Looking for love in all the wrong places? Try a blind date with a book from GFC MSU
By Erin Granger
Great Falls College MSU News Service
“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” The Weaver Library at Great Falls College MSU is taking that old adage literally.
In honor of Library Lovers’ Month this February, GFC MSU library staff are offering “blind dates” with a book. Stop by the Weaver Library, located inside Great Falls College MSU, 2100 16th Ave. S., to browse the display and select your blind date. Each book is covered in paper. The title page is obscured too, so you won’t know the
“identity” of your hot date until you get it home.
Will it be fiction or non-fiction? Funny, informative, a mystery, manga? Sure you might be disappointed, but then again, you may end up having the long-overdue time of your life.
The blind date book booth isn’t limited to Great Falls College MSU students. It’s open to all book lovers.
In fact, the entire Weaver Library is open to the public. Anyone in Great Falls age 16 and older can sign up for a library card. Just bring an ID or proof of mailing address.
The February activities for Library Lovers’ Month are just a few of the special events that happen year-round at the Weaver Library.
National Library Week falls in April, as does Poetry Month.
“We always do something special for that,” said Laura Wight, library and eLearning director.
Last year, the library hosted a book spine poetry contest. Participants stacked up books and created a poem out of the titles on the spines of the books, then snapped a picture and entered it to win a prize.
For Banned Books Week in September, the Weaver Library works to spread the word about the freedom to read. “We try to bring awareness to the fact that even in Montana certain books continue to be challenged and sometimes banned from some schools,” Wight said. “We want to help everyone celebrate their freedom to read.” Library staff started the “blind date” booth a couple years ago. Library staff members came across the idea on Pinterest, and it was a hit.
“Some people, they’ll come in and try to peek under the cover,” she said.
Others immediately remove the cover after checking out the book. Some people come back and say they’ve discovered a new favorite author or genre. One disgruntled reader was quite unhappy that she’d been paired with a Stieg Larsson mystery.
Wight tries to have a wide range of books for the blind date booth. Most of them are new releases.
“I actually go to Barnes and Noble, and I just grab the newest books,” she said. “It’s also a good time for us to add to the collection.”
New this year, readers can rate their date when they return the book. One lucky book lover will be drawn for a sweet treat prize.
Like all the activities hosted by the library, Wight hopes the February book booth helps spread the love of reading, while also drawing more people to the Weaver Library.
“We do have a pretty solid group of a couple hundred community library card holders who are very active,” Wight said.
The Weaver Library isn’t out to compete with the Great Falls Public Library. Instead, Wight aims to complement their offerings.
Some people use GFC MSU’s library because they live close by. Others ride the bus, which makes a stop at campus. “We do have a lot of home school people who come in,” Wight said.
A community borrower’s card allows community members to check out books, eReaders, books on CD and other materials. They can also use the library’s computers and wifi.
“We don’t have time limits on our public computers,” Wight said.
The Weaver Library also offers extended hours.
“We actually have more weekend and evening hours than the public library,” she said.
The Weaver Library is open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday; and 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
“It’s not just for students,” Wight said. “It’s your library too.”
To learn more about the Weaver Library or for questions on how to get your community borrower’s card, call 406- 771-4398.
