Emily T. Wichman - Librarians Guide to Passive Programming

This initial chapter has more programs than any other, which makes sense because libraries, at their core, are still very much about books. While some of our patrons visit only to use computers, or the meeting room, or to research a specific problem, it's safe to say that a significant portion of library users are also book lovers. The programs in this chapter acknowledge and celebrate that shared interest. Youll find programs based on the physical nature and appearance of books. Mr. Gnome Reads the Classics has participants identifying books by a portion of the cover art. Name That Story challenges participants to identify book titles from visual clues. The Shredded Book Contest literally asks patrons to see if they can identify a book from its very small parts. Other programs, such as the Laid-Back Book Club and The Literary Gnome, encourage discussion about books and the discovery of new titles. Use passive programs to feature authors. Library users try to identify bestselling authors by the first lines of their books in Guess the Author. Our Books Go Far gives a nod to the simple pleasure of leisure reading by encouraging patrons to share their vacation reads. The best part about reading-themed passive programs is the opportunity to promote your collection. Any book display can be livened up with an activity. Think about the theme, no matter what it is, and I bet you can come up with a passive program to accompany it. The possibilities are endless!

All books begin in their own special way, but some are certainly more memorable than others. A good opening line will make you laugh, make you think, or maybe even make you pause; but above all, it will make you eager to read all of the lines that follow. The ability to craft an intriguing opener is an art that deserves to be celebrated. While the literati sometimes scoff at those authors who repeatedly top the New York Times bestseller lists, these writers certainly deserve credit for their engaging writing styles that pull readers in again and again. Just how familiar are library patrons with those bestselling authors? Test reader knowledge by challenging them to identify authors by a selection of opening lines from the authors most popular novels.

1. Decide how many weeks to run the contest and choose one New York Times bestselling author for each week. The authors chosen should be very popular at your own library and should have a sufficient number of novels that you will always have a least a few in the building.

2. For each author, identify interesting first lines from five of his or her books. To keep the contest from being too challenging, it's best to choose openers from recent titles or older works that are still read regularly. Pick first lines that provide participants with valuable clues, such as character names, place names, or a sense of writing style. Short first lines, like a character's exclamation, are best avoided.

3. Create a sheet for each week that explains the contest rules and lists the five first lines from the week's mystery author. Rules can be basic: a different author will be featured each week, only one entry per participant per week, and answers must be correct in order to be eligible to win. One correct answer from any week should be sufficient to be entered in the final prize drawing; don't expect your patrons to submit answers every week. After the first week, you can note on the bottom of the sheet the identity of the author featured the previous week ().

4. Create a poster promoting the program () and answer sheets. You will need to be able to identify which answer sheets correspond with which week in order to know whether responses are correct. Either print each week's answer sheets in a different color or label them by week. The answer sheets should ask the name of the week's mystery author and the patron's name and phone number.

5. Launch the program with a poster, the weekly sheet of first lines, the first-week answer sheets, pencils, an entry box, and the contest prize (). Surround these items with books by a variety of different bestselling authors. Use this as an opportunity to promote all of the different material types in your library's collection, by including regular print, large print, books on CD, and any other formats.

6. Consider providing participants with a hint. I noted on the weekly sheet of first lines that the week's mystery author was among those featured in the book display. The challenge of this approach is that you need to follow through and make sure that a book by that author is always on display. Recruit your coworkers to help you in monitoring. Alternative hints could include the first letter of the author's first name or the author's birth year.

Determine participation by counting the number of submitted entries.

Figure 1.1 Sheet with five first lines from the week's mystery author (Fern Michaels). Instructions, a hint, and the answer to the previous week's challenge are provided.

Figure 1.2 Guess the Author program poster. Courtesy of Clermont County Public Library and the author.

Figure 1.3 Guess the Author program set up and in progress.

Book clubs are a programming staple, with most public libraries offering at least one. While your library is sure to be full of avid readers, I expect only a very small proportion of them attend your book club gatherings. Surely more people are interested in talking about books. What keeps them away? Is it the meeting time? The stress of completing a book by a certain date? The structured nature of the discussion? Fear of sharing ideas in front of a group? Negate these concerns and create some new book club converts with a Laid-Back Book Club!