Belgian Librarians Use Love to Get Readers

[Elphaba]

Belgian Librarians Use Love to Get Readers#0

Posted: 2/14/06 at 3:29pm

ANTWERP, Belgium - It could be a Valentine's setting at any restaurant or bar: Young couples drink red wine and chat eagerly at intimate tables aglow in candlelight and adorned with flowers.

But this romantic venue also features books. Hundreds of them.

Singles who like to read are descending upon libraries across Belgium as part of an experiment in what two librarians have dubbed "lib-dating."

By designing a new place for singles to find love, creators Eric Van der Straeten and Danny Theuwis are hoping to draw more people to books by appealing to their hearts, as well as blow the dust off stereotypes of libraries as stuffy and solitary places.


Full Story

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story... AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956

[wexy]

re: Belgian Librarians Use Love to Get Readers#1

Posted: 2/14/06 at 7:36pm

My library is full of violent old ladies who will cut your throat when the new books are put on the floor.

'Take me out tonight where's there's music and there's people and they're young and alive.'

[Elphaba]

re: Belgian Librarians Use Love to Get Readers#2

Posted: 2/14/06 at 8:09pm

same here, wexy

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story... AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956

[JLSatUD]

re: Belgian Librarians Use Love to Get Readers#3

Posted: 2/14/06 at 8:11pm

I think the idea is great! Better than the whole "walmart dating" thing that was going around recently. My library has really jumped on the "cool place" bandwagon recently. They are even having a Dance Dance Revolution tournament for the long weekend coming up. We're even (gasp) allowed to have coffee while we're reading! (of course, that is probably because they run the coffee shop) :) I am ready for all the old mean librarians to retire. I've been a school librarian for 5 years and I still feel like a baby.