5 Creative Ways Librarians Might Gamify to Improve Reading!
May 29, 2026Genrefy Your Library by Shelf or by Tech?
Genrefying a school library—or choosing to organize fiction by subject category gives a library a student-friendly bookstore feel. It helps students gravitate toward categories they are most interested in, and can improve barriers for reluctant, struggling or ESL students.
GENRES Button Explore Pane: Search or Slideshow
GENRES Buttons Search or GENRES Buttons Slideshow
Patron clicks prompt the desired action: Perform search--or Add URL and view as a slideshow.
GENRES Button Search
1) Download Pane, 2) Open Explore Builder, 3) Import Pane, 4) refresh browser, and customize Action: Perform a search: Humor, etc.
You can further customize these, once downloaded, change categories (Romance might become SEL or Friendship), and optimized to work best for your library.
GENRES Button Slideshow
1) Download Pane, 2) Open Explore Builder, 3) Import Pane, 4) refresh browser, and customize Action: URL will need to be edited to your ALEX URL and your CODE... and test.
You can further customize these, once downloaded, change categories (Romance might become SEL or Friendship), and optimized to work best for your library.
GENRES Icons: Search or Slideshow
GENRES Icon Search or GENRES Icon Slideshow
Patron clicks prompt the desired action: Perform search--or Add URL and view as a slideshow.
GENRES Icon Search
1) Download Pane, 2) Open Explore Builder, 3) Import Pane, 4) refresh browser, and customize Action: Perform a search: Humor, etc.
You can further customize these, once downloaded, change categories (Romance might become SEL or Friendship), and optimized to work best for your library.
GENRES Icon Slideshow
1) Download Pane, 2) Open Explore Builder, 3) Import Pane, 4) refresh browser, and customize Action: URL will need to be edited to your ALEX URL and your CODE... and test.
You can further customize these, once downloaded, change categories (Romance might become SEL or Friendship), and optimized to work best for your library.
GENRES Icons: Customize Your Slideshows
Customize your slideshows in two easy steps:
1) You will need to shift ALEX.goalexandria.com to your library URL, and
2) switch the CODE to your library (this is found in ABOUT in the upper right-hand corner).
GENRES Icons: Shelf Switching Optional. Enjoy!
GENREFY with Icons or slideshows without needing to shift shelves. These explore panes provide a new way to explore titles that patrons find helpful. But you can opt to keep this on the tech-side--or you can use it as a tool to physically shift your library. Either way, GENREFYING is a great way to naturally promote reading for enjoyment and improve library circulation!
