Paula Brown

Paula set out to use the Practical Outreach course to plan improvements to Derby Libraries' Home Library Service. During lockdown she used the time to plan how to widen and enrich readers' choices once the service was running again - focused on a real gap in the experience of housebound readers: they can't visit a library, and so they can't browse and discover new favorites.

Paula's work on the course was exemplary. Although she's in a part-time role and a demanding job, she used the coursework to take on the development of a significant project for her library service - one that will have a wider impact across Derby Libraries once it's in place.

01 Curated themed boxes for outreach

Paula devised a new promotion offering curated selections of books based on reader-centered themes, delivered to outreach locations on a regular basis. Each selection is presented in a box, attractively labeled, and aimed at residents of care homes - a range of treats and surprises tied together by a theme readers already love. Examples include A Skeleton in the Closet, Short and Sweet, and A Trip Down Memory Lane.

02 Themes, reviews and guidance for staff

Paula put serious care into the work behind each box: identifying useful themes, selecting key titles, and writing tempting reviews to go into the box itself or to be used in publicity. She also created guidance for staff so that colleagues building boxes in future can add similar types of read with confidence - the project is designed to keep working long after she's set it up.

03 Bringing outreach into the library space

Paula's outreach strategy also has a presence in the libraries themselves. Her themed promotions will be used by staff to create lively displays that can accommodate a wide range of books - and the same displays publicize the Home Library Service to regular library users, some of whom may know someone who would benefit from it. The project widens reach in two directions at once: out to housebound readers, and back into the libraries where the conversation about the service can start.