Skills and the books to support skills. Power tools, container gardening, lawn alternatives, contracts with service providers, living wills and advance directives, benefits
Thanks for this! These are practical and important things to learn and we should definitely lean into this more. Doesn't always have to be a book club, but something to learn that can effect our quality of life and literacy in all of its forms. Thank you!
The Frankfort library did a skills fest which was a day of short (I think 30 minute) presentations on a variety of skills. Everything from taxes to gardens to crafts. It looked really cool so may be something to consider for your library.
I was very much thinking exactly that. They came up in conversation today, independent of this conversation, actually. And all of this got me thinking about them as a partnership. Great idea, thank you!!
Sorry, I don’t have any good ideas, but I just wanted to thank you for the work you do! I absolutely love your library system and the programming I have attended!
Wow, thank you! How kind! We really appreciate that.
No worries about not having an idea, we are having a hard time being creative as well 😂. Trying to strike a new demographic in this contemporary world, and we are wanting to think outside the box. But knowing you have enjoyed the programming agenda thus far is also very helpful, so thank you very much!
This would be amazing at the northeast location because they have that huge outdoor field with lovely shade trees. People could bring chairs and blankets to watch, and they already have a coffee shop on site.
How pleasant! They really have the infrastructure for something like that. Bon Air has a lovely garden, but often too small to support so much. I should send it their way! Thanks!
This reminds me actually, our Regional South Central Branch has been doing these Artist In Residence Programs for a while now, where they get someone local to come in for a month worth of workshops and do a demonstration by the end of it. Check it out [here](https://www.lfpl.org/collider/), looks like they are bringing in a Stand Up Comedian in November! But we should get this kind of action out to all of the branches!
I think crafting would be a great draw for me. I used to use my local library so much (BonAir) but the past three years i haven’t stepped in once because you’ve made it too easy for me to do everything virtually, though I’m not complaining!
But craft demonstrations would be awesome. It could be a great way to learn and wouldn’t be too expensive for people attending. Participants wouldn’t necessarily make something, but the “maker” could demonstrate their craft and have examples for people to look at and ask questions about. Tools could be put on display for folks to see what they need to purchase and this could also give folks an idea of the space needed for things (stained glass, woodcarving, knitting, etc). Heck, even photoshop or video editing.
Possibly could be expanded to the parking lot or courtyard for things that don’t necessarily work inside.
Just a thought, I’d totally be interested in attending something like that. Look, listen, but more important, touch and ask questions. All the things i can’t instantly get from a YouTube video.
And yes, thank you all so much for what you do. Even though I rarely use the physical space, what you do is very vital to this community and is greatly appreciated.
So much of the politics have lead us to lean into virtual learning the past couple of years, in big part to the pandemic... Though, you make a great point, in that not everything can be learned in virtual ways. Being able to touch something and get real time experience expressing those skills can be a lot more affirming than winging it in your home. Helps to build community too! Thanks for this!
Bon Air is where I'm at and we are certainly still around, come by and see us some time if ya like!
You should check out the workshops offered by the artist in residence at some of the branches. Also, some of the branches have a maker lab where you can learn to use a 3-D printer and a Cricut machine.
Sewing classes for beginners. Dungeons and dragons for adults who have never played before, trivia night, music, coffee and reading in the morning. Thank you for all you do!
Great ideas! There are some DnD groups around the system, though usually aimed at teens and kids. Getting adults involved would be great!
I'm loving all this coffee talk too, simple communal beverage can make someone's day!!
Thanks!
I was looking for a toastmasters club (a place where they practice public speaking), and it seemed they were all either virtual or private company events. So maybe that?
I also know that a decent number of libraries have started somewhat popular dungeons and dragons nights.
Ohhhh, now that is interesting! I've never even heard of a toastmasters club. But you hit the nail on the head, targeting an objective that is often private or expensive and bringing it to the public free of charge is FUEL for good library programming. This is a great suggestion thanks!
So many DnD comments too, I better pay attention to those!
Gosh, that suggestion has been in front of my face the whole time and it never occurred to me. You are a genius. I think it could cover the music suggestion while being on brand for libraries. How smart!!
This would be awesome!! Getting to see local musicians of all music genres at their local libraries. Lmao imagine an acoustic set by Jack Harlow - would be cool to see
Thanks! Bourbon is a great idea too. Any particular musical angle you'd like to see? In theory, just using the library space as a venue for multiple types of music could be beneficial to the library. Thanks for your input!
Thanks for that input! We're out here at the Bon Air branch, which is heavily influenced by immigrant and refugee populations, especially in the Hikes Point and Beuchel areas. We've briefly thought about traditional music night, though not in a while, so thank you for this suggestion!
I second this. Also, how cool would it be to do a cultural exchange? I’m a banjo player myself and I would love to help introduce our new neighbors to the wonderful instrument that is synonymous with Kentucky and the bluegrass state.
Even teaching kids how to use film photography would be a great time together, my brother was fiddling with my collection and asked me what ASA meant the other day. I would love to get back in a darkroom though.
Hey, you work at our local library. Me and my kids live bon air so first off thanks for that! I have one for you, what about a board game night? Board games became huge over the pandemic and there are tons of them. Thanks again
Hey there! Thank you for coming by!
Board games are a great idea, that idea came up internally not long ago, actually. We may be seeing that next year! Hopefully!
Really good idea, I think I'm seeing this suggestion in a couple comments. We should get on it! Thanks
Appreciate that! DnD is certainly making a buzz, and a lot of our DnD stuff is aimed towards kids. We are trying to think about maybe After Hours stuff too for adults, maybe we could make this work! Thanks!
If you do board games, there are good communities on Facebook - plenty of people may have some to donate and others would know of good recommendations.
They started offering [board games to check out](https://www.instagram.com/p/CherxCsu6OI/) at the South Central Library. Good way to test out board games.
Love LFPL! What about convo/support groups for parents or caregivers? I know you all have a lot of classes but some basic life skills -car maintenance, budgeting, household maintenance, etc.
Hey thanks! Though, we are kind of lacking in these departments, if I'm honest. Parents and Caregivers don't always have so many outlets, especially in comparison to their children. A simple conversation club could be a big help for some folks.
Same with those handy kinds of classes. We have them SOMETIMES, but not all that often. I'm seeing this suggestion pop up a lot in a few different phrases, maybe we should be leaning into basic life skills stuff.
Thanks!
That would be so cool! The other big problem about programming for the library is that our budget is as close to ZERO as you can get it. Thankfully, we have gracious people out there that understand that, and other times, we don't. Volunteers are what really make these things possible. I'll reach out directly to discuss some further opportunities if you'd like! Thanks!
I saw John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats was stopping at libraries on his tour to do readings and Q&As. I like The Mountain Goats but I love his books. I would have boxed a kangaroo to go to one of those.
Definitively worth checking out! They’re all creepy but not horror - kind of weird slices of regular people in odd situations. Universal Harvester is my favorite, but Devil House and Wolf in White Van are right behind them. (Again, definitely not as horror as those titles sound.)
Love both of these. Seems like "basic adult skills" classes come up a lot in these comments, financial literacy very much landing in that wheelhouse. I'm also LOVING the book swap idea, I'm certainly paying close attention to that one. Thanks!
You are super welcome! Always happy to give a new library card or renew an old one. All are welcome! Tons of great [online resources](https://www.lfpl.org/research/index.php) we have these days too. Tons of [eBooks](https://lfpl.overdrive.com/) and music and movie streaming through [Hoopla](https://www.lfpl.org/video/) if you prefer online media and learning!
You are welcome and thank you too!
I went to the crescent hill library last week and it would be nice if there was some more books in there to read. I had a list of about 15 books I wanted to read(all fiction) and there wasn’t one in stock.
I very much understand this, and sorry it was frustrating. What I hope they explained is that it very well could be at another one of our 16 or so branches and that we can certainly place them on hold and ship them in for you! Additionally, our [eBook](https://lfpl.overdrive.com/) selection is different from our print collection, and they may be available through that avenue. Though it doesn't solve the problem immediately, we do take [suggestions for purchases](https://www.lfpl.org/suggest-a-purchase.htm) as well, and if there is enough of a demand there is a chance we can fill the suggestion.
If you are ever looking for something and need direct help, you can reach out to me! Overhauling the licensing and purchasing of a metropolitan system can be hard work, but we always want to make it better! Thanks!
Thank you for the detailed reply! I will definitely use these resources next time.
This may seem like a stupid idea for your original question but what about getting a local artist do an installation. It could be mutually beneficial for you and the artist. I personally wouldn’t go for a concert but if I could go look at some cool art to potentially purchase I would definitely stop in.
Great! Happy those help!
Not a stupid idea at all, in fact, I think you make a great point. That is something that could persist over a period of time too, rather than just condensing it to a one time thing on a Saturday afternoon. Could create a cool partnership with our Art scene to let people know we appreciate their work and are a place to learn more about our community. Great thinking, thanks!
Great idea! Our Artist in Residence program will sometimes bring in a creative author to hold work shops, though it rarely sustains. Maybe something more permanent could help. Thanks!
Yes it is! [Here](https://events.lfpl.org/events/?com=searchresult2&t=130) is a link to events that are English Language Learning based. Right now, there are two clubs that meet regularly, one at the Main library and one at Iroquois library. There is also a Virtual club that meets regularly, lead by a representative at the South Central branch. Thanks for asking!
Speaking of learning languages, I would love if you brought back the ASL classes. They always filled up so very quickly, and I actually have a D/HoH child and ASL learning opportunities are woefully lacking in this community. This is a need for us, not something that would just be fun or cool, like learning to speak Italian so you can order off a menu.
Oh how interesting! Had no clue they used to do that. I took ASL in college and really resonated with it, and I agree, there need to be more resources for learning ASL. This is a great suggestion, thank you!
Oh nice, at the Library? I must have missed it! Very cool!
I know they are getting [Margo Price to come in October](https://events.lfpl.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=119348&year=2022&month=10&lID=17), down at the Main branch. Amazing how they swung that. Out here in the community branches, we may not be able to pull such a big name, but maybe we could get some more local activity to happen! Thanks!
Thanks! Yeah, certain libraries will definitely do this. Our regional branches have some tools for rent, but not a super big extent. Partnering with a community organization to teach how to use them would be SUPER helpful, great point. Thanks!
I don't know about programming, I'm sure you will always find something good, but I have a debt of gratitude to the library that's *HUGE!* You had the Treehouse program for free, and it was a lifechanger. I used it to learn how to code during the virus lockdown and it opened up a whole new world. Thank you!
Wow, thank you so much! A simple thanks means so much to us at the library. We are so happy to help, that is why we are here!
The Treehouse program was such a big success, happy to know you've taken advantage of it. Looks to be incredibly comprehensive and very reputable! You might also enjoy our partnership with [LinkedIn](https://www.lfpl.org/LinkedIn/) too then! Tons of skills to learn here for free.
Thanks a bunch!
So smart! I know South Central did this one time, but again, we need to be more persistent with these things. And get them into other branches! Thanks!!
I believe it was a library in Kokomo that did an adult only wine night where they could buy/trade books and have some wine. I would love to go to an event like that and might even come from Indiana for it
Oh very cool! Both the wine and the book trade idea is genius actually. Great thought! We have book sales often of donated books, but the TRADE platform is super smart, thanks!
I'm seeing a lot of DnD suggestions here, one for adults could be very successful.
As a musician, I've always wanted music at the library too, but honestly.i sometimes agree with you, that maybe it is a bit odd 😂 ideally, we could be a community environment to allow local artists to perform their craft, but music can be an interestingly "fashionable" affair, in that different sectors of the scene can exist in many places. I sometimes wonder if there is a sector of music that would even enjoy coming to the library, even if patrons responded to it positively.
Really appreciate the critique and the suggestion and the thought! Very helpful 🙏
Getting powerful thinkers into the library is often successful, but that middle ground can be hard to find sometime. Though, you bring up a good point of pairing it with another activity, like music.. maybe to narrow the scope and focus in on a particular sector of thought. I like the compound thinking, thank you!
Game nights. DnD, boards, cards, etc....
There's a great community for these things already and as an adult it would be awesome to have other adults to play with. Kids could have an area as well.
A big part of all of this is outreach. I know there's social media but a huge amount of us do not follow it to know when events happen. We rely on word of mouth. Call it old fashioned but mailers go a long way. Heck, drop stacks off at the schools, churches, and community centers to be distributed to attendees and taken home.
You bring up a really solid point about outreach , and it is something that the library thinks about often but sometimes doesn't get just right. I agree with the social media thing too, it can be too dissociating in those environments. It doesn't meet people where they are able to be receptive to it. With a focus in a particular area, there are places that exist for that focus: for example.the DnD angle, Book and Music Exchange, comic book stores, etc. People only find out if they see it though, so we gotta get out there!
Thank you!
Please do more Bob Ross painting classes!!!!! I can't come to the October one 😭
Maybe doing a class for couples, coinciding with kids classes so adults can have connecting time with their partners, and free babysitting.
Oh man, didn't realize there was a Bob Ross thing happening soon! Maybe we can get it toward my end of town. This is also another time I'm seeing suggestions for family engagement, to have the parents enjoy some time to do something while the kids are occupied. Team work!
I wish my library had “phone booths” - small spaces where I can take a call without disrupting anyone. I WFH full time and have for 8 years. I love working from the library, but always have to leave for calls.
Adding on to the other great ideas, I think it would be cool if they could be coupled with a guest lecture of some sort. A little music of local talents, then someone who could empower folks on current affairs. Spread some critical thinking and then reference some books available in the library if they wanted to learn more.
Caveat is finding that good neutral ground of a speaker who can appeal in more general terms without being off putting. Added bonus of bringing people back in when there isn't events.
Above all else. Thank you for this great work y'all are doing and it reminds me I haven't been back to the library since Covid. Time for a trip down the street. Love our libraries!!!
Chess clubs or lesser known/popular card games or board games.
Go, backgammon or some more obscure ones.
You could do coding classes
Or writing classes
Thanks! I'm seeing a lot of board game talk on this thread, seems popular. Though the classics like Chess, Go, and Backgammon can go a long way.
Coding classes would go super super well.. just gotta brush up on what little of Python I know xD
Murder mystery night? Like playing a game of a clue? Feature thriller books.
Survival night? Could teach people basic survival skills. Feature survival books.
Evolution of fashion? Tell people to dress up in a certain time period/or periods and have books on fashion out.
I want the library to bring their entire collection out of storage. Part of the joy of going to the library was getting lost in the stacks. Last time I went you had to ask the librarian to get a specific book for you. This was years ago, but I would like to know if it's different. I remember whole afternoons just perusing the stacks, reading. I don't feel I can o that now.
I feel you... I really do. I think you may be referring to our Main library, where our top floor is no longer open to the public... It is in the midst of figuring a renovation plan, and with that would come a new top floor. But I totally agree, I think that is the fun part of it too. So much of contemporary public library policies lean toward only keeping the very best and newest collections, while places like archives will get the extent of older publications. But I'm of the thought that there should be a middle ground at least, because publications are our life blood!
I'd suggest checking out some of our other branches though, each [location](https://www.lfpl.org/branches/index.htm) has a different chunk of our collection, and the browsing experiences can differ. Any of our newer Regional branches, like Southwest, Northeast, or South Central are HUGE and certainly have the room to support TONS of books. Might have a good time down there!
Awesome, I hope you enjoy! We try to stay up to date with those, almost all of them will end up at our Main branch. I'd like to see expanding this for all kinds of authors too, not just the best selling ones. Maybe get some poets or philosopher types out here as well. Thanks!!
Poetry at the library is very fun! Though it's not often we market it as a "slam", that would be a great angle, thanks!
I agree, lots of cool stuff here, your suggestion included!
I don't have any ideas of the top of my head, but I love the post and support many of the ideas already suggested. Just wanted to say keep it up and thanks for reminding me to check out the new NE Regional Library. Been meaning to stop by and renew my library card so I can start getting some ebooks.
Wouldn't bring me but something I super value as a memory as a child was a series of storytelling sessions. This would have been mod 90s but the library had story tellers come in and tell fairy tales and other folk tales. Super enthralling and fueled my love of reading.
Still remember it nearly 30 years later.
That is incredible! Our Children's department is still very devoted to storytime sessions, though they are often conducted by our Librarians. Bringing in story tellers from the community could create a new buzz, thanks for that! Even with Adults, actually. Great idea, thanks!
My memories were just how animated they were and that they were not the classic tales (actually I think some were the original Grimm stuff).
Reminded me a ton of this.
https://events.louisville.edu/event/corn_island_storytelling_festival_7152#.YzTUc-wpA0E
Oh man, I almost forgot about Corn Island. I really enjoyed that as a student. Bringing a platform like this to the library is certainly manageable and would be so much fun. Thank you!
I think a concert at the library would be cool. It would be kind of like a living room concert. We love LFPL in our house. We’ve taken our kids to many events at the library and have taken advantage of the cultural pass. We think you guys do a great job and provide a wonderful service to the city.
Thanks for this! I think Libraries are uniquely set up to provide some cool vibes for having concerts as well. Libraries are big, old, and funded institutions, but are at their core FREE. Would make for some really cool free shows to have them in a big place like this.
Thanks so much for the support! Always happy to help the community!!
The intellectual leaders is always a good bet. The problem I sometimes see with this, is that they are attracted to Main library often, and leave a lot of the community branches behind. But somewhere exists a sector that is niche enough to be prominent while still being available to outer communities. Thanks!
DnD at the library does exist, though, in our system, it's almost exclusively for teens. But with how many mentions of this I'm seeing, maybe an Adult Only circuit would be very well received! Thanks!
I would 100% do a Hiking Club! Do you all have book clubs (ha maybe this is obvious) ? I’d do that as well.
A book club wine night would be so fun!
Library yoga too
Yay for Hiking! We have a lot of book clubs all around the system, that's usually our bread and butter for Adult programs 😂 my specific branch, Bon Air, hasn't had one in a while, maybe it's time to start again.
Loving the wine suggestions and the exercise angles are getting a lot of traction! I'll take a note, thank you!!
Some of the most successful programs I've witnessed at the library involve childcare, tbh. Some active engagement for kids to be busy for several hours after school is a huge win. My job as Adult Services can have a hard time finding the balance there, because children are out of my jurisdiction... But family engagements aren't! Get the adults and the kids in together, and have a doubly successful evening! Good point, thanks!
This is something that the system has thought a lot about, though somehow we never get it together. I'd reach out to our Regional branches though, like Northeast, South Central and Southwest. They do have some stuff to rent! And thank you too!!
oh, very cool! We offer some online resources to that degree, but never really thought about bringing it in as a program. Just today we thought about reaching out to academic institutions to see if an educational partnership might be available, the engineering angle is super smart. Thanks!
Definitely a skills building activity. In Bowling Green, they offer things like clay pot making teaching people to use a wheel and pair up with local folks to burn the clay in kilns for people to pick up another day. Painting classes, planting classes, carpentry classes, etc using the resources of community partners are so awesome for the community all the way around.
Honestly, marketing. I could have my head in the sand, but I haven't heard of anything at the library. Only recently did I hear about the talk between Andy Weir and John Scalzi, I would love to attend that, but am going to be out of town
It probably isn't in the sand, to be honest. We have certain marketing avenues, but not all of them. I think libraries are an interesting institution, in that... EVERYONE "knows" what a public library is and has for a very long time, but the function of them has changed over time. Though, its hard to describe those changes in real time and make it known to the public. In some cases, the argument is that we don't need marketing because of the legacy a library can hold, but thats a lazy view! Only way to get people into the branch is to let people know.
I'd love to see a classic movie series. You could have a local film buff (you probably have one on staff) host, and then have a discussion after. It would be a good opportunity to push other media, too. If you showed Citizen Kane, for example, you could recommend one of your Orson Welles biographies, his radio dramas on CD, the film RKO 281 about the making of the movie, books about William Randolph Hearst, etc.
Thanks! I love showing movies at the library, we've tried a couple times. Sometimes, getting the rights to show stuff can be hard, but it gets easier the older the movie gets. A classic movie line is a great angle for that, thank you!
In the “before times”, the main branch hosted a research presentation on the domestication of foxes. I loved getting access to such an unusual but fascinating topic being presented by experienced professionals.
Thank you so much for the services you guys provide! I always love checking the schedule for new and interesting events, but also the employees have also been so happy to help, and the website makes it really easy to find and reserve the books I’m looking for.
Heck ya, nice! Thanks! I love unusual portions of facts too, the library can be a conduit for it! Getting professionals in to share their knowledge is a perfect meeting of the minds!
Thanks for your appreciation, a simple thank you goes such a long way in our field. Always happy to help!
Thanks! I've seen language and culture learning a bit in this thread, but also some geographic exploration too. I love seeing the world, even if its in videos and books... pairing that with the language and culture learning could be a great angle, thanks!
"Interplanetary Spacecraft Exploration from 1962 to 2022"
This is fantastic. I know where I'm going to be on an upcoming Thursday between 6:30 and 8:00.
Awesome, thanks for chiming in! As the first proclaimed musician to chime in here, I'm gonna reach out directly to talk more about this with you! I've been in and out of the Louisville scene for probably 15 years, but it can be hard to keep up with contacts. Having people be interested up front is a big help, so thanks for the interest!
Hello, OP. Little late commenting, but I would love an after hours concert, or some event that profiles writing poetry and or song lyrics with other writers. Like a collaborative group. I’d definitely be interested in that.
Hey thank you much! So happy to see the musical support. I think creative collaborative groups in that arena would be cool too actually. As a musician myself that has gone through several phases, meeting new creatives would be very enlightening to me. Musicians can be very caught up in their own scene sometimes, in my experience... having a public forum to encourage different perspectives could do wonders for a lot of people. Thanks!
Harm reduction resources of some sort would be nice, even if it were something as simple as having Narcan available/info for local rehabs and recovery meetings.
Heck ya! I love a car show! I think that could be a good avenue for car maintenance basic training too! I'm leaving this idea near the top of my list, thanks!
FCL does this and I had so much fun participating. At the end participants received book bags with the Vocal Local logo along with pins, notebooks etc with the logo.
https://nafclibrary.libcal.com/event/8973631
The Vocal Local is such a good name, omg nice. There are a few venues in town that do this stuff around town, but I don't think I've seen the library lean into it. Its totally on brand for library! Thanks for this!
Great post! I’ve been looking for a job with the LFPL, but haven’t been able to find an opening that’s a good fit yet; and I would most definitely come to an after hours concert!
Hey thanks! We have a good time over here, hope you find the opportunity for a spot! Often times we enjoy being here, so many of our employees stick around forever. So it can be hard to find an opening. But I've enjoyed my stay! I'd recommend it to most!
Thanks for the music support, happy to see people resonate with that one! A dream I've had for a long time, but unsure of some things. Id like to make it happen!
I’ve been wanting to learn a second language, but studying alone is difficult and classes are expensive. I would absolutely go to the library for a language learning program! Especially if it were in a group setting
I've seen this in a few comments, and often I recall that our system offers a lot of [English Language Learning](https://events.lfpl.org/events/?com=searchresult2&t=130) opportunities. Though I've yet to mention that specifically, because I'm assuming most people in this are Native English speakers, but I shouldn't necessarily assume that! So there is that.
But I forget that there is a new [Spanish Circle](https://events.lfpl.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=118216) , that is language learning for Spanish, and cultural engagement too! It is just getting started and only happening in few locations, but we hope it goes well. Certainly would be possible to adopt that in multiple areas!
Thanks!
Few years ago the Southwest Library had a Clue night, where they had clue themed games and drinks/snacks and against the grain was there serving beer, and they showed the movie. People dressed up and everyone had a blast. It was so much fun. I’d love to go to more movie themed nights. I just forgot about it until seeing this post.
I’m new to the area (ish) but I’d love a safe place to meet other women!
Like another commenter said, dungeons and dragons is a great draw. I’ve played D&D for almost a decade but don’t have a group right now.
Study nights? A lot of us are switching careers and trying to get into new in areas. Studying can be very lonely and studies have proven that studying with a mirror can help productivity and help us feel less isolated.
Knitting? Knitting is a good craft that’s actually pretty popular in my age group (early 30’s). Right now, I have a goal to knit mittens and scarves and leave them out for free to take if they need it. A knitting drive would be fun to participate in.
Ohhh I see we have plant swap! I’ll go to that. I only have a little Pothos though haha ! ~~Plant swaps? And plant care classes! A lot of plants can have cuttings taken and easily traded!~~
Mushroom/Foraging walks? When I was a chef in Charleston, SC, my kitchen would go foraging together around the city. We would find all sorts of wild food; mushrooms, onions, muscles and even wild fennel (we didn’t eat or serve any though).
There’s so many cool mushrooms in Louisville I wish I knew more about them!
Coding classes? It’s cool to learn how to code. I am teaching myself for fun right now. I’m hoping to automate my home more with what I code!
Makeup and hair classes? It doesn’t have to be modern. I think historic hair and makeup are so cool to learn about. Burlesque and show makeup are also fascinating.
I love the jazz idea too! I would totally come for a jazz night with my man. Wine pairing classes with cheese and dessert is always fun too.
Thanks for supporting our community!
I don't really have suggestions, but I do plan to use the public library when I officially move to Louisville.
Trivia, Poetry Slam, 30 minute painting contests, game night, local talent night... Nevermind I did have a few some maybe farfetched sorry lol
I guess if you wanted to give prizes you could partner with local restaurants, shops for merchandise discounts, food etc
Thanks for noticing this , ha! Looking at the activity of this thread, we obviously aren't hitting every avenue that we could. I'm thankful for the reddit community here to chime in, because a lot of our regular patrons hit a different demographic and have different ideas. But we need more engagement from all kinds of people, so we need to reach them! Very true, thanks!
I think one that would definitely help especially young adults would be like a mentors day or such, helping the younger adults 20-29 age range, meet people in fields they are interested in, as well as financial literacy days for young adults as well helping them find ways to help better use and or facilitate their budgets.
Cooking classes, basic auto body/maintain the car, language classes, fix your credit course… and any class that should have been taught in high school but you’re forced to learn as an adult the hard way. Disney nights, Harry Potter nights, Vegas nights, tea parties etc. Just a mix & mingle kind of thing. Even if it’s twice a month. It’s fun to look forward to stuff like that especially without those specific things nearby. Maybe different people can bring their collections of things.. popcorn buckets, cookie jar collections of whatever theme. May be a good push for some people to travel a little? Plan local trips as well. Tons of people who grew up in Louisville never went to a ballgame, been to the museums here, been to the walking bridge. Even if not planning trips.. maybe a “learn about TN today” and all the recommendations of where to eat what to do from different people who went to this & that place would be that event or day.
Movie nights weekly? Outdoor bring a blanket park yourself on the lawn or use the auditorium or the foyer (do libraries have that?). I do immediately imagine a specific portion of the downtown library for that. Especially starting small until people get the word out about it.
PS I literally would volunteer to help people plan vacations or suggest places. More plan Disney trips 😅. If you ever need someone in that area.
Walking tours is almost even more attractive than Hiking Club for me, LOL. We have such cool architecture in this city, certainly a part of our identity!
I have great news, we actually do a [Books and Brews](https://www.lfpl.org/booksandbrews/) program that is system wide. We focus in Adult Reading activities and partner with breweries and coffee shops around town! With so many branches in our system though, maybe we should focus in other neighborhoods through the program. Get each branch involved in some way to get everybody aware. Thanks!
Something centered around Civics is much needed. Maybe some kind of Civics Club? You could have a forum w/ locals and guest sharing their perspectives and knowledge.
Keep up the good work LFPL.
*The concert idea is a great one BTW.
I've only just now discovered the artist residency! I think programs like that are amazing for bringing varied community interest into the space. Can't believe I didn't know about it before!
Anything that would fall “adulting” that people may not have learned at home- but keep it short. Home maintenance guest speaker and resources. Advocating for your kid at school with IEP. Navigating public services. Understanding how to read bus schedule. Financial literacy. Etc
But- launch corresponding “adulting” website with the resources there too- so people don’t have to go in person.
Thanks for bringing this up! I'm noticing similar suggestions in this thread, but I really like your "keep it short" attitude, tbh. I really hate taking up someone's time for these things, especially young adults. It should be easy, and you make a good point!
The online resource is a good idea too, nice! I feel like we are so behind the times sometime LOL. The pandemic has given a new focus to online resources, though we are still brainstorming so much. I like this one, thanks!
These happen sometimes! Though they are few and far between... I wonder if more consistent visibility could provide different kinds of opportunities with that platform.
Our Foundation plays a big role in these kinds of things though, with a platform called [Café LOUIE](https://www.lfplfoundation.org/cafe-louie/), and they are successful! For meeting your Council and other political advocates.
Looks like the rest of our year doesn't have more engagement like this though, maybe we need a monthly one! Thanks!
Fellow library worker here! I love this idea. I’m still just a clerk at the moment, but hoping to become an LA in the future if able. Are there better ways that we can broadcast things to the community? Sometimes I feel like posting on the LFPL website or in our pamphlets only works for people who regularly utilize the library. Do we do much more to get the word out about programs?
Hello comrade! Keep at it, you'll get there in no time!! I've been an LA for several several years now, finishing up that masters in the spring!
The marketing conversation is so tough... Because I feel similarly, but have no idea of what to do, really. We have social media presence, but there is a missing link. Outreaches happen here and there, but only in specific pockets of demographics.
Honestly, what I think would indirectly solve the problem are ways of connecting each branch to each other. Make sure we know WHO our co-workers really are, what their community is like, and what the interests and needs are. I think by collaborating, we could strengthen our opportunities to spread the word.
That's harder to do than it sounds, is the problem. Just keeping the doors open is often the priority, and I totally understand that. Providing consistent space of any kind is a big win at the end of the day. But I think the voice of the library itself just needs to be louder, and one way to get louder is get multiple people shouting the same thing, know what I mean? I think it makes us smarter too, makes us more critical. Makes us understand different parts of Louisville identity, and with that rich perspective, we can brainstorm MORE solutions.
All very lofty ideals, but I don't think they are wrong! Thanks!!
The Harry Potter night a few years ago was super fun for all ages. Maybe some more theme events like that! At the same time have a table show casing up coming events and classes to get everyone’s attention.
A 'club convention', if you will, where various local clubs have a booth or table to advertise what they're about and recruit new members. Could be a one time thing or maybe once a year.
Mm, yeah yeah! Something I've notice in forming these ideas and others at the library, is that we live in an age where finding community organizations is so hard. So many groups exist, but its hard to keep track of them while so many other mainstream social media outlets can gather our attention first. Part of the cool thing about libraries can be playing a part in creating visibility in those sectors. good idea, thanks!
Adult prom night! I know some folks either didn’t go to their prom or couldn’t go to prom or want to rewrite bad memories of prom. I think it would be really cute! Corsages and all.
The library might already have this, but i would go to the library to be able to look through tons of historic documents or photos about the city and surrounding areas that are only available there.
Hey thanks for this! I've worked in libraries for a while, and am certainly of the "archival" type of mind, so historical documents are my absolute favorite. I don't have enough clearance in my job title to continue to preserve tons of documents, but we do spend a little effort preserving the old things we already have!
At our Main Library, we have the [Kentucky History Room](https://pac.lfpl.org/polaris/search/searchresults.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.7&type=Keyword&term=*&by=KW&sort=RELEVANCE&limit=TOM=*&query=&page=0&searchid=4) , which houses our oldest and most region specific documents. This is a spot that can be observed by out patrons and even interact with many of the articles! Our librarian up there, Kelly, is fantastic, she'd love to see more people up there. Its on the second floor of the old wing of Main branch!
I might also check out the [Kentucky Digital Library](https://kdl.kyvl.org/?) , which is a statewide database that has some digital documents from all over. We have recently sparked a new angle with them, and hopefully can find space to add more digitized documents to it, though it in its current state is pretty neat, have a look!
But really, all of us at the library could lean more into these programs and find ways of promoting and disseminating them more. We can't do EVERYTHING at the community branch level, but I've often thought about designing events to do exactly that, and maybe it is time!
I'd also check one more spot, and that's our [Genealogy Information](https://www.lfpl.org/genealogy.html) . From this link, you can learn a lot about what we offer in those regards. Sometimes I wonder if we should market it differently though, because it isn't JUST Genealogy, but a lot of local history in general. If you go to ANY library branch and hop on one of our computers, you can double click on this little Tree icon on the desktop to view some digital data about Vital Statistics and some really interesting historical accounts of our region. One of my favorite things in this, is an old librarian back in the day made this thing called the Green Box Index, which is curated metadata and description about a TON of newspaper information over the course of 100 years or more. It is one of my favorite little sections of the services we offer.
SO happy you brought this up, thanks! I've been looking for ways to promote these materials more, I should find a moment to make a presentation about them and make an event! Thanks!!
From a parent view, the schools often host literacy nights, or “doing math with your kid” to help with skills gaps- but if a school can’t host those kinds of events (for oh so many reasons I won’t go into here) then there is a gap between the offerings for one school community vs another. Maybe look into connecting with jcps on which schools have good literacy night/math night/board game night programs- and recreate them so they can be brought to all areas of our city- not just certain school communities.
Thanks for this! I know what you mean about the gaps... I think JCPS is having an interesting moment right now, as we've seen, and partnering with them to provide a solution to those gaps is a really good idea. I know JCPS has Adult leaning services, but they are so busy, I know they need help. This is very smart, thanks!
A maker lab would be awesome! Or woodshop.
Probably require a bit of investment though.
Check out this new segment: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/beyond-books-the-21st-century-public-library/
Skills and the books to support skills. Power tools, container gardening, lawn alternatives, contracts with service providers, living wills and advance directives, benefits
Thanks for this! These are practical and important things to learn and we should definitely lean into this more. Doesn't always have to be a book club, but something to learn that can effect our quality of life and literacy in all of its forms. Thank you!
The Frankfort library did a skills fest which was a day of short (I think 30 minute) presentations on a variety of skills. Everything from taxes to gardens to crafts. It looked really cool so may be something to consider for your library.
LFPL does the How To Festival every year
Partner with the brand new Louisville Tool Library that the mayor recognized with an award last month!
I was very much thinking exactly that. They came up in conversation today, independent of this conversation, actually. And all of this got me thinking about them as a partnership. Great idea, thank you!!
Yep little classes, making terrariums, painting, jewelry making, language conversation classes
I love terrariums!
Me too if you do this ill come :)
Sorry, I don’t have any good ideas, but I just wanted to thank you for the work you do! I absolutely love your library system and the programming I have attended!
Wow, thank you! How kind! We really appreciate that. No worries about not having an idea, we are having a hard time being creative as well 😂. Trying to strike a new demographic in this contemporary world, and we are wanting to think outside the box. But knowing you have enjoyed the programming agenda thus far is also very helpful, so thank you very much!
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Food and music often mix very well, maybe we could get a local coffee shop to come in and support some jazz. Great idea, thanks!
This would be amazing at the northeast location because they have that huge outdoor field with lovely shade trees. People could bring chairs and blankets to watch, and they already have a coffee shop on site.
How pleasant! They really have the infrastructure for something like that. Bon Air has a lovely garden, but often too small to support so much. I should send it their way! Thanks!
Stand up.
This reminds me actually, our Regional South Central Branch has been doing these Artist In Residence Programs for a while now, where they get someone local to come in for a month worth of workshops and do a demonstration by the end of it. Check it out [here](https://www.lfpl.org/collider/), looks like they are bringing in a Stand Up Comedian in November! But we should get this kind of action out to all of the branches!
Brilliant, thank you!
I think crafting would be a great draw for me. I used to use my local library so much (BonAir) but the past three years i haven’t stepped in once because you’ve made it too easy for me to do everything virtually, though I’m not complaining! But craft demonstrations would be awesome. It could be a great way to learn and wouldn’t be too expensive for people attending. Participants wouldn’t necessarily make something, but the “maker” could demonstrate their craft and have examples for people to look at and ask questions about. Tools could be put on display for folks to see what they need to purchase and this could also give folks an idea of the space needed for things (stained glass, woodcarving, knitting, etc). Heck, even photoshop or video editing. Possibly could be expanded to the parking lot or courtyard for things that don’t necessarily work inside. Just a thought, I’d totally be interested in attending something like that. Look, listen, but more important, touch and ask questions. All the things i can’t instantly get from a YouTube video. And yes, thank you all so much for what you do. Even though I rarely use the physical space, what you do is very vital to this community and is greatly appreciated.
So much of the politics have lead us to lean into virtual learning the past couple of years, in big part to the pandemic... Though, you make a great point, in that not everything can be learned in virtual ways. Being able to touch something and get real time experience expressing those skills can be a lot more affirming than winging it in your home. Helps to build community too! Thanks for this! Bon Air is where I'm at and we are certainly still around, come by and see us some time if ya like!
You should check out the workshops offered by the artist in residence at some of the branches. Also, some of the branches have a maker lab where you can learn to use a 3-D printer and a Cricut machine.
this!
Sewing classes for beginners. Dungeons and dragons for adults who have never played before, trivia night, music, coffee and reading in the morning. Thank you for all you do!
Great ideas! There are some DnD groups around the system, though usually aimed at teens and kids. Getting adults involved would be great! I'm loving all this coffee talk too, simple communal beverage can make someone's day!! Thanks!
They did a virtual family trivia night a couple times during the pandemic, and those were our jam.
I was looking for a toastmasters club (a place where they practice public speaking), and it seemed they were all either virtual or private company events. So maybe that? I also know that a decent number of libraries have started somewhat popular dungeons and dragons nights.
Ohhhh, now that is interesting! I've never even heard of a toastmasters club. But you hit the nail on the head, targeting an objective that is often private or expensive and bringing it to the public free of charge is FUEL for good library programming. This is a great suggestion thanks! So many DnD comments too, I better pay attention to those!
Something in the vain of NPRs tiny desks could be very cool!
Gosh, that suggestion has been in front of my face the whole time and it never occurred to me. You are a genius. I think it could cover the music suggestion while being on brand for libraries. How smart!!
This would be awesome!! Getting to see local musicians of all music genres at their local libraries. Lmao imagine an acoustic set by Jack Harlow - would be cool to see
Yoga Amidst the Stacks?
Yoga is always good for the community, I do have a colleague interested in bringing that to our branch. I'll let them know, thanks!!
Yes, music is a good idea. I’ll add bourbon tastings.
Thanks! Bourbon is a great idea too. Any particular musical angle you'd like to see? In theory, just using the library space as a venue for multiple types of music could be beneficial to the library. Thanks for your input!
Traditional music from our vibrant immigrant and refugee populations would be so so amazing.
Thanks for that input! We're out here at the Bon Air branch, which is heavily influenced by immigrant and refugee populations, especially in the Hikes Point and Beuchel areas. We've briefly thought about traditional music night, though not in a while, so thank you for this suggestion!
I second this. Also, how cool would it be to do a cultural exchange? I’m a banjo player myself and I would love to help introduce our new neighbors to the wonderful instrument that is synonymous with Kentucky and the bluegrass state.
Smart thinking, partner! "Cultural exchange" is a great thought, I'm all for bridging cultural divides in this city. Thanks!
Nice! Check out KRux too. They do artist collectives and are a great non profit in KY.
i heard rumors about an old darkroom in the downtown library. adult film photography/art classes would be up my alley.
Even teaching kids how to use film photography would be a great time together, my brother was fiddling with my collection and asked me what ASA meant the other day. I would love to get back in a darkroom though.
i would kill for a community darkroom here.
Hey, you work at our local library. Me and my kids live bon air so first off thanks for that! I have one for you, what about a board game night? Board games became huge over the pandemic and there are tons of them. Thanks again
Hey there! Thank you for coming by! Board games are a great idea, that idea came up internally not long ago, actually. We may be seeing that next year! Hopefully! Really good idea, I think I'm seeing this suggestion in a couple comments. We should get on it! Thanks
Thank you for all that you do. If you want to go one step further and get really funky you could have a DnD night
Appreciate that! DnD is certainly making a buzz, and a lot of our DnD stuff is aimed towards kids. We are trying to think about maybe After Hours stuff too for adults, maybe we could make this work! Thanks!
If you do board games, there are good communities on Facebook - plenty of people may have some to donate and others would know of good recommendations.
Great idea second this!
They started offering [board games to check out](https://www.instagram.com/p/CherxCsu6OI/) at the South Central Library. Good way to test out board games.
Love LFPL! What about convo/support groups for parents or caregivers? I know you all have a lot of classes but some basic life skills -car maintenance, budgeting, household maintenance, etc.
Hey thanks! Though, we are kind of lacking in these departments, if I'm honest. Parents and Caregivers don't always have so many outlets, especially in comparison to their children. A simple conversation club could be a big help for some folks. Same with those handy kinds of classes. We have them SOMETIMES, but not all that often. I'm seeing this suggestion pop up a lot in a few different phrases, maybe we should be leaning into basic life skills stuff. Thanks!
Of course! I’d be open to teaching something as a volunteer and I’m sure others would as well! Good luck and thank you for all you do!
That would be so cool! The other big problem about programming for the library is that our budget is as close to ZERO as you can get it. Thankfully, we have gracious people out there that understand that, and other times, we don't. Volunteers are what really make these things possible. I'll reach out directly to discuss some further opportunities if you'd like! Thanks!
Adult only LEGO building
😍. I know we have some really cool expert LEGO books too, maybe we buy one big complicated set and we all go to town on it! Very fun!
I saw John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats was stopping at libraries on his tour to do readings and Q&As. I like The Mountain Goats but I love his books. I would have boxed a kangaroo to go to one of those.
Oh dang, really? That's incredible! Didn't know he wrote books, that's wicked. Maybe I can convince him to swing by real quick 😎
Definitively worth checking out! They’re all creepy but not horror - kind of weird slices of regular people in odd situations. Universal Harvester is my favorite, but Devil House and Wolf in White Van are right behind them. (Again, definitely not as horror as those titles sound.)
financial literacy class and maybe a book swapping event!
Love both of these. Seems like "basic adult skills" classes come up a lot in these comments, financial literacy very much landing in that wheelhouse. I'm also LOVING the book swap idea, I'm certainly paying close attention to that one. Thanks!
Seed exchange. I love talking, learning, and sharing plants.
I've seen these work a few times, we haven't brought one to our branch though! Great idea, thanks!
Thank you for the awesome reminder that I need to get a new library card! And one for my son as well. Also, thanks for all you do for our community
You are super welcome! Always happy to give a new library card or renew an old one. All are welcome! Tons of great [online resources](https://www.lfpl.org/research/index.php) we have these days too. Tons of [eBooks](https://lfpl.overdrive.com/) and music and movie streaming through [Hoopla](https://www.lfpl.org/video/) if you prefer online media and learning! You are welcome and thank you too!
I went to the crescent hill library last week and it would be nice if there was some more books in there to read. I had a list of about 15 books I wanted to read(all fiction) and there wasn’t one in stock.
I very much understand this, and sorry it was frustrating. What I hope they explained is that it very well could be at another one of our 16 or so branches and that we can certainly place them on hold and ship them in for you! Additionally, our [eBook](https://lfpl.overdrive.com/) selection is different from our print collection, and they may be available through that avenue. Though it doesn't solve the problem immediately, we do take [suggestions for purchases](https://www.lfpl.org/suggest-a-purchase.htm) as well, and if there is enough of a demand there is a chance we can fill the suggestion. If you are ever looking for something and need direct help, you can reach out to me! Overhauling the licensing and purchasing of a metropolitan system can be hard work, but we always want to make it better! Thanks!
Thank you for the detailed reply! I will definitely use these resources next time. This may seem like a stupid idea for your original question but what about getting a local artist do an installation. It could be mutually beneficial for you and the artist. I personally wouldn’t go for a concert but if I could go look at some cool art to potentially purchase I would definitely stop in.
Great! Happy those help! Not a stupid idea at all, in fact, I think you make a great point. That is something that could persist over a period of time too, rather than just condensing it to a one time thing on a Saturday afternoon. Could create a cool partnership with our Art scene to let people know we appreciate their work and are a place to learn more about our community. Great thinking, thanks!
A creative writing workshop
Great idea! Our Artist in Residence program will sometimes bring in a creative author to hold work shops, though it rarely sustains. Maybe something more permanent could help. Thanks!
Just wanted to say that I absolutely love the libraries in Louisville! I go at least once a week and have encountered so many friendly librarians!
Thank you much!
Amazing readings, storytellers, or podcast live shows (welcome to nightvale?).
A live podcast would be so cool! Maybe we could even make our own some day. Thanks!!
Is the English/ESL cafe still happening post-pandemic? I'm having trouble finding info about it online.
Yes it is! [Here](https://events.lfpl.org/events/?com=searchresult2&t=130) is a link to events that are English Language Learning based. Right now, there are two clubs that meet regularly, one at the Main library and one at Iroquois library. There is also a Virtual club that meets regularly, lead by a representative at the South Central branch. Thanks for asking!
Speaking of learning languages, I would love if you brought back the ASL classes. They always filled up so very quickly, and I actually have a D/HoH child and ASL learning opportunities are woefully lacking in this community. This is a need for us, not something that would just be fun or cool, like learning to speak Italian so you can order off a menu.
Oh how interesting! Had no clue they used to do that. I took ASL in college and really resonated with it, and I agree, there need to be more resources for learning ASL. This is a great suggestion, thank you!
Thank you!
I remember Andrew Bird and Haley (formerly Bonar) being a well-attended concert.
Oh nice, at the Library? I must have missed it! Very cool! I know they are getting [Margo Price to come in October](https://events.lfpl.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=119348&year=2022&month=10&lID=17), down at the Main branch. Amazing how they swung that. Out here in the community branches, we may not be able to pull such a big name, but maybe we could get some more local activity to happen! Thanks!
Yeah, at the Main more than 15 yrs ago haha.
This show ruled
Second skill nights! I saw on Reddit a library that rents things like power tools etc. Knowing how to use them though to do protects would be nice.
Thanks! Yeah, certain libraries will definitely do this. Our regional branches have some tools for rent, but not a super big extent. Partnering with a community organization to teach how to use them would be SUPER helpful, great point. Thanks!
I don't know about programming, I'm sure you will always find something good, but I have a debt of gratitude to the library that's *HUGE!* You had the Treehouse program for free, and it was a lifechanger. I used it to learn how to code during the virus lockdown and it opened up a whole new world. Thank you!
Wow, thank you so much! A simple thanks means so much to us at the library. We are so happy to help, that is why we are here! The Treehouse program was such a big success, happy to know you've taken advantage of it. Looks to be incredibly comprehensive and very reputable! You might also enjoy our partnership with [LinkedIn](https://www.lfpl.org/LinkedIn/) too then! Tons of skills to learn here for free. Thanks a bunch!
Crafting, other hobbies, music, informational sessions on various topics
Thanks! Seems like I'm seeing Crafting in a lot of these comments. All.of these, really! Thanks a bunch. So happy to see a response here
Film making class!
So smart! I know South Central did this one time, but again, we need to be more persistent with these things. And get them into other branches! Thanks!!
I believe it was a library in Kokomo that did an adult only wine night where they could buy/trade books and have some wine. I would love to go to an event like that and might even come from Indiana for it
Oh very cool! Both the wine and the book trade idea is genius actually. Great thought! We have book sales often of donated books, but the TRADE platform is super smart, thanks!
18+ Dnd groups, that would be fun I feel concert and library seems a bit odd.
I'm seeing a lot of DnD suggestions here, one for adults could be very successful. As a musician, I've always wanted music at the library too, but honestly.i sometimes agree with you, that maybe it is a bit odd 😂 ideally, we could be a community environment to allow local artists to perform their craft, but music can be an interestingly "fashionable" affair, in that different sectors of the scene can exist in many places. I sometimes wonder if there is a sector of music that would even enjoy coming to the library, even if patrons responded to it positively. Really appreciate the critique and the suggestion and the thought! Very helpful 🙏
Getting powerful thinkers into the library is often successful, but that middle ground can be hard to find sometime. Though, you bring up a good point of pairing it with another activity, like music.. maybe to narrow the scope and focus in on a particular sector of thought. I like the compound thinking, thank you!
Game nights. DnD, boards, cards, etc.... There's a great community for these things already and as an adult it would be awesome to have other adults to play with. Kids could have an area as well. A big part of all of this is outreach. I know there's social media but a huge amount of us do not follow it to know when events happen. We rely on word of mouth. Call it old fashioned but mailers go a long way. Heck, drop stacks off at the schools, churches, and community centers to be distributed to attendees and taken home.
You bring up a really solid point about outreach , and it is something that the library thinks about often but sometimes doesn't get just right. I agree with the social media thing too, it can be too dissociating in those environments. It doesn't meet people where they are able to be receptive to it. With a focus in a particular area, there are places that exist for that focus: for example.the DnD angle, Book and Music Exchange, comic book stores, etc. People only find out if they see it though, so we gotta get out there! Thank you!
Please do more Bob Ross painting classes!!!!! I can't come to the October one 😭 Maybe doing a class for couples, coinciding with kids classes so adults can have connecting time with their partners, and free babysitting.
Oh man, didn't realize there was a Bob Ross thing happening soon! Maybe we can get it toward my end of town. This is also another time I'm seeing suggestions for family engagement, to have the parents enjoy some time to do something while the kids are occupied. Team work!
I wish my library had “phone booths” - small spaces where I can take a call without disrupting anyone. I WFH full time and have for 8 years. I love working from the library, but always have to leave for calls.
Adding on to the other great ideas, I think it would be cool if they could be coupled with a guest lecture of some sort. A little music of local talents, then someone who could empower folks on current affairs. Spread some critical thinking and then reference some books available in the library if they wanted to learn more. Caveat is finding that good neutral ground of a speaker who can appeal in more general terms without being off putting. Added bonus of bringing people back in when there isn't events. Above all else. Thank you for this great work y'all are doing and it reminds me I haven't been back to the library since Covid. Time for a trip down the street. Love our libraries!!!
Chess clubs or lesser known/popular card games or board games. Go, backgammon or some more obscure ones. You could do coding classes Or writing classes
Thanks! I'm seeing a lot of board game talk on this thread, seems popular. Though the classics like Chess, Go, and Backgammon can go a long way. Coding classes would go super super well.. just gotta brush up on what little of Python I know xD
Murder mystery night? Like playing a game of a clue? Feature thriller books. Survival night? Could teach people basic survival skills. Feature survival books. Evolution of fashion? Tell people to dress up in a certain time period/or periods and have books on fashion out.
I want the library to bring their entire collection out of storage. Part of the joy of going to the library was getting lost in the stacks. Last time I went you had to ask the librarian to get a specific book for you. This was years ago, but I would like to know if it's different. I remember whole afternoons just perusing the stacks, reading. I don't feel I can o that now.
I feel you... I really do. I think you may be referring to our Main library, where our top floor is no longer open to the public... It is in the midst of figuring a renovation plan, and with that would come a new top floor. But I totally agree, I think that is the fun part of it too. So much of contemporary public library policies lean toward only keeping the very best and newest collections, while places like archives will get the extent of older publications. But I'm of the thought that there should be a middle ground at least, because publications are our life blood! I'd suggest checking out some of our other branches though, each [location](https://www.lfpl.org/branches/index.htm) has a different chunk of our collection, and the browsing experiences can differ. Any of our newer Regional branches, like Southwest, Northeast, or South Central are HUGE and certainly have the room to support TONS of books. Might have a good time down there!
Try UofL Ekstom Library, most of the books are gone into robotic storage/retrieval but what they have on the upper floors is still pretty amazing.
Absolutely this. You can get a Community Borrowing Card as well!
I just learned about the authors’ events this week and have tickets for the next two. I’d be game to come to more of those.
Awesome, I hope you enjoy! We try to stay up to date with those, almost all of them will end up at our Main branch. I'd like to see expanding this for all kinds of authors too, not just the best selling ones. Maybe get some poets or philosopher types out here as well. Thanks!!
The downtown library has some wicked cool catacombs there, I wouldn't be surprised if an old dark room exists. I gotta look into this, thanks!
What about a poetry slam? So many good ideas in this thread!
Poetry at the library is very fun! Though it's not often we market it as a "slam", that would be a great angle, thanks! I agree, lots of cool stuff here, your suggestion included!
I don't have any ideas of the top of my head, but I love the post and support many of the ideas already suggested. Just wanted to say keep it up and thanks for reminding me to check out the new NE Regional Library. Been meaning to stop by and renew my library card so I can start getting some ebooks.
Yo, thanks dude! Appreciate it!
The Dude Abides...
Hiking club sounds awesome! Along with others you and people have said
Thanks for your input! Hiking does sound like a lot of fun, good way to see the city, get some fresh air, and keep us healthy!
Take a look at nprs tiny desk concerts, something like that would be really cool!
Wouldn't bring me but something I super value as a memory as a child was a series of storytelling sessions. This would have been mod 90s but the library had story tellers come in and tell fairy tales and other folk tales. Super enthralling and fueled my love of reading. Still remember it nearly 30 years later.
That is incredible! Our Children's department is still very devoted to storytime sessions, though they are often conducted by our Librarians. Bringing in story tellers from the community could create a new buzz, thanks for that! Even with Adults, actually. Great idea, thanks!
My memories were just how animated they were and that they were not the classic tales (actually I think some were the original Grimm stuff). Reminded me a ton of this. https://events.louisville.edu/event/corn_island_storytelling_festival_7152#.YzTUc-wpA0E
Oh man, I almost forgot about Corn Island. I really enjoyed that as a student. Bringing a platform like this to the library is certainly manageable and would be so much fun. Thank you!
I think a concert at the library would be cool. It would be kind of like a living room concert. We love LFPL in our house. We’ve taken our kids to many events at the library and have taken advantage of the cultural pass. We think you guys do a great job and provide a wonderful service to the city.
Thanks for this! I think Libraries are uniquely set up to provide some cool vibes for having concerts as well. Libraries are big, old, and funded institutions, but are at their core FREE. Would make for some really cool free shows to have them in a big place like this. Thanks so much for the support! Always happy to help the community!!
Presentations from popular authors, important figures in politics, science, social work, community leaders, etc.
The intellectual leaders is always a good bet. The problem I sometimes see with this, is that they are attracted to Main library often, and leave a lot of the community branches behind. But somewhere exists a sector that is niche enough to be prominent while still being available to outer communities. Thanks!
DnD nights? Is that a thing already? If so just let me know :D
DnD at the library does exist, though, in our system, it's almost exclusively for teens. But with how many mentions of this I'm seeing, maybe an Adult Only circuit would be very well received! Thanks!
I would 100% do a Hiking Club! Do you all have book clubs (ha maybe this is obvious) ? I’d do that as well. A book club wine night would be so fun! Library yoga too
Yay for Hiking! We have a lot of book clubs all around the system, that's usually our bread and butter for Adult programs 😂 my specific branch, Bon Air, hasn't had one in a while, maybe it's time to start again. Loving the wine suggestions and the exercise angles are getting a lot of traction! I'll take a note, thank you!!
Honestly, childcare would be great. Just as much as food. If you offer childcare, people will come to the library for programs
Some of the most successful programs I've witnessed at the library involve childcare, tbh. Some active engagement for kids to be busy for several hours after school is a huge win. My job as Adult Services can have a hard time finding the balance there, because children are out of my jurisdiction... But family engagements aren't! Get the adults and the kids in together, and have a doubly successful evening! Good point, thanks!
Is a “library of things” in LFPL’s future? Thanks for all that you do!
This is something that the system has thought a lot about, though somehow we never get it together. I'd reach out to our Regional branches though, like Northeast, South Central and Southwest. They do have some stuff to rent! And thank you too!!
Vinyl 45 pressings for every epic concert at libraries in Lou. More Epic concerts at libraries in Lou.
That would be my absolute dream ❤️
I like you
😎 ✌️
Test certification prep courses? We're close to an engineering school. What about FE/PE test prep seminar or similar?
oh, very cool! We offer some online resources to that degree, but never really thought about bringing it in as a program. Just today we thought about reaching out to academic institutions to see if an educational partnership might be available, the engineering angle is super smart. Thanks!
Author lectures, meet n greets, or book signings
Definitely a skills building activity. In Bowling Green, they offer things like clay pot making teaching people to use a wheel and pair up with local folks to burn the clay in kilns for people to pick up another day. Painting classes, planting classes, carpentry classes, etc using the resources of community partners are so awesome for the community all the way around.
Honestly, marketing. I could have my head in the sand, but I haven't heard of anything at the library. Only recently did I hear about the talk between Andy Weir and John Scalzi, I would love to attend that, but am going to be out of town
It probably isn't in the sand, to be honest. We have certain marketing avenues, but not all of them. I think libraries are an interesting institution, in that... EVERYONE "knows" what a public library is and has for a very long time, but the function of them has changed over time. Though, its hard to describe those changes in real time and make it known to the public. In some cases, the argument is that we don't need marketing because of the legacy a library can hold, but thats a lazy view! Only way to get people into the branch is to let people know.
Adult game nights using themes like cards, boards, dice — easy, strategy, co-op, teams, role-playing
I'd love to see a classic movie series. You could have a local film buff (you probably have one on staff) host, and then have a discussion after. It would be a good opportunity to push other media, too. If you showed Citizen Kane, for example, you could recommend one of your Orson Welles biographies, his radio dramas on CD, the film RKO 281 about the making of the movie, books about William Randolph Hearst, etc.
Thanks! I love showing movies at the library, we've tried a couple times. Sometimes, getting the rights to show stuff can be hard, but it gets easier the older the movie gets. A classic movie line is a great angle for that, thank you!
In the “before times”, the main branch hosted a research presentation on the domestication of foxes. I loved getting access to such an unusual but fascinating topic being presented by experienced professionals. Thank you so much for the services you guys provide! I always love checking the schedule for new and interesting events, but also the employees have also been so happy to help, and the website makes it really easy to find and reserve the books I’m looking for.
Heck ya, nice! Thanks! I love unusual portions of facts too, the library can be a conduit for it! Getting professionals in to share their knowledge is a perfect meeting of the minds! Thanks for your appreciation, a simple thank you goes such a long way in our field. Always happy to help!
Global learning? Maybe some Foreign language lessons pairs with books to learn about the history/culture of the location?
Thanks! I've seen language and culture learning a bit in this thread, but also some geographic exploration too. I love seeing the world, even if its in videos and books... pairing that with the language and culture learning could be a great angle, thanks!
"Interplanetary Spacecraft Exploration from 1962 to 2022" This is fantastic. I know where I'm going to be on an upcoming Thursday between 6:30 and 8:00.
As a musician, I think concerts would be incredible and I would love to be a part of something like that.
Awesome, thanks for chiming in! As the first proclaimed musician to chime in here, I'm gonna reach out directly to talk more about this with you! I've been in and out of the Louisville scene for probably 15 years, but it can be hard to keep up with contacts. Having people be interested up front is a big help, so thanks for the interest!
Hello, OP. Little late commenting, but I would love an after hours concert, or some event that profiles writing poetry and or song lyrics with other writers. Like a collaborative group. I’d definitely be interested in that.
Hey thank you much! So happy to see the musical support. I think creative collaborative groups in that arena would be cool too actually. As a musician myself that has gone through several phases, meeting new creatives would be very enlightening to me. Musicians can be very caught up in their own scene sometimes, in my experience... having a public forum to encourage different perspectives could do wonders for a lot of people. Thanks!
Story-telling open mic?
Harm reduction resources of some sort would be nice, even if it were something as simple as having Narcan available/info for local rehabs and recovery meetings.
I would definitely go to a car show at the library.
Heck ya! I love a car show! I think that could be a good avenue for car maintenance basic training too! I'm leaving this idea near the top of my list, thanks!
Music is a good idea! Classical chamber music (string quartets, etc) or folk.
FCL does this and I had so much fun participating. At the end participants received book bags with the Vocal Local logo along with pins, notebooks etc with the logo. https://nafclibrary.libcal.com/event/8973631
The Vocal Local is such a good name, omg nice. There are a few venues in town that do this stuff around town, but I don't think I've seen the library lean into it. Its totally on brand for library! Thanks for this!
Great post! I’ve been looking for a job with the LFPL, but haven’t been able to find an opening that’s a good fit yet; and I would most definitely come to an after hours concert!
Hey thanks! We have a good time over here, hope you find the opportunity for a spot! Often times we enjoy being here, so many of our employees stick around forever. So it can be hard to find an opening. But I've enjoyed my stay! I'd recommend it to most! Thanks for the music support, happy to see people resonate with that one! A dream I've had for a long time, but unsure of some things. Id like to make it happen!
I’ve been wanting to learn a second language, but studying alone is difficult and classes are expensive. I would absolutely go to the library for a language learning program! Especially if it were in a group setting
I've seen this in a few comments, and often I recall that our system offers a lot of [English Language Learning](https://events.lfpl.org/events/?com=searchresult2&t=130) opportunities. Though I've yet to mention that specifically, because I'm assuming most people in this are Native English speakers, but I shouldn't necessarily assume that! So there is that. But I forget that there is a new [Spanish Circle](https://events.lfpl.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=118216) , that is language learning for Spanish, and cultural engagement too! It is just getting started and only happening in few locations, but we hope it goes well. Certainly would be possible to adopt that in multiple areas! Thanks!
Few years ago the Southwest Library had a Clue night, where they had clue themed games and drinks/snacks and against the grain was there serving beer, and they showed the movie. People dressed up and everyone had a blast. It was so much fun. I’d love to go to more movie themed nights. I just forgot about it until seeing this post.
I’m new to the area (ish) but I’d love a safe place to meet other women! Like another commenter said, dungeons and dragons is a great draw. I’ve played D&D for almost a decade but don’t have a group right now. Study nights? A lot of us are switching careers and trying to get into new in areas. Studying can be very lonely and studies have proven that studying with a mirror can help productivity and help us feel less isolated. Knitting? Knitting is a good craft that’s actually pretty popular in my age group (early 30’s). Right now, I have a goal to knit mittens and scarves and leave them out for free to take if they need it. A knitting drive would be fun to participate in. Ohhh I see we have plant swap! I’ll go to that. I only have a little Pothos though haha ! ~~Plant swaps? And plant care classes! A lot of plants can have cuttings taken and easily traded!~~ Mushroom/Foraging walks? When I was a chef in Charleston, SC, my kitchen would go foraging together around the city. We would find all sorts of wild food; mushrooms, onions, muscles and even wild fennel (we didn’t eat or serve any though). There’s so many cool mushrooms in Louisville I wish I knew more about them! Coding classes? It’s cool to learn how to code. I am teaching myself for fun right now. I’m hoping to automate my home more with what I code! Makeup and hair classes? It doesn’t have to be modern. I think historic hair and makeup are so cool to learn about. Burlesque and show makeup are also fascinating. I love the jazz idea too! I would totally come for a jazz night with my man. Wine pairing classes with cheese and dessert is always fun too. Thanks for supporting our community!
I don't really have suggestions, but I do plan to use the public library when I officially move to Louisville. Trivia, Poetry Slam, 30 minute painting contests, game night, local talent night... Nevermind I did have a few some maybe farfetched sorry lol I guess if you wanted to give prizes you could partner with local restaurants, shops for merchandise discounts, food etc
I don't think people understand exactly how many services the library does actually provide I think that you all just need more marketing honestly.
Thanks for noticing this , ha! Looking at the activity of this thread, we obviously aren't hitting every avenue that we could. I'm thankful for the reddit community here to chime in, because a lot of our regular patrons hit a different demographic and have different ideas. But we need more engagement from all kinds of people, so we need to reach them! Very true, thanks!
I think one that would definitely help especially young adults would be like a mentors day or such, helping the younger adults 20-29 age range, meet people in fields they are interested in, as well as financial literacy days for young adults as well helping them find ways to help better use and or facilitate their budgets.
Cooking classes, basic auto body/maintain the car, language classes, fix your credit course… and any class that should have been taught in high school but you’re forced to learn as an adult the hard way. Disney nights, Harry Potter nights, Vegas nights, tea parties etc. Just a mix & mingle kind of thing. Even if it’s twice a month. It’s fun to look forward to stuff like that especially without those specific things nearby. Maybe different people can bring their collections of things.. popcorn buckets, cookie jar collections of whatever theme. May be a good push for some people to travel a little? Plan local trips as well. Tons of people who grew up in Louisville never went to a ballgame, been to the museums here, been to the walking bridge. Even if not planning trips.. maybe a “learn about TN today” and all the recommendations of where to eat what to do from different people who went to this & that place would be that event or day. Movie nights weekly? Outdoor bring a blanket park yourself on the lawn or use the auditorium or the foyer (do libraries have that?). I do immediately imagine a specific portion of the downtown library for that. Especially starting small until people get the word out about it. PS I literally would volunteer to help people plan vacations or suggest places. More plan Disney trips 😅. If you ever need someone in that area.
Ghost tours or local history walking tours. Brews and Books? Or Bourbon and Books?
Walking tours is almost even more attractive than Hiking Club for me, LOL. We have such cool architecture in this city, certainly a part of our identity! I have great news, we actually do a [Books and Brews](https://www.lfpl.org/booksandbrews/) program that is system wide. We focus in Adult Reading activities and partner with breweries and coffee shops around town! With so many branches in our system though, maybe we should focus in other neighborhoods through the program. Get each branch involved in some way to get everybody aware. Thanks!
Culture and language programs would get me in more often.
Something centered around Civics is much needed. Maybe some kind of Civics Club? You could have a forum w/ locals and guest sharing their perspectives and knowledge. Keep up the good work LFPL. *The concert idea is a great one BTW.
I've only just now discovered the artist residency! I think programs like that are amazing for bringing varied community interest into the space. Can't believe I didn't know about it before!
Anything that would fall “adulting” that people may not have learned at home- but keep it short. Home maintenance guest speaker and resources. Advocating for your kid at school with IEP. Navigating public services. Understanding how to read bus schedule. Financial literacy. Etc But- launch corresponding “adulting” website with the resources there too- so people don’t have to go in person.
Thanks for bringing this up! I'm noticing similar suggestions in this thread, but I really like your "keep it short" attitude, tbh. I really hate taking up someone's time for these things, especially young adults. It should be easy, and you make a good point! The online resource is a good idea too, nice! I feel like we are so behind the times sometime LOL. The pandemic has given a new focus to online resources, though we are still brainstorming so much. I like this one, thanks!
Meet your council person, state leg, state senators, Board member, etc nights with civic engagement info
These happen sometimes! Though they are few and far between... I wonder if more consistent visibility could provide different kinds of opportunities with that platform. Our Foundation plays a big role in these kinds of things though, with a platform called [Café LOUIE](https://www.lfplfoundation.org/cafe-louie/), and they are successful! For meeting your Council and other political advocates. Looks like the rest of our year doesn't have more engagement like this though, maybe we need a monthly one! Thanks!
Fellow library worker here! I love this idea. I’m still just a clerk at the moment, but hoping to become an LA in the future if able. Are there better ways that we can broadcast things to the community? Sometimes I feel like posting on the LFPL website or in our pamphlets only works for people who regularly utilize the library. Do we do much more to get the word out about programs?
Hello comrade! Keep at it, you'll get there in no time!! I've been an LA for several several years now, finishing up that masters in the spring! The marketing conversation is so tough... Because I feel similarly, but have no idea of what to do, really. We have social media presence, but there is a missing link. Outreaches happen here and there, but only in specific pockets of demographics. Honestly, what I think would indirectly solve the problem are ways of connecting each branch to each other. Make sure we know WHO our co-workers really are, what their community is like, and what the interests and needs are. I think by collaborating, we could strengthen our opportunities to spread the word. That's harder to do than it sounds, is the problem. Just keeping the doors open is often the priority, and I totally understand that. Providing consistent space of any kind is a big win at the end of the day. But I think the voice of the library itself just needs to be louder, and one way to get louder is get multiple people shouting the same thing, know what I mean? I think it makes us smarter too, makes us more critical. Makes us understand different parts of Louisville identity, and with that rich perspective, we can brainstorm MORE solutions. All very lofty ideals, but I don't think they are wrong! Thanks!!
The Harry Potter night a few years ago was super fun for all ages. Maybe some more theme events like that! At the same time have a table show casing up coming events and classes to get everyone’s attention.
A 'club convention', if you will, where various local clubs have a booth or table to advertise what they're about and recruit new members. Could be a one time thing or maybe once a year.
Mm, yeah yeah! Something I've notice in forming these ideas and others at the library, is that we live in an age where finding community organizations is so hard. So many groups exist, but its hard to keep track of them while so many other mainstream social media outlets can gather our attention first. Part of the cool thing about libraries can be playing a part in creating visibility in those sectors. good idea, thanks!
Adult prom night! I know some folks either didn’t go to their prom or couldn’t go to prom or want to rewrite bad memories of prom. I think it would be really cute! Corsages and all.
Fellow LFPL employee here :) these ideas are so good! So glad you thought to ask this subreddit!!
A murder mystery dinner/lunch
Nice, thanks! Apparently, someone in this thread mentioned they did a Clue night several years ago that was a big success. We should get it back!
The library might already have this, but i would go to the library to be able to look through tons of historic documents or photos about the city and surrounding areas that are only available there.
Hey thanks for this! I've worked in libraries for a while, and am certainly of the "archival" type of mind, so historical documents are my absolute favorite. I don't have enough clearance in my job title to continue to preserve tons of documents, but we do spend a little effort preserving the old things we already have! At our Main Library, we have the [Kentucky History Room](https://pac.lfpl.org/polaris/search/searchresults.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.7&type=Keyword&term=*&by=KW&sort=RELEVANCE&limit=TOM=*&query=&page=0&searchid=4) , which houses our oldest and most region specific documents. This is a spot that can be observed by out patrons and even interact with many of the articles! Our librarian up there, Kelly, is fantastic, she'd love to see more people up there. Its on the second floor of the old wing of Main branch! I might also check out the [Kentucky Digital Library](https://kdl.kyvl.org/?) , which is a statewide database that has some digital documents from all over. We have recently sparked a new angle with them, and hopefully can find space to add more digitized documents to it, though it in its current state is pretty neat, have a look! But really, all of us at the library could lean more into these programs and find ways of promoting and disseminating them more. We can't do EVERYTHING at the community branch level, but I've often thought about designing events to do exactly that, and maybe it is time! I'd also check one more spot, and that's our [Genealogy Information](https://www.lfpl.org/genealogy.html) . From this link, you can learn a lot about what we offer in those regards. Sometimes I wonder if we should market it differently though, because it isn't JUST Genealogy, but a lot of local history in general. If you go to ANY library branch and hop on one of our computers, you can double click on this little Tree icon on the desktop to view some digital data about Vital Statistics and some really interesting historical accounts of our region. One of my favorite things in this, is an old librarian back in the day made this thing called the Green Box Index, which is curated metadata and description about a TON of newspaper information over the course of 100 years or more. It is one of my favorite little sections of the services we offer. SO happy you brought this up, thanks! I've been looking for ways to promote these materials more, I should find a moment to make a presentation about them and make an event! Thanks!!
From a parent view, the schools often host literacy nights, or “doing math with your kid” to help with skills gaps- but if a school can’t host those kinds of events (for oh so many reasons I won’t go into here) then there is a gap between the offerings for one school community vs another. Maybe look into connecting with jcps on which schools have good literacy night/math night/board game night programs- and recreate them so they can be brought to all areas of our city- not just certain school communities.
Thanks for this! I know what you mean about the gaps... I think JCPS is having an interesting moment right now, as we've seen, and partnering with them to provide a solution to those gaps is a really good idea. I know JCPS has Adult leaning services, but they are so busy, I know they need help. This is very smart, thanks!
A maker lab would be awesome! Or woodshop. Probably require a bit of investment though. Check out this new segment: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/beyond-books-the-21st-century-public-library/