Week 6 Prompt

I chose to promote romance at my library.  Displays and passive programming usually get the best response at my branch instead of active programming.  The branch does not get great attendance for the programs we offer for some reason. I decided that a good display integrating a variety of old and new materials like books, audiobooks, DVD's, and CD's would be a good start. 

I went to Pinterest for some ideas on passive programming activities. One idea that I found is that patrons who read a romance book over a certain period of time would receive an entry slip to enter a drawing for a chance to win a romance prize pack. Prize packs would be funded by the Friends of the Library or by donations from area businesses.

Another idea is for patrons to make origami heart bookmarks when they are visiting the library. I would provide materials and instructions and patrons could make the bookmark at their convenience. There would be a table close to the displays where patrons could sit and craft. Another alternative would be to have bookmarks and colored pencils available for teen and adult coloring. The bookmarks that patrons colored could then be laminated.

I saw an idea on Pinterest that people could look at a romance cover and come up with a creative caption for it. This made me think that it might be fun for patrons to make their own romance cover. I thought we could have a makeshift photo booth with different accessories available (plus a small fan for that blowing hair effect). Patrons can take pictures with their own phones or the library would have a camera available at the reference desk so that patrons could take pictures. The pictures could either be printed or uploaded to the library's social media apps like Facebook or Instagram. The patrons could then give their photos exciting (and clean) captions that they might read on a romance book cover.

Patrons might stop and look at the these displays and participate in some of the activities even if they do not normally read romance. They might even pick up a romance title whether it be a CD, DVD or book while they are browsing the displays.