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School Librarians Get into the Act
Geek the Library is designed to build awareness about the immense value of public libraries and the critical funding needs many face. It is about inviting the community to be part of the campaign, so the public can spread the word and continue to heighten awareness. And while we were confident that Geek the Library could add value outside of the library, we have been amazed by the interest and the level of support within our pilot communities and around the country. One fantastic example comes from New Jersey, a state struggling with significant public library budget cuts.
Amy King, a teacher librarian with Medford Township Schools in Burlington County New Jersey, saw a mention of Geek the Library on a tweet by Buffy Hamilton, another school librarian supporter in Georgia. She immediately saw an opportunity and hatched a plan to use the concept to encourage interest in the school library at Milton H. Allen Elementary.
“I wanted a hook to bring people into the library,” says King. “I needed something that would work for all of our patrons, not only students, but also staff and parents. The ‘geek’ part was the answer. Everyone has something that they are passionate about. If we could show that the libraries had resources to fuel that passion, then we would ‘hook’ them!”
King worked to gain the support of school staff by handing out geek-themed goody bags at the beginning of the year and using geekthelibrary.org to explain the ‘geek’ theme at the first faculty meeting. Staff embraced it and enthusiastically shared what they geeked to help encourage students to do the same. The resulting digital slideshow was displayed on the school’s Web site and, eventually, on a stand-alone Geek the Library Web site created by King.
For students, the first few weeks were spent defining geek, viewing what their teachers’ geeked and creating geek signs to decorate the library, said King, who was often seen wearing an ‘I geek MHA’ t-shirt. Throughout the rest of the year, the theme was used as a starting point for many lessons, and integrated into other events and activities. The kids loved it and, according to King, it encouraged interest in the library and served as inspiration for them to learn more about what they geek.
“Our goal was to promote the wonderful learning experiences and resources our library has to offer. With the Geek the Library awareness campaign, we had common language surrounding the library for the parents, staff and students. And we wanted a strong visual that would capture people’s attention and draw them to the library.”
April 19, 2010
Get your geek on. Show your support. Geek the library.