I always come home from a show with lots of stories, photos and ideas that I can’t wait to share – especially when they’re easy to implement.
This is the second in my series of posts from the American Library Association Conference & Exhibition. (You can read Lesson #1 here.)
Lesson #2 from ALA 2026 in Chicago:
Get people involved. Sometimes it’s as easy as a Sharpie + sticky notes!
Example A: Multi-colored sticky note collage in the Bibliotheca booth
Example A: Multi-colored sticky note collage in the Bibliotheca booth
Librarians wrote their answer to “What are your library’s superpowers?” on one of 3 colors of sticky notes, then placed it on the grid in an appropriately-labeled spot. It was tough to figure out what the secret word would be on Day 1, but by Day 3 it was obvious. (Hint: If you’re having trouble seeing the word, squint just a little.)
Example B: Science Across America map
Attendees were invited to place a note on their home state listing their favorite science achievement or event. Then they received a map of their state to take home.
Example C: True confessions as a booth attraction
Example C: True confessions as a booth attractionThis giant poster in the lobby invited attendees to share their youthful transgressions on a detention slip and add it to the board. The CTA was to bring the duplicate slip to the Norton Young Readers booth to win copies of the new book, Absent by Rex Ogle.
Example D: Share a dream in the Scholastic booth
Pink stickies covered a banner asking, “Where would you go with $42 worth of bubblegum?” to promote the upcoming book, Abner & the Bubblegum Balloon. (Paired with an old-fashioned bubblegum machine … in pink, of course!)
What other examples of sticky-note engagement have you seen at a show?
