A Colorful Summer at Denmark

Submitted by Jessica Dillard

For Denmark’s first summer, we decided to make the most of our branch’s unique design. With the large, beautiful windows in the Intergenerational Area, Facilities helped us hang up “stained glass windows” to create a colorful design.

Also housed in that area are engagement programs. One is a “stick by letter” which encourages patrons in a community collaborative project to fill in the mystery artwork, updating every other week to a new challenge. Patrons can receive their stickers at the front desk and it has been a hit with the elementary school patrons. In fact, the first day we displayed it was on Kickoff Day and it was almost complete by the end of that day!

Our other engagement program highlights a different artist and a different art-related question encouraging patrons to learn more about unknown artists and contemplate art. This program is updated every other week with artists from around the world and through the past, each with a different medium of art. As of the writing of this post, the most popular responses to the first question “If you could own any piece of art, what would it be?” are Mona Lisa and Starry Night. Feel free to leave your answer in the comments!

Our Ask Us desk is also in the colorful spirit with paint cans spilling out “Reading Colors Our World.”

In the front of the children’s section, we have our “Wall of Champions” where young patrons can write their name on a crayon and add it to the wall. We also have a photo opportunity with face cutouts of famous artworks including the Mona Lisa, Van Gogh Self Portrait, and Girl with the Pearl Earring. This photo prop has been popular among patrons of all ages.

In the children’s area, we have all kinds of fun adventures going on. By far our most popular piece has been Denny’s Summer Scavenger Hunt featuring the crayons from The Day the Crayons Quit, which is also our Story Stroll book for this summer. You can first find our crayon friends in the lobby near the returns where they left a note for our visitors. 

Youngsters have been asked to help find the mischievous crayons around the Children’s Area. See if you can spot them in some of the other photos throughout this post. Here are a few to get you started.

Throughout the branch, our endcaps are decorated in the style of an art museum, featuring framed artwork that displays the theme of the endcap and 9 covers of themed books. The children’s endcaps feature “Color Our World with. . .” fantasy, humor, adventure, and friendship. For Denny’s Dewey Decimal of the Month, you guessed it, it’s 700s Arts!

In our adult area, the endcaps feature “Color Our World with...” animal stories, astronomy, spice, travel, and philosophy.

Our teen area has “Color Our World with...” adventure and romantic cliches. Another endcap features a collaborative artwork coloring project.

This year’s theme was perfect for our first summer and we were grateful for the extended time we had to plan the decor and programs. Thank you to our wonderful CSAs and Information staff who all helped cut, tile, and affix the many pieces.