by Chelsie Gohlmann

If you visit the library during the month of February, you will find a display in Adult Services called "Blind Date with a Book." Step into the realm of mystery and excitement as you select a book solely based on its genre and intriguing first line. It’s like unwrapping a present, not knowing what awaits inside!

When you choose to go on a blind date with a book, you embark on an adventure where the story’s essence can captivate you, free from preconceived notions or biases. It’s a delightful journey of exploration, where each book holds the promise of an unforgettable experience waiting to be discovered.

Each book on the display is wrapped in brown paper so that the book title and cover are completely hidden. There is a label on the front of each one that tells you what genre it is and teases you with the first line of the book. The only thing we ask of patrons is that they don’t “double date.”

The Blind Date with a Book display is my favorite project that I have taken on since coming to the library! The joy it brings patrons makes all the logistical work behind the display completely worth it. Last year – which was the first year I put together this display – my colleagues and I wrapped 200 books to keep up with the demand!

Here is a highlight of a few of the most fascinating first lines I found this year:

• “The day Gemma Daniels turned eighteen was memorable for many reasons, the main one being that a man appeared in her room, claiming to be a ghost.”
• “Leave it to a chicken to throw my life into a tailspin.”
• “Five pavement-dwellers lie dead at the side of Delhi’s inner ring road.”

You can also enjoy the other book displays that we have featured this month if blind dates aren’t for you! We will have displays on books with short titles, long titles, Superbowl gameday eats, nonfiction by black authors, and more. Come by and take a look!