Theme It Up!

brighten up your library space

About Me

• My ninth year as a middle school librarian.
• I taught first grade for five years and third grade for one year.
• Hated reading at one point in my life.
• Huge fan of fantasy and science fiction.

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My Goals

• Leaving here today, I hope you feel inspired to

try a new theme or just get excited

about something new.

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Think Big

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*Think about where you shop

Target

Kohl’s

*Think about where you vacation

Disney, the beach, Universal

*Transport us to another world or something different

*Pop Culture: Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why, Marvel, DC Comics, Movies being released

*Cultural Events

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Turn and Talk

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What display or theme have you used recently?

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What are your Patrons into right now?

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Decorate�

Book Displays

Market to you patrons

Themed Camps

• Bring your ideas together for a summer camp, after school program, or a club.
• Patrons love themes: they can be extremely passionate about them.

Organize

Planning Checklist:

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*How many people will attend your event or camp?

*What ages?

*Time frame? Hour long session/Week long?

*Get inspired, go onto Pinterest, Google, get your ideas.

*Classes you will host? Will you make wands or run multiple classes? This will give you an idea for budget as well.

*Who will help run your event?

*Permission slips, allergies, etc.

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Getting Inspired

Funding/Market to Patrons

• Grants

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• Patrons can pay a fee

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• Check with community

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• Ask for donations

Schedule of Events/Classes

Decorate

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• Books around the chosen theme: First find areas to display books, on top of shelves, extra cases, by check out counter, on library tables, by computers, and put them up. Let patrons check out the books on display.
• Add extra flair when you can. Spider webs, wanted posters, have patrons make suggestions or posters for some of their favorite books that match your theme.
• DIY: find things you can make yourself
• Use some of your funds to purchase items for your camp.

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*You can also make this a background for a photo booth.

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*This can be interactive as well.

Video

Some Specific Ideas for HP Camp

*Tape/pipe cleaner bowtruckles with adoption certificate

*Sorting Quiz (online or make your own) and sort campers into houses

*Hp props for photo booth

*Whole camp picture

*Themed dress up day: dress as a character

*Paint Hogwarts on canvas boards

*Dueling club

*Trivia questions to ask during or at the end of classes.

*Transfiguration/Baking: Nagini bundt cake, Happy Birthday Harry Cake, pumpkin pasties, butterbeer, rock cakes

*Potions: oobleck, ivory soap in microwave,

*Quidditch

*Mask Making

*Claymation

*Scavenger Hunt

*Wand Making

Amazon, Walmart, and Oriental Trading are great places to buy supplies.

Volunteers

*Recruit volunteers. Parents, older students, teachers.

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*If interested, have them plan or run a class for you.

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*Have a gift and thank you card.

Enjoy Your Theme

Evaluate:

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*What went well? What could be improved?

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*Have attendees answer what they liked/what they would improve.

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*Change it up. If you run a similar camp the next year add new things.

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My Goals for this Year

• Incorporate BreakoutEdu into themes
• Test run a patron marketing group
• To continue to try new themes, contests, and ideas
• Continue to build a digital presence for our library

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Questions?

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Contact

Ranell Cox

Ranell.cox@aps.edu

505-235-2910

Blog: https://desertridgelibrary.wordpress.com/

GoodReads: Ranell Cox

Mrscoxslibrary

https://drms-aps-nm.schoolloop.com/library