by Peggy Moore, Patron Services Supervisor
Imagine walking into the Library on any given day and finding dozens of today’s bestsellers and hottest titles. No waiting lists. No hassles. Make your selection, take it home, and you’re quickly immersed in a great book.
That’s the fun and joy of a new wellspring of books called the Lucky Day collection—packed with up-to-the-moment popular titles. A few minutes of browsing—and voila! You’re holding a book that readers are talking about.
It’s your “Lucky Day”!
Here’s how it works: titles in the Lucky Day collection can be found along the book display wall in the easy-to-browse brightly-lit Library atrium. These are books that tend to have longer waiting lists because they’re new and in-demand.
To keep them moving quickly from reader to reader, they check out for seven days—instead of the usual 21 days. These books are an excellent option for fast readers.
It’s not possible to place holds on Lucky Day books—that way, once they get returned, they go immediately back on the shelves for the next person to enjoy. Super speedy service! But don’t worry, it’s still possible to place holds on those same titles in our regular collections.
This new collection has been extremely popular since it launched last spring—we’re almost up to 500 total check-outs. Recently, one of our regular patrons noticed a Lucky Day title and remarked, “Wow—that’s a book I just put on hold for my wife. And she’s ninth on the list.” We explained the new program: no holds, no wait. He canceled the hold and happily went home with the book in hand. It was his Lucky Day!
This collection celebrates the thrill of discovery: you just never know what might be found—it’s constantly changing from day to day, and hour to hour.
This collection celebrates the thrill of discovery: you just never know what might be found—it’s constantly changing from day to day, and hour to hour.
How do we choose what titles to buy? It’s based on a Holds Ratio formula. We run regular reports to identify books that have waiting lists—then we buy extra copies (whether for Lucky Day or the regular collection). Reducing your waiting time for books is a strategic priority of the Library’s Board of Trustees.
It’s all been made possible by generous people like you—who support the Library Friends & Foundation with your contributions and your purchases at Cliffhanger Used Book Store. The Lucky Day collection is one of the many ways the Library Friends & Foundation serves our community by nurturing literacy through the joy of books.
A final note: Lucky Day books kept past seven days do incur a $1 per day late charge—simply to assure the books keep circulating. It hasn’t been a problem for most readers, and they tell us it’s well worth it just to have those popular books in hand.
Stop in the Library soon…your Lucky Day awaits!