I believe libraries should offer feisty, sassy, attention-grabbing programs for adults all year long. Not only is it the mission of Libraries to serve all ages, promote life-long learning and literacy, library program attendees and users become natural library advocates and resources for future programs.
Include the why when your community, board, or library critic asks you why you are doing a program, any program. Libraries offer programming for all ages to provide community learning opportunities based on community needs and wants and to promote the many literacies citizens need to succeed today.
Why do we offer sassy programs?
Adults are natural advocates and resources
- Adults become natural library advocates after they’ve experienced a sassy library program. At work, social media, at their dinner table, family gatherings, at the bar… we’ve all seen it!
- Adults will bring their entire family into the library after a positive experience or to attend yet another awesome program.
- Adults will go to work the next day and talk about the library AND their workplace may be somewhere the library has not had a chance to visit and talk about library programs and services.
- Usually, librarians can find community members with unique/interesting hobbies to host a program. Everyone likes to chat about their hobbies at the check-out desk.
- Good news! Adults who attend programs will recommend other programs their talented friend or they themselves can host! and usually for free!
The Library Mission
- Libraries serve all ages.
- Libraries promote lifelong learning.
- Libraries promote the many literacies citizens need to succeed today.
- Libraries work to promote civic minded communities.
A few feisty program examples:
Reading & Writing Literacy
- Inked RA: Libraries Recommend Books Based on Patron Tattoos by Phil Morehart – American Libraries Magazine March/April 2018
- History on Tap, Crandon Public Library
- After Hours Readers Apps, attendees can check out new items on the spot, no wait lists, Neillsville Public Library
Employment Literacy
- Game of Careers Bootcamp, University of West Florida Libraries
- Lawyers and Librarians: Breaking Barriers to Employment, DC Public Library
Art Literacy
- Bad Art Night: Watercolors, Sacramento Public Library, Alt Library
- Beginning Street Art, Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, Indiana
- Ten Reasons to Do a Pop-Up at Your Comic Convention, Whitehorse Public Library, Canada
Technology Literacy
- Adult Intro to Computer Coding, Rib Lake Public Library
- Teen Tech Tutors, Cornwall, New York
- iPad User’s Group, Thorp Public Library
- Back to the Future: Offering Back-to-Basics Programs for Technology-Challenged Patrons, Mid-Continent Public Library, Missouri
- Free Photo Editors to Use for Your Graphics, Mount Prospect Public Library
Media Literacy
- The Ins and Outs of Media Literacy, La Crosse Public Library
- Fact or Crap: Media Literacy, PACE University, create a trivia-esque program where teams decide… fact or crap?
Health Literacy
- Punk Rock Aerobics, Sacramento Public Library, Alt Library
- Yoga for Heart Ache: Building Inclusive Programs, Woodstock, N.B. Canada
- Acupuncture, Medford
- Meditation, Tulsa (Okla.) Community College
- Mindful Librarianship, Luck, Wisconsin
- Senior Fitness Class and Chair Yoga, Coventry Public Library, Rhode Island
- Library Resource Outreach Center/Health Central, Center Library of Rochester & Monroe County, New York
Civic Literacy
- Building Merrill Together, T. B. Scott Free Library
- Root for Columbus, Columbus, WI
Inclusive Literacy
- Cultural Cooks, Saratoga Springs Public Library, New York
- Meet a Muslim, Milpitas Library, California
- You Belong: LGBTQ+ and Allies Youth Group, Toronto Public Library, Fairview Public Library
and many other literacies…