Whose checking out non-fiction books from your library?

Cleveland Live has this wonderful article about a library survey that was conducted to beef up their non-fiction collection.


\”Bohemians are at the checkout desk and the librarians couldn’t be happier.\”

\”Fearing a decline in the use of its nonfiction collection, Lakewood Public Library used a customer profile to revamp its selection and rearrange its books. Residents were classified as members of the \”Bohemian Mix,\” \”Blue Blood Estates\” and \”Old Yankee Rows.\” Their tastes are reflected in new sections that feature tomes on traditional medicine, the paranormal, gardening and Mother\’s Day. It\’s Lakewood\’s way of keeping books relevant in an Internet age.\”

Cleveland Live has this wonderful article about a library survey that was conducted to beef up their non-fiction collection.


\”Bohemians are at the checkout desk and the librarians couldn’t be happier.\”

\”Fearing a decline in the use of its nonfiction collection, Lakewood Public Library used a customer profile to revamp its selection and rearrange its books. Residents were classified as members of the \”Bohemian Mix,\” \”Blue Blood Estates\” and \”Old Yankee Rows.\” Their tastes are reflected in new sections that feature tomes on traditional medicine, the paranormal, gardening and Mother\’s Day. It\’s Lakewood\’s way of keeping books relevant in an Internet age.\”
\”[Ken]Warren [executive director of the Lakewood Public Library] spent $58 on the report from Claritas, a marketing firm that plugs census information, marketing reports and other data into a formula. The result is consumer profiles of 62 groups with details on everything from age and political affiliation to whether they’re likely to subscribe to Gourmet magazine and shop at Home Depot.\”

\”Library officials already knew a lot of that. But Warren said the consumer information provided some focus on how to cater to customers needs.\”