This initiative represents an opportunity that simultaneously addresses two challenges. First, after offering casual midday booktalks and having low turnout, we were eager to find an innovative way to GO TO our patrons. Second, we are always looking for ways to engage more 20-40 year-olds, a population we tend to lose until they return to the library as parents. Having received funding from our Friends group providing t-shirts created by a local designer popular with this age group, we approached the City of Kalamazoo about participating in its downtown Lunchtime Live! series in the park right outside our central library.

Collaboration: The City of Kalamazoo was thrilled to have us participate. In fact, because of this initiative, future collaborations with the City are likely.

Visibility: Seeing KPL at this weekly, well-attended event reminds the public that the library is just across the street, offering many services and programs.

Social media - Our participation at Lunchtime Live! and the t-shirt giveaway were promoted only via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.) In addition, to further engage 20 to 40-year-olds, we started a hashtag #whatareyoureadingkzoo encouraging photos of readers and their books. Stickers of the hashtag are being given away.

The external results have been just what we had hoped for: the opportunity to engage with many residents about books and reading; promote library services; and give away hip t-shirts in exchange for book recommendations. A bookmark and webpage will be created to promote the Summer of 2016 Reading is Hot All-City Booklist. An unanticipated bonus has been the internal buy-in; KPL staff members are happily volunteering to staff the table, and even buying shirts of their own, which in turn creates more interest among the public in getting a free one by visiting our table at Lunchtime Live.