Selfie Solution: Celebrating National Library Week During a Pandemic

Abstract

To celebrate National Library Week amid a pandemic, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Libraries put a new spin on an old idea. Via a webform, the UWSP Libraries asked patrons to submit selfies for Read posters. The posters would be displayed in a virtual gallery, shared on social media, and hung in a lobby during National Library Week. Despite requiring no in-person contact, participation lagged initially. After a discouraging start, Read posters gained momentum with submissions ranging from first-year students to the chancellor. In this presentation, UWSP Libraries staff will discuss the technology, marketing, results, and lessons of this outreach endeavor.