Social Library, Volume 72

Jennifer Peterson /

Image courtesy Feeding Eudora on Facebook

In each edition of the Social Library, we highlight posts from innovative libraries we follow on Facebook. This week we're featuring libraries that host summer lunches, a media lab, fitness classes for seniors, a daily book giveaway, and a number of libraries who have taken the #MannequinChallenge. We hope you are inspired by these libraries and try some of these approaches to serving your community's needs and interests. If you'd like to see your library featured in the Social Library series, please let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.

  • Eudora Public Library in Kansas shared this simple infographic (above) to illustrate the impact of donations to their Feeding Eudora program. This past summer the library provided, with local support, 12 free lunches to hundreds of children in the community. For 2017, the library is planning free lunches for 38 days of the summer! This Public Libraries Online article provides information on other libraries with summer meal programming.
  • We've really enjoyed the #MannequinChallenge videos libraries have posted in recent weeks! Here are a few we thought you'd enjoy seeing:
  • We learned about the Media Lab at Lake Forest Library in Illinois thorough their post about their new lab assistants. The Media Lab offers patrons a place to edit graphics, videos, and music using entry and professional level software. Library cardholders (high school and older), in groups of five or less, can use the editing suite for up to two hours and receive help from the lab assistants.
  • Image courtesy Connetquot Public Library on Facebook
  • Connetquot Public Library in New York shared the announcement (at right) about their Senior Fitness classes. "Work out with Ellyn Seltzer at this basic weight training and body toning class. No floor work is required; chairs are used for lower body work, and a pair of two-pound dumbbells is optional." This is a wonderful example of the kind of programming you could host in collaboration with community partners. Hear more ideas shared in a recent WebJunction webinar, Serving Older Adults in a Changing World.
  • Corinth Public Library in Mississippi shared a post about their daily free book giveaway, sponsored by the Friends of the Corinth Library. Each day, a lucky number is posted, along with these instructions: "Check your library card to see if this number appears in your card number. If so, you can pick one free item from the Used Book Sale. Just pick out your item, show it and your card at the circulation desk. Every day a different number will be posted, so check back often."

Thanks to all of this week's featured libraries for such outstanding service to your communities!