Library Card Sign-Up Month
Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4 characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep and friends are joining ALA on an adventure to promote the value of a library card. They’ll be reminding the public that signing up for a library card opens a world of infinite possibilities. A variety of Toy Story 4 posters, stickers and bookmarks are available now for purchase through the ALA Store. Click this link for complete information.
Save Your Photos Month
Every year during the month of September, photo organizers, companies, and retailers work together to raise awareness and educate the public about the benefits of safeguarding their photos. Participation ranges from social media sharing, online classes, local presentations, weekend retreats and community scanning events. Click on this link to learn more. Sponsor a scrapbooking day at your library to support this initiative.
National Read-a-Book Day (September 6, 2019)
Break out your reading glasses and favorite mug of hot coffee, because it’s National Read a Book Day! Prepare a poster using the information on this webpage and place it with your display of New Books. You could plan a “Read-In” and invite everyone to the library to sit and read quietly for a couple of hours.
National Video Games Day (September 12)
National Video Games Day is observed annually on September 12. Video game players across the United States enjoy this day with much pride and enthusiasm. From their earliest days, video games have transformed into something more than just a 2D interactive experience. Use this occasion to highlight your video game collection (if you have one) or borrow a game console and hold a video game tournament.
Roald Dahl’s Birthday (September 13, 1916)
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and fighter pilot. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Place a poster in the stacks next to Dahl’s books or bring them out to a display area. Prepare a bookmark with a checklist of titles for your patrons to pick up. Click this link to learn more about this classic author: https://www.roalddahl.com/home/grown-ups.
National Online Learning Day (September 15, 2019)
National Online Learning Day showcases how students of all ages are thriving with the ability to learn online—anywhere, anytime. It seeks to cultivate awareness of, and support for, this ever-growing community of learners and to celebrate the future of online education—wherever technology and our imaginations take us! Place a notice of this special day near your public computers. You could sponsor a program with your local community college about online learning opportunities for people in your community.
Stephen King’s Birthday (September 21, 1947)
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy novels. His books have sold more than 350 million copies, many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television series, and comic books. King has published 58 novels and six non-fiction books. He has written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in book collections. He has a book and a movie coming out this September. Arrange a display of King’s books and movies. Prepare a list of his novels from the official website https://www.stephenking.com/ and be ready to use interlibrary loan to borrow the titles you don’t have.
Hobbit Day (September 22)
September 22nd is the Birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, two characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular Middle Earth Cycle books (The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings) in which Hobbits, typically between two and four feet tall and nothing like your usual hero, accomplish great feats and amazing acts of courage. It is in honor of these creatures and those acts that the day is celebrated with events not unlike the birthday party described in the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. Display Tolkien’s books and movies or hold an event involving feasts, games, and costumes.
National Comic Book Day (September 25, 2019)
This holiday celebrates one of America’s most famous literary exports —the comic book. These publications —as we know them today —first originated in the United States in the 1930s. While they were first typically humorous in nature, it didn’t take long for authors to apply the comic style to all genres of storytelling. Today, comic books are celebrated by trading, collecting, attending conventions, online discussions and more. The genre has grown to include full-length novels, or graphic novels, and inspired countless movie adaptations. How will you celebrate? Display some of your graphic novels or find someone in your community with a traditional comic book collection and ask to put it in your display case. Consider having your own Comic-Con.
National Coffee Day (September 29)
Coffee is as integral a part of American culture as McDonald’s, rock n’ roll, and blue jeans. But if it weren’t for the Boston Tea Party of 1773, Americans may never have adopted coffee as their national morning beverage of choice. When the colonies revolted against King George III’s reduction of the tea tax, this sparked a mass switch from tea-drinking to coffee-drinking. Brew a big pot of coffee and offer your patrons a cup on this special day.
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