“In that country, sir, we read. This is how Jack Rio, director of the Regional Office of Culture of the Champagne Ardennes (ORCCA), commented on the involvement of his region in the operation “check lyre”, a system that allows the person to whom he wants to give a choice. her own book.
Check-Lear, an initiative reserved for booksellers, launched in France a year ago, according to the model of English book tokens, created in 1932 and currently strong with a network of 3,000 bookstores. “The biggest promotion of the book after the club sale,” says VA Barnes, director of the English Society. This service also exists in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. “When we think of a gift, we often think of a book,” but, continues Jean-Pierre Tanden, the designer of the French checker, there are immediate obstacles: choosing a book and then sending it by mail. Hence the idea of a check-lyre, “generous ideas and ideas of freedom.”
The system is simple. You go to one of the 180 member bookstores and choose between four checkered checks offered (20 F, 50 F, 100 F, 200 F), one or the ones you will send by mail. You can accompany this shipment with one of the 8 card models you buy for 5 F. Instructions for use are indicated on the back, in addition – and it’s even sadder when you touch the field of the book! – two spelling mistakes. The person to whom you send this check-reader can, without limitation of date or place – must still be at the member’s bookstore – receive one of 300,000 titles (school book, novel, documentary book, comic …) against the check-reader. “It’s an extraordinary opening for children and teenagers, who no longer depend on their parents or bookstores to choose reading materials,” said Claude Boislev, director of Synergy. This formula can create the habit of visiting bookstores, offering something other than what already exists. The check-lyre seeks to break down barriers. That’s why it’s free for the customer: in fact, you buy a check for 100 F at one end of the chain and have a book for 100 F at the other end of the chain.
In addition to the economic aspect of the “check lyre”, the cultural aspect of this operation is explained by the assistance provided by the Champagne-Ardenne region. ) Champagne Ardennes. In order to expand the freedom to choose the place of purchase or exchange of checks and to get to know it better, it was proposed to go beyond the framework of bookstores. This was done by the department of Marne by donating a voucher for reading to a competition organized on the topic of reading. Another possible opening: communities, associations, works councils, which can use this formula for gifts at the end of the year or as an aid to return to school.
The check reader, a fast space-saving service (each checkbook contains 25 checks), offers everyone more freedom of choice. An excellent principle, it is still necessary to increase the number of bookstore members without further delay. The ball is in their court.