I received a seed catalog recently and looking at it has made me hungry for April. Warmer days, blooming trees, light jackets…Spring will finally take hold. Spotlight your Romance collection by displaying books and movies with a vase of fresh daisies and a sign that says “He loves me, He loves me not…” Here are 10 more display and program ideas for April.
National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month each April is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and, of course, poets marking poetry’s important place in our culture and our lives. While we celebrate poets and poetry year-round, the Academy of American Poets founded National Poetry Month in April 1996. Display poetry books from all areas of your collection along with this list of 30 ways to celebrate poetry.
National Library Week (April 8-14)
The National Library Week 2018 celebration will mark the 60th anniversary of the first event, sponsored in 1958. In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. In 1957, the National Book Committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries. With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme “Wake Up and Read!”
The 2018 theme is “Libraries Lead.” Go to http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek for more information.
National Siblings Day (April 10)
Started to commemorate siblings that had passed away while they were very young, National Siblings Day has become a political and global phenomenon, being celebrated in countries all over the world on April 10th. Make bookmarks with some interesting statistics about siblings from this website. Display them with books that feature sibling relationships. Think about Charlie Brown and his little sister Sally or Ramona Quimby.
Friday the 13th (April 13, 2018)
Fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day. Display materials about common fears, phobias, and superstitions (spiders, snakes, dogs, bridges, flying in an airplane, etc.). Click here for a list of the top 100 phobias.
Go Fly a Kite Day (April 15, 2018)
Plan a fun family event focused on flying kites. Explore the American Kitefliers Association website (http://kite.org) for resources. Have everyone build their own kites using this tutorial.
National Stress Awareness Day (April 16)
April 16 (the day after Tax Day) is a special day set aside for Americans to be aware of just how stressed they may have become! Make a small display of books of things related to de-stressing. Here are some possible topics: treat yourself (think chocolate); exercise; meditate; get enough rest; and, pet your dog. Program ideas include, host a yoga class; set up a coloring station; or, invite a counselor to talk about stress management.
International Juggler’s Day (April 18)
This commemoration was established by the International Juggler’s Association and is dedicated to preserving and spreading the history of the art of juggling. Juggling as an art form is far older than most people credit, going back well over 4,000 years. The first evidence of juggling goes back to the wall of a tomb in Egypt. YouTube has numerous tutorials about juggling. This one shows an easy way to get started. Have a program where your patrons of all ages can learn to juggle and give a prize to the person who can juggle the longest.
International Astronomy Day (April 21, 2018)
Astronomy allows us to see the history of the universe with our own eyes. The stars that twinkle as you look out on a dark, clear night may not exist right now. They existed at whatever point in history they emitted that light, which has taken millions of years to reach Earth. Display books and dvds about stars, planets, moons, and all things in our Solar System. Since this is a Saturday, you could host a stargazing event.
Earth Day (April 22, 2018)
Earth Day 2018 will focus on mobilizing the world to End Plastic Pollution, including creating support for a global effort to eliminate single use plastics along with uniform regulation for the disposal of plastics. Display books about recycling and upcycle plastic bottles into adorable cat planters to do your part.
Arbor Day (April 27, 2018)
Trees are simply amazing. They clean air and water, slow climate change, ease poverty and hunger, prevent species loss, and feed the human soul. All we need to do is plant and care for them. Check with your city’s Parks and Recreation Department to see if they’re giving away free trees. Offer to partner with them and distribute trees from the library. Display books about trees and this uniquely Nebraskan holiday.
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