Happy National Library Week!

This week, April 13th-April 19th, libraries all across the U.S. will be celebrating...um...ourselves.

Yesterday at our library we celebrated by giving out "Library love," (a.k.a. bribes to our patrons/mileage voters) in the form of cake. I decided to do some digging and find out ways that people can take part in the fun.

Here is what I found:
  • The A.L.A. suggested handing out posters/bookmarks/digital art to your patrons to remind them that they love the library.
  • The Librarian at the "Librarian's Guide to Etiquette Blog" suggested, "It's National Library Week. Celebrate by taking a snort from the flask you keep in your fanny pack."
  • This Library lets you make book marks with your own picture.

Then I decided to come up with my own fun things to do to celebrate National Library Week. This is what I think we should do:

  • Dress up like a character from your favorite book and only respond to questions while staying in character. I thought Don Quixote would be a good choice since I could act like inanimate objects need some ass kicking.
  • Sneak up behind patrons in the computer lab and start singing really loudly. "They say it's National Library Week...da nu nu nu," (to be the beat of "Birthday" by the Beatles).
  • Hug every third patron that comes in the door like they are family and tell them that you are so happy that they come and visit. Maybe say things like, "We love you too."
  • Send "stalker letters,"--with words torn out of magazines and newspapers, NOT BOOKS!--to all of your patrons (you will have to start putting these together a year in advance) with clues that lead them to their library.
  • Create a National Library Week Pledge of Allegiance to be done (using a megaphone) at various times throughout the day. Make sure that the reciting of the allegiance takes place after taps are played. Make sure all participate.
  • Stick "love notes" in various books around the library so when patrons check them out they will see that Librarians love the patrons as much as they love the Library.
  • And lastly...Encourage patrons to stage a sit-in. Chain yourselves to the couches in the reading room and sing, "We shall overcome." When people ask what you are fighting for just reply, "we're not fighting silly...fighting is not allowed in the library." It's all about love.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

eggnog with lighter fluid and other cherished Christmas memories

Image
I started digging to find my favorite Christmas-esque scenes/lines from movies and I was pleased with what I found. In spirit of my 14's lists, here goes: 1. Charles De Mar: "Ah, come on! It's Christmas Eve! I could be home right now, drinking this *monster* eggnog my brother makes with lighter fluid." ~ Better Off Dead I also love the present opening scene on Christmas day, where his mother is dressed like a reindeer, his father gets an ardvark jacket and the kids get freezer dinners. Pan out to the neighbors Christmas when the French foreign exchange student gets a framed picture of Ricky. I LOVE THIS MOVIE! 2. When Zuzu says to George Bailey, "Look, daddy! Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings." George quietly agrees, "Attaboy, Clarence," as "Auld Lang Syne" rings out. That scene makes me cry everytime. (I also love that if George had never been around, Mary became a spinster librarian--see pic) ~ It's a W
Read more

sample retirement acceptance letter

Image
The hardest part of being the Director in a small library is that we don't have an HR person, so on top of everything else we do we also get to do the paperwork for the new hires, and retires. Thank God for the internet or these processes would take a lot longer!  One of my board members pointed out that though I'd been informed of staff retirements, I had to officially accept them with a letter...I am finding that a paper trail is an important thing. So, I found a short and simple letter on one university's HR website (sorry forgot which!?) and honed it to work for us. Attached is my sample of a retirement letter.  Is anyone else out there going through this process too?
Read more

meditating through my HULK SMASH

Image
I haven't written much lately because I've been getting my ass kicked by Summer Reading. Truly. 2 of my 3 Circ ladies had to take vacation time (for various reasons) during 3 consecutive weeks of our 6 week programs which means A. I've been covering the desk; paperwork is backing up and B. I've been working insane amounts of overtime. I told the Board at our last meeting that I would be keeping track of all my overtime and would be taking a few days off at the end of Summer Reading. I've literally worked enough overtime to accrue 5.5 days off! Downside: I'm exhausted! Upside: Some lonnnnnng weekends coming my way this month! So, think happy thoughts for me this week, as we wind down and finish our final week. I'm doing extra yoga and meditation and trying not to HULK SMASH anything!  
Read more