Blind date with a book
Millard West library creates a new display to engage readers
The library put up their blind date with a book display for the month of February. The table presented a creative opportunity to get more of the Millard West community engaged with reading.“It was very interesting that the first few days of the display being up, we had groups of students gather at the table all together,” teacher librarian Mindy Jorgensen said. “It was really nice to see numerous students interested at the same time, all talking about the books and giving each other advice on which one to pick. It also cleared out our table on the first afternoon. I think we had 14 books go out after school the first day we put out the display. All the students who stopped at the table seemed interested and very willing to give one of the books a try, even though it was sight unseen, with only a few details to go by to make their choice.”
March 8, 2022
To celebrate the Valentine season, the library has introduced the blind date with a book that connects readers with a book that they pick solely based on the description. The display is located at the entrance of the library and has been a huge success within the community in getting more students to read.
Although the concept did not originate within the walls of Millard West library, the idea was meant to be something fun that would boost interest. The book’s cover information displays the page count, genre, basic setting disruptions, and a pick-up line which is meant to intrigue readers by giving a short description of the plot. This new display has had positive impacts on student reader engagement, which is apparent to teacher-librarian Mindy Jorgensen.
“I think displays like this get students interested in reading in a new way,” Jorgensen said. “Students who talk with each other about books are the best asset we have for getting others interested. Not all students are interested in what we, as adults, recommend, but they will jump at the chance to read something a friend tells them is good. Anything that gets our patrons to stop and notice a book is a great way to encourage readers and nonreaders to grab a title they might not have found if it was out on a shelf mixed in with all the others.”
For the target audience, the display has been just as eye-catching as the library team had hoped. By creating fun displays, students are able to appreciate the time the library team dedicates by picking up books from the table.
“I think the blind date with a book helps to encourage students to read because it’s an easy way for anyone to step out of their comfort zone and discover a new book they wouldn’t have read otherwise,” senior Samantha Vojslavek said. “I think it drew the attention of many students because you can check out and read a book without needing to search the whole library to find a book you like; it’s just a happy surprise instead. I wanted to participate because I have not checked out a book from the library in a while and I thought it would help motivate me to read more and find a new book/style of writing.”
With this display specifically, the team was pleasantly surprised with the attention it garnered from the community. It offered students and staff the opportunity to interact with the library in a new and exciting way.
“We have had so many students and staff members comment on the display and ask questions about it,” media paraprofessional Rainbow Dark said. “In my three years here at Millard West, it has attracted the biggest response of any display we have set up. The first day, right after school, there was a rush on check-outs from the display. A large group of students came in and chose books. Some light-hearted arguments even broke out over who would get to check out which books. We started with 17 wrapped books and had only three left by the time the library closed at 4:15.”
Along with the book, each student was able to fill out a form indicating their thoughts on the novel they had received, allowing the library team to gain valuable insight into what each of their patrons resonates with. With the success of the blind date with a book display, the library plans to continue coming up with innovative and creative ideas to get more students interested in reading.
“We will continue to create displays that we hope will get our students’ attention and, fingers crossed, lead to more books being checked out,” Jorgensen said. “We host a book challenge every spring, so that is another way we encourage our patrons to read books that might be out of their ordinary realm.”
These table displays showcase the creativity and hardworking nature of Millard West’s teacher-librarian and media paraprofessionals, so make sure to check out the future displays in the library.
