With many states still issuing stay-at-home orders, planning programs to engage your public library patrons when they can’t be present in the library can be difficult. Here are some ideas for easy programs your library can hold remotely using Infobase’s streaming video platform for public libraries, Access Video On Demand.
Movie Hangout
Iberia Parish Library (@iberialibrary) holds online movie screenings. Patrons log in at a designated time to watch a preselected movie together, then have a discussion via video conferencing. Just remember, no spoilers!
How-To from Home
Turn old clothes into gift bags (#150571), paint a watercolor (#188380), or learn to knit (#150529) by watching a how-to video. Then patrons work on the project together via video conferencing so they can ask questions, share tips, and encourage each other in a virtual makerspace!
Social Justice Warriors
Learn more about the challenges of parolees (#195849), immigration (#188604), homelessness (#188503), and other social issues by watching a documentary. After viewing the film, patrons learn how they can support the cause through letter-writing campaigns, spreading the word about the issue on social media, or even hosting their own online screening.
Local History
Ask a local historian to give a presentation on how significant events, such as women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, or the Vietnam War, affected your area. Then share a playlist of videos on the topic with your patrons so they can learn more about the role your community played during these historic moments.
Read the Book, Watch the Movie
Everyone loves an adaptation! Patrons read an eBook, watch the movie adaptation together, then conclude with the age-old discussion: “Which was better: the book or the movie?”
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Want to learn more about how public libraries can bring valuable resources to the community in their homes? Watch this 30-minute demonstration detailing how Infobase resources are able to address the diverse needs of the library community, wherever they might be.
