COFFS Harbour Libraries in Sawtell, Coffs and Woolgoolga, are placing book review slips in all their “Rapid Reads” collections and other new books on display.
Rapid Reads are best sellers and prize winners that have multiple copies on offer on a two week loan.
City of Coffs Harbour Acting Director City Planning and Communities Ian Fitzgibbon, said the reviews tell the Libraries’ team what members think of items in the collection.
“[They reveal] if the collection is meeting the needs of the community, and the types of books they want to read or items they want to loan,” he told News Of The Area.
“Staff and member reviews are included in the monthly Library eNewsletter and on the Libraries social media pages, helping other readers find out what someone else thinks of a particular book and whether they have enjoyed it (or not).”
Recent reader reviews include:
– Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty: “A super page turner, I neglected all my regular jobs at home to read all weekend, something I rarely do! A good storyline, very original approach to a question we often ask ourselves. 5 stars.”
– We solve murders by Richard Osman: “Four and a half stars. What a hoot! A funny and heartwarming story mixed with murder and mayhem. And with characters you’ll fall in love with.”
– The Accident by Fiona Lowe: “Four stars. Enjoyed this story. Well written. Unexpected ending. Mac was my favourite character, would have liked more of him. ”
Since the Libraries now lend more than books, such as cake tins, board games, jigsaw puzzles, LEGO kits, STEAM resources and ukuleles, feedback from members in written form is a useful way of surveying users to find out if the balance of resources is right.
“A great example of feedback helping inform our services is the LEGO loans collection,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“We know from feedback that young people especially enjoy the LEGO kits, and they have requested more.”
The success of the LEGO Club, which started at Woolgoolga at the beginning of the year on Thursday afternoons during school term, means that the Libraries will be expanding the program to Toormina Library this term.
The introduction of this program was the direct result of feedback from the users of that collection.
Anyone can sign up to the Coffs Harbour Libraries eNewsletter at libraries.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/About-us or by following their social media feeds.
By Andrea FERRARI
