26 Library Event Ideas for Every Month of the Year

Looking for fresh library event ideas to keep patrons engaged throughout the year? A well-planned calendar gives your library plenty to share in newsletters, on social media, and around your building. From reading challenges to seasonal activities, these library program ideas offer inspiration for every month.

Library Event Ideas for Every Month

A fantastic place to shout out these monthly library event ideas is in your monthly library newsletter! Alongside your other great content, a section for current events and other happenings like reading challenges makes a library newsletter special and keeps people engaged. Here’s a monthly list to get you started:

January

• New Year Reading Challenge: Invite patrons to set a reading goal and track their progress throughout the year.
• Cozy Winter Reading Event: Create a winter-themed reading program, book display, or family storytime.
• Where to Next? Highlight travel books, magazines, and personal experiences. Have staff write up a blurb about their favorite travel experience and match it with a book about that location.

February

• Black History Month Reading List: Highlight books by Black authors and stories exploring Black history.
• Library Love Week: Ask patrons to share favorite books, library memories, or reasons they love their library.
• Blind Date with a Book: Create a surprise “grab bag” filled with a variety of books of different genres for patrons to select from. Create a different grab bag for different age groups so the titles are age-appropriate and encourage cross-genre reading!

March

• Spring Reading Bingo: Build a bingo card with genres, authors, and reading prompts and offer special prizes to those who complete their card and bring it into the library.
• Spring Break Activities: Promote crafts, storytimes, games, or other library activities for families during spring break.

April

• National Library Week Celebration: National Library Week is the annual American Library Association (ALA) celebration of libraries and library professionals. Consider hosting an appreciation wall where people can share their appreciation for the library and its staff.
• Library Scavenger Hunt: Help patrons get to know the library better by exploring different sections, services, and resources during National Library Week with a scavenger hunt. Don’t forget fun prizes for those who complete it!

May

• Summer Reading Preview: Introduce upcoming summer reading programs and registration details.
• Garden-Themed Programs: Try a seed swap, gardening book display, or nature-inspired craft.

June

• Summer Reading Kickoff: Launch your summer reading activities with a special event or reading challenge.
• Outdoor Storytime: Bring storytime outside when your space and weather allow so families can enjoy stories about the outdoors…outdoors!

July

• A Midsummer Night’s Reading Challenge: Give readers a new goal to read one or more plays written by Shakespeare this month. Consider inviting a local Shakespeare society or theater group to host a Shakespeare-at-the-library event for families.
• Family Game Day: Invite families to enjoy board games, puzzles, or trivia at the library alongside their favorite librarians.

August

• Back-to-School Resources: Highlight homework resources, educational programming, and student services.
• Book Swap: Give community members an opportunity to exchange books and discover something new. Book swaps are also a great way to solicit new donations for the library.

September

• Library Card Sign-up Month: Encourage community members to get a card and explore library resources. The American Library Association celebrates Library Card Sign-up Month each September.
• Fall Reading/Movie Challenge: Create an autumn reading list filled with books that have also been made into movies, along with a worksheet asking people to compare the book and its corresponding movie. Encourage people to read, watch, and then discuss how the movie may have differed from the written story either at home or in library-hosted discussion groups.

October

• TeenTober Activities: The American Library Association spotlights teen programs, skills, and interests during this annual October celebration. Read more about Teentober on the ALA website.
• Spooky Story Night: Host an age-appropriate evening of seasonal stories and activities featuring Halloween tales and other spooky stories.

November

• Community Gratitude Wall: Invite patrons to write down something they appreciate about the city/town and community they live in.
• Canned Drive: Encourage patrons to donate canned food at the library to go to a local food bank. Be sure you share exactly what types of foods you are looking to collect so people know what to bring.

December

• New Year, New You Reading Challenge: Share staff picks for self-help books and offer recommended reading for different types of self-improvements to help people prepare their New Year’s resolutions.
• Year in Review: Celebrate popular programs, memorable moments, and library milestones from the past year. Consider making a large bulletin board with pictures and a calendar of past events so people can know what to look forward to in the upcoming year.

What if my Library Doesn’t Have a Newsletter to Share These Events?

Don’t worry, we can help — and at no cost to your library! LPi helps libraries produce professionally designed print and digital newsletters that keep patrons informed about programs, services, resources, and community offerings. LPi's library newsletters are fully funded by local business advertising, with printing provided at no cost to the library. Your team gets an engaging way to share what is happening without adding newsletter printing costs to your budget!

Learn more on the LPi website or dive into our article, "Library Newsletter Ideas: How to Create a Newsletter Patrons Actually Read."