Developing, Implementing, and Publicizing Themed Programs
Creating Frameworks for Planning Program Series
Thinking of Library Programming as a Form of Storytelling, Collection Development, and Community Building
1. Creating Connections:
Library Programming
as Narrative
Presented by
Carole Wallencheck
& L.P. Coladangelo
Ohio Library Council Northeast Chapter Conference
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 – Kent State University
13. (Credit: NASA; ESA; G. Illingworth, D. Magee, and P.
Oesch, University of California, Santa Cruz; R.
Bouwens, Leiden University; and the HUDF09 Team)
eXtreme
Deep
Field,
or XDF
“assembled by combining 10 years of
NASA Hubble Space Telescope
photographs taken of a patch of sky at
the center of the original Hubble Ultra
Deep Field…from 2003 and 2004.”
14. Creating Connections:
Developing Themes
Chase’s Calendar of Events
News articles / feeds
Observances & anniversaries
Customer feedback
Local, national, & international
Where to get ideas…
Educational/Cultural
institutions & organizations
Popular collection areas
Community events & “buzz”
Local resources
Books (of course!)
As a community-wide read or
even for interesting ideas to explore
websites, flyers, grants, initiatives,
traveling exhibits
17. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
18. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
19.
20. Creating Connections:
Developing Themes
Library staff
Previous presenters
Where to find presenters…
Colleges & universities
Be brave and creative
about potential contacts
Organizations & institutions
Other libraries Area Museums & Associations,
Ohio Historical Society, Ohio
Humanities Council, Ohio Arts
Council
Local experts, authors, and
businesses
Who is presenting elsewhere?
Who is recommended?
21. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
23. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
24. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
Shape the narrative
25. The “Tone” of the
Program Series
Narrative Case Study:
Tales and Chronicles
of the Civil War
Just like the play, we wanted to
emphasize how the Civil War—and
perhaps even war in general—affects
individual lives and influences the
collective imagination.
26. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
Shape the narrative
Examine patterns
28. Sho-jo-ji
Japanese
Dancers
Prof. Keiko
Nakano
of JCU
The Teahouse
Fire
by Ellis Avery
Cleveland
Go Club
P
R
O
G
R
A
M
S
Japanese
Study Group
Cleveland
Kendo
Association
Yume Daiko
Akira Kurosawa’s
Dreams
Nakasendo
Travelogue
T
A
N
A
B
A
T
A
29. Islamic Art
and Textiles
at CMA
Dr.
Stephen
Cory
of CSU
Muslim
Journeys
Bookshelf
Taste and Trade
in the Islamic
World
Islamic
Center of
Cleveland
Sufi
Healing
Prince Among Slaves:
The Cultural Legacy of
Enslaved Africans
Map
Walk
John G. White
Collection at CPL
P
R
O
G
R
A
M
S
M
U
S
L
I
M
J
O
U
R
N
E
Y
S
30. Impressionism
at CMA
Dr. Miriam
Levin
of CWRU
Book Journeys &
Original Voices
Book Clubs
Family Fun
Night
French
Fashion
An American
in Paris
Cultural
Encounters
Film Series
Paris, I Love
You…
by Rosecrans
Baldwin
Dr. Tama
Engelking
of CSU
P
R
O
G
R
A
M
S
P
A
R
I
S
35. Programming “Plot Points”
Bob goes to a baseball game and brings his son,
who is fascinated with baseball statistics and the
physics of the game. They are attending a Little
League game pitched by Bob’s daughter, who, on
her mother’s side, is the great-granddaughter of
one of the original members of the All-American
Girls Professional Baseball League. This is the last
game the daughter will be able to play as she is
aging out of Little League, and heading off to
college to become a sports newscaster.
36. Programming “Plot Points”
Bob goes to a baseball game and brings his son,
who is fascinated with baseball statistics and the
physics of the game. They are attending a Little
League game pitched by Bob’s daughter, who, on
her mother’s side, is the great-granddaughter of
one of the original members of the All-American
Girls Professional Baseball League. This is the last
game the daughter will be able to play as she is
aging out of Little League, and heading off to
college to become a sports newscaster.
37. Programming “Plot Points”
baseball game
baseball history
local baseball
physics & statistics
sabermetrics
physics in sports sports physical therapy
local baseball history
All-
American
Girls
Professional
Baseball
League
sports industry/business
women in sports
World War II history
women’s history / trailblazing women
women entering fields that are traditionally “male”
front lines
homefront
39. Programming “Character Sketches”
Golden
Age of
Baseball
Baseball
Book
Discussion
Women in
Baseball
Sports Medicine
Sports Journalism African
Americans
in Baseball
Collecting
Baseball Memorabilia
Baseball Around the World
Baseball
Film Series
Historical
Origins of
Baseball
Sabermetrics
40. Community Reading Initiative Event Template
Films &
Performances
Ways to
Explore
the Book Community
Engagement
Creative &
Hands-on
Talks &
Site Visits
Movie
Based
on the
Book
Concert
Issues-based
Conversation
Book
Discussion
Crafts
Skills
Workshop
Lecture
Tour
41. Community Reading Initiative Concept Template
Hopes and
Dreams
Themes
from the
Book
Culture
Identity
Creative
Expression
Race
Class
Tradition
Family
Writing
Drawing
Education
Personal
Fulfillment
42. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
Shape the narrative
Examine patterns
Draw audience “vectors”
Maximize marketing
48. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
Shape the narrative
Examine patterns
Draw audience “vectors”
Maximize marketing
Widen audience
49. Practical Value of Themes
Eliminate “blank slate”
Focus efforts
Provide options
Hone selections
Offer flexibility
Allow for adaptability and
responsiveness
Shape the narrative
Examine patterns
Draw audience “vectors”
Maximize marketing
Widen audience
Connect community to
information and to larger
topics/events
50. Creating Connections:
Bridging Knowledge and Community
Programming as Collection Development
Additional resources to point customers toward
Book displays and other passive programming
Reading lists and bookmarks
Working with selectors to support programming
Providing programming that supports the collection
Developing programs to support your community
51. Creating Connections:
Bridging Knowledge and Community
Programming as Community Building
Book discussions; read-ins; storytelling
Learning groups and microcommunities
Local experts and panel discussions
Relationships within your own organization
Relationships with other organizations
Encourage new ideas and engagement