Past Lexington Public Library summer reading programs were presented in ways not explicitly relevant to local culture, sometimes using prepackaged national themes and resources. Most programming was geared toward K-5 children, with the accompanying marketing and messaging decidedly juvenile in appeal. While participation grew yearly in tandem with our growing population, there was a lack of excitement and buy in from the local community outside of our heavy users.

The program fostered a sense of rootedness, from using the colloquial “y’all” tagline to programming with a Bluegrass flavor to commissioning bespoke artwork from a local artisan. Programming and marketing decisions were guided by an informal inventory of local resources. Our approach was intentionally grassroots, from hanging banners in community ballfields to enlisting local personalities to record themselves for a montage video to adorning community spaces with “Read Y’all” stencils using rain paint and chalk.

We’d like to experience growth in intergenerational participation, with increased attendance at family and adult offerings and issuance of new library accounts. We have noticed a significant increase in buzz, as measured by social media engagement, increased program registration and requests for information. We hope to capitalize on this excitement by collecting feedback via dotmocracy and fostering intentionally shareable experiences like photo opportunities, Snapchat filters and a community art project mosaic at each location.