Week Nine: Book Trailers

Book trailers have become very popular over the past few years and are often a signal of how committed the publisher is in marketing a title. They can vary greatly in how they approach the subject, e.g. author interview, collage, or short films. In addition, some enthusiastic fans make their own trailers.
Week 9: Assignment 1Read these two articles on book trailers and watch the embedded videos from the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times. Go to You Tube and find some other book trailers and watch a few of the popular ones.
Week 9: Assignment 2Post to your blog your opinion about book trailers – do they succeed in marketing the books they are trying to promote? Are they useful for readers’ advisory?

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Eh, commericials for books--I get the theory behind it, but I don't know how I feel about them.  As the articles above note, if they can be done well and pull potential readers in, I suppose they are doing a good job.  If not, and worse, if they are misleading about a book, I give 'em a big thumbs down. 

I like hearing about books, reading blurbs about books, reading previews, etc.  But trailers?  Commercials?  I don't know.  Maybe if they are part of something that doesn't feel like a sell -- like a blog post or linked from a podcast, maybe then I'd be more inclined to click on it myself.  But I am not interested at all in seeing a commercial for a book in between my regular programming.  No, sir, James Patterson.

Week 9 Assignment 3Summarize your thoughts about this program in a blog post. What have you learned that was helpful? 

Reader's Advisory -- a necessary and fun part of being a librarian.  However, when I'm not familiar with a subject or genre, I sometimes feel like I'm fake-selling an item.  It doesn't need to be that way, and I shouldn't really feel that way -- it isn't selling something to someone who doesn't want or need it:  they are asking for it!  So anything that can help me do RA better, or suggest ways for me to improve my RA, is awesome and welcome.

I enjoyed the visual tools/videos and even being subjected to awful book trailers.  Exposure to what's going on in the book industry (as much as I'd like to keep my head in the sand), is a good thing, and something I should be on the up-and-up as a librarian.  So thanks for that, BeMoreBookish.