Libraries Today: Guest Contributor Ilyssa Wesche

What's a Librarian to Do?

by Ilyssa Wesche

Adult Service Librarian Woodbridge Public Library, Fords Branch

Ilyssa Wesche

began pushing books more than 20 years ago as a bookseller at Borders Books and Music. From there, she spent 17 years as a buyer and advertising sales rep at Baker & Taylor. She can currently be found at the Fords Branch of the Woodbridge Free Public Library in New Jersey.

As an adult services librarian in a small branch library, my daily concerns are mostly practical. Sure, I worry about divisive issues big and small, but mostly my attention falls upon whatever is in front of me at the moment. My day is spent thinking of, and responding to, the needs of our patrons as they are happening in the moment. Do I need to buy another copy of the book that just hit the bestseller list? What do I need for my upcoming program? Where am I going to put these dang middle schoolers so they won't bug the adults using the computers?

And then the pandemic came and those questions were pretty irrelevant. No books circulating, no programs happening, no patrons to respond to. As a profession, we have pivoted in ways we never considered or thought necessary. We've churned out grab & go activities, turned from in-house to virtual programs, and circulated books curbside. Now,

“Most importantly, do not let perfect be the enemy of the good. If you think of a way to promote titles, just try it.”

as we reopen our doors (for limited browsing!) and welcome patrons back in (masked and sanitized!), I find myself facing a new practical concern: circulation statistics.

In my branch library, circulation is key. With limited space and a small budget, I don't keep books for posterity and so I weed with a very close eye on circulation stats. Library books are meant to be taken home and read. You might not believe this, but I remember most of the new titles I personally selected, why I bought them, and in some cases even who I hoped might read them. Normally books will sit on our new fiction shelf for almost a year, giving patrons plenty of opportunity to browse the selection and—hopefully!—check them out.

Yes, our e-book circulation stats are up astronomically over the previous year. Bestsellers are still finding their way into people's hands. But seeing the midlist, sleeper and debut titles that I purchased after careful consideration just languishing on the shelves, unnoticed by patrons, hurts in a way that is almost personal. It's like my kid not getting invited to the birthday party.

So what's a librarian to do? Most importantly, do not let perfect be the enemy of the good. If you think of a way to promote titles, just try it. Don't wait for the perfect graphic, the ideal sign, the exact spot. My new fiction section is small enough that I can check circ stats manually, a little at a time, and anything with no checkouts goes on a new "These came in while you were away" display. Debut novels now go on top of the new

fiction shelf and include a bookmark with a short annotation and a read-alike. Because I struggle with an effective way to print bookmarks otherwise, I used Word, which means no fancy design, and that's okay. All curbside pickups have a list of suggested reading titles inside— most recently I paired a gentle reads list with our monthly grab & go adult craft kit.

I know we have a long road ahead of us even now, and maybe this is my way of whistling past the graveyard. But if I can help one person find a book they might otherwise not have noticed, I'm okay with that.