Social Library, Volume 83
Jennifer Peterson
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02 May 2017
We've recently been exploring the growing set of Trends over at ALA's Center for the Future of Libraries and so, in this edition of our Social Library series, we're highlighting some innovative library programs that touch on a few of those trends, including fandom, sharing economies and the maker movement. We hope you enjoy these featured posts from libraries we follow on Facebook and encourage you further explore the Center's Trends.
- Victoria Public Library in Texas participated in the successful Victoria Comic Con 2017. A few weeks earlier, the library hosted Anime-Nia, an event encouraging attendees to come as their favorite comic, manga or movie character, and for a chance to win tickets to the upcoming Comic Con. At the Comic Con booth, they invited visitors to guess a few trivia questions and recently awarded the lucky winner a gift at the library.
- Kansas City Public Library in Missouri is home to the Nine Muses Library Coffee Shop, where patrons can, each Wednesday, sample coffees at Coffee Tastings and Pairings. Earlier in April, they used Facebook to livestream the event!
- Portsmouth Public Library (NH) announced the call for applicants for their third annual How-To Festival in August. "In 2014 and 2015, over 1,000 attendees learned how to conduct an orchestra, kick a field goal, speak Spanish, play chess, build DIY microscopes and LED reading lights, open a beehive, perform the dance from Thriller, have a difficult conversation, compost with worms, write a song, and so much more! Supporting the local community is a big part of the library’s mission. The How-To Festival is a celebration of all the skills and talents the Seacoast area has to offer – and a place for community members to connect and share their knowledge and passion with each other!"
- The Saint Paul Public Library in Minnesota hosted a week-long series of events during spring break called Maker Break. In branches throughout the system, kids from ages 8-12 were kept engaged and learning with activities like stop-motion animation, digital music composition, and geometric patterning in Islamic art.
- Plymouth Public Library will be hosting a hybrid/electric car show and ride-and-drive event with the New England Electric Auto Association. Several local car dealers will be present with the latest hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles and will be offering test drives. Actual owners will also be present to share ownership experiences. The event is free and open to the public, and welcomes anyone who is interested in learning more about the technologies, and to test drive a hybrid or electric vehicle without any sales pressure.
Thank you to all these libraries for their great work, and if you'd like to see your library featured in future Social Library editions, please let us know via social@webjunction.org or find us on Facebook.