There are resources for kids' book tastings, but what about the grown people? Here's a how-to for hosting a book tasting for adults at a public library.
We are passionate supporters of public libraries here at Pages Unbound. But there are still awesome services and programs I would love to see libraries provide! Here are ten cool ideas that would g…
So, you're planning programming for the adults in your library and you're looking to change it up? From time to time, this question is p...
So, you're planning programming for the adults in your library and you're looking to change it up? From time to time, this question is posed on the awesome Programming Librarian Interest Group and librarians respond with lots of great possibilities. I thought I'd compile a list and share. Perhaps some of these ideas might work for your library? Local 1. Local History Talks/Presentations 2. Local History Walk 3. Genealogy DIY Crafts 1. Paper Making 2. Stab Binding Books 3. Christmas Ornaments 4. Shibori Scarves 5. Water Color Scarves 6. Soy Candles 7. Glycerin Soap 8. Beading 9. Altered Books Technology 1. Digital Photography Classes 2. How to Use Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram/Snapchat, etc. 3. iPhoneography (taking and editing pics with iPhone) 4. Intro to Windows 10 Food 1. Cookbook Club 2. Cooking Classes 3. Soup Night / Pie Night (patrons bring in food to share) 4. Rose Hip Jelly Making 5. Downton Abbey Tea 6. Wine Tasting 7. Edible Book Contest Presenters 1. Paranormal/Haunted Presentations 2. Pet Psychic 3. Professional Headshots for Facebook Profiles 4. Discovering New England Stone Walls 5. Falconry 6. Beekeeping and Honey Tasting 7. Yoga 8. Meditation 9. Veteran Author Talks 10. Living History Performances and Re-enacting Educational 1. Car Seat Safety Program 2. Business Networking/Speed Networking 3. Job Prep (Resume writing, Mock interviews) 4. DIY Home Repair 5. Pearl Harbor (75th anniversary in December) 6. Show Great Courses Lectures 7. Interior Design 8. Travel on a Budget 9. Identity Theft 10. Etsy/eBay 11. DIY Bike Repair Gardening 1. Gardening Presentations 2. Plant Swap 3. DIY Terrarium Writing 1. Publishing Your Writing 2. Writing Memoirs 3. Open Mic Nights Fun / Entertainment 1. Family Movie Nights 2. Star Trek Program (50th Anniversary is coming soon) 3. Introduction to Drones 4. Bridge 5. Collectibles & Antiques 6. Plan the Perfect Staycation 7. Mah Jongg 8. Couponning 9. Coloring Books 10. Chinese New Year Places for Partnerships If you are looking to increase your attendance numbers, partnerships are a great way to do so: America Red Cross (for blood drives hosted at libraries) Local Senior Center Local Historical Society Local University (The outreach office may have someone willing to do social media programs) Local Stores (Drones, DIY Home Repairs/Renovations) Additional Reading Want more ideas? Check out: "Adult Programs in the Library" by Brett W. Lear was highly recommended. You can also access PLIG's Program Speed Dating Packet for more great info and ideas. List Source The list above was pulled from these discussions: Discussion #1 and Discussion #2. You need to be a member of the Programming Facebook Group to be able to read them. Thanks to all of the librarians who shared their wisdom!
Next week marks the start of National Library Week!
The most successful displays I've done at my library have been passive readers advisory. For the last five years or so, I’ve done a monthly display of minature books based on the top YA titles checked out in my library system, with the top 10 books getting four readalikes. The Tiny Library is a collection of tiny books based on our most popular titles. Each tiny book contains reading suggestions based on our readalike list. There is a QR code that leads to a Google Form where teens can choose the books they want to pick up from the library.
A recycled book art workshop is a easy, affordable project to do in your makerspace. Old books can easily be found from weeding libraries or at thrift stores.
Don't let a short schedule keep you from providing engaging library programming. These 30-minute library lessons are perfect for librarians!
Library Escape Rooms are really big right now, so I tried to design this program so that any library can try to duplicate it. Because making something like this is kinda daunting–where do yo…
There are resources for kids' book tastings, but what about the grown people? Here's a how-to for hosting a book tasting for adults at a public library.
About seven months ago, I noticed a new trend among public libraries of offering “adulting” programs. When I first saw a posting via social media about this program, my brain screamed, “Where were …
More reasons to hide out in a library all day!
Browse Greater Victoria Public Library's offerings of free programs for kids, teens and adults. Program period: December 2016 through February 2017. GVPL is your place to connect, discover and imagine.
Whether it's solving the morning crossword puzzle, working out whodunit in a best-selling thriller, or participating in the library's mystery book club, everyone loves a mystery! In 'Hosting a Library Mystery', Elizabeth Karle capitalizes on our delight of the genre through this unique, interactive programming guide.
Welcome to Part Two of our three-part series about advertising your library programs. In Part One, we talked about posters: where to put them and how to use them. Today, we're going to talk about a different kind of advertising: the wide world of media and the even wider world of social media. Media Ah, the media: newspapers have been the place people go for information for over a century, and though many papers are now read mostly, if not entirely, online, this doesn't mean that they're gone. Try... Online newspapers - Have you seen patch.com? They are a large online news resource that covers communities across the United States. In addition to posting their own content, users (that is, us!) can submit our own news, press releases, stories, photos, and events to be posted on their website. Take a look! Community Calendars - Many local papers (town-wide, county-wide, or larger) have a calendar of local events. Make sure you get the contact information for the calendar and you can email over the big attractions as they come up. News articles - Write up a press release where you justify how your event is The Big Thing in town, and you could get a full story in the paper. Many papers will often print photos, too! How? Well, that's an article in itself, but the best way I've found is to highlight local people: Write about how a local fireman is taking time from his busy schedule to read to children. Write about how the Teen Advisory Board planned this program, for teens and by teens. Write about how the little old lady teaching flower arranging next week has been doing this for fifty years and is sharing her life's work with YOU, the reader, HERE! For FREE! Including photos is also a good way to get attention. Papers will sometimes print a photo with a caption, even when they don't have room for an article. News interviews - If something really exciting is going on, some local news stations will send a reporter to talk to you about it. I got onto public access news when we got a turtle for the Children's Room. The local station at my last library always sent a film crew for their Live @ Lawrence Library music programs. Photographers will often come for performers or large events, too. Granted, these are published after the fact, but it brings attention to what your library has to offer, and that is never a bad thing. Newsletters - Don't underestimate the power of the written word! My library currently writes a quarterly newsletter that highlights events for all age groups and includes calendars of events, articles written by staff, and book recommendations. These can be brought to local businesses and to town events (see Part One for ideas of where to leave fliers and newsletters!) and be offered at or near your circulation desk for patrons to take. Event Calendars - In addition to our online event calendars, I've found it's also incredibly helpful to have monthly event calendars available for patrons to take with them. In the Children's Department (which is my domain), we design them so that one side is a monthly calendar with events listed on each day, and the reverse has a brief description of what each program is. Despite the fact that everyone seems to be online these days, I start getting requests weeks before the new month has started. I've even had families who have told me that they wait until they get the new calendar before planning family events. (I can't tell you how good that feels!) Social Media The Basics: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. - Sharing information on your own page is good (especially with pictures!), but it's an even better idea to make sure you follow local groups, schools, clubs, etc. online, and send them your information. If you ask nicely, they may share it! This works especially well if they have a presence on Twitter, where you can talk as much as you like (as opposed to Facebook, where you don't want to post too often, lest you overwhelm the reader). Be sure to check your favorite social media outlets for local parent groups, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the like. Online Newsletters - There are several ways to send out online newsletters, including MailChimp and Constant Contact. I am not an expert in these fields, but that's okay, because companies that work with mass mailings are experts, and they make things as easy as possible for the librarian-on-the-go. One of the many perks to using a program to mass-mail is the ability to link online. If you write book reviews, you can link the book right to your catalog so that interested parties can immediately put the book on hold (no lost little slips of paper!). Instead of asking patrons to log on and "like" you on social media, you can link right there and they can do it right away! Another upside is the meta-data. How many times is the email opened? Which links are clicked on most often? They will tell you. From this information, you can extrapolate from your patron-base what it is they really like. Lots of book links clicked? You may want to write more reviews. Lots of clicks on the children's programs? Perhaps that department needs its own newsletter. It's all in the data. Facebook Events - We have talked a lot about the use of Facebook before, and I'm sure we will again, but have we mentioned how much we like the new Facebook Events feature? Rather than posting one photo to say that a program is coming up, try creating an official Event for it. It still pops up on your wall as soon as you post it, but it will also be available under the "Events" tab on your page, and will be listed as an Upcoming Event for people who say they are interested. People can also subscribe to your events, so you're sure that everyone who wants to will see them, instead of relying on whatever the Facebook algorithm says is okay to show. Facebook Ads - I'm all about free, but Facebook Ads give you a huge bang for your buck. For a couple dollars, you can have your information show up as an ad on local people's pages, which will drastically expand your reach. By all accounts I've heard, it is worth the money for your larger events. Overall In closing: don't underestimate the power of the media. Expand your presence in print and online, and watch your program attendance grow! Last time, we talked about posters and fliers. In Part 3, we will be discussing some of the more unusual ways to promote your programs. (Silliness - my favorite!) Did we miss any media angles? Please let us know here or on our Facebook page or Twitter feed. Don't Forget to Check Out: Part One: Posters, Flyers, and Where to Hang Them Part Three: Unique Advertising Ideas
Last weekend at Gibson my awesome coworker friend Nicole and I did a library mini golf after hours program for teens and tweens and it was a HIT. We got the idea from this pin but couldn’t fi…
Program Name: Lunch at the Library What: We haven’t offered this program before, but I can see how it would be a really great way for libraries in urban and suburban communities to draw in a crowd during the week. Offer a program as often as you want – once a week, once a month, once a season for adults to come with their lunch and learn about a topic. This could be something as simple as “How to Take Better Photos on Vacation” or “Best Mystery Reads of 2018” or “Easy and Healthy Lunches for Work” – you could take this any direction you wanted to go. My library is in a very busy suburban area and I think this would be a fun idea to try! Where: You’d need a meeting space that you’re not worried about cleaning up after people eat, so a place with tables and chairs (maybe in a “U” shape) where people could eat while listening to a presentation. When: Obviously during lunch time! But what time that is would depend on you community. Again, this could be offered as often as you’d like. I’d probably shoot for something once a month to try it out. Who: Adults who work/live in close proximity to the library who can stop by for a 45-minute program during their lunch hour. I think getting the word out about this program could be difficult and may require some in-person meetings with local business leaders to help promote this idea. Partnering with the Rotary could also be helpful to reach out to local business people. How: This could be as simple as the staff sharing their expertise or you could bring someone in who wouldn’t mind volunteering some time to help present on a specific topic. Alternatives: If lunches just wouldn’t work for your service area, try a Saturday morning or Thursday evening – the time is flexible. I’d also love to try a How-To Fair where people setup tables in a variety of locations in your library and teach people how to do something for 30 minutes and then someone else teaches people about a different topic. These look like a lot of work to set-up, but so much fun! During the month of April, I’ll be participating in the 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. For this year’s theme, I’ll be offering you a library program plan with everything you to need to re-create it at your own library. Most of these programs we’ve offered in the past, others are programs I’d like to try in the future. I’m always looking for new inspiration and I thought you might be too!
A blog about library displays, educational bulletin boards, new books, crafts, young adult programming, teens, librarians and sharing ideas.
Each year, practically every public library across the United States runs a summer reading program for children. Age ranges vary, but the typical audience is school age children. The reason is that…
The Summer Reading Program at the Wichita Falls Public Library in Wichita Falls, TX came to a close at the end of July. This summer, we were fortunate to be the recipients of the ALSC/BWI Summer Reading Program Grant, which enabled the library to provide quality programs to youth of all ages in our community. Our theme this summer was Get a Clue…at the Library, and many of our programs involved a mystery aspect. Some of our mystery-themed programs included: Murder Mystery Night: Our original plan was to have staff members perform a murder mystery play for our patrons. However, time and staffing constraints caused us to come up with a Plan B, which consisted of inviting the Actors Creating Together 4H Club to put on the murder mystery. Rather than putting on a play, we created crime scenes throughout the library, in the Youth Department, Teen Zone and Bookstore. ...
An exciting virtual or in-person program, Tangram Puzzles only require a few supplies and get kids thinking outside the box to be creative!
Imagine that you are working at the reference desk when a patron comes to you with a question. They cite a “fact” that has been widely debunked, mentioning an article from a publication that you know to be untrustworthy. What can you, as a library worker, do to educate and inform them? ALA has released a free digital guide and related webinar series to help library workers plan for moments like these.
Did you know that May is National Pet Month??? We thought it would be the purrrfect opportunity for another FANTASTIC library contest! Take a picture of a favorite pet (if you don’t have one, use …
Ages: Tweens, teens OR 20/30s Duration: 1.5 hours Style: Drop-in Budget: $40 Goal: To provide a silly, surprising, and highly creative atmosphere with no pressure to make something “good.” Summary:…
Lear, Brett, W. Adult Programs in the Library, 2nd ed. Chicago: ALA, 2013. 027.62 Lear 2013 ed. ISBN 978-0838911402 Programming is an important means of not only drawing new people to the library but also better serving existing patrons. Lear s invaluable guide to adult programs is back---and better than ever, with refreshed, expanded content and new ideas to reinvigorate programs and give them a 21st-century spin. This edition includes · Updated chapters on basics such as funding, crafting guidelines, topic selection, publicity, post-program evaluations, and more · A new section on technology, with ideas for online book discussions, offering programs via Skype, and turning programs into podcasts: Methods for tailoring programs for specific groups, such as men, baby boomers, and seniors A collection of "five-star" programs from libraries around the country that can be easily adapted Walking the reader through every aspect of adult programming, this new edition of a tried-and-true book is truly a librarian s best friend.
An increasing number of libraries are teaching basic life skills via “Adulting 101” programming, but young adults aren't the only interested patrons.
Amazing Race: Library Edition is a program that I’ve ran twice before. It always brings out a huge crowd – and for those of us who have a small budget – it’s a great program…
More reasons to hide out in a library all day!
To celebrate National Library Week, tween, teen, and adult patrons can create their own mini-libraries at home and then add them to the full display.
Turns out terrariums and the library are a great mix! I’ve run this DIY Terrarium workshop twice and both times it’s been full (20 attendees) with a wait list! With the right know-how a…
A recycled book art workshop is a easy, affordable project to do in your makerspace. Old books can easily be found from weeding libraries or at thrift stores.
