Social Library, Volume 140

Jennifer Peterson /

Image courtesy Lancaster Public Library‎‎ on Facebook

A trivia championship, a teen writing contest, and a fine-free library card for educators are some of the highlights in this fresh edition of our Social Library series. The featured libraries use Facebook to connect and engage with community members, sharing information about programs and events. If you'd like to see your library featured in an upcoming edition, let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.

  • Lancaster Public Library in Pennsylvania is hosting their final Are You Smarter than a Librarian? Grand Championship, a benefit raising funds for the library. "Assemble your team of trivia gurus and all-around smarty pants to take on our fun-loving library team, The Dewey Decimators! Each round will include 10 questions. A picture and sound round will be among the seven rounds. With perpetual bragging rights and a sweet trophy (that you get to keep!) on the line, it's anyone's game." Teams of 4-8 members register for a fee to compete for a cash prize of $200 to the winning team.
  • Garland Public Library in Utah caught our eye with the public Facebook group they host, The Not Face To Face Book Club. It's a "book club for the not so social, social media users. Each month features a different book chosen by the members. Share thoughts, comments, and insights about the reading without having to worry about meeting places and times." In July they chose Man on the Moon, following a weekly schedule to discuss certain chapters in the group. In addition to the book discussions, posts include requests to be added to holds lists for titles to be read, as well as information related to books, or authors of books, the group reads together.
  • Tooele City Library in Utah, as part of their summer reading program, hosted a Teen Writing Contest. Teens, 12-18 years old, were invited to write an original short story which involved space in some way. The ten winners received an Amazon gift card for their short stories, awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, honorable mention, most heroic character, most original storyline, most romantic, biggest plot twist, strongest illustrative story, and most dramatic cliff hanger. Now if we could only read them! ;-)