As we prepare to resume in-person programming over the next couple of months, we’ve been going heavy on take-and-make events, which allow us to stay engaged with the community while limiting large gatherings. These programs were planned during the Omicron surge, when we weren’t sure when our county management (which has been very cautious with pandemic restrictions) would allow us to resume in-person programming. In March, our Teen Librarian (TL) hosted a very popular Peep Show at the library. For May-June, she organized a Tiny Art Show.
TL prepared the kits at the library, assembling 60 bags that each contained a small canvas, paintbrush, and tray of oil paints. She also included a sheet of instructions, requesting that all participants use only the materials included in the bag, which meant that all artists were working with the same set of tools. Kits were available on a first-come basis, and they went quickly. We began giving the kits away in April, and patrons were asked to return their completed painting to the library by a deadline in early May for inclusion in the show.
Similar to our Blackout Poetry Slam, we utilized the windows of the library’s Teen Room to exhibit the Tiny Art Show. To provide a better background for viewing the paintings, TL hot glued the canvases and name plaques to six black boards, which were then attached to the windows using Command strips.
Some things to consider:
- This was an adult and teen program, but we had a lot of interest from parents with young children. A few became a tad miffed when we explained the age requirements. I’m pretty sure a few of them fibbed just to get the kit (see the bullet below about the canvases that weren’t returned). We probably should have been even more explicit in our advertisements about the age requirements.
- Every year, our library’s Circulation division goes all out for National Library Week in April. All week long, Circ staff sat at a table in our lobby and heavily promoted library services and events, including the Tiny Art Show. Thanks to their promotional work, we gave away almost all of our kits that week. We’re a two-floor library, so it also helped us reach the patrons who only walk inside to pick up holds.
- We gave away all 60 kits, but only 36 canvases returned for the show. We were fairly pleased with a 60% return rate, but also glad we gave away as many as we did to still put together a robust exhibition. For the individuals who didn’t return their canvas, we still hope they still enjoyed creating a painting at home.
Result: Very successful! We had many patrons tell us how much they enjoyed the activity, and we saw participation from early teens all the way up to seniors. The Tiny Art Show also attracted plenty of attention and positive feedback from library visitors. Organization did not require excessive staff time and the materials were reasonably inexpensive. This might become one of our annual events.
Public Library World 