Holiday Displays and Reading Promotions

Seasonal decorations and displays are a pretty standard part of library life, but at a certain point, it's time to find a new approach. There are only so many holiday books in a library collection, and let's face it, high school kids aren't really into reading up on cultural traditions. I still put out my traditional display, but last year I decided that it was time to add something new as well, because I wanted a holiday display that promoted reading rather than just looking festive. It was such a hit that I decided to make it a new tradition.
I built a tree out of books (a trend that has really caught on it seems -- you can even find tutorials online) and then wrapped library books to put out as presents. The books weren't just for show, though. I actually was adapting a Valentine's Day display idea I'd seen, the "Blind Date with a Book." Each book gets a gift tag with a few cryptic words on it describing the plot, but the student doesn't actually know what they've checked out until they unwrap it. It's a great way to circulate some hidden gems that might not have the most eye-catching covers. This is one of my most popular and effective displays, mostly because of how easy it is for the students to help me promote it -- whenever I have a student check out one of the wrapped books, I ask them to wait until they get to class to open it, and to tell their curious classmates where it came from. Works like a charm.

Mystery Present How-To:
Supplies: Library books, wrapping paper, tape, gift tags (not the sticker kind)
Pick your books, following any theme you want. I usually go for older books that are great but don't get a lot of love. Once you've got your books, make a gift tag for each one. I use die cuts, but store bought would be fine as long as they're not self-adhesive. I write the barcode of the book on the back of the tag so that I don't have to unwrap it to check it out, and on the front, I write 3 or more words or short phrases that describe the book without giving it away to someone who's not already familiar with the book. For example, a gift tag for Harry Potter might say "orphan, boarding school, good vs. evil, magic."

Next, wrap the books and tape the gift tags to the outside. Take special care not to mix up the tags, and make sure you tape them so that you can still flip them up to look at the barcode when you check the books out.
A few extra tips: 1. Make sure your students understand that these books are still being checked out, and need to be returned just like any book they don't unwrap. 2. Have a stack of books ready to wrap when your first batch gets checked out. 3. If you use desensitizing cards with your security system, give the student the card when they check out the book and ask them to put it in the back once they've unwrapped their gift. You may have to deal with the alarm sounding when the student walks out, but it's worth it, because you really can't beat the publicity that comes from students unwrapping library books in front of their peers.