Speed Dating at the Library!

The library would offer a speed dating event for the public. We could advertise through www.meetup.com and other social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to attract customers that don't frequent the library, but are looking for ways to meet other members of the community. The cost for refreshments would be minimal, and the event could easily be run by two or three members of the staff. We would advise the participants to bring their favorite book to carry with them from station to station, as well as have a few cards with conversation starters. Before the event began, we would talk about the services the library offers, and offer to sign the participants up for library cards. We would set up several long tables, with people sitting across from one another. After three minutes, people on the designated "move" side of the table would move over one space, and begin a new interaction with the new person sitting across from them. Once everyone has had a chance to meet one another, the event would end. Reading articles about other libraries that have held this event, one thing that stood out was the number of participants that remarked that they had not been in a library in a long time, and were glad to be back. This event would help with market penetration, as well as foster a greater sense of community.