It's been four years since BookNet Canada launched a readers' advisory tool for library staff. And what have we learned in those four years? A lot! Join us as we examine the trends, trials, and titles that make up the Loan Stars program, and share best practices we've discovered for both libraries and publishers. techforum.booknetcanada.ca #TechForum

1. FOUR your information
Elizabeth Barker
March 2020

4. What is Loan
Stars?

5. What is Loan Stars?

6. What’s new for
Loan Stars?

7. What’s new for Loan Stars?
Language
Voting  Recommending

8. What’s new for Loan Stars?
Language
1. Loan Stars isn’t an award, it’s
an endorsement

9. What’s new for Loan Stars?
Language
2. “Recommending” better
clarifies what we’re asking
for

10. What’s new for Loan Stars?
Does a book:
• Promote or personify a region
of Canada well?
• Have a local author who is still
relatively unknown?
• Need to be talked about more
because it’s amazing?
• Represent a group or situation
particularly well?

11. What’s new for Loan Stars?
Recommendation
Process

12. What’s new for Loan Stars?

13. What’s new for Loan Stars?

14. What’s new for Loan Stars?

15. ARCs & Samples

16. ARCs & Samples

17. ARCs & Samples
Why publishers should provide samples:
• Helps your book stand out, especially in
popular genres or general categories

18. ARCs & Samples
Why publishers should provide samples:
• Helps your book stand out, especially in
popular genres or general categories
• Early reading level assessment

19. ARCs & Samples
Why publishers should provide samples:
• Helps your book stand out, especially in
popular genres or general categories
• Early reading level assessment
• Better sense of thematic or subject approach

20. ARCs & Samples
Most Important: Send
samples in EARLY
Average nomination period is 2 months
(before pub date)

21. Nothing is impossible!When you can
Build-a-Book
(in CataList)

22. Build-a-Book
Things to include from the get-go:
• Title
• Author
• Pub Date
• BISAC (andThema)
• CA Price
• COVER & Samples

23. Some Light Stats

24. Loan Stars Stats
Adult Lists Genre (May – April)

25. Loan Stars Stats
Top Fiction:
• Literary
Top Non-Fiction:
• Biography &
Autobiography/Personal
Memoirs
• Biography &
Autobiography/Women
• Cooking/Methods/Quick &
Easy

26. Loan Stars Jr. Stats
Fiction: 77%
Non-Fiction:
23%

27. Loan Stars Stats

28. Loan Stars Stats

29. MetadataTips

30. MetadataTips
Language (ONIX 2.1: PR.11, ONIX 3.0: P.10)
Things to think about:
• The Language composite tells retailers which market(s)
you’re trying to sell in.
• The book can be in one language, while the subject of the
book is about a different one.
• Tell the truth
• Visit this page often Language FAQ for both 2.1 and 3.0

31. MetadataTips
Audience Range (ONIX 2.1: PR.14, ONIX 3.0: P.13)
Things to think about:
• Adult books DON’T need age range suggestions
• Juvenile books ALWAYS need these two components:
• Interest age: book's contents, topic, and style generally match the
abilities of a typical child within an age range.
• Reading age:A technical measure of the book's complexity
• Keep your ranges narrow.
• Talk to a children’s librarian if possible.
• Never-ever-ever-ever-ever put “1 – 99” that’s not a real thing.

32. MetadataTips
Related Product (ONIX 2.1: PR.23, ONIX 3.0: P.23)
Things to think about:
• Different binding, same book ≠ Similar Product
• Different binding, same book = Alternative format
• Use Similar Product (List 51, 23) for ComparableTitles
• Visit the BNC blog for more metadata tips n’ tricks

33. We love to hear
from you!
loanstars@booknetcanada.ca

34. Thank you
ebarker@booknetcanada.ca
loanstars.ca/stay-connected/