The temperatures over the weekend made it feel like spring is in the air…but I’m sure the weather has more cold in store for us. Guess we’ll just enjoy it for now. Here are ten April display ideas to get you ready for Spring.
National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month, held every April, is the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture. Join the celebration by requesting a free poster and by encouraging young people to participate in the “Dear Poet” project or Poem in Your Pocket Day. Go to http://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month/home for more information.
School Library Month
School Library Month is the celebration of school librarians and their programs. Every April school librarians are encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in transforming learning. The 2015 celebration marks the 30th anniversary of School Library Month. This year’s theme is Your School Library Where Learning Never Ends. Go to http://www.ala.org/aasl/slm for more information including posters, bookmarks, web graphics, and proclamations.
April Fool’s Day (April 1)
The origin of April Fool’s Day is unknown, but this is a day to watch out for pranks. Display joke books along with bookmarks with information about the day from the Official April Fool’s Day FAQ found at http://hoaxes.org/aprilfool/faq. This website also lists the “Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes of All Time.”
Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday (April 2, 1805)
This author is remembered for his more than 150 fairy tales—classics of children’s literature. Introduce children to Andersen’s fairy tales with your favorite version of The Emperor’s New Clothes. Display fairy tale books in the children’s area with puppets or flannel board pieces for an interactive display.
National Library Week (April 12-18, 2015)
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance by the American Library Association and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate. The 2015 theme is Unlimited Possibilities @ Your Library. The Honorary Chair this year is David Baldacci. Go to the American Library Association’s webpages for more information and to purchase posters and other products.
Paul Revere’s Ride (April 18, 1775)
Paul Revere’s ride on this day in 1775 inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Print the first two stanzas of this poem and display it with all types of material about the Revolutionary War. You could read the whole poem to an afterschool group as an introduction for an activity about the birth of our nation.
Earth Day (April 22)
Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970. This year the celebration marks the 45th anniversary. The year-round mission is to broaden, diversify and activate the environmental movement worldwide, through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns. Display books about the environment and recycling. For more information, go to http://www.earthday.org.
National Jelly Bean Day (April 22, 2015)
National Jelly Bean Day is a special day for those who love the sweet little candy. Jelly beans are a small bean-shaped type of confectionery with a hard candy shell and a gummy interior which come in a wide variety of flavors. Place a small jar filled with jelly beans and invite patrons to guess how many are in it. Give away the jar and the jelly beans as the prize. You could even just put jelly beans a bowl on the circulation desk and give away a few with each checkout. (Have a spoon available, so that you don’t have everyone’s hands in the bowl.)
Arbor Day (April 24, 2015)
Nebraska City is the home of Arbor Day’s founder, J. Sterling Morton. Display books about trees and maybe you could even plant a tree near the library or in a city park.
Nebraska Book Festival (April 25, 2015)
The next Nebraska Book Festival, will be held April 25, 2015, at the University of Nebraska Omaha Weitz Community Engagement Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The festival is free and open to everyone who wishes to meet, hear, and talk with a few of Nebraska’s many talented authors who have published new works. All participating authors will answer questions from the audience and be available for book signings. The Festival includes workshops with opportunities for writers to discuss their craft and to receive feedback from award-winning authors. Go to http://bookfestival.nebraska.gov/2015/ and print the program to display on your circulation desk.
John James Audubon’s Birthday (April 26, 1785)
John James Audubon was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. Display Audubon’s books and other books about birds. You could add a pair of binoculars and a notepad and pencil to highlight birdwatching as a hobby.
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