Category Archives: Display Ideas

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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As I am looking out the window at snow and anticipating even more tomorrow, I cannot believe the First Day of Spring is next month! March is the month where everyone thinks about green…St. Patrick’s Day, Spring, Frogs, etc. Pull books that have predominantly green covers and make a sign that says It’s Not Easy Being Green! Display them with a Kermit the Frog stuffed animal, puppet or picture. Your youngest patrons may not remember the song, but anyone over 30 should. Here are ten more display and programming ideas for March:

National Nutrition Month
Make this month all about healthy eating. Display your books and cookbooks on this topic—for all age levels—along with handouts and activity sheets that you can find on this website. Schedule programs such as “Smart Snacking” for kids and “How to Eat Healthy on a Budget” for adults. Host a “Lunch and Learn.” Create a “Nutrition Question of the Day” or Week and give out small prizes by drawing from the correct answers.

Music In Our Schools Month
Music In Our Schools Month is the National Association for Music Education’s annual celebration which engages music educators, students, and communities from around the country in promoting the benefits of high quality music education programs in schools. Music In Our Schools Month began as a single statewide Advocacy Day and celebration in New York in 1973 and grew over the decades to become a month-long celebration of school music in 1985. Go to https://nafme.org/programs/miosm/ to learn how to participate.

Women’s History Month
The National Women’s History Project has chosen the theme “Nevertheless She Persisted” for 2018. This theme presents the opportunity to honor women who have shaped America’s history and its future through their tireless commitment to ending discrimination against women and girls. Display your books about women’s suffrage, the feminist movement and biographies of women. Go to http://www.nwhp.org/ to learn more about the resources available to your library during this month.

National Pig Day (March 1)
National Pig Day is an event held annually in the United States to celebrate the pig. The celebration was started in 1972 by sisters Ellen Stanley and Mary Lynne Rave. The purpose of National Pig Day is “to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man’s most intellectual and domesticated animals.” Have your own pig party and celebrate Elephant & Piggie-style with Mo Willems’ Happy Pig Day! An event kit is available. Display all the rest of Elephant and Piggie’s books, too!

Read Across America Day (March 2)
Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday by doing something awesome with reading! Visit students in a younger grade and read aloud to them. Go to my Pinterest page for Dr. Seuss-inspired food, activities, and decorations.

U.S. Paper Money Day (March 10)
Hold a program to challenge your patrons to put their origami skills to the test to transform a handful of dollar bills into an amazing folded creation. Go to this website for instructions: https://www.origami-resource-center.com/money-origami.html. Display a few of the staff’s creations on the Circulation Desk to entice workshop attendance.

Ezra Jack Keats Birthday (March 11, 1916)
Ezra Jack Keats was an American writer and illustrator of children’s books. He won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustrating The Snowy Day, which he also wrote. It is considered one of the most important American books of the 20th century. Go to http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ for information about his books, activities, and grant opportunities. Display all your Keats books in the Children’s area.

First Day of Spring (March 20)
Display all your titles that include the word “Spring.” Hold a crafting workshop for children to make simple, yet beautiful, rainbow flowers in honor of springtime. Find the instructions here: http://twitchetts.com/2017/03/construction-paper-rainbow-flowers.html/.

Randolph Caldecott Birthday (March 22, 1846)
Randolph Caldecott was an English artist and illustrator, born in Chester. The Caldecott Medal was named in his honor. Display your Caldecott winners and honor books. Find a complete list on the American Library Association’s website.

National Pencil Day (March 30)
Provide pencils, paper, and drawing books, and encourage your young patrons to let their imaginations run wild as they create pencil sketches. Request up to 35 “Mood” pencils from the System Office via email (denise.cpls@gmail.com) to give away to anyone that draws a sketch. Mood pencils start out one color and the warmth of your hand makes it change to a different color.

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one week away. Your students or patrons can help you make this eye-catching display:

January is starting off really cold. We can hope that, by February, it will be a teeny bit warmer (above zero would be nice). For this month, you could put together a display of teddy bears and make a sign that says Winter is Bear-able with Books. Here are 10 more display ideas for February.

Black History Month
Each year beginning on February 1, an entire month of events is planned nationwide honoring the history and contributions of African Americans. The theme for Black History Month in 2018 is “African Americans in Times of War” honoring those brave men and women who served their countries in the armed forces, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending the American ideals of freedom and democracy. For poems, quotations, and lesson plans go to http://www.chiff.com/education/black-history-month.htm.

National Bird-Feeding Month
Display nonfiction books about birds, including the Audubon Guide to North American Birds to help patrons identify birds at their bird feeders. Books about how to build bird houses and feeders would be a good addition to the display as well as a bag of bird seed.

World Read Aloud Day (February 1, 2018)
Everyone in the world should get to read and write. Every year, on World Read Aloud Day, people all around the globe read aloud together and share stories to advocate for literacy as a human right that belongs to all people. Reading aloud to children every day puts them almost a year ahead of children who do not receive daily read alouds. Go to http://www.litworld.org/wrad to download the full World Read Aloud Day Event and Activity Packet.

Super Bowl Sunday (February 4, 2018)
Super Bowl 52, also known as Super Bowl LII, is set to be played on February 4, 2018 under the dome at state-of-the-art U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Display all of your books about football, NFL football teams, and biographies of famous football players.

National Weatherperson’s Day (February 5)
February 5th is National Weatherman’s Day, commemorating the birth of John Jeffries in 1744. Jeffries, a Boston physician and one of America’s first weather observers, began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774. He took the first balloon weather observation over London in 1784. He carried a thermometer, a barometer, and a hygrometer to the height of 9000 feet. This is a day to recognize the men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water, and climate forecasts and warning services of any nation. Display books about the weather and invite your local meteorologist to talk about weather forecasting.

Jules Verne’s Birthday (February 8, 1828)
This French writer, sometime called “the father of science fiction,” wrote Around the World in Eighty Days and Twenty Thousand leagues Under the Sea as well as many other novels. Make a poster and place it on the shelf with his famous works. Maybe it will encourage some to spend the cold winter nights rereading these exciting stories.

2018 Winter Olympics (February 9 – 25, 2018)
PyeongChang, South Korea, hosts the 23rd Winter Olympic Games. When the Olympics are on, we all watch sports that we normally don’t follow. It is exciting to watch Americans compete and to see which country has the most medals. A medal board would make a great display. Add books about winter sports and past Olympians to draw patrons’ interest. You could include information about South Korea and a map to show where the games are taking place. Go to http://www.nbcolympics.com/ for more on the Olympic Games.

Sidney Sheldon’s Birthday (February 11, 1917)
This prolific American writer was born Sidney Schectel at Chicago, Illinois. He wrote for movies, Broadway musicals, and TV series, including “The Patty Duke Show” and “I Dream of Jeannie.” In 1969, after winning both an Academy Award and a Tony Award, he moved to writing novels and became one of the bestselling novelists in history, as titles such as Rage of Angels, Windmills of the Gods and The Other Side of Midnight were translated into 51 languages. All together Sheldon’s books sold more than 300 million copies. He died in California in 2007. Display Sheldon’s books along with a bookmark listing his many accomplishments.

Valentine’s Day (February 14)
Have you wanted to try the Blind Date With a Book program? Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to start. Select a variety of fiction books and place blank book review slips in them. Wrap them in red and pink wrapping paper. Leave only the barcode uncovered. Make an eye-catching display near your circulation desk. As people check the books out, ask patrons to fill out the book review slip inside before returning them. This is a fun way to get people to read books by new or less popular authors.

Presidents’ Day (February 19, 2018)
Presidents’ Day observes the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Present usage often regards Presidents’ Day as a day to honor all former presidents of the United States. This year you could focus on Abraham Lincoln. Display books and other material about our sixteenth President. Look in all the library’s collections…adult, children’s, fiction, nonfiction, and media.

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It is hard to think about the New Year when we are all wrapped up in the holidays. Here is an easy bulletin board to put up to start off the year. Cover the board with bright yellow or gold paper. Add the title “2018: New Year, New Books.” Then add book jackets from the new titles in your collection. Here are ten more display ideas to start 2018 off right.

Brain Teaser Month
Challenge patrons to solve riddles and brain teasers from this website https://www.everythingmom.com/parenting/45-riddles-and-brain-teasers-for-kids. Offer a prize for the most correct answers.

National Soup Month
This is a terrific time to display all your soup cookbooks. You could even get preschoolers involved by sharing your favorite version of the folktale Stone Soup.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Birthday (January 3, 1892)
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor who is best known as the author of the classic high-fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Make a poster and display all versions of Tolkien’s works (i.e. books, dvds, audiobooks, graphic novels, etc.).

Trivia Day (January 4)
The origins of Trivia Day may be obscure, but librarians can appreciate the challenge of finding bits of information. This year, have some fun with trivia at http://www.triviachamp.com/. This site includes lots of trivia facts in addition to free printable trivia questions. Host a trivia contest for your patrons…you could even have a Trivial Pursuit game night.

Amelia Earhart Day (January 11)
To honor this pioneer, display biographies of female aviators and astronauts. This is the perfect opportunity to feature model airplanes. Ask your patrons to bring in any models they have constructed and place them on top of your shelves or suspend them from the ceiling.

Jack London’s Birthday (January 12, 1876)
John Griffith “Jack” London was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. A pioneer in the world of commercial magazine fiction, he was one of the first writers to become a worldwide celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction. Display London’s books along with a bookmark listing all his titles.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15)
Although Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, the federal holiday has been celebrated on the third Monday in January by Presidential Proclamation since 1986. (It just so happens that the third Monday of the month this year IS January 15.) Display your books and DVDs about the civil rights era along with biographies of Dr. King.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Birthday (January 19, 1809)
This American poet and story writer was born at Boston, Massachusetts. He is best remembered for his poetry, especially The Raven, and for his tales of suspense. Place a poster in the stacks near Poe’s works, or host a late night reading of The Tell-Tale Heart.

International Puzzle Day (January 29)
Display your puzzle, riddle, and I Spy books.

Zane Grey’s Birthday (January 31, 1872)
Pearl Zane Grey was an American author and dentist best known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American frontier. Riders of the Purple Sage was his best-selling book. Display books and audiobooks by this popular author. Prepare a bookmark with all of his titles. Be ready to request the books that you don’t have through interlibrary loan.

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Our first snow came early this year! Here is a fitting bulletin board idea. Put a blue background on your bulletin board and then add a layer of white for snow. Place a large snowman in the center. The title is “Reading is Snow Much Fun!” Have patrons add snowflakes (they can make their own or use some that you have pre-made) with the titles of new books they read during December. Here are ten more program and display ideas:

National Cookie Day (December 4)
This is a great time to find all of your picture books about cookies for a display in the children’s area. Cookie cookbooks are always popular during the holidays. You could host a cookie exchange or give away cookies at the circulation desk. You might fill a clear jar with mini cookies and have patrons guess how many are in the jar. The closest guess gets the jar and the cookies!

Mitten Tree Day (December 6)
Establish a mitten tree at your library to help warm the hands of those in need in your community. Read Jan Brett’s book, The Mitten. Print some of the activity sheets from this website and use them for passive programming.

Willa Cather’s Birthday (December 7, 1873)
Pull out all the Willa Cather books you have. You could also display a Nebraska map with Red Cloud marked.  Put an annotated list of Cather’s books on the display for interested patrons to pick up.

Pearl Harbor Day (December 7, 1941)
Highlight your nonfiction collection of World War II history books and DVDs.

Poinsettia Day (December 12)
 A day to enjoy poinsettias and to honor Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the American diplomat who introduced into the US the Central American plant that is named for him. Decorate with some poinsettias and put a plant stake with this information in one of the pots.

Monkey Day (December 14)
Share a video about the leisurely life of spider monkeys, as well as other primate videos, on the National Geographic website. Display both fiction and nonfiction books about monkeys along with a stuffed toy.

National Ugly Sweater Day (December 15)
Provide thrift-store sweaters or sweatshirts, glue, buttons, tinsel, felt, and other supplies for your teen group to make their own ugly holiday creations. Stage a style show to crown the winner.

Chocolate-Covered Anything Day (December 16)
Ask your patrons to write down the most bizarre food they have ever eaten covered in chocolate. Then show them the list from this website. You could even have some of the treats on hand for sampling, such as regular and white chocolate covered Cheetos and chocolate covered bacon.

A Christmas Carol Published (December 17, 1843)
This holiday classic by Charles Dickens was published in a print run of 6,000 copies that sold out in one week. Display every version of this story (books—both children and adult, DVDs, audio) plus other Dickens titles.

Winter Solstice (December 21)
On this first official day of winter, find books, dvds, and cds, that remind you of the season. Display them with a fuzzy blanket. Light a cinnamon candle to complete the cozy feeling.

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https://youtu.be/V9ECMkDdJ_M

Link to the PDF with the Turkey Head.

Brrrrr! It certainly FEELS like November today. Now is the time to get dried cornstalks to tie together. Add gourds, pumpkins, and a cornucopia for a beautiful autumn display outside the library’s front door. Here are 10 more display and decorating ideas for November.

Aviation History Month
Celebrating the anniversary of aeronautical experiments in November 1782. These experiments led to the invention of the hot-air balloon, man’s first flight and the entire science of aviation and flight. Ask your patrons for model airplanes to display along with books about the pioneers of aviation.

King Tut Tomb Discovery (November 4, 1922)
In 1922, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of modern times occurred at Luxor, Egypt. It was the tomb of Egypt’s child-king, Tutankhamen, who became pharaoh at the age of nine and died, probably in the year 1352 BC, when he was 19. Prepare a display of books and DVDs about ancient Egypt and the treasure found in King Tut’s Tomb.

German Scientist Discovers X-Rays (November 8, 1895)
On this day in 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen became the first person to observe X-rays, a significant scientific advancement that would ultimately benefit a variety of fields, most of all medicine, by making the invisible visible. Make an X-ray craft to celebrate this achievement.

Sesame Street TV Premiere (November 10, 1969)
An important, successful, long-running children’s show, Sesame Street educates children while they have fun. It takes place along a city street, featuring a diverse cast of humans and puppets. Which Sesame Street character best describes you? Find out with this fun quiz. Display books and DVDs that feature the characters from this popular program.

Veterans Day (November 11)
Formerly called Armistice Day and proclaimed each year since 1926. This holiday celebrates that at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month fighting ceased in World War I. Display books about military history to commemorate this day.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Birthday (November 11, 1922)
Kurt Vonnegut was a novelist and playwright, born at Indianapolis, Indiana. 1969’s Slaughterhouse-Five, part of which was based on his WWII experience as a German prisoner of war, is frequently cited as one of the 100 best novels of the 20^th century. Place a sign in the stacks near his titles.

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Birthday (November 15, 1887)
This American artist was best known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. Place a small poster on the shelves near art books containing O’Keeffe’s paintings.

Button Day (November 16)
Use buttons of all sizes, shapes, and colors in one of these cool button crafts from Today’s Parent magazine. Display a jar of buttons and give a small prize to the patron who guesses the number closest to the number of buttons in the jar.

National Game and Puzzle Week (November 19-25)
Held during the week of Thanksgiving each year, National Game and Puzzle Week encourages family and friends to spend time together. The American Library Association’s youth division, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) created a list with several reproducible games and puzzles that you can distribute.

P.D. Eastman’s Birthday (November 25, 1909)
Philip Dey “Phil” Eastman was an American screenwriter, children’s author and illustrator. Make a small display with a poster and Eastman’s two most famous books, Go, Dog, Go! and Are You My Mother?

Library Trivia: President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone for his Presidential Library at Hyde Park, New York, on November 19, 1939. This was the first Presidential Library.

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Eclipse Day is finally here! With so many activities in August, I was delayed in working on the September Display Ideas. Here are 10 display and programming ideas for next month (which will be here in just 10 days—yikes!).

Library Card Sign-Up Month
This is a month when the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all. This observance was launched in 1987. Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to ensure every child has a library card and uses it. Fill a display with fiction about librarians and a mix of books for children about the library.

International Literacy Day (September 8)
For more than 50 years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has worked to provide every woman and man with the skills, capacities and opportunities to become everything they wish, in dignity and respect. UNESCO believes that literacy is a foundation to build a more sustainable future for all. Create a display of books written by authors from other countries.

National Video Game Day (September 12)
National Video Game Day is a holiday that has come about due to the ever increasing popularity of videos games from the 20th through the 21st centuries. It’s an unofficial holiday which is celebrated on September 12^th. This day is a great day to show just how much of a fan you are of video games. Set up a game system in your library and invite patrons (of all ages) to give it a try! (The System Office has a Wii and several games you can borrow.)

Husker Harvest Days (September 12-14, 2017)
Celebrating its 40th year, the world’s largest totally irrigated working farm show comes together once again in Grand Island, Nebraska. The show features the latest equipment, supplies and technologies available to today’s producers. Field demonstrations and crop technology exhibits are geared to Nebraska and western Corn Belt agriculture. View the newest tractors, combines and harvesters, grain-handling equipment, and irrigation technologies. Watch and even participate in live demonstrations of these as well as new models of pickups and ATVs. Livestock handling demonstrations round out the learning opportunities. Display your farming books with information about this show. Go to http://huskerharvestdays.com for details.

Roald Dahl’s Birthday (September 13, 1916)
Visit https://www.roalddahl.com/home for games, activities, and more based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Matilda, and more. Place a poster in the stacks or prepare a small display of Dahl’s books in the Children’s area.

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period. For more information, go to http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/.

Mini Golf Day (September 21, 2017)
Hold a mini golf event in the library! Find ideas for setting up your course on this Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=mini%20golf%20in%20library&rs=typed&term_meme[]=mini%20golf%20in%20library%7Ctyped.

First Day of Autumn (September 22, 2017)
Create this fun fall bulletin board (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/58/cf/87/58cf875ee0253000bcb4db6f0c951c74.jpg) along with a display of autumn-themed books.

Hobbit Day (September 22)
Hobbit Day is the birthday of the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, two fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien’s popular set of books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the books, both Bilbo and Frodo were said to be born on September 22, but of different years. Display Tolkien’s works in print, audio, and video formats along with a sign about Hobbit Day.

Banned Books Week (September 24-30)
Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read, will be held the week of September 24^th in 2017. For this year’s celebration, the coalition of organizations that sponsors Banned Books Week will emphasize the importance of the First Amendment, which guarantees our inherent right to read. Go to http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/ for more information. Display books that have been challenged or banned and encourage your patrons to read (or re-read) the titles. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

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August is a time for preparation. It is time to preserve the produce from the bountiful gardens by canning or freezing in order to prepare for winter. Display your cookbooks that are dedicated to food preservation and jelly-making along with mason jars, a strainer, a big kettle, and a long-handled spoon. It is also a time to get ready for school to start. Gather the books in your children’s area that have school, kindergarten, or teacher in the title and set them together on a shelf or a table. Here are 10 more display and program ideas for August.

Celebrate the “Dog Days of Summer”
Make a display that includes dog bones, pet toys, paw prints, and all of your books about dogs, both fiction and nonfiction, from the children’s and adult’s areas. Request donations of dog food and treats for your local pet shelter.

Family Fun Month
This month is all about having fun with the family. Hold a family game night at your library and encourage families to bring their favorite games to share. Display your books about card games and have a few decks of cards ready to distribute.

National Peach Month
Hold a screening of Disney’s James and the Giant Peach on a day before school starts and serve peach-flavored refreshments.

Watermelon Day (August 3)
Display all your children’s picture books about watermelon. Then, take your Preschool Story Time outside. Serve juicy slices of watermelon and read aloud Greg Pizzoli’s The Watermelon Seed.

Friendship Day (August 6)
Encourage everyone to make a new friend today. Display your books with the word “friend” in the title and books about friends (my first thought was about Frog and Toad…they’re friends, right?).

Kool-Aid Days (August 11-13, 2017)
Get ready for a Very Berry Kool-Aid Days Bash in Hastings this year. There will be great family fun all weekend long—featuring the World’s Largest Kool-Aid Stand. Display information about this event along with Kool-Aid packets and pitchers. You could even serve Kool-Aid to your patrons. They are sure to be delighted. Kool-Aid has played a part in summer for children across the nation…and it started right here in Nebraska!

Julia Child’s Birthday (August 15, 1912)
America’s beloved food authority, who didn’t take a cooking lesson until she was in her 30s, was born in Pasadena, CA. Child’s cookbooks and television shows encouraged Americans to cook and eat well and to be skeptical of food fads and diet strictures. “Cooking is not a chore; it is a joy.” Display cookbooks including those by Julia Child with mixing bowls, wooden spoons, and whisks.

Anniversary of the Death of Elvis Presley (August 16, 1977)
Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, died in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 42. Display all your books, music CDs and DVDs by and about Elvis. It would be fun to include vinyl records and album covers, too. I cannot believe he has been gone for 40 years!

Judy Schachner’s Birthday (August 20, 1951)
Place a poster on the shelf with her Skippyjon Jones books to commemorate Judy’s birthday. You could go on an adventure with your Story Time preschoolers by reading one of the many books in her popular series.

Frankenstein Day (August 30)
Celebrate the birth of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley (born August 30, 1797) and her creation of one of the most iconic monsters by making some Frank-inspired treats.

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