For many of us around the world, gift-giving holidays are
almost here again. With them comes the question, "What can I give to the
library fans and librarians in my life?" If you don't want to give another
reading lamp or bookstore gift certificate, I have some fresh suggestions for
you!
Since this blog is about library marketing & promotion,
I especially want to suggest gift ideas that support and fund library-related
organizations. Spending a little money with them will not only make your gift
recipients happy, but it will also support good causes.
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| SantaThing uses this great photo on its site. |
Do you know the term "Secret Santa"? That's when
you give a gift anonymously (nobody knows who the "Santa"/giver is).
If you like this idea of sneaky fun that does a good deed, check out SantaThing
2012 from LibraryThing.
The site explains:
"The idea is simple. You pay into the SantaThing system (choose
$15, $20, $25, $30, $35, or $40). You play Santa to a LibraryThing member we
pick for you, and choose books for them. Someone else (secret!) does the same
for you. LibraryThing does the ordering, and you get the joy of giving AND
receiving books!
Sign-ups close Thursday, November 29 at 4pm Eastern
time. Shortly afterwards, we will tell you who you are matched up with by
sending a profile comment and you can start picking books. So get the details here now!
Picking closes Thursday, December 6th at 12pm
Eastern time. As soon as the picking ends, the ordering begins, and we’ll
get all the books out to you as soon as we can."
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For all the body-art fans on your list, consider getting
this 18-month calendar of tattooed librarians. It costs $21 + $5 shipping. The Youth
Services Section of the Massachusetts Library Association took on this project,
and profits go to MLA. Learn more about it, see some photos & videos, and
observe how the group is promoting their product here, on
its Facebook page. Then, order
it here.
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This Week In Libraries is the world's first internet talk
show for librarians. TWIL's Dutch hosts, Jaap and Erik, interview library
thought leaders and post each
week's episode for free. Their mission is to make inspiration and
innovation accessible to all library workers around the world.
Donations of any amount more than $1 may be made, in any
world currency, via PayPal at the show's
fan-created Tumblr site. Help keep this ground-breaking show on the air!
Hurricane Sandy
Recovery Donations
The New York-based advocacy group Urban Libraries Unite has
created a "Sandy Children’s Book
Relief" wish-list via Powell's Books online. This makes it easy to order
the book(s) of your choice, in any price range ($5 and up), and have them
shipped to the library that needs it. You may qualify for free shipping too.
The Suffolk
Cooperative Library System in New York state is accepting donations to help its
own staff members who suffered major personal property / home losses due to
Hurricane Sandy. Online donations in any amount more than $1 are greatly
appreciated.
The New Jersey
Library Association has set up a way to donate in order to help its many
coastal-area libraries rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Once damage
assessment is completed, NJLA will distribute the funds among the libraries
that need it most. You can contribute either online via credit card or PayPal,
or by mailing a check.
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At this online store you can order t-shirts, stickers,
buttons, mugs, tote bags, and lots of other items, all designed with your
favorite library sayings and pictures. So if you need an iPhone case that says
"Party Like a Librarian," a hat that says "Librarians Against
DRM," or even pajamas that declare "Casanova was a Librarian,"
this is the place. All profits go toward advocacy efforts.
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Here's another online store with fun sayings on fun items. Want a onesie, some buttons, or a mug with attitude? These products declare to all that librarians are "natural language search engines" and that this is "the profession of the over-educated."
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While I know everyone can search Cafe Press on their own, I had to add one more site because it's the one that offers one of my favorite designs: The multi-colored, Google-like logo that says "Librarians" instead. I loved my t-shirt so much that I made it the cover of my Libraries Are Essential Facebook page.
Brown Bag Design Studio's Cafe Press store has that design on many items -- even in Spanish! It also has lots of others you might enjoy. Other designs say "What happens in the library stays in the library" and "Librarians love Obama."
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The Library Resources Group is offering a series of
whimsical mugs, posters, and notepads that center on the cartoons from the
Great Moments in Library History 2013 calendar. This is a for-profit vendor,
but that doesn't make the items any less funny.
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