The Social Library, Volume 22
In Volume 22 of our Social Library series, we're showcasing the great work of libraries on Facebook who are going the extra mile to meet their patrons wherever they are. These libraries are reaching out into the community via snail mail, bringing the community into the library for events, encouraging engagement on social media, and partnering on community art projects that bring books into unlikely places. Thank you for inspiring others who work in libraries, as well as those in your lucky communities!
- Rachel Collier, in her post to ALA Think Tank, shared the wonderful postcard her library will soon be sending out to invite new arrivals (and inactive patrons) to visit the library. The Sunnyvale Public Library, in California, will welcome folks to the neighborhood with an invitation to come see all the amazing things the library has to offer, including 3D Printing, Sewing Machines, Movies, ebooks, and Homework Help. Check out the great discussion about the postcard project on the ALA Think Tank thread, and join this awesome Facebook group if you're not yet a member!
- The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina shared a link to a video, Online Catalog Tour (Searching & Placing Holds), one of the many Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Tutorials/How-tos videos on YouTube. Videos are an excellent way to orient your communities to library services and programs.
The St. Louis County Library in Missouri hosted their 6th Annual Battle of the Bands this weekend. Battle of the Bands is part of the library's STArt @ Your Library series, which offers fun and interactive programs to introduce kids and teens to science, technology and art. View more about the contest, including rules, the bands, and the winners!
- The McAllen Public Library in Texas caught our eye with a simple way to engage with their patrons on Facebook. With their Caption This! contest, they choose a winner, or "Caption Captain," for best caption of the photos they post every two weeks. The winner for the photo posted on July 2 was Xavi Perez (his winning caption: "That's not really what I had in mind when I got my dog trained as a bird dog.") He received this impressive award for his caption.
- The Indianapolis Public Library made the news last week, with the announcement of a public art project that will place nine mini-library kiosks, designed as striking pieces of art, in and around the city. Taking the Little Free Library concept to the next level, these funded installations (thanks to the Herbert Simon Family Foundation) will bring books and art into unlikely locations. The books will be supplied and stocked by the Indianapolis Public Library.
We look forward to seeking out next week's treasures from those we follow on Facebook. If you have innovative and impactful programs going on at your library that you'd like to showcase, let us know at [email protected], or find us on Facebook.
Thanks to all of this week's featured libraries for such outstanding service to your communities!