For many library patrons, winter is the perfect time to get cozy and settle down with a library book. Luckily, that's the theme of this year's Winter Reading Program at the Chapel Hill Public Library! This program helps readers find new favorites with an online reader's advisory form and a reading bingo card. We spoke to Hannah Olson, CHPL's Marketing and Communications Coordinator, about what happens behind the scenes.
What is the Winter Reading Program? How did it get started?
The Winter Reading Program at Chapel Hill Public Library is an annual program meant to encourage patrons of all ages to cozy up with a book and read outside their comfort zone during the winter season. It was meant to be a lower lift for staff and easier for patrons during the busy holiday season, as opposed to our larger Summer Reading program. We started the program in 2013, and the first year was just for kids. Since 2014, the program has been all ages.
Winter Reading has taken different forms in the past, but its most popular format has been book bingo, which we've returned to this year. Kids need to read five books, and adults need to read three to get a bingo. Participants choose from categories like, "set in North Carolina," "re-read an old favorite," "memoirs and biographies," "cozy mysteries," "from a library display," and more. You can download bingo cards online or pick them up at the library. The prize is a special winter reading mug with hot cocoa, and participants also get a free book when they sign up. The theme this year is "get cozy at the library this winter," and we've made cute bingo cards and had a snowy display at the library. We even joined the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday parade to spread the word.
Reading programs are often targeted toward children and teens. What made you want to do a program that also includes adults? What benefits do you hope it creates?
We include adults in the Winter Reading Program because we believe everyone should have the chance to make reading fun. Adults are busy, and we wanted to create a relaxed way for them to get involved. From year to year, we usually offer two different reading log formats, one for kids and one for adults, because generally, adults are reading longer books and kids are reading shorter ones. By having adults join in, we hope to build a sense of community and affinity for the library, building on the nostalgia that many adults may feel for childhood library reading programs. We've received a lot of feedback to this end. It's a way for adults to try out new types of books and authors they might not have considered before.
Your library offers reader’s advisory in a form that patrons can fill out and get recommendations back within a week. What goes on behind the scenes? How does that program work?
One way we connect readers to new materials is through our "You Might Like" form. We use Winter Reading to promote this service, as one of the goals of the program is to get patrons reading outside their usual comfort zone. We launched this service during the pandemic as a new way to connect with readers. We have two forms embedded on our website, one for kids and teens and one for adults. We kept the form simple, asking about preferred topics and formats, books/authors that you've enjoyed in the past, and any topics you don't want to read about. We have a small team of library staff that work on "You Might Like" forms. When a form is filled out, the staff available volunteer to take one based on their readers' advisory interests. Each staff member approaches the task a bit differently. Sometimes we have repeat patrons, so staff gets to know their tastes quite well.
The prize for a bingo is a very cute library mug; what other kinds of prizes does your library give away? What impact do branded items have on connecting community members to the library?
Thank you! We like to give away branded library items, as they build affinity and community for the library. We love seeing CHPL merch around town! We regularly give out library tote bags, notepads, yard signs, cups, and vinyl stickers featuring some of our library "celebrity characters" like Bookie Monster and our animal statues. We have a well-recognized brand in the community, and giving away merch helps build on that. Having cool library-branded stuff like mugs helps people feel connected to the library. It's a way for them to remember the fun times they've had during our programs and events. We walked in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro holiday parade to promote Winter Reading this year, and heard lots of cheers of, "We love the library!" For pricier items that we can't feasibly give away, we just launched an online store through our partners at Raygun. We're selling CHPL branded crewnecks, t-shirts, and tote bags. They're popular!
What kind of feedback have you gotten from patrons so far about the Winter Reading Program?
So far, people love the Winter Reading Program this year! More people are joining in compared to previous years, which is awesome. We have more than 1,300 participants signed up as of today, and the program will continue through January 31. In the past, Winter Reading prizes have been raffle drawings for gift certificates to local businesses. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback for the mugs this year, as they appeal to both kids and adults, and everyone who participates gets a prize, rather than a chance to get a prize. The positive feedback encourages us to keep making these programs enjoyable for everyone and strive to be better and better every year.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
We'd love for everyone to join the Winter Reading Program and "get cozy at the library this winter." You don't need to be a cardholder to sign up, so visit our website and download a log to play along with us!