15 Library Book Display Ideas for Your Next Read
Last updated on March 29, 2024
This article provides creative and effective display ideas to transform a library space and catch the reader’s attention immediately.
World Literature Tour
Showcase a diverse range of books from around the globe, grouped by their country of origin or cultural background. Incorporate maps and travel-themed decorations to enhance the visual appeal and educational value.
Rotate selections monthly to feature different regions, exposing readers to the vast array of world literature.
Books Into Movies
Capture the excitement of seeing favorite stories come to life with a display featuring novels that have been adapted into movies. Highlight current box office hits alongside their literary counterparts to encourage movie-goers to delve into the source material.
Use movie posters, DVDs, and book covers to create a visually appealing exhibit that draws a connection between literature and film.
Mystery Mayhem
Engage patrons with a curated selection of spine-tingling suspense novels , true crime tales , and whodunits .
Dramatically arrange titles with magnifying glasses , false mustaches , and other detective-themed props to intrigue and inspire .
Feature both classic sleuths and contemporary crime solvers to cater to a wide audience of mystery enthusiasts .
The Art of the Biography
Curate a display featuring the lives of historical figures, artists, and modern influencers through biographies and memoirs. Utilize timelines or thematic props to contextualize the eras and lives detailed within these narratives.
Highlight the diversity of experiences by including a range of subjects from various cultures and professions.
Dystopian Destinations
Explore a future where society has taken a stark turn with an array of classic and contemporary dystopian novels. This display unites tales of caution and adventure, drawing in readers with a penchant for speculative fiction .
Immerse patrons in imagined worlds where heroes face oppressive regimes and the human spirit is put to the test.
Cookbook Cornucopia
A Cookbook Cornucopia display showcases a diverse spread of culinary literature, inviting patrons to explore global cuisines and cooking techniques. This vibrant array incorporates both time-honored classics and modern, fusion kitchen trends, catering to food enthusiasts and home chefs alike.
Visual props like utensils and ingredients can accentuate the theme, stimulating the senses and encouraging culinary experimentation.
Green Reads (Eco and Sustainability)
Showcase a collection of books that explore environmental themes, ranging from personal sustainability practices to global eco-activism.
Highlight titles that offer practical tips for green living , detailed analyses of climate change , and narratives of environmental pioneers .
Use natural elements like plants or recycled materials to decorate the display, underscoring the section’s focus on conservation and ecological awareness .
Graphic Novel Galaxy
Showcase the expansive universe of graphic novels by grouping together heroes, villains, and epic narratives. Highlight a mix of classic tales and new-age graphics to appeal to both long-time aficionados and new readers.
Incorporate visually engaging props such as action figures or thematic backdrops to complement the vibrant artwork of the displayed titles.
Mindful Reading (Wellness and Meditation)
Curate a selection of titles focused on mental health , self-care , and meditation practices to foster a tranquil atmosphere.
Highlight bestsellers and hidden gems that provide readers with tools and techniques for mindfulness .
Arrange calming decor and soft lighting to enhance the peaceful experience of browsing this thoughtful collection.
Sea of Sequels
Dive into continuing sagas where tales stretch across multiple volumes, beckoning readers to follow their beloved characters on further adventures. Spotlight series that have captured the hearts of readers, fostering a sense of community and anticipation for each new release.
Encourage patrons to embark on lengthy literary voyages with displays that accentuate the depth and evolution present in serial storytelling.
Science and Tech Titans
Highlight groundbreaking works and cutting-edge advancements with a curated selection of science and technology-themed books. Feature biographies of renowned scientists alongside the latest publications discussing artificial intelligence , robotics , and space exploration .
Engage patron interest with interactive elements, such as QR codes linking to related TED Talks or science podcasts.
Spine-Chilling Thrillers
Evoke suspense and curiosity by arranging thrillers that shock and entertain, with covers showcasing shadowy figures or ominous landscapes .
Highlight critically acclaimed authors and bestsellers , enticing patrons to explore complex characters and twisted plots.
Accent the display with faux caution tape and magnifying glasses to underscore the intrigue these novels possess.
Books From the Last Decade
Highlight recently published gems by arranging titles released in the past ten years. This display showcases the evolution of literature and ongoing trends in various genres. Encourage readers to explore modern narratives and authors who are defining the current literary scene.
Poetic Places
Celebrate poetry from around the globe by grouping collections based on their geographical origins. Highlight celebrated poets and place related travelogues or cultural guides beside their works. Enrich the display with maps or photographs that bring the verses’ settings to life.
Genre Journeys
Travel through the landscapes of fiction with a display that takes readers from romance to science fiction , fantasy to historical novels .
Highlight a different genre each month, inviting patrons to discover new authors and classic tales.
Enhance the experience with themed decorations, reading lists, and matching bookmarks for a complete literary adventure.
Ideas Elsewhere
- https://whatareyoureadingblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/07/20-year-round-library-display-ideas/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/LibraryDisplays/
- https://www.stayingcoolinthelibrary.us/library-book-display-ideas-for-every-month-of-the-year/
- https://ontarianlibrarian.com/library-display-ideas/
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How to Create Awesome Book Displays
Katie McLain
Katie's parents never told her "no" when she asked for a book, which was the start of most of her problems. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Lake Forest College and is working towards a master's degree in library science at U of I. She works full time at a public library reference desk in northern IL, specializing in readers’ advisory and general book enthusiasm, and she has a deep-rooted love of all things disturbing, twisted, and terrifying. (She takes enormous pleasure in creeping out her coworkers.) When she's not spending every waking hour at the library, she's at home watching Cubs baseball with her cats and her cardigan collection, and when she's not at home, she's spending too much money on concert tickets. Her hobbies include debating the finer points of Harry Potter canon, hitting people upside the head who haven’t read The Martian, and convincing her boyfriend that she can, in fact, fit more books onto her shelves. Twitter: @kt_librarylady
View All posts by Katie McLain
I work full time at a public library , and even though I work in the Adult Reference department, I’m fortunate enough to spend most of my work hours on book-related responsibilities. But if I had to pick an area that takes up the majority of my book-related time, it would be creating library book displays. Now, for some libraries or book stores, creating displays requires nothing more than printing off a sign and slapping a few marginally-related books on a shelf and calling it a day, but that’s what separates the amateur book displays from the awesome ones.
Over the last 5+ years, my coworkers and I have devised a set of guidelines that have helped take our book displays from good to great, so strap yourselves in while I give you an inside look at how our displays are created.
1. Brainstorm book display ideas
We have 5 different rotating displays that are changed out every 4 weeks or so. Some libraries prefer to change their displays a little more frequently, but we’ve found that this is our department sweet-spot in terms of keeping displays fresh and keeping everyone’s workload manageable. Still, that’s a lot of display ideas to cover an entire year. How do we come up with ideas?
We try to have a couple display brainstorming sessions during our department meetings throughout the year, where we all come up with ideas beforehand and bring them up in the group to see what sticks. Time-sensitive displays, anytime displays, serious displays, crazy displays – nothing’s off limits here. We brainstorm based on current events, upcoming movies, buzzworthy books, historical events, even popular memes and hashtags.
And we make heavy use of our current edition of Chase’s Calendar of Events . If your library or institution doesn’t have a copy, you can still get a decent list of special yearly celebrations through the free version of the Chase’s Calendar website. (Who knew that October was designated as Squirrel Awareness and Appreciation Month?!)
When it comes to holidays and yearly events that are standard for library displays (Valentine’s Day, Banned Books Week, Black History Month, etc.), you can make your displays stand out by giving them an unusual perspective. Do you usually put out Ireland travel guides for St. Patrick’s Day? How about a color-themed display called “It Ain’t Easy Being Green?” Or instead of doing a typical “Women’s History Month” sign for your display, call it something like “Historical Hardcore Lady Types.” It’s unexpected, it’s interesting, and it gives you an opportunity to quote Lumberjanes for work purposes.
I would also like to note that our administration has always been very supportive of our potentially controversial display topics like Pride Month and #BlackLivesMatter, so we’ve made a point to include these types of displays wherever possible throughout the year. I encourage everyone to do the same, although I know that not every administrator is willing to tackle that controversy. Make do however you can.
2. Select items for book displays
For most of our displays, we create material lists in our library’s catalog, then export, organize, and save the lists as Word documents so that we can reuse them in the future. But how do we decide what items should go on the display? Here are a few tips we’ve come up with.
The phrase “hidden gems” should be at the forefront of every display list you put together. In bookstores, it’s common to see a ton of James Patterson and Nora Roberts novels on display because these are the big names that will drive in the big customers with the big bucks. But in libraries, we’re not so concerned with getting the big names out the door because we’re not dependent on sales and we know these big names will circulate anyway. Instead, try filling your displays with lesser-known titles, such as mid-list books, diverse authors, and #ownvoices, because these are the books your patrons are less likely to have heard about.
Think outside the box! When we create displays, we try to keep a lot of the topics as broad as possible to allow for maximum creativity when picking out the titles. I particularly enjoy mixing fiction and nonfiction titles in the same display. For example, if you’re doing an adult display about space exploration, you can include books like The Martian or Saturn Run , but you can also showcase a lot of nonfiction titles as well: Hidden Figures , Welcome to the Universe , or Packing for Mars would all be excellent choices, and they’d allow you to highlight a few female authors and authors of color. Win-win!
Use multiple formats from multiple collections. Mix and match! If you have a title available in regular print, large print, and audio, put them all on there! Graphic novels? Go for it. Young adult? Related movies and documentaries? CDs? Heck, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can create book lists with relevant eBook titles and put those on display as well! Go nuts!
Keep an eye on condition and publication date. As much as I’d like to tell you that you can’t judge a book by its cover, the fact is that a display with newer items and eye-catching covers is going to be more enticing than a display full of banged-up books with torn covers. And as you undoubtedly know, old book covers do not always age well.
3. Put up the display
Once we’ve crafted our thoughtful display lists, we pull the items from the shelves, change their status in the catalog so that they’re listed as “display” if anyone goes looking for them, and set them up on their designated shelves. A couple of my coworkers are really good when it comes to merchandizing our displays, and I’ve picked up a couple easy techniques to maximize our shelf space and make our displays look as enticing as possible:
I don’t remember who set up these specific book displays, but I’ll just say it was probably one of my aforementioned coworkers. They are REALLY good at what they do! I will also note that we have a graphic designer who works at the library and creates our display signage, but this is not required to create a quality display.
At the end of the day, the best book displays are thoughtful and intentional. If you put consideration into what goes on display and how those items are arranged, your patrons will take notice too.
Got any other good display ideas? Let us know!
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Library Book Display Ideas for Every Month of the Year
- stayingcoolinthelibrary
- February 16, 2023
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- Library Management , Picture books , Reading Motivation , Tips & Tricks
As librarians, we are always looking for new ways and opportunities to get students reading (and enjoying it!). Having a monthly book display is a great way to bring awareness to different topics, seasons, and celebrations for each month. Plus, you can get students interested in brand-new books that might have been hidden on the shelves and out of sight. I know that coming up with library book displays can take some time (especially when you start running out of creativity mid-year). I put together a list of library book display ideas for the entire year. You can use one of these ideas or use this list to get your creative juices flowing.
Not only is January the first month of the year, but it also includes New Year’s day, Martin Luther King Jr Day, and is a part of winter. Here are a few more creative library book display ideas for January:
- National Hobby Month – Share books about various hobbies and sports.
- January 2nd – National Science Fiction Day – Display your science fiction books.
- January 4th – National Trivia Day – Hold a trivia contest and have students look up the answers in the library.
- January 8th – Earth’s Rotation Day – Show off your space and Earth-themed books.
- January 17th – Kid Inventors Day – Learn about inventions.
- No-Name Calling Week (3rd week in January) – Display books about kindness!
- January 24th – Global Belly Laugh Day – Anything related to friendship and positivity.
I think all students are aware that February is the month of candy, cards, and hearts with Valentine’s Day, but here are some additional fun days that don’t revolve around love.
- Books We Love – Have students recommend their favorite books for the display.
- February 7th – Safer Internet Day – Teach and review internet safety.
- February 17th – Random Acts of Kindness Day – Books about friendship and kindness are a great fit.
- February 26th – Tell a Fairy Tale Day – Bring out all the fairy tales!
- All About Love – Display any books about family and friendship (or for older students, relationships!)
With March comes Spring! You might showcase books about the changing weather or the approaching Spring Break. Here are some more library book display ideas to choose from.
- Spring Showers – Books that make you want to cry!
- March 3rd – Return Borrowed Books Week – no explainaiton necessary!
- March 12th – Plant a Flower Day – Any books on gardening and flowers.
- March 20th – World Storytelling Day – Choose books from students’ favorite authors.
- Hello Spring – Books about the new season or activities that happen during spring.
April is a bit trickier since the only big holidays are April Fools (and sometimes Easter). Luckily, there are some fun holidays you can celebrate, too.
- April Fools – Time to pull out those comedy and joke books.
- April 2nd – National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day – Cookbooks and food-related books!
- April 3rd – Find a Rainbow Day – Showcase books all about the weather.
- April 12th – D.E.A.R. Day – Drop Everything and Read .
- April 23rd – Take a Chance Day – Books on courage, trial and error, and not giving up.
Most holidays in May pertain to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, however, there are some fun opportunities for library book display ideas.
- May 2nd – International Harry Potter Day – Celebrate all things Harry Potter.
- May the Fourth Be With You – Showcase those Star Wars-themed books.
- May 9th – Alphabet Day – Display a book for every letter of the alphabet!
- May 12th – National Limerick Day – Have fun with limerick books, maybe hold a limerick contest.
- May 20th – Be a Millionaire Day – Display novels on careers, money, and financial literacy.
If you’re still in school during June, you can get students excited with summer-themed library book display ideas, plus some other silly topics.
- Summer Fun – Think campy, light-hearted books to read during the summer.
- Flag Day – Share books with characters and settings from around the world.
- Dive into a Good Book – Showcase the top checked-out books of the school year.
- June 27th – Helen Keller Day – Display books from inspirational figures, like Helen Keller.
Not only do we have The Fourth of July with fireworks and cookouts, but your book displays can also celebrate –
- Keep It Cool – Share winter-themed books to feel a bit “cooler” in July.
- Christmas in July – It’s never too early for Christmas Around the World.
- July 1st – American Zoo Day – Bring out all the animal-themed books!
- July 11th – Cheer Up the Lonely Day – Share light-hearted reads that make great book companions.
- July 19th – World Listening Day – highlight audiobooks if your library has them.
- July 22nd – Hammock Day – Books about the great outdoors are perfect for this holiday.
Celebrate Back to School season with some intriguing library book display ideas. Hook students into reading from day one!
- August 5th – Campfire Day – Create a camp read-a-lot display with adventure-packed books.
- August 9th – Book Lover’s Day – Favorite books for each grade level
- August 26th – Dog Appreciation Day – Who doesn’t love dogs? Hook students with adorable puppy books.
- Friendship Week (3rd week in August) – Any book with friendships will work in this display.
Back to school continues for some this month, and students may be making their first trips to the library. Use these library book display ideas to get students excited about reading.
- Happy Cat Month – Showcase all your cat books, both fiction and non-ficiton.
- Little League Month – Share stories about baseball and famous players.
- September 9th – Teddy Bear Day – Have students bring their teddy bear to school, maybe even have a teddy bear picnic.
- September 13th – Positive Thinking Day – Share books with a positive theme and message.
- September 13th – Roald Dahl Day – Celebrate the wonderful books of Roald Dahl.
- September 19th – Talk Like a Pirate Day – Showcase pirate books and stories.
Get students excited for spooky season with a brand new book display!
- October 1st – International Music Day – Share biographies about various musicians and the history of musical genres.
- October 5th – World Teacher Day – Have teachers recommend their favorite books and share stories about school.
- October 12th – Cookbook Launch Day – Showcase a display full of cookbooks and recipes.
- October 16th – Dictionary Day
- October 28th – Astronomy Day – Anything related to the Earth, moon, and stars fit here.
- October 31st – Magic Day – Got any books on magic? It’s their time to shine.
Thanksgiving is the most notable holiday in November, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share books with any of these themes as well:
- November 1st – Author’s Day – Create a book display with authors of various backgrounds.
- November 1st and 2nd – Dia De Los Muertos – Share the holidays, traditions, and stories of the Day of the Dead.
- November 8th – Tongue Twister Day
- November 24th – Showcase Your Unique Talent Day
- Aviation History Month – Show off any books related to aviation or transportation.
- National Adoption Month – Share books about adoption and the families we choose.
You don’t have to have a Christmas book display in order to celebrate December. Here are some other library book display ideas for this chilly month.
- December 1st – Rosa Parks Day – Share stories about leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
- December 8th – Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day – Historical books that take you back in time.
- December 8th – Dewey Decimal Day!!!
- Holidays Around the World – Books about Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Hanukkah, and more!
- By the Fire – Any books related to the chilly weather or that take place somewhere cold.
I hope these library book display ideas get your students excited to read! Feel free to get creative with these ideas and create a library display that represents your students and school.
I created a set of special days posters to go along with this list. Click below to read more about it.
Special Days Display Posters – School Library or Classroom
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