Over on RA for All, Becky Spratford has a comprehensive post about Book Riot's Best Adaptations of the Century So Far. We know that popular movie and TV versions of books drive patron interest as well as hold requests. I've addressed how to use excitement about a movie or TV show to market your collection before in this list of posts and here and here.
She includes links to her posts on the topic, including one on using them for book displays that you should definitely read.
These displays can focus on one currently hot show or movie. They can also be a generalist display of books that have been adapted. Pair them with DVDs to have patrons ponder if the book was better.
If you need more inspiration after reading Becky's posts, try these lists:
Goodreads - Listopia > Books Made into Movies or TV Shows
New York Times - Read These Books Before They Hit Your Screens in 2026
Reddit- r/suggestmeabook - Books that were made into movies or tv shows?
Reddit- r/booksuggestions - Book that have a movie/tv-show adaptation
Fulton County Library System - Movies and TV Shows Based on Books
The Booker Prizes - Booker Prize books that have been adapted for film and television
Enterainment Weekly - The 50 books we're dying to see get adapted
If you find a list online with a snappy title, you can adapt it for your displays. I give credit if I take something in its entirety. If you use "Was the Book or Movie Better?" or Entertainment Weekly's idea of what they wish was adapted, the display can easily become a passive program with patrons providing their answers either as comments to a social media post, on a bulletin board, or in a box near the display so you can preview their answers in advance. Know your community and pick the one that will work best for you.
