through an exploration of the purpose and potential of leisure reading collections in academic libraries. Key initiatives of our committee have included a user experience survey, Blind Date with a Book event and One Book One Library Book Club. We will share lessons learned and best practices. Participants will leave the session with a road map for developing their own leisure reading collection and program.
Learning Outcomes
Attendees will:
Explore the purpose and potential of leisure reading collections in academic libraries;
Examine the development of the University of Guelph leisure reading collection from initiation to present day;
Identify best practices for creating a leisure reading collection, including budgeting, collection development, events, and marketing in an academic library.
