Project lead Guy LeCharles Gonzalez represented the Panorama Project as a featured speaker at PubWest 2020 last month, and was interviewed by Library Journal and Book Riot about our recently announced new initiatives for 2020.
PubWest 2020: Children's Publishers and Librarians Share Engagement Tips
The keynote also included passionate defenses of libraries, a common theme throughout the weekend. “Libraries are truly embedded in their communities. They represent the people that live in those areas,” said Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, who emphasized the role that libraries play in offering children books that reflect the diversity of their neighborhoods. Gonzalez is the project lead at the Panorama Project, an interdisciplinary effort to measure and explore the influence of more than 16,000 public libraries in the United States. “Go to libraries in your region, because they are required to understand their communities,” Gonzalez said. “That’s an easy way to engage directly with providers in the community. If you claim you want to reach other audiences, start right there.”
In the “Relationships with Libraries” discussion, all the panelists agreed that publishers must nurture partnerships with librarians. Sno-Isle Libraries collection services assistant director Jessica Russell stressed importance of a librarian’s role as a literary guide for young patrons. “Readers advisory can be lists, curated collections, and library displays,” she said. “Some of the most powerful readers advisory happen when a librarian is checking a book out to a customer and says, ‘You love Six of Crows. Have you have you read this YA novel?’ ” Moderator Guy LeCharles Gonzalez added his own thoughts. “Libraries are not only a major source of free marketing for books and publishers,” he said. “But they also remain an active nurturer and developer of both current and future readers.”
Ensuring a More Literate Future for All
“Access to and engagement with literature is critical to inspiring creativity, fostering literacy, and strengthening communities. At last month’s annual PubWest conference, three of today’s leading literary advocates shared how they are helping to shape a more literate future for readers, writers, and publishers. In an excerpt from the PubWest session recorded in Portland, Oregon, the keynote speakers describe their projects and elaborate on how diversity, inclusion, and community engagement all play critical roles in nurturing new readers and writers, while expanding the current – and future – audiences for books. To listen to a complete recording of the PubWest 2020 keynote session, go here.”
Panorama Project To Provide Actionable Data on Importance of Libraries to Publishers
“The media market has evolved significantly since 2015, when the Pew Research Center published the last major survey on consumer use and perception of libraries, Gonzalez said. Streaming services and “bingeable” prestige television shows have proliferated, and the digital audiobook market has grown rapidly, to cite just two examples. Multiple media types compete for people’s time, yet the current discussion about the impact of libraries on retail ebook sales typically does not take this half-decade of changes into account.“
Discussing Libraries and Publishing with Guy Gonzalez, lead for The Panorama Project
Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal talks with Guy LeCharles Gonzalez about what we do (and mostly don’t) know about the role of libraries in the wider publishing world, Macmillan’s embargo strategy, questions that could use answering, data we don’t have, and much more.
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