Forget the books. Check out the book shelves.
Virginia Beach Public Library is dispelling the stereotype of dark and musty spaces run by shushing authoritarians. Their book displays are next-level.
One display, “Baby Got Books,” is a twist on the Sir Mix-A-Lot classic.
Instead of big butts, it romanticizes big books.
“I like big books and I cannot lie
You other readers can’t deny
When a book walks in with a good plot base
And a big spine in your face
You get interested.”
The display is the brainchild of the library’s information specialist Brittney Ash, who found the poem on Pinterest and decided to bring it to life.
Ash is known for finding creative ways to promote various book collections, infusing fun into the learning environment.
The library also has a shark week display with a model surfboard. It also set up a summer reading display with a camping area — complete with tents and a decorative camp fire.
The funky displays are a way to “draw people in and help them find something new to read,” Christine Brantley, spokeswoman for the library, told CNN. The staff wants reinforce that libraries are vibrant places for learning and fun — and people of all ages are responding to it.
“The display exceeded all kinds of expectations. People love it!” she said.
