Once a 76 Pick, Always a 76 Pick

This week, BTW presents a preview of the latest Book Sense 76 list, but, increasingly, booksellers are using a backlist title’s selection as a Book Sense pick as an ongoing marketing tool, promoting the selection, for instance, in shelf-talkers or by stickering titles. In addition, earlier Book Sense titles are often great candidates for reading groups.

Publishers, too, are alerting marketing staff and sales reps about past 76 picks, with an eye to increasing backlist sales. Earlier 76 picks are great candidates for reading group guides, and adding information about a book’s selection can be a helpful bullet point on fact sheets, catalog copy, and authors’ bios.

Identifying 76 picks is easy. At BookWeb.org, there's a continuously updated Excel spreadsheet of all 76 picks, as well as the individual 76s with bookseller blurbs. Go to http://www.bookweb.org/booksense/seventysix/1474.html.