Chocolate Tasting Event

For the past two years, we've hosted a chocolate tasting event with Julie Waterman from Indulgence Chocolatiers in Waukesha. The event is always a huge success we generally cap the event at 40 people and it's always filled. The cost is $6 per person. The contact information is:


Julie Waterman
Indulgence Chocolatiers
www.IndulgenceChocolatiers.com
262-510-9980

Free program idea: Dressing for Success

Kim Koch, owner of Matchless Image LLC, is an image consultant who has presented programs to various groups and organizations around the area on how to dress and present yourself for success. I have seen her give a presentation at a Waukesha County Chamber's Professional Women's meeting earlier this year and she does a good job. She is willing to give presentations to the public at any public library in the Waukesha and Milwaukee County area at no cost. She can talk about how to dress and present yourself for that important interview and explain what works well in different career fields. She has given presentations at a few public libraries in the area. For more information and how to contact her, here is her website: http://www.matchlessimagellc.com

Feedback needed for the 2012 Adult SLP slogan!

Barb Huntington (DLTCL) will be representing Wisconsin at the Cooperative Summer Library Program (CLSP) meeting in early April and is looking for feedback for the 2012 Adult Summer Library Program slogan. Look over the list of slogan suggestions below and comment on this blog post by April 1st. I will gather everyone’s feedback and send them to Barb before she heads off to the CLSP meeting. Here’s the list:



2012 Adult Summer Reading Slogan Suggestions

"Mooning" After Books
2012 Night: Adult SRP Suggest Themes
24/7 @Your Library
A good book is my must see TV
After hours
All night long (2)
Bedtime stories: not just for kids anymore!
Before lights out: Read!
Book a Night @ Your Library
Books - where dreams come true
Celebrate Late-Night Greats @ Your Library
Celestial Summer
Curl Up with a Good Book (3)
Darkskies
Don't get left in the dark: Read

Dream a little dream/Dream a little dream; read a lot of books/Dreaming of Books to Read/Dreams come to life

Enlighten your Mind - Read!
Enrich Your Nightlife
Everything changes after dark
Explore your dreams at your library
Gaze at Good Books
Hark the Dark @ Your Library
Illuminate Your Mind@ Your Library
It happens at night
Just the FAQ @ Your Library
Let Your Library Light Your Way

Light Up the Night - Read!/Light Up Your Mind – Read/Light Up Your Night – Read

Make a date with a good book
Make the night wondrous: READ!
Midnight Reader
Midsummer Night's Read
Night Tomes @ the Library

Nighttime is for reading lovers/Nighttime is the Right Time - To Read/Night time is the Right Time @ Your Library/Nighttime is the right time to read

Nocturnal Odyssey/Nocturnal Reading
Read After Hours
Read all through the night @ your library
Read by the Light of Stars/Read Under the Silvery Moon/Reading Under the Stars
Secrets and shadows
See the Light @ Your Library
Share the Light--Read!/Shine a Light in the Dark - Read!
Star Gazing/Book reading
Stay Up Late with a Good Book
Step Into the Night @ Your Library
Stress-Buster Reading
Sweet Dreams and Good Reads from the Library
The Dawn of a New Book
Turn on the Light @ Your Library
Under the Cover of Night
Volumes of the Night!
Work all day, read all night!
You've Got all Night to Read

Holistic programs

I've had good attendance for any type of holistic health program I plan. Recent programs have included: relaxation techniques, hand massage, health benefits of tea, visual journaling. Upcoming programs include help with insomnia & meditation for healthy eating.

Card game/board game program

Thanks Laurie for setting up this blog. Up until now I've just been an observer but now I have an actual question!

Has anyone ever hosted a card game or board game program for adults? I am looking into getting one started but have a few questions as to how the games were acquired, the length of the program, the turnout, which games were used and the regularity of the program.

Thanks!

Adult Summer Reading Program Resources

The California Library Association has a web page that provides good ideas and resources for setting up your own adult summer reading program: http://www.cla-net.org/summer-reading/AdultSRP.php

Basketmaking and Energy bills

I have scheduled two programs for March and April. One is a free program on saving on energy bills presented by Focus on Energy and the other is a basketmaking program where patrons will make their own tulip basket. The program is limited to 12 people and they pay $20 for supplies at time of registration. I am hoping it sells out! This is the first adult craft I've tried so hopefully people will sign up.

Landscaping for Birds

Mariette Nowak is an author from East Troy. She wrote Birdscaping in the Midwest. She'll be doing a program at the Alice Baker Library in Eagle at the end of January. Her e-mail address is mmnowak@wi.rr.com. Her phone number is 262-642-2352. Thought some of you might be inteersted in doing a similar program. I've booked her for $50 since she doesn't live far from Eagle.

Great Idea!

I recently noticed that the Franklin Public Library is sponsoring a winter Adult Reading Club called "Resolve to Read!" More info can be found at: http://www.mcfls.org/franklin/Resolve%20to%20read.htm

Kudos for a GREAT idea! (Wish I'd thought of it.)

Event Promotion/Marketing

Maybe we're the only one with this problem, but when we invite a wonderful guest, do the posters, send the press releases and do all the other 'right' things, we still aren't assured of good attendance and I always wonder if there was something else we should have done.

Thinking of promoting our events in terms of "marketing" is a newish concept for me--it seems so "corporate," or something, but Laurie Boettcher 's (PR guru at Indianhead Federated Library System) blog says this about marketing events using social media: "Social media is not a craze, this really is a powerful new way of marketing. It is not, however, a one-size-fits-all guaranteed success. With each marketing campaign we do for an event, new program, new service, or whatever, we do our research, do our very best, and then hope our strategy was on track and works. Social media is no different. It's another tool in our belt that helps us reach our target audience. But, it only reaches that audience if we actually do it." Here is her blog address: http://laurieboettcher.blogspot.com/ .

Healthy Aging Program

Last Monday I hosted an adult program, Healthy Aging, presented by an Aurora nurse. I had a turnout of seven people which I thought was pretty good since it was my first try. I held it on a Monday morning because we have a set of patrons who are used to coming to the library at that time for programs. We have a Leisure Timers group that meets every other Monday. A few of our regular patrons came but most were new including some social work students. Everyone enjoyed the speaker, Marge Hendrickson, and some asked her to speak at other events. In March I will have a low vision or fall prevention program that I hope will go over well. I will probably go with the same time slot.

Not Another Survey . . .

I've been toying with the idea of designing an Adult Programming Survey to determine what types of programs our patrons might be interested in, what time of day works best, etc. Has anyone conducted a survey like this? If so, was it worthwhile? Thanks!

Wisconsin Humanities Council

I've had success with adult programming when I have booked performers through the Wisconsin Humanities Council. The WHC is no longer in the booking business but they do give contact information as well as the scope of programs available through their listing of speakers on their web site. I have an upcoming afternoon program on November 7th for 65 folks. Helen Bannan will be performing "Jessie Jack Hooper: The Power of Organized Womanhood". It's worth taking the time to look at the WHC's web site.

Program Idea

A big 'thank you' to Laurie for setting up this blog! What a wonderful resource for programming tips and ideas.

I have a great programming success story to share. Our Library (Greendale) recently had the pleasure of hosting a program by Wisconsin author Linda Godfrey. Linda wrote The Beast of Bray Road, and was a contributing author to Weird Wisconsin and Weird Michigan.

Linda's presentation for us was based on her most recent book Strange Wisconsin. She had the audience of 30 on the edge of their seats with creepy tales of paranormal activity right in our own backyard -- the Badger State! We unexpectedly had a few kids in the audience, but Linda toned-down her polished and professional presentation accordingly. She even stuck around to sign a few books and chat with fans!

A great fall program!

Author Name Recognition and Events

Now that I found the right place to post this (thank you, Laurie), here goes again.

Has anyone out there hosted an event featuring the work of an author who is primarily known as a short story writer and, therefore, perhaps unknown to most of your patrons? I would very much like to feature the work of Lorrie Moore whose current novel Gate at the Stairs is receiving great reviews, but she is known as a short story writer to many. For us, short story collections/authors have not been successful. Indeed, even though we have a substantial number of well-reviewed short story collections, they rarely circulate. My concern is that most people in our community would not recognize Lorrie Moore's name, and name recognition carries substantial weight here, whether related to short stories or novels. How would you generate interest in an author whose work your community may not be familiar with? Do we forget such an event or get to work 'spreading the Lorrie Moore message?' Your thoughts would be most gratefully received. Thanks very much.

Programming ideas from Sept meeting

At the adult programming meeting last month, several libraries talked about some successful library programs held at their libraries over the past year. Here's a sampling of some of the program topics mentioned: Coin show with a coin appraiser present, Jewelry identification, How to sell on eBay, Butterfly program, Organic lawn care, Solar & geothermo heating, Focus on Energy (with WE Energies http://www.we-energies.com/), Cookbook exchange with a cooking demonstration from a local eating establishment, Golf program (note: lots of fathers and sons attended), Rosemaling, De-cluttering, “Champagne Life on a Beer Budget”. There were other program ideas mentioned. Anyone want to chime in with other program ideas offered at the meeting? Add your comments (Note: Anyone can comment on postings. You don't have to be a "Contributor to do that.) :)

Thank You!

An enthusiastic Thank Y ou, Laurie, for creating this blog! I look forward to learning how to make our events extra special. Jane

Welcome!

At the September MCFLS/WCFLS Adult Programming Round Table meeting, a suggestion was made to create a blog where librarians from both library systems can share all things programming--from ideas to experiences to presenter suggestions. So, here it is! Come and join the discussion. Share your ideas and questions. Respond to postings you see.