We all know that librarians are not the prototypical sensible-shoes-wearing little ladies with buns, but did you have any idea how much fun we can be? Here's a collection of news stories I've assembled about some imaginative parties, programs, competitions, and stunts librarians have staged for their communities - the kind of events that generate not only feature articles but word of mouth buzz. To get an idea of what I had to say in this presentation, see my column, "Party People," http://marylaine.com/exlibris/xlib307.html.

Parties

• Harry Potter parties galore! See the Harry Potter Prediction Party at Wallingford Public Library, <http://wallingfordlibrary.blogspot.com/2007/07/harry-potter-prediction-party.html>; a costume designer's presentation on making your own costume or adapting your Muggle wardrobe at Oshkosh PL; making slime at the Summitville (IN) Library;

• the Pink Princess Party Story Time at Oak Bluffs (MA) Public Library <http://childrensobpl.blogspot.com/2007/06/pink-princess-party-story-time.html>; the mother-daughter tea party in honor of Mother's Day at the Barrington (NH) Public Library; the Teddy Bears Picnic, at Bethlehem (NY) PL and another at Prospect Heights (IL) PL, where it's combined with a parade

• Retro parties: Fabulous Fifties Sock Hop week at Imaginon; an 80s Party, Kinderhook (NY) Memorial Library <http://teen-o-mite.blogspot.com/2007/03/teen-night-80s-party.html>

• Teen Lock-ins - Unquiet Fridays at the Princeton Public Library; Lights Out at the Library Sleepover at Wilton (CT) Library; Locked in at the Library, at Seattle Public Library, Somerset County (NJ) Library, and Bridgeport (CT) PL

• Pool parties: Lakewood Public Library; Oak Hill (OH) Public Library end of summer reading program swim party

• Library anniversary parties, like Bristol Public Library's exact reproduction of the library's original dedication program

• Ender’s Back-to-the-Future Costume Party with Stargazing on the Roof, Forsyth County (NC) Public Library

• Ghostbusters, Gross Out Challenge and Costume Party, Kinderhook (NY) Memorial Library http://teen-o-mite.blogspot.com/2007/06/teen-night-ghostbusters-gross-out.html

• CeLIBration at Georgia Tech, with speed dating, improv comedy, ninja tag and more http://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com/the_ubiquitous_librarian/2007/08/celibration-200.html

• Suggestions: Most Influential People Who Never Lived Party http://marylaine.com/exlibris/xlib295.html; 43-Man Squamish event and party http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/43-Man_Squamish
  
  

  Programs

• Garage band nights and other rock events: Michigan YA Librarian Bill Harmer's widely imitated and NPR-publicized idea to bring rock group High Strung into the library; Nashua Public Library's Teens Go Green concert; Hooksett Public Library Open Mic nights

• Duct Tape crafts. "Sample the colors of the Duct Tape rainbow--try your hand at a duct tape cell phone holster, wallet, picture frame or bookmark" at Springfield-Greene County Library (MO); making Duct Tape Ties for Father's Day at Imaginon; Duct Tape Craft sessions at Southfield (MI)Public Library; duct tape iPod case at Nashua Public Library

• As seen on television: "Antiques Roadshow" type events: Rare book appraisal at San Francisco Public Library, also at Lincoln City Libraries (NE); Antiques Evaluation Day with Wes Cowan at the Allen County (IN) Public Library

• As seen on television: extreme makeover program: Martin Library, York, PA, Room Facelift Contest with presentation by HGTV hosts of Room by Room, http://www.yorklibraries.org/martin/programs/GO/families/contest%20application.pdf

• Anime, Manga, and CosPlay events: Westhampton (NY) Free Library Cosplay Party and Comicon, <http://westhamptonfreelibraryclubmanga.blogspot.com/2007/08/cosplay-party-comicon.html>

• Interactive Murder Mysteries: Way Library (Perrysburg, OH), Mayhem at the Mansion fundraiser; Lincoln City Libraries (NE) cohosted a Mayhem in the Midlands Mystery Convention

• Dance classes: Hip Hop Dance Classes at the Houston Public Library, Belly Dancing classes at Mount Laurel (NJ) Library and Queens Library

• St Joseph County (IN) Public Library's Dungeons & Dragons event

• Time Capsule, Mitchell Memorial Library, <http://public.travis.amc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123068250>

• Things That Fly, Houston Public Library - making paper airplanes, gliders, kites, flying saucers

• Queens Library: "Nicole Bass, the world's largest female bodybuilder at 6 ft. 2 in. and 236 lbs., former WWE and ECW wrestler, who will speak on nutrition, bodybuilding, pro-wrestling..."

• Low Rider show at the Ft. Worth Public Library, <http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6312500>

• World Cup Soccer viewing, Princeton Public Library, <http://librarygarden.blogspot.com/2006/07/soccer-serendipity-success-ppl.html>

• Go Hog-Wild at the Roxbury (NJ) Public Library. Michele Reutty, president of NJLA and member of a motorcycle club called Spokes-Women, staged an all-day motorcycle event

• Make a Movie Night, teen event at Asheboro (NC)Public Library <http://tametheweb.com/2007/04/teens_can_make_movies.html>

• Bike/Walk To Work Day, Nichols Memorial Library, <http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/NEWS/805090368>

• Home of the Brave Quilt Workshop, Plaistow (NH) Public Library, <http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_117005922.html?keyword=topstory>

• Make sidewalk drawings - St. Charles (IL) Public Library

• RhythmWeb - "Learn about the drums of the world and how to make homemade ones." Houston Public Library

• Connect up with the International Space Station: Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL, <http://www.dailyherald.com/column/?id=34179>

• Play with computer innards: turn old computer parts into jewelry at the Ann Arbor District Library; "Computer Deconstruction" at the Nashua Public Library

• Annual Photography Show, Rochester (NH) Public Library, <http://www.rpl.lib.nh.us/programs/photoshow/photoshow2008.html>

• Model train exhibit, Smyrna (TN) Library, <http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=4936>

• Science on Patrol, King County Library System, in collaboration with the King County Sheriff's Office, <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2003836977_library15e.html>

• Giant chess with human chess pieces at Hennepin County Library

  
  
  

  Community festivals

• Wilton Library's all-community concert with Chris Brubeck

• Librarypalooza - Princeton Public Library, <http://www.towntopics.com/oct0803/gallery.html>; Everett (WA) Public Library, <http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6423395.html>

• Sample the Arts at Springfield Greene County (MO) Library

• "Birthday Mural" Community Tile Day, at Corvallis-Benton County Library (OR), <http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2007/07/26/news/people/2gwd01_july21.txt>

• Queens Library - something for all 142 nationalities in the community, <http://queenslibrary.org/index.aspx?page_id=27§ion_id=6> - Music from the China Youth Orchestra, Greek song and poetry, African festival 2008, A Musical Journey, from Hebrew to Yiddish, Brazilian Music Concert & Dance Performance, etc.

• Annual Cardboard Boat Festival fundraiser, Merrimack Public Library

• Cinco de Mayo celebrations and Dia de los ninos/Dia de los libros celebrations, <http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/diadelosninos/diacelebrations/diacelebrations.htm>

• Storytelling Festivals - Multnomah County (OR) Library's Tapestry of Tales, <http://www.multcolib.org/events/tales/>; Tampa-Hillsborough County Library, <http://www.tampastory.org/>.

• Book Crawl - Ann Arbor District Library, Chelsea District Library, Ypsilanti District Library in concert
  
  

  Food!!

• Edible Book Festival, Chesley Memorial Library, Northwood, NH

• Barbecue for Books fundraiser, Ashland (OR) Library, <http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070908/LIFE/709080313>

• Cookie Swap, Stillwater (OK) Public Library, <http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Programs_for_Adults>

• The downtown chocolate walk fundraiser: Perry (IA) Public Library, <http://www.perrypl.org/Newsletters/February%202008.pdf>; Lititz (PA) Public Library, <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9152622.html>

• Salsa Making Contest - Ocean County (NJ) Library

• Books, Blooms and Baked Goods Sale, Bonham (TX) Public Library <http://heralddemocrat.com/articles/2007/04/14/life/life03.txt>

• A Night To Remember - Titanic fare at the Ocean County Library, <http://tritown.gmnews.com/news/2007/0913/Front_Page/015.html>

• Cakepan Collections: North Liberty (IA) Public Library, <http://www.northlibertylibrary.org/vttwo/cakepans/cakepans.html >; also Reed Memorial Library (OH), whose collection includes Sponge Bob, Barbie, Spiderman, etc.

• Willie Wonka Design a Candybar Contest, Cuyahoga County (OH) PL

• Dayton&Montgomery County Library teen event celebrating National Potato Chip Day

• Cookies in the shape of the new library building - St. Ambrose University Library
  
  

  Competitions and Stunts

• The Smelly Six of the Henderson District Library, <http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA633315.html>; also see <http://www.flickr.com/photos/12764830@N00/>; Read for the Record at Howard County Library, to break the world record for the largest shared reading experience; also, the Reading Relay, Washoe County (NV) Library System

• Hopkinton Town Library's Hopkinton/Contoocook Walkabout, <http://www.hopkintontownlibrary.org/>

• Teen video, photography, and art competitions: Princeton PL's Student-Made Film and Video competition; Lakewood Public Library's Photos of the city of Lakewood competition; Kids' Art Fair at Ann Arbor District Library <http://www.aadl.org/node/4512>; Pet and Wildlife K-12 Photo Contest, Ann Arbor District Library; Asheboro Public Library's video editing contest <http://tametheweb.com/2007/04/teens_can_make_movies.html>

• As seen on television: American Idol competitions: Chesterfield Township Public Library; Louisville Free Library's Library Idol competition, <http://public.lisnews.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/07/1725206>

• Geocaching events: Penn State Library, <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051017071602.htm>; Case Western Reserve Library's Geocaching contest; Nampa Public Library; What IS geocaching? <http://www.case.edu/pubs/cnews/2003/4-17/schneider.htm>

• LEGO contests, Ann Arbor District Library, <http://www.aadl.org/node/4869>; also St. Tammany Parish (LA) Library, <http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/LEGOStructureContest-Slidell.html>

• Costume contests: FantasyFest Costume contest for teens at the Douglas County (CO) Library; or come to the Ann Arbor District Library to create your own superhero costume; Society for Creative Anachronism program at the Fargo Public Library (motto: "where the fun is free") ;

• Writing contests: St. Joseph County Library's Eerie Imaginings short story contest, <http://sjcpl.org/whatsnew/libraryevents/eerie/default.html>;

• Athletic events: Library Walkathon, Waterboro (ME) Public Library <http://www.waterborolibrary.org/labels/waterboro>; Read and Run for Your Health 5K and 1 Mile Walk at Henderson Libraries <http://www.mypubliclibrary.com/programs/5KRun.html>; Huntley Area (IL) Public Library Kick-a-thon <http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2007/08/15/news/local/doc46c287daacdd7168083014.txt>; Kennebunk Free Library Road Race (Its 10th annual) <http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/NEWS/707120364/-1/rss07>

• "Putting for Dollars" at the Southworth Library, <http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080128/NEWS/801280335>

• Gaming contests: Dance Dance Revolution contests, Super Smash Brothers Melee at St. Joseph County Public Library

• Pimp My Bookcart contests, <http://www.unshelved.com/PimpMyBookcart/2007/>

• Bookcart drill teams, <http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0627/p20s01-algn.html>; videos: <http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=3D22BCD718780C1C>

• Library moving day stunts: human chain at St. Ambrose University Library; the Great Mount Kisco (NY) Library Book Race, <http://www.mtklibraryfoundation.org/news/index.html>

• A Day in Allen County on Flickr
  <http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/434085021/>

• Voluntary Public Humiliation: "Wackiest librarian in Texas" perches on roof until $20,000 is raised <http://www.main.org/tla3/rosealeta.htm>; McArthur Public Library in Biddeford turns library staff into superheroes, <http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=128697&ac=PHnws>; Aaron Coutu of the green hair, <http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA385872.html>

• M&M mosaic Guinness Book event at Evergreen Park Library (IL), <http://mosaicinfo.wordpress.com/2007/09/12/library-has-sweet-way-to-break-a-record/>

• Teen YouTube Contest for a library promotion - Eden Prairie Library (MN), <http://tametheweb.com/2007/08/eden_prairie_library_contest_e.html>

• Nampa (ID) Public Library Contest for Ideas for the new library, <http://nampalibrary-sketchbook.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html>

• Teen Songwriting Contest, Nashville Public Library, <http://www.library.nashville.org/teens/songwriting/songwritingsongs7.asp>

• Fantasy Baseball Competition at the Krauss Memorial Library, Rockford MI, <http://folusa.org/sharing/programs-projects.php>

• Celebrity Doodles Auction, Bettendorf Public Library, <http://www.bettendorflibrary.com/libraryfund/events.htm>

• Win an iPod Shuffle at our Guitar Hero Contest, Corbin Public Library (MA), http://chesterccorbinyouthservices.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/win-an-ipod-our-guitar-hero-contest/

• Partners in a Great System (P.I.G.S.) promotion, Alliance Library System, <http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA510552.html>; cf Painted Bears fundraiser for the Park County Library in Cody, WY, <http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2007/08/08/news/news1.prt>

• Gname this Gnome at the Jones Library, Amherst MA; cf name the cartoon dog's sidekick at Anderson (IN) Public Library for Library Card Signup Month in 2005.

• Spooky Superstitions Day Friday the 13th at the Hartford Public Library, <http://www.hplct.org/teen/superstitionday.htm>

• Cupstacking competition, Ann Arbor District Library

• Scottsdale Public Library "Googlewhack@your library" competition

• Car Rally treasure hunt adventure, Fort Frances Public Library, Ontario, CA, <http://www.fftimes.com/node/204027>

• Baker & Taylor Cat Calendar Contest for kids, Payson (AZ) Public Library, <http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/localnews/story/30287>

• Recycled Art Competition, Delphi (IN) Public Library, <http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/news/2007/0905/local_News/077.html>