Free Face-Out Display Bookshelf

While researching the best ways to encourage the usage of books in a library, face-out displays consistently popped up, along with the merchandising of shelves. Unfortunately, many of these methods cost quite a bit of money, money that our library does not have to spend, at least not immediately. This is a collection of quick tips on how to make a free face-out book display with your books, whether it's in a school/public library or your personal collection.

For this project, you really only need a shelf and books. If you're reading this article, you probably already have these.

Identify the shelf you want to straighten and make face-forward. It can be any shelf, whether the books are old or new, just as long as you have some motivation and a little time.

Some people have shelves that are far too crowded for this to work. If you are making a display shelf, then it is perfectly fine to get rid of books you no longer want or need or put them in storage. The goal is to make your shelf attractive, and you need some extra space in order to do that. Go through your books and decide which ones get the honored place on your display shelf.

If you have a bunch of old books, find ones with cool or attractive covers. These are going to be the ones you want to put face-out. Additionally, using hardbacks makes standing the books up easier. You can use soft covers, but you may need to place something behind them to prop them up.

If you have newer books, place your favorite books or the ones with the most vibrant and interesting covers face-out. Use the books on either side to create a holding barrier. Try to vary up which spot you put the face-out books from shelf to shelf. You don't want them to be lined up or it may look weird.

If you have gone through an entire shelf and can't find any cool or attractive covers to put face-out, then use the end of the shelf (if available) to place a book that may not belong directly on that shelf. In order to keep things sensible, however, try to make sure the book is close to its proper spot.

If you have multiple copies of the same book, or even books in a series, consider placing them behind one another, saving space, and allowing a new display book to be visible even if one is taken away.

You now have a nice face-out bookshelf. You can display your favorite titles while drumming up interest with your friends or readers. If you want a little more variety among your shelves, feel free to place appropriately-themed objects among your books (such as our [unfinished] castle among the young adult fiction).

While this method may not be as fancy as purchasing nice acrylic book displays, it does allow you to upgrade your space for next to nothing, and it's a great way to make sure your favorite stories are available for all to see.