20 Subjects in 90 minutes: Themed Programs for Adults Workshop
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This document provides over 90 ideas for themed program topics and activities that can be done in a library in under 90 minutes for adult patrons. The programs cover a wide range of interests including arts and crafts, cooking, history, books, movies, money management, science, and more. Specific program suggestions are provided for each topic along with additional resources and tips for implementing the programs.
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20 Subjects in 90 minutes: Themed Programs for Adults Workshop
- 1. 20 Subjects in 90 Minutes: Themed Programs for Adults Amy Alessio amyalessio@sbcglobal.net
- 2. Pinterest Facebook groups Adapt popular event http://www.teenlibraria ntoolbox.com/tpib- programs/ Community favorites Resource books Do you have a virtual group with nearby colleagues?
- 3. THEMES! • Reading Program Themes • Library Wide Events • National Library Week • Card Sign-Up Month • Banned Books Week • Money Smart Week • Book Themed Events: • One Book, One Community • Special Events • Anniversaries of library, community, state, national • Commemorative • Events • People Sacramento PL, 2013
- 4. ARTISTIC ADVENTURES PROGRAMS ARTS IN ACTION Crafterwork Meet a New Hobby Retro Crafts Holiday Gifts on a Dime Make something from a how- to library book or DVD Design Coloring Book Pages Trash Into Treasure Make something on a theme in library Makerspace Collaborative projects – decorate parts of mural (paper)
- 5. TRY A CRAFT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE SKILLED… Flower Loom Quilling Pom Poms (think roller skates) Macrame (but no plant hangers) Woven Barrettes Scrapbooking 3-D Paper Crafts, origami, ornaments
- 6. National Library Week Kick-Off for Discover New Worlds at Your Library Art or Craft Fair and Flea Market
- 7. CREATURES Adults read to dogs too! Local animal scavenger hunt Pet parades – virtual or live Get Caught Reading with an Animal Vacation pet photos Dog food for fines – help the shelters and pantries Make Blankets for Shelters
- 8. DECADE OR TIME PERIOD PLEASERS Fashion Food Music Books, movies or TV from that time or set in that time (Happy Days) Tutorials and demonstrations of dance steps Photos – ask patrons for memorabilia, prom pictures, recipes from that era for contest Trivia Contests
- 9. WWI From Over There to Your Library •Meatless meals •Famous ads and marketing campaigns or commercials •Genealogy program on military records •Live Streaming lectures from National War I Museum and Memorial: https://theworldwar.org/ visit/upcoming-events
- 10. TOPICS FOR BOTH WWI AND WWII VEGETABLE GARDENING, CANNING AND MEATLESS MEALS KNIT YOUR BIT: PATTERNS KNIT FOR SOLDIERS
- 11. WWII AND THE BATTLE ON THE HOMEFRONT Rationing, Vegetable Gardens and Spam: WWII Foods Norman Rockwell, Marvel and other memorable art from WWII Skype program with WWII Museum Staff: http://www.nationalww2museum.org Local Veterans’ groups or reenactors Rosie, Spies and Farm Corps: the role of women during WWII (Marilyn Monroe) Memorabilia sharing Victory Tea
- 12. 50’S Vintage Car Shows Vintage Apron Decoration (or Poodle Skirts) History of Billboard Hits Soda Fountain Mixology James, Audrey or Marilyn Movie Fest Korean War
- 13. LIBRARY LUAU Dancing Decorations Ukulele Taste of the Hawaiian Islands Pineapple, Poi and Spam? Volcanoes and more travel presentation Drink mixology WWII tie-in with history
- 14. 60’S Elvis, the Beatles, Neil Diamond and Woodstock October Sky, the Rocket Boys and Space mania Tie Dyeing (socks, accessories, something different) Cooking Trends: in the van,easy gourmets, Cocktail Parties Anniversaries: Assassinations of JFK, Bobby and MLK Jr.
- 15. DESIGN YOUR OWN BOMB SHELTER CONTEST
- 16. 70’S •10 Tips for Saving Energy in Your Home •Retro Game Night , or What can you build with an Erector set or Tinkertoys? •Woven Oven Mitts, Macrame •Saturday Night Fever Moves •History of Tupperware •Owls Everywhere Again •Bingewatch Bradys and other popular TV Sewickly PL Pinterest Board https://www.pinterest.com/mgs311/ decades-1970-s/
- 18. DELICIOUS READS AND MORE: FOOD EVENTS Tasters Club Treats and Beats by the Decade Delicious by Ruth Rendell and popular foods mentioned from WWII and modern times
- 19. RECIPE SCRAPBOOKING Glue copies onto 8 ½ x 11 cardstock or scrapbook paper Stickers, printed recipes and quotes from cutters Page protectors for 3-ring binder Have patrons bring copies and exchange for drop in program Ties in with holiday or international themes
- 20. HOLLYWOOD COMES TO THE LIBRARY Gourmet Popcorn After Hours Oscar Night Party Short Movie Festival Local Actors, Filming Locations Hollywood Hauntings
- 21. HORROR-IBLE IDEAS Retro Halloween Night 80’s monsters: Freddie, Chucky, Jason Dress in Halloween or 80’s Duct tape or toliet paper costumes Finish the scary story contest or flash scary fiction 1000 words Storytelling 101 Goosebumps TV fest Walking Dead still big
- 22. OFFSITE CAMPFIRE AND S’MORES BUFFET NIGHT
- 23. Who Chooses the Summer Reading Theme at Your Facility? MID-POINT POLL
- 24. Improv How To Open Mike Night for NextGen, Adults Comedy Movie Festival from Chaplin to Carrey, Holiday Comedies, British Comedies HUMOR
- 27. DO IT YOURSELF FEST: USE STAFF TALENT
- 28. Money Smart Resources Demonstration Tip Board Teen or NextGen Budget Contest Budgeting and Investing Apps Coupon Clipping
- 29. Money board game tournaments Prizes for winners, most in savings, other categories Design town Monopoly board or Life game and play at another session
- 30. MYSTERIOUS EVENTS Crimescene as display or one-time program (Paper Towns program) 2008 Texas Teen Reads Manual Local scam alert programs Mystery flavors Classic crime TV & movies T/F Town ordinance laws vs. historical Self-Defense Puzzle tournaments Puzzle & Scrabble crafts
- 31. OUT OF THIS WORLD: SPACE AND FUTURISTIC Space Comedy or Alien night with paper airplane contest Recycled Rockets Starry eyed jewelry crafting History of fortune telling Library of the Future Movie Contest
- 32. SPORTS OR OLYMPIC YEAR: READ FOR THE GOLD! Recreate Guinness everyone read event or other events Mini Guinness Book games Fit Fair Tech Fair 5K Ready in January Match Mascot to City Trivia
- 33. STEAMPUNK Timepiece & gear crafts Conventions: Fashion parade Crafts Victorian history Popularity of authors like Gail Carriger Ship Design Contests Model Train Days
- 34. LARP Artists Alley Animation and video effects Action figure easy stop- motion What is Your Superpower? board Comic and Toy Fair with appraisals Comic book discussions, little known or international superheroes Superhero Staff
- 35. Classic video games Virtual branch scavenger hunt Demonstrate Raspberry Pi for Pie Day Old time photos or travel photos with Green Screen, costumes Find your family in Genealogy drop in TECHNOLOGY TIE-INS
- 36. WORLD OF IDEAS Virtual Travel and tasting for countries, regions World of Flavors tour with phrases International holiday traditions World famous candies Artists by country, copy their style on tiles, t-shirts Local travel through time
- 37. WORLD OF IDEAS: SAVING THE WORLD • Terrarium make and take with recycled toys, containers • Paint library rain barrel, auction • Garden design contests, or implement in community • Tips on write on boards • Recycling drives each month
Editor's Notes
- Description: Themed events are popular throughout the year at libraries and community colleges, and often entice a lot of visitors. In addition to summer reading programs, One Book community tie-ins, special themed weeks (Money Smart, National Library Week), and anniversary celebrations, are you ever wondering what else you could provide for adults to get them interested and engaged? I will introduce you to 20 themes that you can use, including three or more program ideas per theme. While outside performers and groups are often necessary to hire to meet these themes, many topics can be addressed by staff run events. 3 program suggestions for each of 20 themes **Photo from your library, you get a prize! Email me. Intro Background: few years children’s, 19 years Teen, several years adult readers advisory, giving programs on food/book/recipe/decades themes at local libraries and community colleges. If I discuss my programs, it is because I hope you will take my ideas and adapt them for your own. Themes are all about brainstorming, but it can be hard to know what patrons will attend. These are some I’ve done or seen that are meant to give you ideas for themed events or for any time of the year that may appeal to your patrons. Often your most popular events can be squeezed into themes. For example, a book trivia or bingo event for adult could easily have a mystery or horror theme Quick overview of each theme – meant to be fast touch on each theme. Not getting into details on how to fund or staff these, though I will discuss variations on making them simpler or running them in a stand alone version vs. a theme.
- Some of these ideas may seem obvious, but I have included variations, or new ways to do some favorite returning events, or ways to spin them for different themes. *I will have outline/all copy on slides available attached to the survey for this program or you can email me What social media are you using now? Community favorites – could you partner with senior centers or park districts to stretch funds, get bigger audiences? Theme + library – may not always work Lewis & Clark anniversary Idea bubble board
- SRP historically remembered by families, associated with library – look how many books celebrated in Sacramento PL Many schools have required titles Schools give credit at elementary level for participating. May be chance to bring in new families, those who come only once a year Food – works with all ages Lewis & Clark – does not Community College – read Brokaw’s book: Many of these will cross over (hints on those given on the handout), or work with other themes such as history
- Perfect in time of hands on makerspaces Adults Rarely Have time to craft, can be expensive to Make Something From Library book contest welding woodworking – people have tools in makerspaces as they may have limited time, funds, opportunity to do something new Play DVD and set up materials Break cheap dishes for easy mosaics Run same day as craft fair – we have craft fair/flea market on NLW Sunday Try Something New Fair fee for kits, demos from staff, stores (doing earrings, and self defense for local library for try something new day) Retro crafting program holiday retro crafting
- **Many of these would work for Decades programs, to No Time to learn these? Set up supplies, You Tube demos on ipads or laptops at stations Scrapbooking recipe page All remembered this, one did it before I came back Some seniors just love to make one thing over and over Some can’t do it, enjoy trying Show short presentation – You Tube! And let them work. I am not good at these crafts, I don’t have to be.
- Art Fairs Add demonstrations Flea Market/Craft Fair
- Animals, last year we did Paws to Read in IL Read to a dog popular in youth areas, why not for adults. Many seniors had to give up pets when they move to assisted living, and would enjoy this, or participating if they do not want to read out loud. Animal scavenger hunt – take pictures of sightings in the area of birds, lizards, anything unique to your area Pet parades outside the library - photo contest? Does your pet join you when reading? Get Caught Reading with an Animal Do local pet shelters need something? Knitted blankets, supplies? Bring something in to erase fines, or have a Knit In to make the pet blankets Creatures – also horror, we will get to that.
- Teens always ask if I have fashions in my closet Books – Peyton Place vs. 50 Shades of Grey Bestsellers from each decade Series – programs in each month by decade Make it easy – same program – fashion photos, costume snack themed night, watching the movies
- Grandfather’s regiment. Arrow with Me. Public Relations War Fewer kids know about this – at least with other wars there are some veterans left to meet and listen to stories. Local public libraries in my area did a One Book program with M.L. Stedman, the Light Between Oceans. Food of WWI, served oreos, … First time Victory Gardens were introduced War of propaganda – public opinion was actively courted and united for the US to get involved NYPL did exhibits on the art and media used “ The Fight for the American Mind.” Music from Irving Berlin National War Museum in Kansas City, MO 1914 – 1918, some libraries delve into the 20’s and the Great Depression
- Extension centers from state universities Rationing, Victory Gardens and Spam: WWII Foods Normal Rockwell, Marvel and Other Memorable Art from WWII Skype program with WWII Museum staff: http://www.nationalww2museum.org
- 50’s and 60’s were distinct in terms of fashion and music as well as in terms of historical happenings Car shows Aprons – pocket decorations, circle skirts, poodle decorations inexpensive lots of chefs aprons, or invite people to bring in a plain one, show some cute pocket or painting decorations. Use markers, printed and iron on transfers Not hard to set up soda fountain bar Luau – grass skirts, history, pineapple, Spam, music Memorabilia sharing and showing at Korean War presentation and Social
- American Fork PL National Archives Atlantic City Dancing Ukele music Can hire Serve pineapple Make a volcano Travel
- Have any of you eaten Space Food Sticks? Email me for a prize Blast Off or Space themes also work with some of the 60’s tie ins Space exploration: Rocket Boys, October sky (set in late 50’s, start of 60’s space mania) Show Blast From the Past Play oldies plus new covers
- Form or description of basic needs Fallout Shelter Flash Fiction Contest Atomic cake – all flavors if the bomb came? Or just advertising What would your end of the world plan be?
- Photo from national archives, Florida State Archives
- 70s special Lots of spinal taps but still entertaining viewing. Teach some modern techniques Babysitting training grows up – infant CPR Health checks
- Crossover from Decades Few teen events that are not food related Tasters club: cereal, bars, crackers and cheese combinations, fruits and dips, chocolates, holiday candies Three hole punch scrapbooking paper, glue on recipe (copy), add stickers, words, etc. Delicious Foods from labels Treats and Beats by the Decade Microwave Magic
- Crossover from Decades also – winners by decade Hollywood fashions by decade Movie Fest Ideas Gourmet Popcorn Demos different spices cheeses Mix with pretzels, caramel sauce Oscar Night After Hours, fundraiser movie fest Oscar fest leading up to it Local Famous People festival, places Woodstock IL, Groundhog Day Hollywood Hauntings Dress Like Actor contest Short Movie Night Movie Theaters review Decades of Movie Candy
- Ghost story night NextGen did campfire version Goosebumps movie appeal to those who collected them years ago as kids – 20’s 30’s Classic horror films Finish the scary theme Hitchcock fest Duct Tape Halloween costumes Retro Halloween party Pumpkin decorating Great Gourds! Scarecrows outside the library Costume and make up art Zombie festival Walking Dead patrons 30 second scary clip movie contest plus viewing party Get Scared at the Library
- Made with pound cake , fruit Bring your own flashlight Storyteller Scavenger hunt outside
- What was the most challenging theme you’ve worked with? www.mandatory.com
- Smilies also work for 70’s Surprisingly Popular – how to do Improv Local theater teachers Open Mike Night for Adults Emoticon Story Contest Joke Writing Contest – library theme G of course Funniest Photo on theme Humor by Decade movies – Chaplin to Carrey Holiday comedies Classic Comedy Fest – Romantic Comedy Fest for Valentine’s Day British humor – Jeeves and Wooster,
- Many of the Artistic programs also cross-over here, but as we know the Makerspace has emphasis on technology **ALA has Top Trailblazing Projects including Mesa Thinkspot People do not have time to craft, or money or space to get tools. Learning something new is what we’ve always been about. The Makerspace is a new term for an organized place to experiment. Some libraries have Makerboxes people can check out and use for projects. Squishy circuits is easier as a drop in 3D printing takes time – so two session jewelry Couple of these are associated with books and paper The iPod may be a bit dated, but plenty of people could use a phone docking or something similar Crafting for charity – make squares, or communal blanket project, all work on some art for charity raffle, like rain barrel decoration
- Budgets small – limit for some demos, just like drop in days at craft stores
- Can’t hire people? Demonstrate the online courses in budgeting, investing in lobby Teen or Next Gen budget – give amounts, life happenings, like live Life game Play life or Payday when finished Demonstrate a few apps Have board with post its for money and saving tips for all ages
- Life Sized Life or Payday games LaVista PL life sized life for young adults Or have set budgets, choose from made up colleges with realistic tuitions, spin for # of kids
- CSI for seniors Library crimescene – one day or set up as display **Prize for most creative, most elaborate (no truth needed) Footprints on floor https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/projects/ttr/2008/manual/whodunit.html Texas 2008 Teens Read Manual Local police always popular (drug sniffing dogs at teen holiday program) Mystery flavors – drop of essential oils, unusual chocolates and prizes for guessing correctly, potato chips
- 60’s Rocket Boys, October sky program Paper airplane contests at end - books with serious ones in it Runes, basic palm, tea leaves
- Hopkinton PL fundraiser Glow in the dark golf in the library, fundraiser Read for the Gold – 2016 Illinois summer reading Self defense Local Olympians 5-K Ready: Overview of ones in area, tips on how to train January, resolutions Recreate Guinness Book, bouncing balls, stacking things, dunking Oreos Fit Fair
- Photo of Carol Thomas Broken timepieces from thrift shops, Earrings, necklaces (on leather strips) You don’t have to know much to host
- Superhero staff is every summer! PINTEREST Comicon – first with 800 – 1000 people photo opportunities with stormtroopers, get staff or others dressed in costumes to pose with kids in lobby Digital photos – dropped them into green screen, emailed later Harry Potter fest at end with Butterbeer Artist Alley Live Role Playing – teach fake moves for superhero scenes Make a mask, design a cape Recycled Weapon Photo of reading image with capes Tardis box
- Many of the mentioned ones had Tech Tie-ins Lower cost – like write on board Rasberry Pi with pie for national Pie day Online chat with reference Downloadable app – show staff Sign up for program Link to library social media Put item on reserve online, or online search Use online databases Download ebook or audio book 3D jewelry
- Sister City – had to have a German, Indian, Japanese, French – music, food, craft particular weeks Turkish Delight British Cadbury Belgium Chocolates – Pepperridge Farm History Japanese Pocky Kolackies Invite local patrons Riverview Park was an amusement park in Chicago, Illinois which operated from 1904 to 1967.
- Different themes