2016 Called: It Wants Your Library Back

(recording contains additional information)

This 2016 nostolgia is fun, until it isn’t.

Reliving what seems to have been a better time offers a much needed escape from the fears of today. But, remember not everyone’s yesterday is the same. 2016 can be as fraught with trauma every bit as much as in 2026. Be careful.

Still, there is something about the past that has us revisiting our memories from time to time. I’m not suggesting that libraries ignore the past, quite the contrary! I think embracing this look back can bring some joy, some fun, and perhaps some growth.

I’m suggesting 16 programming ideas that really can be adapted to celebrate any given year with teens and tweens in the library.

1. Little staff or time? Build a display of 2016 literary or movie award winners.
2. Anyone still have print magazines from 2016? Oh, what a display they’d make! Perhaps some may be available for purchase at places like Half Priced Books or Ebay.
3. Plan a Jeopardy night. Have teens decide the categories and research to build the questions/answers. Categories might include things like sports, music, slang, movies, TV shows, books, RIP Celebraties, and trivia.
4. Build information literacy skills by researching an event from 2016. What was the outcome of these events? Examine bias; fact vs. opinion and credibility of sources. Present findings.
5. Invite local stylists to showcase 2016 hairstyles.
6. Cmon, you’re a library! A Discussion of Bone Gap By Laura Ruby (Printz Award), Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez (Amelia Edwards Award) or Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson (Newbery).
7. Hold a junk journaling workshop. Participants can develop pages on various themes to display that are relevant to 2016.
8. How about a little video game competition featuring the most popular games form 2016?
9. Celebrate the 72 awards won by the movie, “Moonlight” with a table reading in your library.
10. Plan a game night to play some of the best board games from 2016.
11. Present a 2016 fashion show complete with snacks from the 2016s.
12. Go back through your library’s files, the ALSC blog or American Libraries to find what programming was popular in 2016 and make something old new again!
13. Hold a poetry workshop that uses titles or song lyrics from the year as poetry prompts.
14. Does your library do passive programming? You could post images of people who trended in 2016 on a white board and invite library visitors to guess the identity of the person and list some of the things they did.
15. Pokemon Go!
16. This was an Olympic year. How about an Olympics trivia game, or a Night In Rio Movie Night featuring Youtube highlights from the event?

In the middle of all the chaos, 2016 is calling. Despite it all, this can be a nice way to have some fun.

How will your library anser?

Be well and do good!

Filed under: Programs/Programming, Uncategorized