Book Spine Haiku: Libraries and Poetry

In honor of National Library Week and National Poetry Month, here is a relevant book spine haiku:

Lost in a good book,

here lies the librarian,

the lifelong reader.

-by Amanda Pape

Book spine poems are formed by arranging books so that the titles on their spines make a poem (and no, it doesn't have to rhyme). Sometimes they're composed of many books, but book spine haiku uses only three books.

A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem divided into seventeen phonic units, the equivalent of syllables. The English version of a haiku is an unrhymed poem with seventeen syllables, arranged in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, in that order.¹

So the challenge for book spine haiku is to find three books with titles fitting those limits that work together to create a poem that makes some sense. The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teaching Haiku, in the Reference collection on the main floor of the Dick Smith Library, provides some tips on technique that might help if you are challenged to create a book spine haiku.

More examples of haiku in the library's collections are here:  https://zeus.tarleton.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&bquery=SU+haiku&cli0=FT1&clv0=Y&type=1&site=eds-live

¹Rholetter, Wylene. "Haiku." Salem Press Encyclopedia of Literature, 2014. EBSCOhost, https://zeus.tarleton.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=87322448&site=eds-live.

2017 READ Poster Reveal

Staff members at the Dick Smith Library are excited about our upcoming National Library Week (April 9-15) celebration and our 2017 READ poster unveiling. 

Can you guess who will be featured this year?

You don't have to wait long for the answer. On Wednesday, April 12  at 3:00 p.m. we will unveil our 2017 READ posters.

Join us.  You'll be among the first to see the new posters. Plus, after the unveiling, you can enjoy refreshments, visit with friends, and get you own souvenir postcard of this years READ posters.

Introduced in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) to celebrate libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate every year. National Library Week is a time to celebrate and promote the contributions of the nation's libraries and library workers. From free access to books and online resources, research support, technology help and more -- libraries offer opportunity to all. 

2016 READ Posters Revealed

Today, the Dick Smith Library unveiled the 2016 READ posters. This year's representatives were the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and the Horticulture Club. 

 
Each year, the library selects two outstanding groups/individuals from the Tarleton community to participate in promoting reading and literacy.  Participants appear in posters with some of their favorite books.  The participants and posters are kept secret until the big reveal during National Library Week.
If you didn't get a chance to stop by the reveal party, you still have time to enjoy the posters!  Stop by the library's Administration Office in the upper level to get a close up view of the full sized posters.  You can still snag free mini-posters at the Circulation desk on the main level, which also include information about the organizations on the back.

Thank you to those who attended today's READ poster reveal and to all of the individuals and groups who have posed for our READ posters. For more information on previous READ posters, checkout our READ poster archives. 

       Find out who’s featured on the

Dick Smith Library 2014 READ posters!

            Join the Fun & Be In the Know
             ¯Wed., April 16 @ 3:00 p.m.¯
          Downstairs in the Dick Smith Library

       2014 READ Poster Reveal & Refreshments

Get souvenir READ postcards & take pictures with this year’s honorees.

              ¯Celebrate Libraries & Reading¯

                    National Library Week -- April 13-19

2013 READ Posters on Display

Dick Smith Library proudly announces
 The Sound &The Fury

and Tarleton Rodeo

READ posters  

Only 1 day left to enter the library's Twit'stagram contest. 

Create and tweet your pictures for a chance to win great prizes.

contest information and submission tips

READ Posters Revealed Today

Today at 1:30, the Dick Smith Library will reveal who is on this year’s READ posters. The READ posters, first begun in 2010, are part of the Dick Smith Library’s celebration of National Library Week. The posters feature individuals or groups that are part of Tarleton’s history and traditions or an iconic image of Tarleton.

Past honorees are Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio and the Purple Poo (2010), Texan Battalion ROTC cadets and the Tarleton Players (2011), the TSU Plowboys and the Texan Rider (2012).

Come by the library at 1:30 for the unveiling, enjoy some refreshments, and have your picture taken for your own READ poster.

Libraries, Literacy, & Twit'stagram, Oh My!

April 14th marks the beginning of National Library Week. The theme for this years NLW is Communities Matter @ Your Library. Libraries everywhere celebrate in their own fashion. Whether it's promoting a new reading program, the construction of a new library commons, or the addition of e-readers, every library has their own special way of saying "Hey, we are here to help!"

At the Dick Smith Library, we celebrate by featuring symbols of Tarleton's past and present on specialized READ posters. We have featured Dr. Dottavio, Purple Poo, ROTC, Tarleton Players, the Texan Rider, and the Plowboys. The DSL is excited with anticipation to reveal the 2013 READ posters. Join us on Monday, April 15 at 1:30pm in the library's lobby to see who is on this year's READ posters. Light refreshments will be served!

Also in honor of NLW, the Dick Smith Library will be having a Twit'stagram contest. Silly name, awesome contest! You take a picture on Instagram (make sure to set up an account) and tag us (@TarletonLib). We will pick our favorites and post them to our Facebook page. From there, you have to get your friends involved! Most liked pic wins!

See You On Monday!!!

National Library Week

Did you know that this week, April 8-14^th, is National Library Week? We are celebrating this week by revealing who will be on the next library READ posters. Want to join in on the fun? Come to the Library’s main lobby from 3:00-4:00PM today, April 11^th, to witness the unveiling of the posters. While you’re here, be sure to check out the great displays that our staff has put up for your enjoyment. There's never a dull moment in the Dick Smith Library!

2012 READ Poster Reveal

Dick Smith Library staff members are busy preparing for our upcoming celebration of National Library Week (April 8-14) and our 2012 READ poster unveiling.

First observed in 1958, National Library Week (NLW) celebrates the contributions of libraries and library staff members to their communities. READ posters celebrate the importance of reading and literacy. So, the two make a great combination.

In 2010, the library's READ posters featured Dr. Dottavio and the Purple Poo. In 2011, they featured ROTC cadets and the Tarleton Players. This year the library's READ posters will again feature people and/or groups representing Tarleton's rich history. Can you guess who's featured this year?

You don't have long to wait for an answer. On Wednesday, April 11 at 3 p.m. the 2012 READ posters will be unveiled in the Dick Smith Library lobby. Refreshments will be served after the unveiling.

Want to read more about the library's 2010 and 2011 READ posters? You can! The library's newsletter, Library Chronicles, offers articles about each year's posters: the 2010 READ posters on page 11 of issue 1 and the 2011 posters on pages 6-7 of issue 2.

Click this Library Chronicles archives link and choose an issue. You can download your own copy of the READ posters by clicking the thumbnail images on page 7 of issue 2.

Come celebrate National Library Week at 3 p.m. on April 11 and see if your guesses about who's featured this year are correct.

Do you have suggestions for future READ posters? Leave a comment and let us know; we'd love to hear your ideas.

It's National Library Week!

It's that time of the year again - National Library Week! Last year, we celebrated with a couple Read posters featuring Dr. Dottavio and the Purple Poo. Who do you think will be on this year's posters? Stop by the library tomorrow and find out! The unveiling and refreshments will be at 1 PM, April 12th.

Pick up a READ souvenir @ the library