Reviews in Loos

A few years ago a creative, innovative librarian at one of our courses told us about a strategy that she used to get teachers into the library – reviews in loos. She figured that she had a captive audience for a few minutes each day, in the staff toilets. Reviews started appearing. Not long after, teachers whom she seldom saw in the library started popping in.

Ever since then, I have suggested this as an approach whenever I can. Goodness knows how many Focus schools have this in their strategic plan.

It then occurred to me, as we were holding our reading and literacy course, that we should try it out too. I “borrowed” a few reviews off the Create Readers website, added in the tear off strips, and put them up in our loos.

It turned out to be great success, both with course participants (heard excitedly discussing the different reviews) and our own staff, one of who was heard to say “Well, I spent a lot longer in there than I meant to!”

Why not give it a go, especially if you are already doing reviews. You never know who might appear in the library – just make sure that you put them at eye level for easy reading. And remember some of us sit and some of us stand!

Don't forget to change your reviews as frequently as your other toilet pages.

Thanks to my colleagues for the reviews and to the fabulous librarian whose idea this was.

From Lisa, in Auckland