D73b Book displays, January to December Douglas * . * Cf)e Library of tlje (anft)er$jtp of spoilt Carolina Collection of ^ottg Catolmiana GnDotoeti bp loj^n ^ptunt Wl of tl^e Cri800 of 1899 CdOZ'^.S ,y^u '■" lloolc llis|iliiys • «laiiii:iiy to llvct'uilii'r • H T W -5 H Publication No. 261 Book Displays January to December By Mary Peacock Douglas formerly, State School Library Adviser and Betty Gosnold Jeffrey formerly Librarian, Needham Broughton High School Raleigh, North Carolina Issued by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Raleigh, North Carolina 1947 FOREWORD Bringing good books to the attention of young readers is a sure way of increasing interest in reading. Improved ability in read- ing lessens the possibility of incompetence in all subject areas. This bulletin on book displays has been prepared to give school librarians and classroom teachers suggestions for stimulating and widening the reading interests of boys and girls in special events, outstanding personalities, world affairs, and other topics on which they should be informed. The calendar of events alone should prove helpful in spotting outstanding anniversaries, special holidays, and celebrations which are frequently observed in communities as well as in class- rooms. Many of the suggestions for displays will serve as step- ping-stones to others more imaginative or more pretentious on the same topic. Variety in types and subjects of displays can be readily achieved by reference to the lists in Chapter II. The chap- ter on materials and tools for preparing attractive exhibits can be used with pupils who have interest and aptitude for executing the displays. The efforts of librarians and teachers to widen the horizon of our boys and girls through books and reading is very gratifying. Our office will continue to cooperate in providing bulletins to meet the expressed needs of our teachers in furthering this part of our educational program. State Superintendent of Public Instruction. May 22, 1947. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Foreword 3 Preface 5 Chapter I. Calendar of Special Days and Events 7 January May September February June October March July November April August December Chapter II. Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays.. 34 Bulletin Board Displays Table Displays Glass Case Displays Shelf Displays Small Space Displays Chapter III. Methods and Materials for Displays.-—--— 46 Arrangement of Displays Methods Letters and Lettering Tools and Materials Appendix A: Display Materials 57 Appendix B: References on Library Displays AND Publicity 61 PREFACE The purpose of this pamphlet is to suggest simple effective book displays which can be prepared with a minimum of time and materials by the teacher or librarian who has little aptitude in poster production. Materials usually available in small towns and to a large extent found in school supply rooms have been suggested for the most part. Displays more pretentious and more exciting can be designed and executed by those who have easy access to large stores and who have funds for the purchase of considerable materials. While the displays suggested here are simple, they may stimulate the imagination of those persons more able to prepare elaborate dis- plays and save them time in planning. The school librarian who is responsible for all book selection, for all technical processes, for some mending, for all records of use, for instruction in the use of books and libraries, for reading guidance, and for library publicity has need for ideas that can be quickly and easily carried out. All of the ideas presented here conform to this pattern and have been tried out in actual practice. Only a few of them are original. The authors thank all whose ideas are shared with other teachers and school librarians. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Ensuring Democracy through Digital Access (NC-LSTA) http://www.archive.org/details/bookdisplaysjanu1947doug CHAPTER I Calendar of Special Days and Events Certain birthdays, events, or special celebrations lend them- selves to displays for reading stimulation. Many librarians and teachers need only an organized calendar of these things as a time saver for planning displays. Others need specific suggestions and ideas for arrangement and content of book exhibits. In order to meet the needs of both groups, a calendar arranged in order of date with events, birthdays, and special celebrations in chronological order has been prepared. For each month in the year certain topics have been selected for amplification. In some instances only captions are suggested because the event itself is such that ideas are easily found to develop simple displays. Some displays have been illustrated and described for each month. No one will probably wish to copy any display exactly as it is given, but to see how someone else has carried it out will be helpful in stimuating imagination. These sample arrangements should prove useful also in working with pupils who will probably be responsible for preparing many of the book displays. Following the monthly calendars, there is a section called "Any Month" which indicates some displays that fit any time in the year. This is true also of many suggestions given under each month. For example, a display on music is suggested during January because of the birthdays of Mozart and Schubert. It would be just as appropriate in March for the birthdays of Strauss, Bach, and Haydn. Music Week is celebrated in May, and many librarians will prefer to plan a music display in cooperation with music teachers and students for that time. Music is a subject which is appropriate for any month, but no one subject should be used every month. The chapter on SUBJECT VARIETY IN DISPLAYS will help in locating descriptions of displays suitable for any date. JANUARY 1 New Year's Day 1 Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln issued 1863 1 Paul Revere born 1735 1 Commonwealth of Australia proclaimed 1901 4 Jakob Grimm born 1785 8 Book Displays — January to December 6 Twelfth Day 6 Joan of Arc born 1412 7 Israel Putnam born 1718 10 Ethan Allen born 1737 11 Alexander Hamilton born 1757 12 Charles Perrault born 1628 14 Hugh Lofting born 1886 17 Benjamin Franklin born 1706 Third Week Thrift Week 18 Daniel Webster born 1782 19 Robert E. Lee born 1807 19 Edgar A. Poe born 1809 21 Stonewall Jackson born 1824 24 Discovery of gold in California 1848 24 First Boy Scout troop organized in England 1908 by Sir Baden-Powell 25 Robert Burns born 1759 27 Lewis Carroll born 1832 27 Wolfgang Mozart born 1756 Last Sunday Child Labor Day 30 Franklin D. Roosevelt born 1882 31 Franz Schubert born 1797 Suggestions L New Year 1. A large new calendar on the bulletin board torn to allow jackets (or jacket spines) of many new books to stick through. Cap- tion New Books for New Year made of letters cut from construc- tion paper or book jackets. Display the books also. 2. If no new books are available, the same plan with caption Old Favorites for New Year could be used. 3. A picture of a New Year baby cut from a magazine cover or drawn and mounted with the caption Brand New to use with new books is also suitable. II. American Revolutionary Period 1. The birthdays of Revere, Putnam, Allen, Hamilton, and Franklin provide opportunity for a patriotic, historical display. Pictures of the persons with brief biographical sketches emphasizing their historic importance put on the bulletin board and books about the individual or the period displayed with them. Calendar of Special Days and Events 9 2. a shelf display or table display of historical objects or a minia- ture scene of a Revolutionary War incident together with books is effective. See Figure 2 for using a shelf as a stage setting for this purpose. III. Winter Nature 1. Cut out frost and snow forms and attach to board. Caption may be spelled out with the cutouts. Caption may relate to nature study or to outdoor games. 2. Animal tracks on white background simulating snow with cap- tion Animal Kingdom for animal books. 3. Map of winter constellations. YKAll [CM fwo ^Or^ V nriiiiBsiis Figure 1 THE NEW YEAR. Cut large bells from very light weight colored paper and string on a length of heavy satin ribbon. Tie the ribbon in a large loose bow with four loops and long ends. Fasten in place on a bulletin board with half inch squares of Scotch tape or celluloid covered colored thumbtacks, so placed that they do not show. Use bright, gay colors — a red ribbon with silver bells, cerise ribbon with blue-grey bells, or white ribbon with gold or red bells. The caption of cut-out letters is taped to the bulletin board. For a variation the entire design may be reproduced as a poster with the bells, ribbon and lettering drawn on and colored. 10 Book Displays — January to December IV. Thrift Week 1. A painted pig bank with coin at edge of slot witli caption A Penny Today A Dollar Tomorrow. 2. Savings stamp books, reproduction of savings bonds, caption spelled with pictures of savings stamps. Get materials at post office. Caption For Now and Tomorrow or A Penny Saved . . . V. Australia Picture map of the country showing products and animal life. VI. Poetry Blue background with silver discs and caption Silver Pennies is effective. Other poetry books suggest other captions, e. g. Magic Casements. One choice poem attractively printed or mounted is better than several on the bulletin board. VII. Miscellaneous 1. Fairy Tales Birthdays of Grimm, Perrault, Carroll, and Lofting. Captions : Land of Faery, Fairy Wonderland, Behind the Look- ing Glass. 2. Games for winter nights. 3. Southern Confederacy. Birthdays of Lee and Jackson. 4. Music Birthdays of Mozart and Schubert. FEBRUARY 2 Groundhog Day 3 Felix Mendelssohn born 1809 7 Charles Dickens born 1812 8 John Ruskin born 1819 Second Week American Boy Scout Anniversary Second Week National Drama Week Second Week Negro History Week 10 Charles Lamb born 1775 11 Daniel Boone born 1735 11 Thomas A. Edison born 1847 12 Abraham Lincoln born 1809 14 Valentine Day Third Week Brotherhood Week 15 Galileo Galilei born 1564 18 PILGRIM'S PROGRESS by John Bunyan pubhshed 1678. Best loved children's book of its time. Calendar of Special Days and Events 11 19 Nikolaus Copernicus born 1473 22 James Russell Lowell born 1819 22 George Washington born 1732 23 Johannes Gutenberg born 1468. Inventor of printing from movable type. 27 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow born 1807 28 Wilfred T. Grenfell born 1865 Figure 2 Suggestions L Valentine Day 1. Large heart in center of board. Book list on each side of heart. Caption From the Heart of Bookland. Books on table below. 2. Decorate a cardboard hat box or smaller box with crepe paper and valentines. Cut a heart shaped hole in the lid and place the box on a corner of the circulation desk. Fill with small cutout hearts on which love-story titles are lettered, each tied to lengths of red ribbon which hang from the hole in the lid. Visitors may pull a ribbon and be rewarded with a good title suggestion. XL Gutenberg and movable type Feature types of printing, old books and new books, or pictures of early printing presses. 12 Book Displays — January to December III. Astronomy 1. Map of the heavens with signs of the zodiac around it. 2. Blue background with silver stars on wliich are printed the names of books. A black telescope at lower left. Caption Look at the Stars. This is more effective made of cutouts than as a poster. 3. A Dipper Full of Stars. See illustrated display, figure 13. IV. Drama Week 1. Make stage setting and feature books on plays or play produc- tion. Caption Footlights and Spotlights. See figure 2. 2. Use masks of varying size and type. Fasten to board. V. Negro History Week Order material from Associated Publishers, Inc., 1538 Ninth Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. ACCSWT it ROHAWCH Figure 3 ST. VALENTINE'S DAY. Interest in the library's collection of love stories can be given a boost with this display which was sug- gested by an article in the Wilson Library Bulletin. To construct, cut the large and small hearts from red construction paper, and the arrow from gold paper. Cut a jagged line in the center of the large heart and insert the golden arrow before placing in position on the bulletin board. The four pairs of smaller hearts are lettered in gold with the names of lovers of fiction and are hung from bows of red satin ribbon. The heart letters are pasted together in position and thumbtacked to the bulletin board with red celluloid-covered tacks. Calendar of Special Days and Events 13 MARCH 1 August Saint-Gaudens born 1848 2 DeWitt Clinton born 1769 3 Alexander Bell born 1847 5 Howard Pyle born 1853 6 Elizabeth Barrett Browning born 1806 6 Michaelangelo born 1475 7 Luther Burbank born 1849 Second Week Girl Scouts Anniversary 14 Johann Strauss born 1804 Third Week Hobby Week 15 Andrew Jackson born 1767 15 Ides of March 16 James Madison born 1751 17 Kate Greenaway born 1846 17 St. Patrick's Day 19 David Livingstone born 1818 21 First day of spring 21 John Sebastian Bach born 1865 22 Rosa Marie Bonheur born 1822 23 Patrick Henry's famous oration delivered in 1775 Last Week Health Week 24 Koch announced discovery of tuberculin germ 1882 31 Joseph Haydn born 1732 Suggestions 1. St. Patrick's Day Use light green background with dark green Irish hat, pipe, four-leaf clovers. Feature Irish songs and Irish folk and fairy tales. H. Health Week 1. Use charts for balanced diets. Feature health and nutrition books. Caption Vitamins for Health, Be Healthy. 2. A small table with place setting of plate, silver, cup and saucer, glass and napkin arranged with books on foods as a background is suitable for Health Week or for a display of cook books. The place setting may be presented as a poster for use on the bulletin board. 14 Book Displays — January to December III. Inventions The development of communication systems including telephone, telegraph, and radio can be shown in pictures. IV. Gardening 1. Construct garden fence of cardboard, use vegetables or flowers cut from advertising, mount and arrange as if growing in a garden behind the fence. Caption Down the Garden Path or How Does Your Garden Grow? or Garden Adventures. 2. A shelf display of gardening books with small garden tools from the ten-cent store is effective. V. Etiquette 1. Attractive captions are the names of books: Best Foot Forward, Behave Yourself, If You Please, or Manners for Millions. The caption and the books arouse interest. 2. A table display of a desert island made with paper, a lone doll, and a caption Not Needed on a Desert Island. Figure 4 GARDENING. Use pale green background. Against the back, tack a large shovel cut from brown cardboard with necessary lines drawn in black poster paint. Attach bright-colored cut-out letters. Display books or book jackets, pamphlets, and several colorful seed catalogs. In front of the books place a row of low pots of scarlet geraniums or other potted flowers, and along the edge of the display tape or tack a white cardboard picket fence, open at the center. Calendar of Special Days and Events 15 APRIL 1 April Fool's Day. Be Watchful for Ye Prank of Ye April Fool Joker. 2 Hans Christian Andersen born 1805 3 Washington Irving born 1783 3 Pony express riders left Sacramento, Calif., to ride east and left St. Joseph, Mo., to ride west 1860. Mail. 4 Present form of flag adopted 1818. Variable Easter 6 Army Day 7 William Wadsworth born 1770 10 Joseph Pulitzer born 1847 12 North Carolina Halifax Day 13 Thomas Jefferson born 1743 14 Dictionary Day. First edition of Webster published 1828. 14 Pan-American Day 16 Wilbur Wright born 1867 Third Week National Garden Week Third Week National Forestry Week Third Week Better Homes Week 17 First permanent newspaper in English, BOSTON NEWS LETTER, in North America estabhshed 1704 18 Paul Revere's Ride 1775 19 Battles of Lexington and Concord fought 1775 21 John Muir born 1838 23 William Shakespeare born 1564 (?) and died 1616 on same date 25 Guglielmo Marconi born 1874 27 Samuel F. B. Morse born 1791 27 Ulysses S. Grant born 1822 30 George Washington inaugurated first President 1789 30 Louisiana Purchase 1803 Last Week Humane Week — Protection of Animals Last Saturday to First Saturday in May Boys and Girls Week 16 Book Displays — January to December Suggestions I. Easter 1. Use a religious display. A green or a purple background with white or silver paper cross with caption Whom Seeketh Thou? Use Bible and Bible Stories. 2. Easter lilies, real or pictured, with purple or green lettering All Earth Awakes. Feature garden books. 3. Stained glass window made of paper. Use religious books. 11. Pony Express A table display with a large map of the United States on which the route of the Pony Express riders is shown. Books on mail service. III. Newspapers 1. Cut sections from old newspapers to show types of newspaper writing — headlines, news, editorials, sports, society, comics, etc. Paste on paper as if to form front page. Caption We See by the Paper. Feature books related to journalism. Other cap- tions: Get the News, Extra! Extra!, Beliind the Headlines. 2. Ask journalism class to be responsible for planning and executing a display. IV. Dictionary Day Feature dictionaries large and small. Arrange bulletin board as illustrated for $64 Question, figure 5, and insert new woru each day the display is used. V. Shakespeare 1. If English class group has made a reproduction of the Globe Theatre use as shelf or table display. Use pictures on bulletin board. Caption Most Frequently Quoted Man. 2. Arrangement similar to $64 Question, figure 5, can be used with caption Where Does Shakespeare Say . . . (the familiar quota- tion would appear on the insert slip and would be changed daily). Quotations might include: (1) "A horse, my kingdom for a horse." (2) "To be, or not to be; that is the question." (3) "There is a destiny that shapes men's ends, rough hew them how we may." (4) "The evil that men do lives after them." (5) "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (6) "This was the most unkindest cut of all." VI. Photography A display of photographic work preferably that done by students — with the names of the contributors — together with books on photography and books illustrated with photographic reprod- ductions. Calendar of Special Days and Events 17 VII. Army Day Feature Army insignias and opportunities in tlie Army. Get material and posters from recruiting station at post office. VIII. Vocations Captions: Your Work in the World; Know Your Job; Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Chief; Career Clinic. Figure 5 $64 QUESTION. Questions which can be changed from day to day are printed or typed on white cards and inserted on bright colored cards which have been attached to the bulletin board. The cut-out figures should be the same color as the background cards. Red is suggested. 18 Book Displays — January to December MAY 1 May Day 3 Jacob Riis born 1849 4 Horace Mann born 1796 4 John James Audubon born 1780 4 Bird Day First Week National Music Week 7 Robert Browning born 1812 8 Victory in Europe Day 1945 9 James Barrie born 1860 10 Confederate Memorial Day Second Sunday Mother's Day Second Week Religious Book Week Second Week National Family Week 12 Florence Nightingale born 1820 — National Hospital Day 13 Jamestown, Va., settled 1607 — First permanent English set- tlement in New World 18 Peace or Good Will Day Third Sunday Citizenship Day Third Week Herald Tribune Spring Book Festival 20 North Carolina, Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence 21 American Red Cross organized by Clara Barton 1881 22 Richard Wagner born 1813 25 Ralph Waldo Emerson born 1803 Fourth Week National Poetry Week 29 Patrick Henry born 1736 30 Federal Memorial Day 31 Walt Whitman born 1819 Suggestions I. Bird Day Feature our State bird, the cardinal, or 'birds in general. Use colored illustrations or stuffed birds if they are available. XL Mother's Day A copy of Whistler's MOTHER on the bulletin board with infor- mation about the painter and his mother. Books about mothers of famous persons as well as stories and poems for Mother's Day may be used. Calendar of Special Days and Events 19 III. Citizenship Day Feature the famous documents of American freedom, such as Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Gettysburg Address, and Four Freedoms. Small real flags; patriotic caption formed of small stars; red, white, and blue borders. College information Feature college catalogs, decorate with college seals and small college banners. Captions Choose Your College, College Career, Going to College? IV. V. VI. Music Week Make simple black and white board using music symbols. Cap- tion may be written on a staff. See illustration, figure 6. Red Cross Secure symbols and illustrative literature from nearest local Red Cross office. Feature personalities and activities of the organization. Red Cross work as a vocation might be included. Figure 6 MUSIC WEEK. Use a crepe paper strip as background, cut clef, key signature, rests, notes, and phrase marks from white paper. Typing paper can be used ; the lines of the staff may be made from the same paper, but an easier way is to unwind a length of adding machine paper and cut it into five strips. Paste to the background and thumbtack the strip to a bulletin board when dry. Brightly colored letters for the caption will add interest. Scores, biogra- phies, and books on music appreciation may be displayed. 20 Book Displays — January to December JUNE 6 Nathan Hale born 1755 8 Robert Schumann born 1810 9 John Howard Payne born 1791. Author of HOME SWEET HOME. 10 Dragon Boat Festival — China 14 Flag Day. Form of U. S. Flag adopted 1777. 15 Pioneer Day (in some western states) 15 Magna Carta signed 1215 15 Edward Grieg born 1843 19 Statue of Liberty received from France 1885 20 Purchase of Alaska 1867 27 First John Newbery Medal award 1922 (Van Loon. STORY OF MANKIND). (Annual Newbery and Caldecott awards made in June during American Libary Association Con- ference) . Suggestions L Flag Day 1. Evolution of the United States Flag shown by illustration for each of the various changes. Information and posters can be secured from the U. S. Flag Association, 923 15th Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 2. Display correct way to salute and display the flag. IL Newbery and Caldecott Awards Feature the Newbery and the Caldecott books of the year as well as the award books for previous years. A reproduction of the medal in the form of a seal is usually available from the pub- lishers of the award books. The seals with information about the awards may be put on the bulletin board. HL Vacation Make two trees of brown and green construction paper, one for each side of the bulletin board. Hang a canvas or flsh-net ham- mock between them. Caption Lazy Reading or Vacation Reading. Feature easy-to-read books of all types. Caption can be written with coarse twine. IV. Alaska Outline map of Alaska drawn on colored paper. Familiar places indicated by name with small United States flags on pins stuck at each place location. Feature books on Alaska. Calendar of Special Days and Events 21 V. Chinese Festival Pictures of Chinese, especially such as those from book jackets of children's books, arranged in gay fashion on the bulletin board. Feature costumes, customs, travel, foods, etc. Mount cutouts and attach to bulletin boards with hinges as shown in figure 25 so that they stand out. Yellow, black, and orange are good colors. JULY 1 Dominion Day in Canada 4 Independence Day 1776 4 Nathaniel Hawthorne born 1804 4 Stephen Foster born 1826 5 Lewis and Clark expedition started 1803 ^ 5 David Farragut born 1801 6 John Paul Jones born 1747 6 Decimal system of money dollar as a unit adopted by act of Congress 1785. "Know Your Money." 7 Hawaiian Islands annexed by U. S. 1898 14 Bastile Day in France 1789 17 Isaac Watts born 1674 24 Alexander Dumas born 1802 24 Simon Bolivar born 1783 Suggestions I. Independence Day Cover bulletin board with stripes of red and white paper alter- nating. Make a large blue shield for the center on which print the caption in white letters (or use white shield with blue let- ters). Caption Our American Heritage. Feature books about the United States. II. U. S. Money Information and materials can be secured from the U. S. Secret Service, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C. HI. Hawaiian Islands An island cut of sand-colored paper set on an ocean blue back- ground with a palm tree at each side of the island. Trees made of brown and green paper. Caption in brown letters on the island Hawaii by Book. IV. Stephen Foster Display familiar folk songs, especially those written by Stephen Foster with decorations illustrative of one or more of the songs. Caption Songs America Sings. 22 Book Displays — January to December V. Canada Feature a specific Province or town, such as Quebec. Illustrative material can be secured through travel bureaus. VL Dog Days Feature books about dogs and use pictures of many breeds on the bulletin board. Caption Safe Dogs for Dog Days. AUGUST 3 First ship passed through Panama Canal 1914 4 Percy B. Shelley born 1792 6 Alfred Tennyson born 1809 8 Sara Teasdale born 1884 9 Francis Scott Key born 1779 11 "Cleremont," Fulton's first steamboat, made first successful trip 1807 14 Victory in Japan 1945 14 Ernest Thompson Seton born 1860 14 First book printed in colors, Germany, 1457 15 Sir Walter Scott born 1771 15 Napoleon Bonaparte born 1769 18 Virginia Dare, first white child born in America, 1587 19 Orville Wright born 1871 26 Franz Hals born 1584 27 Titian born 1477 29 Melbourne, Australia, founded 1835. Suggestions I. Panama Canal Use a map of the Panama Canal area large enough to show the west coast touching the Atlantic Ocean. Set a small ship as though it is about to enter the canal. Display books about the country. II. Outdoor games Miniature tennis rackets, golf clubs, swimming pool, with paper doll figures in action attached to the bulletin board or toys on a shelf display. Display fiction and nonfiction related to sports. III. Book illustration Use pictures and information about well-known illustrators on the bulletin board with books illustrated by them open at repre- sentative pictures placed on shelves or table below. Calendar of Special Days and Events 23 IV. Insects Use real insects, moths, and butterflies mounted. See illustra- tion, figure 7. V. Virginia Dare and the Lost Colony A stockade of small sticks or made of brown crepe paper for the bulletin board with the word Croatan on one tree nearby. Fea- ture historical legends of early America and information about the Lost Colony pageant. VI. Mathematics Cut mathematical figures from black paper and mount on orange background. Caption cut of black letters also Hi-Ho! Math Is Fun. Hi-ho is a Chinese mathematical game. Figure 7 NATURE STUDY. Choose several attractive specimens from a collection of butterflies and moths and arrange them on a display board. On a large board, use real butterflies or moths with an- other drawn three times as large placed under the simulated mag- nifying glass. For a smaller display board small butterflies may be used with a large moth under the glass. A "magnifying-glass" which serves to attract and focus attention is made of black card- board with clear cellophane to represent the lens. Pictures instead of objects may be used. Collections of insects, rocks, gems, pressed flowers and leaves as well as butterflies and m.oths lend themselves to this treatment. 24 Book Displays — January to December SEPTEMBER Varies School starts 2 Eugene Field born 1850 6 Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth in Mayflower in 1620 6 Jane Addams born 1860 6 Lafayette born 1757 First Monday Labor Day 7 Queen Elizabeth born 1533 7 Brazil acquired independence 1822 11 O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) born 1862 14 "Star Spangled Banner" written 1814 15 James Fenimore Cooper born 1789 17 Constitution Day. United States Constitution adopted 1787 17 George Washington delivered his Farewell Address 1796 21 First day of autumn 24 Leslie Brooke born 1862 Suggestions L School Day Arrange bulletin board like an old-fashioned slate with black background and brown border. Write caption in white An Apple for the Pupil. Make a row of large cutout paper apples below the slate. Write the author and title of a good book on each apple. Shelve the books on table or shelves below. Real pencil, sponge, and pen staff tied with red tape and hung from upper corner of slate add to effectiveness. II. Star Spangled Banner Feature the flag and the song. Bulletin board may be made as a frame with red border at edge, white next, then blue with white stars. Copy of STAR SPANGLED BANNER in center with small flags arranged around it. Caption What So Proudly We Hail. Books of patriotic songs and biographies of Francis Scott Key may be used. III. Constitution Day Use patriotic colors. Feature books on government. Captions: By the People, For the People; Faith Founded on History; Our Democratic Responsibilities; Because I Am an American. IV. Use the Library Pictograph statistics in poster form. See illustration, figure 27. Chart of the Dewey decimal classification. Calendar of Special Days and Events 25 Consumer Problems Mount copies of advertisements of familiar products. To Buy or Not to Buy. Caption VI. Transportation Use models or toy planes, trains, automobiles, and ships with factual books about them. Especially suitable for shelf displays. FiGUKE 8 TRAVEL. To illustrate the familiar caption Unrolling the Map, do just that. Take an interesting and colorful map and tack it to the bulletin board partly unrolled. Or make a poster similar to the illustration, using a bright opaque blue for the water and a bright solid color or white for the land. Outline with black. For the caption use letters cut from an old map, pinning them to the board above or below the unrolling map. Display books on explor- ation, travels, or world affairs. 26 Book Displays — January to December OCTOBER First Week Religious Education Week 1 First rural free delivery mail routes established 1896 3 William Crawford Gorgas born 1854 4 Jean Francois Millet born 1814 6 Jenny Lind born 1820 6 George Westinghouse born 1846 7 James Whitcomb Riley born 1853 10 Chinese Repubhc Day Second Week Fire Prevention Week Second Week National Picture Week 12 Columbus Day. Landed in New World 1492. 14 William Penn born 1644 15 Vergil born 70 B. C. 16 Noah Webster born 1758 (see April 14) 20 Christopher Wren born 1632 22 Franz Liszt born 1811 27 Theodore Roosevelt born 1858 27 Navy Day 28 Statue of Liberty dedicated 1886 29 John Keats born 1795 29 Sir Walter Raleigh born 1552 ( ?) 31 Hallowe'en Suggestions I. Columbus Day 1. Model of Spanish galleon, or picture in color mounted and attach- ed to bulletin board on a hinge. See illustration, figure 25. Poem SAIL ON mounted on scroll fastened to bulletin board like illustration for Unrolling the Map, figure 8. Feature books on exploration as well as biography of Columbus. 2. Display Unrolling the Map. See illustration, figure 8. II. Picture Week (Art) Display art masterpieces, books about art and artists, and books illustrated with reproductions of famous masterpieces. Caption with gold colored letters Pictures Speak to the Soxil. Calendar of Special Days and Events 27 III. Cooking a small three section hinged screen made of cardboard decorated with colored pictures of foods cut from advertisements set as a background on a table covered with checked cloth on which are displayed cookbooks. Caption with one word on each section of screen Cooks, Cookery, Cookbooks. IV. Navy Day 1. Pictures of Navy insignias and types of Navy vessels both water and air. Opportunities in the Navy. Get material and posters from recruiting station at post office. 2. Feature ships and sea stories. Mirror, or piece of clear glass on blue paper, with toy ships on it for table or shelf display. Bulletin board caption Sea Fever spelled with heavy twine. V. Conservation 1. Feature books on trees and forest preservation. Use real fall leaves, make splatter-work leaf designs, or cut leaves from bookjackets. Caption Our Friendly Trees. Figure 9 HALLOWE'EN. Corrugated cardboard which may be bought in colors forms a good background for displays. Use a standing orange sheet rolled at the ends as background, and another strip flat on the display table. Attach black paper cut-out letters, bats, and a witch, and add paper mache or real pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns. 28 Book Displays — January to December 2. Feature soil conservation with picture displays of soil erosion secured from the U. S. Soil Conservation Service. Washington, D. C. Caption The Good Earth; Behold Our Land; Rich Land, Poor Land. VI. Hallowe'en Three witches cut from black paper (or from seasonal decorated crepe paper) around caldron with bats flying above. Orange background. Black witches, caldrons, and bats. Gray card- board smoke from caldron. Names of books on smoke or bats. Feature ghost stories or unusual mystery stories. Caption When Shall We Three Meet Again?; or Black Magic. VII. Football Season Use pictures of members of local team and arrange in playing position. Feature books on sports. NOVEMBER 2 Daniel Boone born 1734 3 William Cullen Bryant born 1794 6 John Philip Sousa born 1854 Tuesday after First Monday Election Day 7 Marie S. Curie born 1867 10 Martin Luther born 1483 10 Oliver Goldsmith born 1728 11 Armistice Day — Unknown Soldier Second Week Education Week 13 Robert Louis Stevenson born 1850 14 Robert Fulton born 1765 Third Week Book Week 17 Suez Canal opened 1869 19 George Rogers Clark born 1752 22 George Eliot born 1819 25 Andrew Carnegie born 1835 Last Thursday Thanksgiving Day 29 Louisa May Alcott born 1832 30 Mark Twain born 1835 SoggestioEis I. Education Week Secure materials from National Education Association, i^ui Sixteenth Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. Calendar of Special Days and Events 29 11. Book Week 1. Secure materials from Book Week Headquarters, R. R. Bowker Co., 62 West 45th Street, New York 19, N. Y. 2. Make Book House covered with book jackets for table display. 3. Open umbrella cut from construction paper with varicolored small books falling like rain. Titles of good books printed on the falling cutouts. Caption Book Showers. III. Election Day Put pictures of leading candidates and sample ballots on the bulletin board. Feature books on government. Caption "WTio? IV. Thanksgiving 1. Horn of plenty with titles of books written on fruits and vege- tables falling from it, or spines of book jackets coming out instead of fruits and cegetables. 2. Large turkey witn tail leathers made of spines of book jackets. FiGUKE 10 THANKSGIVING. The reverent spirit associated with the Thanksgiving hoHday can be suggested with the ceramic figure of a praying Pilgrim woman. Place before a display board on which book jacket spines from suitable titles have been mounted to represent books. The patriotic caption is drawn on. Use on the card catalog case or on a corner of the circulation desk. 30 Book Displays — January to December V. World Today World map or globe with books for various countries. Small flags of the nations on pins may be used with the map to lend depth and add color. Caption The World Today; Books for These Times ; Around the World with Books. VI. Indoor Games Caption An Evening at Home. Feature books on group games or individual games. For a table display some borrowed games could be used. DECEMBER 2 Monroe Doctrine presented to Congress 1823 7 Mary, Queen of Scots, born 1584 8 Eli Whitney born 1765 9 Joel Chandler Harris born 1848 9 Australian Confederation formed 1885 12 Our National Capital Day. 1800 Washington, D. C, became permanent seat of government. 16 Boston Tea Party 1773 17 John G. Whittier born 1807 17 Ludwig Beethoven born 1770 17 First airplane flight of Wright brothers, Kitty Hawk, N. C, 1903 18 Edward A. McDowell born 1861 21 Forefathers Day. Pilgrims landed 1620. 22 John Newbery died 1767 24 Kit Carson born 1809 25 Christmas Day 25 Clara Barton born 1821 27 Louis Pasteur born 1822 28 Woodrow Wilson born 1856 30 Rudyard Kipling born 1865 Suggestions I. National Capital Day Use picture or model of the Capitol. Feature books about Wasli- ington, D. C, and about the memorials there — Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial. Calendar of Special Days and Events 31 II. Aviation Airplane with smoke writing (in string) coming from it witli caption Airminded ; Travel by Air; Air AVorkers; or Flying High. Use sky blue background witli cotton or paper clouds. III. Latin America Secure materials and posters from Pan-American Union, "Wash- ington, D. C. Small charge. FlGXJBE 11 CHRISTMAS. To fill a large area and to create a Yuletide atmos- phere, holly leaves and giant candles are ideal. The crimson can- dles are cut from a sheet of heavy cardboard ; the flames and hght- rays are made of yellow construction paper. Fasten the candles to the board with colored thumbtacks or use a rubber cement which will rub off when the display is removed. The leaves at the base of the candle may be drawn, or real holly boughs to match those in the upper corners may be tacked in place. If the leaves are drawn, use green cardboard and outline the leaves with black drawing ink. Cut them out around the upper edges, glue on real holly berries or red circles (easy to make with a large paper punch), or use red thumbtacks for berries. Fasten the leaves to the board with green celluloid-covered tacks. 32 Book Displays — January to December IV. Christmas Handicrafts Feature books, magazines, and pamphlets on Christmas decora- tions, gifts to make, Christmas cards to make, how to wrap packages. Display v/ith materials to be used as shelf or table exhibit. Caption Make and Give; Christinas Gifts by Hand; Christinas Handicrafts. V. Christmas 1. Shelf or table display of Christmas creche. Figurines available from ten cent store; cardboard set-up creche: Uncle Gus. A Christmas Manger. Houghton Mifflin. $1.00. Use books of religious significance. 2. Paper cutout Santa Claus going down chimney with pack full of book jackets. A variation is Santa Claus and reindeers with sleigh full of book jackets. 3. Christmas candles as background for display of Christmas books. See illustration figure 11. 4. Christmas tree decorated with book jackets or with candles on which are names of books. Caption A Book Cfmstinas on star at top. A real tree with miniature books can be used, or a paper tree can be put on the bulletin board. See illustration for mak- ing a tree. See figure 24. ANY MONTH I. Magazines 1. Covers from magazines or miniature covers with short annota- tions about each printed below the cover mounted on the bulle- tin board. 2. Shelf display with the magazine and objects to illustrate its type. 11. Travel Globe with books around it. Silhouette of any country as a background with books on the particular country. Captions: Good Books in All Directions; To Far Flaces; See the World Through Books; A Trip by Book. III. Biography Captions: These Charming People; Warriors on Land and Sea; W^alking With the Great (caption and footprints on bulletin board). IV. State Literature A literary map of the state prepared by class group. A state book list with decoration characteristic of the state. V. Reference Books or Information File Caption Information Service. Posters on reference books and other topics in lessons on the use of the library included in four groups of posters (28 in all) PEABODY VISUAL AIDS from Follett Book Co., Chicago, 111. Each group $1.00. Complete set of 2 8 charts $3.50. Each chart separately $.25. Calendar of Special Days and Events 33 VI. Women and Their Work Feature vocational guidance material and illustrations of women in new occupations. VII. Circus Parade stories about animals featured with circus tent, animals in parade formation as display. VIII. Hobbies Three hobby horses rocking across center of bulletin board with books on hobbies shelved below. Caption How to Feed Your Hobby Horse. IX. United States Highway sign with U. S. and the year on shield with crossed signs marked North, East, South, West. Caption Know Your Country; Fair Is Our Land. See Figure 14. X. General Small figures going along road following signs to Pleasure, Ad- venture, Hobbies, Industries, etc. If table display, use sand road with green crepe paper field and small dolls; if bulletin board use paper road and paper dolls. Caption Reading the Magic Road. XII. Displays described under the name of a specific month and suitable for any month are January: American History, Thrift, Australia, Ppetry, Fairv Tales. February: Astronomy, Drama. March: Health, Inventions, Etiquette, Vocations. April: Newspapers, Dictionary, Photography. May: Birds, Music. June: Pioneers, Alaska, China. July: U. S. Money, Hawaiian Islands, Folk Songs, Canada. August: Panama Canal, Book Illustration, Insects, Mathematics. September; Star Spangled Banner, Use the Library, Consumer Problems, Transportation. October: Art, Cooking, Sea, Conservation. November: World Today, Indoor Games. December: Airplanes, Latin America. CHAPTER II Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays In order to stimulate interest in a variety of subjects, the school librarian should take stock of her circulation statistics and should plan displays of worth-while books in fields which have not cap- tured the attention of the students. It is desirable occasionally to feature books in a specific Dewey decimal classification. Classi- fication numbers of subjects which adapt themselves readily to displays are listed below. The name of the month or months in which the subject is featured in the calendar section of this book, Chapter I, is indicated. The purpose of this arrangement is to help the librarian determine whether or not diversification is being achieved in the book displays. Following the arrangement by classification, the list of subjects is arranged alphabetically. In preparing a display on any given subject it is not necessary that all the books used be selected from the indicated classification. They would, however, be related to the subject of the display. The following list should in no sense be considered exhaustive ; it is, on the contrary, a limited general list of the most obvious topics for book displays. Classifications for Displays 020 Libraries September 070 Journalisui April 179 Thrift January 220 Bible April and December 320 Citizensliip May 326 Negroes February 322 Money and Banking (combine with July or January 179 — Thrift) o o o Conservation — National Resources October 338 Consumer Problems ^ September 353 U. S. Government December 355 Army April 359 Navy October 370 Education November 371.4 Vocations April 378 College May 380 Transportation — Railroa ds, Ships September 383 Mail Service April 395 Etiquette March 420 English Language April, October 510 Mathematics August 520 Astronomy February 537 Electricity Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 35 5S2 Trees October 582.1 Flowers March 595 Insects August 598.2 Birds May 599 Animals January 608 Inventions March 613 Health March 614 Safety March 621.3 Radio- Telephone — Communication March 629.13 Aeronautics December 634.9 Forests and forestry October 635 Gardens and gardening- March 641 Cooking October 646 Dressmaking 655 Printing February 680 Handicraft December 720 Architecture October 750 Painting April, October 770 Photography April 780 Music January, May 793 Indoor games November 796 Outdoor games August 821 Poetry January 822 Drama February 910 Travel January, June, July, August December 920 Biography January, February, ApriL May, July, October 929 Flags June, September 940.5 20th Century history November 970.1 American Indians September 973 U. S. History Janu lary, February, March, April May, June, July, September, October, November, December 979.8 Alaska June 980 South America December 994 Australia August F Fiction September Subjects for Displays Aeronautics Alaska American Indians Animals Architecture Army Astronomy Australia Banking Bible Biography Birds Citizenship College Communication Conservation Consumer problems Cooking Drama Dressmaking 36 Book Displays — January to December Education Electricity English language Etiquette Fiction Flags Flowers Forestry and forests Gardens and gardening Handicraft Health Indoor games Insects Inventions Journalism •Libraries Mail service Mathematics Money Music National resources Navy Negroes Newspapers Outdoor games Painting Photography Poetry Printing Radio Railroads Safety Ships South America Telephone Thrift Transportation Travel (all countries) Trees 20th Century United States government United States history Vocations Bulletin Board Displays Bulletin board displays — used with a shelf, a table, or a rack holding books — should be striking in color and arrangement. Their purpose is to draw the reader nearer, to hold his interest, then to divert that interest to the books displayed. In bulletin board displays the materials used should be large and easily seen ; captions should be easily read at a distance ; and details should be cut to a minimum. The composition of all such displays should be very simply worked out. There should be one dominate figure or object to attract attention, and other subordinate features care- fully spaced to lead the eye from one part of the display to an- other. In the Postal Service display described below, for example, the eye first falls on the mail box, is carried to the letters, drops to the caption, and because of the vertical lines of the post, rises again to che mail box. In the Christmas display in figure 16 the order is changed, although the idea is the same. The eye is attracted first by the star, follows the longest ray downward to the caption, crosses to the right and rises to the cut-out landscape, and follows the rays again to the star. A feeling for composition can best be developed through practice and careful observation of professional advertisements, posters and window displays. Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 37 Figure 12 POSTAL SERVICE. To construct U. S. Postal Service cut a large mail box from dark green construction paper and mount on a bul- letin board at the top of a green or brown paper post, using green celluloid-covered thumb tacks. Bend three envelopes and insert through a slip cut in the box and draw necessary lines in black ink. Take four envelopes with interesting addresses or stamps, including one air mail letter, and mount on the board by tacking through the flaps underneath. Attach the wood or paper cut-out letters of the caption to the board with rubber cement so that they may be reused later. The rubber cement remaining on the board when the letters are removed can easily be rubbed off. ASTRONOMY. A simple but attention-compelling poster can be made with a cut-out dipper and a handful of silver stars. Cut the dipper from dark blue paper and paste to a large sheet of medium blue cardboard. Fill the dipper with stars of various sizes cut from silver paper, pasted together in a mass, cut to fit the edge of the dipper, and so arranged that they appear to spill over the edge with several dropping down. Use cut-out or lettered-on script letters in dark blue. Display books on astronomy. 38 Book Displays — January to December Figure 13 Figure 14 TRAVEL. To display travel books and pamphlets build a high- way sign post of colored cardboard, lettered in a contrasting color. The pamphlets or book jackets tacked to the board are sorted according to place and direction and are placed near the appro- priate arm of the sign. Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 39 FiGXIRE 15 BIOGRAPHY. To spotlight a collection of biographies, collect pictures of the subjects and display them in the form of a large question mark. With the overlapping arrangement thumbtacks can be almost completely hidden from view. The caption Vv'ord Who forms the dot of the question mark. SEASONAL, Bulletin board displays may be used to create atmosphere, particularly the seasonal atmosphere of Christmas, Easter, Hallowe'en and other holidays. These displays are de- signed to be decorative rather than thought provoking or stimu- lating to the curiosity. 40 Book Displays — January to December \ / Y / ' ^^ ^•> ^J L^ _--^ Now wnen Jesus was born-- Figure 16 For Christmas build a cut-out landscape. Cover a bulletin board with crepe paper of an intense blue. Against this use a color scheme of white buildings and black trees and desert, cream- colored buildings and brown trees and desert, or pale blue build- ings and dark blue trees and desert. Buildings, trees and desert are cut from construction paper. To assemble, lay buildings and cut-out trees in place on a table. Apply paste along the lower edge and lay the desert in place. When dry, paste to the back- ground, having first drawn in or pasted on the lettering of the caption. Celluloid-covered thumbtacks in colors will help secure the display and will not show. The white star is pasted on last, diamond-shaped for simplicity, with thin paper rays. Use a very small amount of paste in order not to pucker the paper. Table Displays Table displays offer an excellent means of placing books where the public can really see and examine them and are particularly useful in displaying oversize books and pamphlets. In the table display the caption is often dispensed with as unnecessary, and objects more often take the place of posters for interest value. Miniature objects are especially useful. The public will neces- sarily pass close to the display table in moving about the library room, and the dispay must invite closer inspection, speculation Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 41 and examination. It is wise to limit the number of objects used in any display as the emphasis should be on books. Since a dis- play of this kind is frequently disarranged, it should be kept as simple as possible. A collection of boxes of assorted sizes is a valuable asset in display work. Black painted boxes will blend into almost any color scheme; but variety can be achieved by changing colors from time to time with poster paint or with paper or cloth. The use of several boxes to display books at different levels creates an attractive arrangement. Figure 17 SAFETY. Books on driving and safety on the road and pamph- lets on accident prevention, license requirements, and local traffic regulations may be arranged about a tiny traffic intersection made of flat white cardboard. A "traffic accident" is staged with ten-cent store automobiles, trucks, and a traffic light. Inexpen- sive toys can serve a definite purpose in making displays realistic. U. S. HISTORY. For a simple but effective display based on a period of U. S. history, lay strips of red, white, and blue crepe paper on a table, place large white stars cut from cardboard at the left. For a group of books on Colonial history or the history of the flag a Betsy Ross doll may be added. Books on any aspect of U. S. history may be used with this background. 42 Book Displays — January to December FiGUEE 18 Glass Display Cases Glass display cases in the library allow the exhibiting of books and articles that cannot be left on shelves or tables because of value, fragility, or intricate construction. Any book used in dis- play cases should usually be opened to an illustration or other interesting feature since the book cannot be examined by the patron. Cases, too, provide an opportunity for the use of book jackets on "dummy" or unused books, while the book itself is available for circulation. Suitable displays for a glass case include collections of coins, stamps, or Indian relics. College seals displayed in the case with college catalogs nearby for examination will interest high school seniors near the end of the school term. Figure 19 Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 43 REPTILES. In the center of the display case place an oval metal tray covered with moss, a bit of mirror for a pool, three rocks, and evergreen twigs to represent bushes and trees. A celluloid turtle stands by the pool, and a frog is hid behind one of the rocks. Two books opened to good pictures, several pamphlets on snakes, and a first aid textbook may be displayed along with a wooden toy snake and a stuffed baby alligator. More evergreen twigs fill each corner of the case. Shelf Displays Wall display cases are an asset in a library, but the small library will find that two or three shelves thrown together wil serve as a satisfactory substitute. Posters, objects, books, and other mate- rias displayed at eye level seldom fail to attract attention. If the display includes valuable books or tiny, fragile objects that should not be handled, in front of the shelves may be covered with a sheet of cellophane attached to the shelf edges with Scotch tape. A particular asset of the shelf area display is its movability. With adjustable shelving only a few books need to be shifted to make room for a new display. Students who visit the library every day may fail to notice the stationary display, but the chang- ing display area cannot fail to attract attention. A piece of porous composition board cut to fit the space at the back of two shelves in one section makes a splendid background on which the thumbtacks can be used and which can be covered with anything — paint, poster color, crepe paper, wall paper, cloth or oilcloth. When worn out it can be replaced at a very small cost. Also, it can be shifted from one place to another with very little trouble. AN UNDERSEA SCENE. Use pale green beaver board as a background, fitted to the area. Before putting in place, glue on two cut-out paper fish and the colored glass balls or marbles for bubbles. It is effective to mount the fish two or three inches from the board using folded hinges of cardboard so that the fish will move slightly as the shelves are touched. Cut the dark green seaweed from green crepe paper and paste in place. Cover the shelf with a thin layer of white sand, or use sand colored crepe paper. Use more glass bubbles, shells, and a toy or stuffed turtle on the shelf. To simulate water, tape a single sheet of clear cello- phane over the entire front of the area. 44 Book Displays — January to December Figure 20 Small Space Displays Displays need not always be relegated to the walls, shelves and tables. Catalog cases, the tops of low shelving, or a corner of the circulation desk can also be used. Displays for these places are usually small, take very little time to assemble, and are very worth- while for stimulating interest in a specific title or in a subject on which the library has a limited number of books. An alarm clock that has lost its springs but has gained a white- painted smiling face and a crown of artificial flowers may be used to advertise a garden book. A mechanical dancing girl with books on the ballet, a mechanical or tin soldier with personal nar- ratives of the war, a gaily painted music box with music books, and dolls in a variety of dresses for many subjects are suggestions. Small, standing display boards are splendid for calling attention to book lists and material for free distribution ; they become more so when a suitable background for the list is provided. Figure 21 shows one such arrangement. The display board is of dark oak with a light brown cork mat. Variety in Types and Subjects of Displays 45 Figure 21 BOOK LIST. The book list, a North CaroKna bibUography print- ed on white paper, is given a dark green construction paper back- ground for color interest. At two corners pine needles and small cones are thumbtacked— and no Tar Heel needs to be reminded that the long leaf pine means his own state. Display with one or more books from the list, or with a stack of the lists if available for distribution. CHAPTER III Methods and Materials for Displays Arrangement of Displays To keep interest alive and to avoid monotony in displays, their arrangement must be varied. Any single display form, however excellent it may be, will soon fail to achieve its purpose of atten- tion-catching if used continually. Bulletin boards do not neces- sarily require posters, nor is the bulletin board the only place in the library where a display can be set up. The materials and articles used for displays can and should be as varied as the books they advertise. Whenever possible it is well to keep the parts of a display in separate sections, free of permanent lettering, so that they may be used again in other arrangements. By using rubber cement instead of glue or paste, even parts fastened together may be separated for future independent use. Complete displays, too, may be used more than once simply by altering their form and arrangement. The arrangement of the books themselves on the display table can be a means of stimulating interest. Titles that arouse curios- ity ; interesting, amusing, or extremely beautiful illustrations ; and papers bearing maps or illustrations should be given a chance to be seen. Books lying open on a table may be held in place by rubber bands, or better, a small strip of plate glass. Several varieties of inexpensive racks of metal or wood to hold single volumes upright may be bought from library supply houses or may be made locally. The size of the display area will determine the number of books to be used, but care should be taken never to overcrowd the display. Any arrangement should be simple and well balanced. If the purpose of the display is to have the public examine the books, be sure the books are arranged to invite handling, and that the display will not require constant rearrange- ment to remain attractive. Methods Simplicity is the keynote of effective and interesting displays. The majority of the displays shown in this pamphlet are based on the cut-out type of illustration. The cut-out is simple in make- up and is particularly useful in the rendering of the human figure, because facial expressions and other details are greatly reduced Methods and Materials for Displays 47 or even eliminated. Bright colors with vivid contrast are easy to use without the necessity of applying paint and waiting for it to dry. Outline a diagram in pencil on thin paper, revising as much as necessary. When the design has been reduced to its simplest form, trace the parts on colored construction or other paper and cut them out. Assemble with paste on a suitable back- ground; or, paste all parts together, allow to dry, and then tack to a background. Silhouette figures are possible without even the trouble of drawing them. Simply choose action figures from magazine illustrations, trace them in outline on construction paper, cut out, and mount on a contrasting color. Figure 22 'Taper Sculpture" is growing in popularity with commercial display artists. For the simplest type of "paper sculpture" cut- outs, cut two heads from manila construction paper. Cut turned- up mouths from red paper, pug noses and eyebrows from brown paper ; brown eyes for the boy and blue eyes for the girl are paper circles. Paste features in place. Cut the girl's yellow hair with three straight strips at the ends ; paste in place about the face, plait the strips, curling each end with a scissors blade, and hold in position with a paper clip. Over each paper clip paste green cut-out paper bows, or tie green crepe paper bows. The boy's 48 Book Displays — January to December orange tie and the green bow at the girl's neck may also be either cut-out construction paper or tied lengths of crepe paper. Cut the boy's hair from red construction paper and paste around the edge of his face, leaving the ends free and bent a bit forward away from the background. If desired a dress for the girl may be cut from green and white flowered paper, and blue and white striped paper will make a shirt for the boy ; add cut-out manila construction paper arms and hands. Paper strips curled along the edge of a scissors blade make a jolly Santa Claus for a Christmas display. Features are also pasted-on paper cut-outs in color. 1 A __J_^^r::=^^^^^^^ y^ ^^fO^^U^ /r ^^r^S^g) [Oh ^i W) Tnake paper c^^rls ral hr\ for a Santa Claus m 1-^ ci \^ FlGTJKE 23 Cut-out paper illustrations may be combined with paint and other materials to form amusing figures. In place of paper cloth- ing, cloth may be used with colored yarns glued on for hair. Light weight objects may be glued to hands (a book jacket will represent a book) and the figures may be dressed in any style. FiGUKE 24 Methods and Materials for Displays 49 Trees constructed from cut paper add much to displays. They may be apphed directly to the bulletin board, pasted on posters, or re-enforced to stand upright. For the tree illustrated cut pat- terns in graduated sizes. Begin at the bottom and paste to the background or attach to a bulletin board with thumbtacks. This tree made high to fill a bulletin board makes an excellent Christ- mas tree when decorated with balls cut from book jackets and hung with silver "icicles". Cut three identical pieces with a strip to fold along the dotted line for the second tree. Paste the strips together, let dry and attach to the background. poster - poster— [-cevvVva\ ^vbuve. ba.cVid'jrouxiti O Figure 25 Any cut-outs used, whether central figure or background, are more effective if allowed to lean out from the poster several inches as indicated by figure 25. Paste the section to be attached to the poster at the outer or lower edge, bend slightly, and paste near the upper edge or in the center to a pleated strip of paper fastened to the poster or background. This strip will hold the cut-out in place, allowing it to lean just so far, and at the same time, being flexible, allowing it to move with every breeze, creating a moving shadow and a most life-like effect. Book jackets make splendid material for cut-out displays. Not only do they create a colorful effect, but they also present title 50 Book Displays — January to December suggestions. Practically any figure can be constructed or cut from book jackets. Already mentioned are the Christmas tree balls which may be hung from a real or a paper tree. Book jacket tulips against a picket fence bring a spring atmosphere to any library. First cut the fence palings from heavy white paper or cardboard, with two narrow backing strips cut the length of the bulletin board or shelf area to be filled. Cut the large tulip blos- soms from book jackets, being careful to preserve as much of the title as possible. The leaves are green construction paper. As- semble the fence first, then paste the leaves in position, and last of all the blossoms. Tack along the lower edge of a bulletin board and add a caption How Does Your Book Garden Grow?, cut from colored construction paper and fastened to the board with pins. Assemble books on a table. Figure 2 6 Book jacket spines may be added to posters to form the feathers of an Indian war bonnet or the tail feathers of the Thanksgiving turkey. Picket fence palings, too, can be made of book jacket spines. Figures cut from beaver board may be kept permanently and used in various displays over a period of years. One such useful figure is a large outline map of the United States which may be mounted on a bulletin board, may be braced to stand alone, or may lie flat on a table as a background for displays. The use of one or more objects to symbolize an idea or the sub- ject of a group of books is well suited to library displays. Objects create a most effective display, and as a rule are readily available. Stylized figures require some small drawing skill, but reason- able care, observation, practice and manual dexterity will fill this requirement. As in the case of cut-out ilustrations, the best figure is that with the fewest details. Make numerous rough sketches Methods and Materials for Displays 51 Broughton Library each figure s: loo units Number students enrolled H $ 9 f $ f H o o o o o o o ? f ¥ * ? ? t Daily library altpndance A A A AAA ; Usin^ reference books daily © © O O C •S- -S3- Gv -SS. € Reading magazines daily a a a a g €har;{in^ books daily Figure 27 on thin paper, correcting lines until economy of line is achieved, then trace. The figures for the pictorial statistics poster are drawn within guide lines as lettering must be done. Note that 52 Book Displays — January to December very few details are used, yet the idea is quite clear in each case. One of the greatest helps for this and other types of drawing is the series of drawings available from the A. B. Dick Company, makers of mimeograph machines and supplies. Particularly use- ful are the five pages of drawings called "George Will Do It", which feature a useful figure that can be assembled by the am.a- teur from which practically anything can be done with an assort- ment of heads, expressions, postures and clothing. The drawings are intended for use with mimeograph stencils, but they are so simple that enlargement to poster size is easy. A simple device for enlarging drawings called a pantograph is available from many book and stationery stores at prices ranging from one dollar up. It consists of four narrow strips of wood fastened with screws in such way that a design traced by one point is enlarged or diminished by a pencil fastened at another inter- secting point. An illustration of a pantograph may be found in Webster's New International Dictionary, 2nd edition. Letters and Lettering Cut-out letters may be made from a variety of materials ; among them cardboard and corrugated board in all colors, construction and other thinner papers. Letters cut from road maps, book jackets, wall paper or cloth may help carry out the theme of a display. Tiny cut-out figures and small objects arranged to form letters include bats for Hallowe'en, hearts for Valentine's day, stars for astronomy, and flowers for Spring. Letters that can lie flat, as in case displays, may be made from an even wider range of materials. Larger objects are best used for capitals only — letters carved from wood or soap, two sticks of candy tied together to form the letter H, a child's letter block. Ribbon lettering is another possibility for use in a case. The ribbon may be dipped in thin starch, ironed lightly and arranged in place while still damp and allowed to dry. It will stay in place even when jarred or touched. Heavy cardboard letters and composition letters in assorted colors may be purchased ; one variety comes with wooden grooved holders to hold the letters in a standing position. Wooden cut-out letters are available from some ten-cent stores and other supply houses. They should be given a coat of flat white paint, after which they may be colored with poster paint to match the color scheme of a display. The poster paint washes off, and another color may then be applied. Both types of letters make excellent Methods and Materials for Displays 53 patterns by which to make additional letters from paper and cloth. All letters should be kept sorted and filed alphabetically. If properly cared for they may be used again and again. The Child Welfare Publishers, Inc., Evanston, Illinois, has some excellent alphabet letter stencils in various sizes, decorative stencils, and gummed letters at reasonable prices. Lettering done by hand is more difficult, but can be very effect- ive. Have at hand charts of various types of letters, study them, and know the anatomy of each letter before trying to reproduce it . Use Speedball or Esterbrook lettering pens for India ink, with pointed tip brushes to fill in letters, and square tip brushes for poster paint. There are many books on lettering available, and articles appear from time to time in library periodicals that are a great help. Figure 28 To attach paper cut-out letters, tacks, pins, or tape may be used. When tacks are used, colored celluloid-covered ones that match or blend with the letters should be selected. Light weight letters may be attached with straight pins, which are invisible from a short distance. Much care must be taken to have the pins correctly placed and the letters on a straight line. Strips of scotch tape to fasten letters to the bulletin board are the easiest of all to use. The letters can be assembled and arranged in a straight line on a table, the strip of tape placed over them, and the whole lifted as a unit and fastened to the board, insuring a straight caption. Scotch tape is better for heavier letters and 54 Book Displays — January to December those cut from some slick surfaced material. Thin paper letters are likely to tear when the tape is removed. Cut-out script letters may be attached with either pins or tape. Materials While good displays may be produced on the proverbial shoe- string, the librarian will find that adequate equipment and sup- plies greatly simplify the work. Miscellaneous materials that should be readily available are a stapler, a paper cutter for trim- ming edges, colored chalks for sketching and drawing in features of cut-out illustrations, scotch tape in both the familiar trans- parent form and in colors, rubber bands in colors, ink and pencil erasers and art gum to clear posters and drawings, a metal-edged ruler, a T-square, a transparent triangle and a pair of scissors. Thumbtacks in both the metal and the colored celluloid-covered varieties should be supplied, with carpet tacks to use when a longer point is needed. Both drawing and lettering pens, and square and pointed tip brushes are needed, including a rather large brush to flow on poster paint for speedy and smooth work. Paste and rubber cement are needed to assemble displays. Letters, cut- outs and small objects fastened to a background with rubber cement may be removed without injury to either surface. Poster paint or show card color is available in a wide range of colors and may be purchased in jars ranging from two ounces to one half pint. The color is thick and must be diluted with an equal part of water or as needed to form an opaque covering. The paint is suitable for work on paper and cardboard and may be used over flat white paint if the surface is first washed to remove the oil film. Casein paint is steadily growing in popularity. It, too, comes in brilliant colors and may be had in either a half pint or quart size. It is a paste which is diluted with water, and its par- ticular feature is the fact that one color may be applied over another. For this reason it is an excellent paint to use in covering large areas used as backgrounds. The individual colors of each type of paint may be mixed with each other and with white to form new colors in many shades and tints. Backgrounds for displays may be regulation cork bulletin boards, or suitable display areas may be made of cork mats mount- ed against a rigid backing — wall board, composition board braced to prevent buckling, plywood, or even a soft wood such as white ] pine or yellow poplar. They may be fastened to a wall or braced to stand upright. Possible coverings include lengths of cloth. Methods and Materials for Displays 55 enlap^gement of drawing with network of lines SSJ ^^ ^ \ As — z -J 3 M L _j? pointed tip brush for filling, in 3 -4- J 6 square lipped brush for lettering transparent triangle ball pointed pen point lettering pen Figure 29 construction paper, crepe paper in solid colors and patterns, gift wrapping paper, Kraft or butcher paper, wall paper, and colored corrugated paper or corrugated wrapping paper painted with poster paint. Sources of ideas for displays cover everything. Once the hbra- 56 Book Displays — January to December rian learns to consider every advertising idea presented to hira in terms of its adaptability and usefulness as a library book display the task is easy. The WILSON LIBRARY BULLETIN is a par- ticularly useful source of display techniques and ideas. General magazine and newspaper advertising and the window displays in stores present a constantly fresh source of new ideas in arrange- ment, subject and materials. Many commercial posters, particu- larly the stand-up, cut-out variety, may be secured from stores and adapted for library use. Advertising matter can be cut off, pasted or painted over. A file of ideas, as well as a stock of supplies, should be kept by the alert display worker. Clip advertisements, jot down ideas as they occur regardless of their suitability at the time, and file them away by subject or date to use later when needed. A com- plete record of displays used will prove a labor saving device in the planning and setting up of future displays. A form sheet for this record may be mimeographed, thereby insuring the complete- ness of the information. Data concerning the subject of the dis- play, the form it took, the display area used, the titles of the books used, the general reaction of the public, and the date should be included. Add a sketch or a snapshot of the display if possible. When displays are dismantled, save each part for future use — either to reassemble it as before or to use in a different display. Posters and large flat cut-out figures may be stored in a large drawer, filed in a section of a map case, or placed in a flat card- board box. Fold crepe paper lengths in their original creases. Roll up streamers loosely and secure with pins or rubber bands. Sort by color before storing. Keep small loose objects in a box. File cut-out letters in order alphabetically in a shallow partitioned box for ease in locating each letter for future use. APPENDIX A: DISPLAY MATERIALS L In Brief 1. Titles of books or poems are good sources for captions. For example, "Rich Land, Poor Land" ; "Unrolling the Map" ; "Sea Fever" ; "Silver Pennies" ; "Behave Yourself". 2. Advertising in newspapers and magazines are good sources for captions and for ideas of illustrations which can be copied, traced, cut out and mounted, or combined with other ideas. For example, pictures of ships, air- planes, trains ; airline maps ; foreign land costumes ; pa- triotic designs; service men's emblems and decorations; weather vane showing North, East, South, and West; — all in one issue of a popular weekly. 3. Commercial advertising in stores, especially drug stores and dry goods stores, suggest ideas. Many of their dis- plays can be secured from the retailer after he uses them. For example, cardboard slate; third dimension illustra- tions of navy vessels; cardboard colonial lady and man. Watch and ask. 4. Ten cent stores carry many articles for five or ten cents which can be used over and over. For example, garden tools ; ships, trains, planes, cars ; soldiers ; dolls ; paper doll cut out books ; decal designs ; lace paper doilies ; mir- rors ; seasonal decorated crepe paper. 5. Displays which have depth, three dimensions, are better eye-catchers than flat displays. Make objects stand out on bulletin boards. Mount items to stand out on thick cardboard or attach with a hinge. 6. Books on display attract more attention if they are at different heights. Use boxes of different sizes covered with crepe paper to harmonize with the particular display. 7. Colorful posters and maps of America can be secured from travel agencies, railroads and bus lines. Posters, maps, and brochures of other countries can be secured from travel agencies. 8. Effective backgrounds which hold the exhibit together but are unobtrusive can be achieved with : oilcloth, rayon, or cotton fabrics, mirrors, cellophane, various colored cor- 58 Book Displays — January to December rugated cardboard, construction paper, gold or silver or colored foil paper, II. Some Publicity Materials 1. Books and more books. 2. Pictures from magazines, advertisements, travel agen- cies, etc., or handdrawn sketches. 3. Maps from State Highway Department, gasoline stations, travel agencies. 4. Cardboard , corrugated cardboard, construction paper, poster paper, seasonal wrapping paper, wallpaper (old sample book frequently available from dealer). 5. India ink, white ink, water colors, crayons, cold water paint, poster paint (show card colors), colored chalk. 6. Colored thumbtacks, colored pins, straight pins, rubber cement, scotch tape, passe partout tape, paste. 7. Colored cord or yarn, colored cellophane straws, wooden letters, cardboard letters. The following quantities of letters have been found sufficient to form almost any 20 or 25 letter caption : 7 each A, E, I, 0, U, G, S, R, N, L; 3 each B, C, D, F, H, K, M, P, T, Y; 2 each J, Q, V, W, Z, X. 8. Decorative seals, such as stars, dots, hearts, etc., are effective for spelling out captions and for decoration on backgrounds, 9. Soap carvings, statuettes, miniature figures from ten cent stores, handicraft articles made by children, and small toys. 10. Scissors, knife, razor blades, paint brushes, lettering pens. 11, Color combinations used successfully in advertising : red — tan blue — gold orange — black, yellow red — silver blue — cream yellow — black, green red — gold blue — brown red — white, violet orange — purple violet — rose orange — white, blue green — cream violet — purple orange — white, violet green — gold violet — salmon yellow — white, blue green — rose red — black, orange green — white, blue green — salmon red — black, yellow green — white, violet Display Materials 59 III. Captions to Advertise Books Titles of books are excellent sources for captions. "A penny saved is a twopence Highway Holidays clear." Franklin (Consumer) Arm-Chair Travel Career Clinic Covered Wagon Days Cross Country Via the Book Route Democracy Is Different Digging Up the Past (Archae- ology or History) Do You Seek Adventure? Eyes Southward Fall Bargains Famous Americans Filmed Fiction Fireside Adventure Fly Away With Books For Profitable Leisure Glad Hidings Going to College ? Government at Your Service Here, There, and Everywhere Hidden Gold How to Feed Your Hobby Horse I Hear America Singing Meet the Authors Men of the Moment Modern Industry Music for the Multitude North American Neighbors On Wings of Books Sea Fever Summer Fun The Animal Parade The Play's the Thing The Soils That Support Us (Conservation) Those Who Succeed Walking With the Great What Do You See in Nature ? What Shall I Be ? When Ghosts Walk When Lincoln Lived Women and Their Work IV. A Few Dos and A Don't 1. Do include books with every display. 2. Do choose a center of interest for each display and ex- press it by word or phrase and objects. 3. Do use colors which harmonize and are representative of the season, occasion, or subject. 4. Do achieve balance in arrangement by use of parallel and vertical or circular arrangements (not angular), by not overcrowding, by leaving more marginal space at the bottom than at the top on bulletin boards. 5. Do use variety in ideas, materials, arrangements, and types of books. 6. Do keep exhibits simple and suitable. 7. Do change exhibits regularly and frequently. 60 Book Displays — January to December 8. Do keep a calendar of the displays which are used and a record of materials used in them. 9. Do keep alert for new ideas, new materials, and new cap- tions by watching all kinds of advertising from A to Z. 10. Do keep a file of suggestions and materials for new exhib- its and of materials which can be reused. 11. Do keep a neat, clean, orderly room which will invite readers who will see the displays. 12. Do ask for help and suggestions from students and teach- ers. 13. Don't overcrowd and clutter up displays. Better too little than too much. APPENDIX B: REFERENCES ON LIBRARY DISPLAYS AND PUBLICITY '.. Bibliography Bennett, Wilma. SCHOOL LIBRARY ASSISTANT, p. 127- 136. Wilson, 1933. $2.40. o.p. New edition in prepara- tions. Appeared also in Wilson Bulletin 7:605-611, June, 1933. Includes bulletin boards and exhibits, posters, special services to teachers, newspaper publicity, with comprehensive bibliographies and a list of suggested activities. Carter. FREE-HAND PAPER CUTTING. McKnight & McKnight, Bloomington, Illinois. $1.00. Coons, Mrs. Margaret N. 124 SUCCESSFUL IDEAS FOR LIBRARY PUBLICITY. Follett, 1936. 35^. A group of quotations pertaining to publicity which should give the school librarian suggestions for advertising. Cundiff , R. E. HERE ARE SLOGANS. Wilson Library Bul- letin 12:577-8, May, 1938. Douglas, Mrs. Mary P. TEACHER-LIBRARIAN'S HAND- BOOK, p. 111-24, A.L.A., 1941. $1.90. Covers community library program, library profession, bulletin board displays, annual reports, and publicity pickups. EXHIBITS: HOW TO PLAN AND MAKE THEM. National Publicity Council, 130 East 22nd Street, New York 10. 60^-. Ideas for exhibit making with sections, contributed by experts, on planning, materials, art principles and construction. Fargo, Lucile F. ACTIVITY BOOK FOR SCHOOL LIBRA- RIES. A.L.A., 1938. $2.50. Sets forth actual projects, enterprises, and undertakings which may be carried on in relation to the encouragement of "free" reading in the library. Fargo, Lucile F. ACTIVITY BOOK NUMBER TWO. A.L.A., 1945. $2.50. Fish, H. D. comp. CHILDREN'S ALMANAC OF BOOKS AND HOLIDAYS. Lippincott, 1938. 50^. Appears also in JUNIOR BOOK OF AUTHORS. Focke, H. M. and Others. LIBRARY BULLETIN BOARDS. Wilson Library Bulletin 15:574-577. March, 1941. A suggestive outline of principles, methods and materials designed to be of practical help to staff members responsible for the bulletin 62 Book Displays — January to December board. The outline includes planning, general management or the board, and composition of displays. Sources of illustrative and letter- ing materials, and of captions, slogans, and display topics are also listed, as well as sources of supplies and a bibliography of material on the library bulletin board. The successful compositions are illus- trated. Fraley, E. and Mathews, G. F. EXHIBIT MATERIALS. Wilson Library Bulletin 14:648-51. May, 1940. Suggestions for enlisting the aid of the various school departments, extracurricular organizations, and outside agencies in the provision of exhibit materials. A table of exhibit subjects is given, w^ith note of the material used, departments exploited, and books displayed. Garrison, Gretchen. DISPLAY MATERIALS. Wilson Li- brary Bulletin 14:326-7. December, 1939. Gives sources for cardboard, wooden and plastic letters and excel- lent suggestions for background materials. Harshbarger, H. P. PRACTICAL SIGNS AND POSTER WORK FOR BEGINNERS. McKnight, 1939. 79p. $1.00. Specific information on materials, layout, color combinations and lettering, with many illustrations. Hunt, W. B., and Hunt, E. C. SINGLE STROKE ALPHA- BETS. Bruce, 1939. 31 p. pamphlet. 10^. Simple directions for lettering with examples of styles of letters and information on lettering pens. Loizeaux, Marie D. PUBLICITY PRIMER ; an abc of "tell- ing all" about the public library. Wilson, 1945. $1.25. Phelps, Edith M., comp. BOOK AND LIBRARY PLAYS FOR ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL USE. Wilson, 1938-41. 2 vols. $2.25 each. PUBLICITY CALENDAR. Children's Book Council, 62 West 45th St., New York 19, New York. Free. PUBLICITY DIRECTORY. National Pubhcity Council, 130 East 22nd Street, New York 10, N. Y. 65^-. Lists and describes nearly 200 selected pamphlets and books on publicity technique sources of films, exhibits, scripts, etc. ; other pub- licity services. Roberts, Ina. SLOGANS THAT CIRCULATE BOOKS. The author, 946 Magnolia Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 25(*. Contains 450 exhibit captions grouped by subject. References on Library Displays and Publicity Sanford, Mrs. A. P. and Schauffler, R. H. MAGIC OF BOOKS. Dodd, 1937. (Our American Holidays.) $2.50. Contains fiction, drama, pageantry, projects and programs for Book Week observance. Sauer, J. L. ed. RADIO ROADS TO READING ; library book talks broadcast to boys and girls. Wilson, 1939. $2.25. Advertising books through scripts planned to achieve definite ob- jectives. Van Buren, Maud. QUOTATIONS FOR SPECIAL OCCA- SIONS. Wilson, 1938. $2.50. Watson, K. W. ONCE UPON A TIME children's stories re- told for broadcasting. Wilson, 1942. $2.25. WILSON LIBRARY BULLETIN. $2.00 a year. Annual issue on Book Week appears in October or November, on Vacation Reading appears in April or May, and on Publicity usually appears in March. XL Addresses American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago 11, Illinois. Bruce Publishing Company, 524-544 North Milwaukee Street, Milwaukee 1, Wis. Children's Book Council, 62 W. 45th Street, New York 19, New York. Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc., 432 Fourth Avenue New York 16, N. Y. Follett Publishing Company, 1255 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago 5, Illinois. J. B. Lippincott Company, 227-231 S. Sixth Street, Philadel- phia 5, Pa. McKnight & McKnight, 109-111 West Market Street, Bloom- ington, Ilhnois. National Publicity Council, 130 East 22nd Street, New York 10, N. Y. H. W. Wilson Company, 950-972 University Avenue New York 52, N. Y. UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00034033867 FOR USE ONLY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION Form No. A-368, Rev. 8/95