September is a big month for library celebrations! It is Library Card Signup Month which makes for easy active programming and in-house promotion. Don't forget to reach out to those people in your area who don't use the library but who would be interested in your digital services including eBooks and eAudiobooks. As always, don't assume that everyone knows they can checkout digital titles from their libraries; not everyone knows about our collections and services.
The theme of the official ALA merchandise is Elemental - a Disney/Pixar film. You can tie the theme of that movie into online booklists and book displays. Fire, water, land, and air could each become a separate display for youth and adults. Interpret the theme broadly - titles can include one of those words or the theme can be included more broadly in the book or movie. The goal is to market your collection's backlist. No one will be grading you.
Ask patrons if they would like to have their pictures taken with a larger version of your library card and have a picture posted with the card and their favorite book. It is likely to be a backlist title. It also creates a greater sense of belonging to the library. You can even go out to events in your community in September and promote library card signup with that giant card. Get local community, business, and civic leaders to pose with the card for your blog and/or social media.
Passive programming ideas would include asking patrons to write a few words about why they appreciate their library card. You can set up a wall display to post their answers or include them on your social media.
Other events in September and ideas for book lists/displays include:
Labor day: Youth and adult fiction and non-fiction about working, working life, and workers. Books about career change, career improvement, and different kinds of jobs.
History of Labor Day - US Department of Labor
Popular Work Related Books - Goodreads
Top 10 Novels About Office Jobs - The Guardian
The Grit of the Grind: 5 Novels About Work - Book Riot
Labor Books - Goodreads
There is Power in a Union: Fiction and Non-fiction About the Labor Movement: The Seattle Public Library
11 Novels Starring Essential Workers: Electric Literature
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: Youth and adult fiction about Judaism, Jewish history, and the holidays themselves. Books about Jewish cooking. Fiction by Jewish authors.
Kids Books for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur - New York Public Library
11 Rosh Hashanah Books for Children - Book Riot
Popular Yom Kippur Books - Goodreads
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Books for Children: Jewish Book Council
Reading Lists - Jewish Book Council
6+ Books to Teach You About Judiasm (So Your Jewish Friends Don't Have To): Book Riot
High Holy Days - A Guide to Religious Observances - Brandeis University
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - University of Denver
Mawlid: Youth and adult fiction and non-fiction titles about Islam and Islamic history. Fiction by Muslim authors
Birthday of the Prophet: Mawlid al-Nabi - The Pluralism Project, Harvard University
Islam Books - Goodreads
6 of the Best Islamic History Books - Book Riot
Council of American-Islamic Relations
Fiction by Muslim Authors - San Francisco Public Library
Muslim Authors in Adult Fiction, Memoirs, Poetry and Graphic Novels: Madison Public Library
Picture books by Muslim Authors: Ypsilanti Public Library
Equinox: Youth and adult fiction about autumn/fall. Books and movies about neopaganism and the holiday as a pagan holiday. You can use general books about witchcraft, paganism, and tarot to fill the display. Don't forget urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and horror with those themes.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Search your youth and adult collection for titles by Hispanic authors. It's a good time to analyze your collection for titles by these authors and add some if you have difficulties finding enough for a display. You can also add non-fiction and DVDs about those countries to the displays/lists.
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month With Books for All Ages - New York Public Library
Hispanic Heritage Month Books- Goodreads
Board Books and More: Hispanic Heritage- Colorín Colorado
National Hispanic Heritage Month - US Government site with information from various agencies including the Library of Congress
Introduction to Latinx Heritage in Horror 2022 - Horror Writers Association
10 Delightful Romances by Latinx Authors - Chicago Public Library
12 Latine SFF Books You Definitely Should Read - Book Riot
9/2 World Beard Day: Find backlist titles with bearded folks on the cover. Book displays can be as simple as this. Setting up this display can be delegated to any library worker. (I usually leave up these kinds of displays for at least the week with the holiday in them.)
9/6 Read a book day: I save book displays about reading/libraries/bookstores for days like this. You could also set up a "read-in" in your library. Use a meeting room and encourage patrons to drop in and read for awhile in your building. Add a passive program allowing patrons to post a note with their favorite book on a wall in your building.
9/12 National Video Game Day: Youth and adult fiction and non-fiction about video games, video game characters, and the history of video games. Movies about video games.
20 Must Read Novels Based On or Inspired By Video Games - Book Riot
Books for Teen Gamers - Boston Public Library
10 Books About Gaming History That Gamers Will Love - Screen Rant
Books About Video Games and Virtual Reality - Goodreads
9/19 International Talk Like a Pirate Day: Youth and adult fiction and non-fiction about pirates and pirate history. Use the theme broadly and don't worry how accurate they are. Include movies as well.
9/12-23 National Indoor Plant week: Non-fiction books about plant care. Youth and adult fiction about plants including horror and science fiction titles. You could do a display of books with nice images of plants on the cover. Plants have become the new pets for a lot of people.
9/17-23 Tolkien Week: While books by Tolkien may be what first comes to mind, use the week to promote readalikes by authors your patrons may not have heard of. Check your non-fiction collection for books about Tolkien and Middle Earth to promote. Don't forget your DVD collection.
15 Books Like Lord of the Rings - Book Riot
14 Books to Read if You Love The Lord of the Rings - Epic Reads (YA Blog from Harper Collins)
Leave Middle Earth for these ‘Lord of the Rings’ Read-Alikes- School Library Journal
Read-Alikes for The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power - Halifax Public Libraries
I hope these suggestions are helpful. I've added links with booklists and information about the some of the various celebrations. There are lists from various publishers but I mostly didn't use them. They are fairly easy to find.
If you can't find a particular title in your collection and your library uses NoveList, check for readalikes there. Also, remember to include information about your digital collections on book displays. Not every patrons knows about that.
October is spooky season so be ready!
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