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December 14, 2004
Librarian runs local pub quiz night
Jessamyn happened to be in town a few weeks ago, so we met up and hung out, which was very cool. In talking shop, as we are wont to do, we came upon the topic of outreach, which got mixed in with the idea that the patrons are way more self-service these days, and some librarians have forgotten what being a patron is like, which makes it harder to meet patron needs.
Out of this discussion came ideas that met the patrons on their level. What do patrons do in their everyday that would benefit from librarian involvement? Especially twenty- to thirtysomethings? One really neat option: quiz night at the local pub.
Sounds crazy, I know. Like the stuff of "crazy librarian let's her hair down after work" fantasies. Alternately, most libraries are understaffed, and there isn't any time to plan something that could seem very frivolous to more conservative directors. But this idea really has a lot of potential.
Most pubs already have quiz nights set up, with prefab questions and scorecards, so the librarian wouldn't really need to spend much time on that. It could be just a matter of knowing what topics will be covered the next week, and advertising them at the library as "study up for pub quiz night". Perhaps a pub quiz prize could include library fine amnesty, or free admission to a library workshop that costs money. Or even just having the friendly neighborhood librarian be the quizmaster once a month, and do a little announcement schpiel on upcoming events at the library might work. At least it gets librarians out there and talking to the next generation of taxpayers.
If the alcohol aspect is just a bit too radical, then having quiz night in the library might also be an option. Gift cards for local coffee shops, book stores, and restaurants could be a draw, and if they were donated, then the local establishments get some advertising play.
I realize it's not a perfect plan, that more planning would need to be involved, that money is an issue, and that it may be too outside-the-box for the more conservative set. But it's something to think about: it'd be nice to plan a program that interests patrons on their level, and conveys the idea that librarians are helpful (and hip) on the patron's level.
December 14, 2004 7:40 PM