Seasonal selections: Summer reading list and book display roundup
Libraries in the northern hemisphere are diving into a vibrant season of summer reading, and we want to spotlight some of your creative book displays, reading lists, and other reading initiatives. Check out how other libraries are commemorating Audiobook Appreciation Month, Juneteenth, Pride Month, the anniversary of D-Day, and more events—plus creating fun and whimsical themed displays to help their communities get excited about reading. Whether you're featuring captivating beach reads, timeless classics, or new releases, our guide to summer reading lists and book displays can help inspire your next display or even your own next personal book pick.
Book display inspiration
- Guilderland Public Library (New York) showed off a book display focused on important June holidays and commemorations, including Juneteenth, Pride Month, and the anniversary of D-Day.
- Thayer Memorial Library (Massachusetts) also went with a combined June holiday theme for their children’s book display, with books about Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and summer.
- Check out this reel St. Joe County Public Library (Indiana) created for a tour of their library’s Juneteenth displays.
- DeKalb Library (Brooklyn Public Libraries, NYC) shared photos of their Juneteenth and Pride displays.
- Marlette District Library (Michigan) showed off a summer reading book display, along with an oak tree display, where young summer readers can add their names.
- Glasgow Libraries (Scotland, United Kingdom) designed a new STEM book display in honor of the Glasgow Science Festival.
- Gooding Public Library (Idaho) unveiled a new iteration in their Extreme Book Nerd display series with this one that features books with three generations of characters in the story, or books featuring a mom, dad, or grandparent.
- Nahant Public Library (Massachusetts) is offering a June reading challenge, inviting patrons to read a book that inspired a film or television series, with a display to offer inspiration.
- Mt. Pleasant Public Library (New York) is celebrating Great Outdoors Month with a display and accompanying booklist.
- Limavady Library (Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) added new displays celebrating the Euro 2024 football championships and commemorating Loneliness Awareness and Healthy Eating Week.
Booklists
Explore this selection of booklists created by libraries and inspired by summer holidays and other events commemorated in the featured book displays.
Audiobook lists
- Audiobooks for mystery lovers (WorldCat list)
- Audiobooks for true crime fanatics (WorldCat list)
- Press play and paint: Audiobooks to enjoy while painting (WorldCat list)
- Audiobook Appreciation Month (American Association of School Libraries)
Summer booklists
- 2024 Summer reading lists (Association for Library Service to Children)
- Summer at the library (Brooklyn Public Library)
- Summer 2024 picks for adults (New York Public Library)
- Summer reading/staff picks (Caldwell University WorldCat list)
Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day
- Books by refugees and immigrants to America (Citrus Library WorldCat list)
- Immigrant Heritage Month (U.S. Department of Labor WorldCat list)
- Words beyond borders: Books to read for World Refugee Day (New York Public Library)
Juneteenth reading lists
- Celebrate Juneteenth! (Read Across America WorldCat list)
- Juneteenth reading list (Chicago Public Library)
- Juneteenth reading list (National Museum of African American History & Culture)
Pride Month
- LGBTQ+ inclusive middle-grade books (E Train Talks)
- LGBTQ reading recommendations (Read Across America)
- Pride Month: Great books for teens (Columbus Metropolitan Library)
- Exploring LGBTQIA+ Pride Month – Nonfiction (Princeton Public Library)
Nature and outdoor adventures
- Books about bikes your child will love (OCLC WorldCat team)
- Eco-literacy for kids (Sustainable Libraries WorldCat list)
- The Great Outdoors kids and adult summer reading lists (Citrus Library WorldCat lists)
- Nonfiction nature reads (KettleandTome WorldCat list)
Book display inspiration from WebJunction
- Adopt-a-Shelf program lets students create book displays: See how middle school kids are taking on book display curation, with some truly fun and creative results.
- Libraries & Veterans National Forum Toolkit: This toolkit offers a wealth of resources, including display ideas to help your library honor the Veterans in your community.
- Social Library, Volume 121: Browse this Social Library edition for even more book display inspiration from other libraries.
We hope you’ve found some inspiration to help inform your own displays and booklists and keep your community excited about reading. And if you’d like us to feature your library’s display, let us know via via [email protected], find us on Facebook, or use #EngagedLibraries on your social media posts to share your ideas and stories more widely.