Libraries

Bookflix Library Displays Are A Wonderful Thing

Lucas Maxwell

Contributor

Lucas Maxwell has been working with youth in libraries for over fifteen years. Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, he's been a high school librarian in London, UK for over a decade. In 2017 he won the UK's School Librarian of the Year award and in 2022 he was named the UK Literacy Association's Reading For Pleasure Teacher Champion. He loves Dungeons & Dragons and is the author of Let's Roll: A Guide for Setting up Tabletop Roleplaying Games in Your School or Public Library. You can follow him on Twitter and on his blog.

I first came across a Bookflix Library display from author Sara Rosett on Instagram. It was one of those ideas that hits you as such a simple and effective idea. “Man, why didn’t I think of that?” I asked myself.

Bookflix

Like any good Librarian, I informed Sara that I’d have to steal this idea. I soon found many other Librarians and teachers on social media with their own Bookflix displays.

The students are fascinated with the one at our Library. They will stop and look at the book covers, request them, ask about them and then go back and look at the display some more.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a display generate so much attention.

It’s an amazing way to steer students towards their reading likes. There are many possibilities with it. By creating a “Because You’ve Read…” section, you can generate a long list of read-alikes that will keep students coming back.Bookflix

I’ll be changing up the book covers but keeping the overall Bookflix display for a longer period of time than most of my displays, which is typically one month.

Teachers and other staff members are also interested in it. Everyone seemingly watches Netflix, so making a Bookflix display is a perfect opportunity to attract new readers, those who think they hate reading but just don’t realise that they haven’t found the right book.

I’d love it if you could share your own Bookflix displays with me! A #Bookflix hashtag is the best way to find them around Twitter & Instagram. I really enjoy looking at what books other Librarians and teachers have chosen to display on theirs!