Social Library, Volume 115

Jennifer Peterson /

Image courtesy Fort Saskatchewan Public Library on Facebook

In this latest Social Library edition, you’ll learn about a record-breaking card campaign, catapulting zucchinis, bird feeders, film discussions and pictorial knitting. We highlight innovative approaches to programming and outreach discovered on Facebook, to provide library staff with a small but mighty dose of inspiration every other week. We continue to collect these featured libraries in a spreadsheet, for easy searching, by library, state and topic. If you'd like to see your library featured in a Social Library edition, please let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.

  • King County Library System (KCLS) in Washington announced the upcoming 6-week, Becoming American: A Documentary Film and Discussion Series on Our Immigration Experience. KCLS is one of 32 sites nationwide (along with other public and college libraries, museums, cultural centers and other nonprofit organizations) participating in a project, which includes film screenings with moderated discussions and are designed to encourage an informed discussion of immigration issues against the backdrop of our country’s immigration history. In addition to a KCLS blog post, we learned more about the series on the project website, Becoming-American.org. The project, made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, has made the Series Resources available for anyone to use. As the library reminds us, "If you can't make it to the screenings, you can still watch most of these films on DVD or streaming services using your library card."
  • And the Boulder Public Library in Colorado is promoting programs they are hosting around the Wish You Were Here exhibit by Sam Barsky. The library shared the NPR story about Sam Barsky, a Maryland artist who has knit more than 100 sweaters of iconic landmarks around the world. Sam has become an internet sensation, sharing photographs of himself wearing his works in front of the landmarks. The library is hosting an opening reception for the exhibit, and the opportunity to meet Sam in person! And later in the week, he'll be leading a pictorial knitting workshop. We recommend you follow his Facebook page Sam Barsky - artistic knitter.