The Riley-Hickingbotham Library is hosting its own version of Library Lovers Month for the Ouachita community. The “Blind Date with a Book” program has been and will continue to be displayed near the library’s front desk until the end of the month.
According to Kristi Smith, head of the circulation and reference department at the library, this is the fifth year that Rily-Hickingbotham has sponsored “Blind Date with a Book.” Many libraries around the country hold different events throughout the month of February (in conjunction with the Valentine’s Day theme) in an effort to sponsor a love of reading in their patrons. The goal of Ouachita’s library was similar.
“We were just looking for new events that we could hold to generate interest in the library,” Smith said. “We’re not just an academic library. We do have fiction books, and if you’ve got downtime and you like to read, this is the place to come.”
In this event specifically, the staff randomly chooses approximately 50 books from a variety of genres around the library, wrapping them in plain brown paper. Each of these books are then displayed near the circulation desk with stickers describing a broad subject matter. Once the reader chooses his or her book, they take it to the desk to be checked out, only discovering what the book is after checking it out and tearing off the paper.
“We try to choose a good cross-section that a lot of viewers would like to read,” Smith said. “Part of the fun is that you don’t know what the book is.” She went on to say that there are a variety of fiction and non-fictions works, some examples being grammar, philosophy or romance.
Smith also mentioned a prize drawing that will be held at the end of the month. Within each book that has been wrapped, there is a card where the reader can “Rate Your Date.” Here, the reader can rate the book from hating it, to “friend-zoning” it to wanting to marry it. If this card is returned to the circulation desk by Monday, February 27, the reader can be entered into the prize drawing.
Since they started the program five years ago, the library has received rave reviews on social media.
“One girl that graduated a couple of years ago commented that this was the way she found one of her favorite poets,” Smith said. “Some people say, ‘I wouldn’t have chosen this book on my own just off the shelf,’ so it’s a good way to discover new authors.”
“Blind Date with a Book” is one of only a few events sponsored throughout the school year. At the end of September, the library hosts “Banned Books Week.”
“This is a national movement, as well, to draw attention to the arms of censorship and promote everybody’s freedom to read and their First Amendment right,” Smith said. She went on to say that it features about 40 books that have been targeted in public and school libraries across the country.
Other events have been October’s Scary Books Feature and April’s National Poetry Month section. Currently, the front lobby features a National Archives display on the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. Along with this display, the library has chosen a number of authors to accompany to the founders’ works.
“Blind Date with a Book” will continue throughout the rest of February. If readers wish to be entered into the prize drawing contest, “Rate Your Date” cards are due back at the circulation desk by Monday, February 27.
– Julia Williams, copy editor
