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.

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