Children's Services and National Library Week

How to bring the fun for 

National Library Week 2016

Looking to step up your game for National Library Week in the Children's Department?  Let's be honest here - most patrons do not pay any attention to National Library Week.  Sad but true.  We're tootin' our own horns and our patrons are like..."hey, we already love our library ...what's the big deal?  Libraries schedule authors and host special events during this week - but we do that all the time. Dare I repeat...what's the big deal?  People don't really get the...Heeeere's...National Library Week...ba dum tish "feel"!

Well, despite several failed attempts in the past to make this a stand-out week in Children's Services...this year I'm going goofy. No big promo, no big energy, no hours of prep...just goofy with a camera, cell phones, some friends and a very funny twist.  Thanks to Jimmy Fallon.
Here's a little song to intro my plan... "Sunny days, sweepin' the clouds away.  On my way to where the air is sweet..Can you tell me how to get... how to get to......" Sesame friends connect with all the little kids and all the big kids, aka adults, so let's go for it! 

I went online and filled my Amazon shopping cart with a 5' tall Big Bird Wall Decal, 2 twenty inch tall fluffy stuffed animals, (Elmo and Cookie Monster), a whole bunch of Sesame Street stickers, and 4 Sesame Street books .  

Get Caught Reading - you've all heard of that.  Take pictures of families, children, teens, tweens, staff, EVERYONE reading and post them...all over social media!  But we have a twist...yes we do! Our photos will be photobombed by the Sesame Street Characters!  yep yep yep yep yep yep yep!  Well not those yepping Sesame Street martians.... but Big Bird and Elmo and Cookie Monster! I can't wait.

 Now you can do this too!  Here are some of the finer details:

Details: I will place the Big Bird Decal on a piece of foam core board and I will cut around him so he stands out as well as stands up.  He is big enough for me to hide behind...so my arms will hold Cookie and Elmo behind the unsuspecting and ever so sweet reading pair!

Take a look at Jimmy Fallon and his Sesame Street friends.  Love this so much.

We have a blue loveseat in our children's area and we'll direct our families to sit there for their "Get Caught Reading" photo op. Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Elmo will be hiding in the stacks behind this love seat.  Once our reading pair gets to reading...we'll use their cell phone to take their photos and the Sesame characters will secretly step into the background.  Photobombed!  Just wait til they see it.  Fun! We'll click pictures with our cameras too.  

Remember to provide your patron with a hashtag to use on FB and Twitter.  (Don't know what we'll use yet)  

Libraries Transform is the National Theme.  Libraries transform because we build and support an all inclusive community.  

The ever-familiar faces of Sesame Street will bring love and laughter to our little branch in April.  Elmo and Cookie Monster will help our Children's Service make a home run connection to family life in a neighborhood where 68 languages are spoken.   #librariestransform  Now's the time to toot your own horn! 

 
 P.S. (Piper Script)  Visit ALA and let them know what you and your staff are doing for National Library Week April 10 - 16, 2016.  Have fun!  Be joyful.  Be kind.  Comment!