May has a variety of traditional and more adventurous reasons to set up book displays. Remember that you should use your programs and local events as inspiration as well.
Here are some suggestions for May book displays:
- May Day- There are a variety of reasons to celebrate May day. It's the traditional start to summer. You could use Midsommer (the film) as an inspiration and include some non-fiction on wicca in addition to folk horror.
It's also International Workers' Day which would mean titles about the labor movement and work in general. - Star Wars Day: May the 4th be with you - Don't limit this display to just Star Wars films and titles. Look for other space operas in your collection which could use some exposure and put out some read alikes and watch alikes for Star Wars.
- Mother's Day (2nd Sunday)- Besides the more obvious fiction and non-fiction about mother/child relationships and mothering in general, think about a "Bad Mothers" display. Books like Clay McLeod Chapman's What Kind of Mother can be used for this kind of display. (It would also be a great title for a display.)
- Harvey Milk Day- Pride isn't just for June. Remember the openly gay man to be elected to public office in California by putting up a display about the LGBTQ+ rights struggles of the 70's, California in the 70's, and include biographical works of other 70's gay icons.
- National Road Trip Day (Friday before Memorial Day)- I like to create a display with audiobook suggestions for car trips. This is a great way to integrate your digital collection into a display in your library. You can mirror a list online with one in your library.
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - Remember to look broadly at your collection and include genre fiction. A display of mysteries or romance would be a great way to introduce fans of those genres to new authors.
- Jewish American Heritage Month- Again, look broadly at your collection. Think beyond just books about the Holocaust. I have a masters degree focusing on the Holocaust but like any community, the Jewish American experience is greater than just tragedy.
- Mental Health Awareness Month- This would be a great display to pair with local resources or even a program. Add information patrons can take with them about any local agencies or groups.
- Memorial Day- This is a holiday to honor those who died while serving in the US armed forces. Keep this in mind as you plan displays and any active or passive programs. Having your local veterans groups table in your library or someone from the VA come in to explain available services would be a way to tie a display into programming and make new connections in your community.
- Cinco de Mayo - Please research the history of this holiday and what actually happened on that day before you set up a display. It's not really about tacos and margaritas. There are plenty of Mexican and Mexican-American authors you can promote from your collection.
