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I really enjoyed merchandising the bookshelves course. I particularly enjoyed the creative tasks of merchandising a particular part of the library, for example: the teen fiction section which often gets forgotten about.
- Pages and Shelvers
- Public libraries
- Intermediate
Merchandising Library Shelves
Merchandising means displaying products so that they stimulate interest and entice patrons to make a purchase. Libraries have nothing to sell other than ‘a good read’ but we can adapt retail techniques to boost performance and to help readers make fresh discoveries. This course will teach you how to make the shelves look rich and tempting at all times.
703 staff completed · 130+ services
Learning outcomes
What staff will know, value and be able to do:
Identify how most library patrons browse shelves and recognize the visual clues that influence their book choices
Describe the principles of effective face-forward display and explain why it helps readers discover books
Apply merchandising techniques to create visually appealing shelf displays that attract browser attention
Select appropriate book covers for display based on visual impact and appeal to target audiences
Demonstrate how to use display equipment such as stands and sloping shelves to present books face-forward at eye level
Evaluate the layout and visual clarity of library shelves and remove clutter to enhance the browsing experience
Appreciate the value of face-forward display in promoting a wide range of titles beyond bestsellers and building patrons' discovery experiences
Understand the difference between everyday on-shelf merchandising and temporary programs or themed displays
Plan and maintain dynamic, regularly refreshed merchandising across different library sections and age groups
- 01 How readers choose
- 02 Getting shelf display right
- 03 Choosing books to display
- 04 Children and young people
- 05 Maintaining merchandising
How long do I have to complete the course?
You can start any time and work through the material at your own pace.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is issued automatically once you've completed the self-assessment.
Can my whole team take it?
Yes - bulk discounts on 10+ places. Get a team quote →
What format is the course in?
Online text with illustrated examples, interactive exercises, audio and practical exercises you complete in your own library.
How accessible are the courses?
Self-paced with adjustable text size, width and contrast, plus an audio version with read-along text in every course. More about accessibility →
What learners say
Coming from the school of social work, I didn’t learn visual merchandising in library school - so this training is new and I found it refreshing. And even if I had experienced it before, I would still keep an open mind and trust that I will learn something new and interesting! After all, we work in an industry that gives evolving, updated information regularly - and this is what this course is about - a refresher for the evolving, curious minds and something new, for someone like me!
I enjoyed this course - it gives simple and applicable approaches to merchandising the library with immediate effects. The information was easy to understand and to apply, the interactive elements were fun and I found I could use what I learned from the course immediately in my work.
Your course is excellent! I loved it. Our library has been trying to merchandise our collection before and we have had in house training. This course reinforced our library guidelines and my previous experience with displays in the library. The way your training was organized was very thoughtful and logical. It was easy to follow, fun to experiment and full of inspirational ideas and encouragement.
The course was excellent.
It has made me feel connected to my job and our readers and has given me renewed enthusiasm.
I think the course was written and presented in a user friendly way which inspired personal involvement - it made me think!
I really enjoyed the course and found the books that might appeal to men and the under 45s’ activity fun to do. It also was fun to research online, through blogs, and from family members and friends for their insight into what books to recommend to read. I did all my learning by using my knowledge of my own library and seeking insight from friends/family and colleagues on some of the questions.
I found this course very interesting and would recommend it to others. It has really made me think about how each display looks and how it might entice patrons to pick up and borrow different books in the collection. It also offers insights into how we can make the library more appealing to a variety of users and the hands-on assignments give confidence in setting up displays.
I love Opening the Book courses because I always learn something which greatly helps me in my day-to-day job. It helps change your perception and your thinking with regards to which books to promote and how to effectively promote them so that borrowers take them all!
The highlight of this course was the ability to have mini assessment style interactions. I felt like I was learning more and able to see the result when I chose the best covers in the selection. There is so much helpful information, and along with the interactive sections, it really gives people a chance to try and have immediate feedback on their choices. It will help staff bring a fresh frame of mind for their display choices - and understand the patron's point of view. The final bookcase tasks were so fun!
I do relief library work in several community libraries in a rural area so was able to visualise different libraries and book collections during the exercises. I thoroughly enjoyed working through the course, it was not an arduous task at all if you love books and working with readers. Well laid out and easy to use, not technically challenging. Good practical ideas to use in our own libraries.
$70.00
per place
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