Pick-up Lines

I’m very excited and had to share this really not-beautiful but really successful YA Display. I got the idea from the Johnson County Library via Pinterest. (Thanks for sharing, JCL!)

I decided to go with the black and white theme and added some intrigue by calling it “Pick-up Lines”. There’s so little time at the beginning of the year, I did this as simply as I could. I had planned to lay some black paper and decorate the shelves a little more, but this is all I got done before the first classes came in.

I found a frame and a bunch of first lines, printed them out and set up the display. The first two junior high classes checked  out half the books! That’s a pretty good number here as most of my displays in that section are barely noticed. One Grade 9 student even let me know that it’s a really fun display!

I gathered the first lines from all over the place including books in my library. I’m still working on more, hoping this keeps going for a while. Feel free to use the sign or covers, for which you’ll also need the first lines list to identify the titles.

• Print 2 quotes side by side on 8.5″ x 11″ paper landscape-wise.
• Cut the sheets and glue each quote to the right side of a sheet of construction paper.
• Attach a label to the reverse, with the title, author & call number.
• Laminate the sheets.
• Wrap sheets around the book so the cover is hidden (some books are too big but so far I’ve made it work).
• Crease it a little to square off on the spine.
• Attach a piece of clear tape from the back to the front, folding the end over to make a pull tab for removal.
• Design a sign (or print mine if you like) and set up the display!

I have now made a second batch from books gleaned from my shelves including some older gems to encourage some new circulation for them. I reserve the books for myself when they are borrowed, so I can set them back up on display once they are returned. I’m keeping track of the circulation on the master list as well and may remove some that don’t end up going out at all.

Like all displays, I’m sure this will have a limited shelf-life, so I will have to keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t get stale. In the meantime, I’m happy with its effectiveness. If you try it or have tried it, let me know in the comments how it went for you. I’d also love to hear if you have any other successful YA display ideas.

Franklin Expedition Book Display

Buried in Ice has often caught student’s attention with its graphic pictures of the “perfectly preserved” body of John Torrington discovered in 1984, 140 years after his death in the frozen north. The recent discovery of one of the ships from the Franklin Expedition inspired me to create a book display with our related books and some borrowed through our regional library. A former student, now a father himself, generously delivered a close replica for the display. A QR code in the poster leads students to find out more about the find and research going on around it.

Swan Hills School Franklin Expedition Book Display

Franklin Expedition images labeled for reuse

Yellow Everyone!

Today is our first official day back for staff meetings and professional development before the students return on September 2nd. I’ve been in for a few hours here and there to get some decorating done since it’s always hard once the teacher’s dig in and the kids have occasionally come back to a very dull library.

I’m not a huge fan of books behind glass but until I get some classroom projects to display, something had to go into the entry-way display cases.

Yellow Everybody!

Orange You Glad to Be Back?

Yes that’s me dressed oh-so-professionally in my orange hoody. You can also see the bulletin board behind me covered in black paper with a bookish border. I was quite proud of myself to have the foresight to snap these shots before I cluttered up the bulletin board. I didn’t predict the reflection I did get.

Here’s the bulletin board finished.

Grow With Great Books

I kept it quite simple to showcase these great posters that I believe I got from Carr McLean.

I’d Like to Credit the Artist…

A wonderful interpretation of this ubiquitous quote by Stephen King that would translate well to a library bulletin board or book display. I just which I could tell you who made it.

Display Nicely Characterizes Product

Can’t find the original to credit the bookstore, but discovered it at 22 Words.

St. Patrick’s Day Book Displays

Bernardsville Public Library

SMU Library

Rochester Public Library

Rochester Public Library

Enokson

Freedom to Read Week: Banned Book Displays

By covs97

By Sarah Atwood

By covs97

Discarded Dictionary as Christmas Wreath

Via Library Displays where you can also see the book display that the inventive Glee Stormont made for her school library.

Great Site for Library Ideas and Printables ~ Enokson

Enokson is a talented and generous Library Technician from a junior high school here in Alberta. I’ve just discovered her photostream where she has many collections of images that she has created and posted to share with the rest of us. There are downloadable printables, bulletin boards, bookmarks, crafts and many images of happenings in her library to inspire us.