We’ve all heard the expression “Don’t judge a book by its cover” but our librarians gave the saying a new spin. They took several books and covered them in plain paper, hiding the cover but sharing a few details about the story inside. Examples included:
- Psychological fiction: complex, sympathetic, thought-provoking
- Historical fiction: intricately plotted, suspenseful, richly detailed
- Literary fiction: mystery, coming-of-age
- History: non-fiction that reads like fiction — compelling, well-researched, life stories
The library display encouraged people to “go on a blind date with a book” by taking a chance on something without seeing the cover or knowing the author. What an appropriate theme for the month.
The display took some time and effort on the part of the staff but had minimal other costs. Could your organization (or family) take advantage of the mystery theme and package tasks in a grab bag format where everyone takes one task to do (e.g. clean the office refrigerator, take inventory of supplies)? Could you anonymously assign people to have lunch or a Zoom chat together to foster relationships? What about a blind date with an assortment of reports that need to be read and synthesized?
Don’t judge a library by its stodgy reputation. There are many things to learn from today’s library — including how to make content appealing.
