Library Book Display Ideas for Every Month of the Year

As librarians, we are always looking for new ways and opportunities to get students reading (and enjoying it!). Having a monthly book display is a great way to bring awareness to different topics, seasons, and celebrations for each month. Plus, you can get students interested in brand-new books that might have been hidden on the shelves and out of sight. I know that coming up with library book displays can take some time (especially when you start running out of creativity mid-year).
I put together a list of library book display ideas for the entire year. You can use one of these ideas or use this list to get your creative juices flowing.

January

Not only is January the first month of the year, but it also includes New Year’s day, Martin Luther King Jr Day, and is a part of winter. Here are a few more creative library book display ideas for January:

• National Hobby Month – Share books about various hobbies and sports.
• January 2nd – National Science Fiction Day – Display your science fiction books.
• January 4th – National Trivia Day – Hold a trivia contest and have students look up the answers in the library.
• January 8th – Earth’s Rotation Day – Show off your space and Earth-themed books.
• January 17th – Kid Inventors Day – Learn about inventions.
• No-Name Calling Week (3rd week in January) – Display books about kindness!
• January 24th – Global Belly Laugh Day – Anything related to friendship and positivity.

February

I think all students are aware that February is the month of candy, cards, and hearts with Valentine’s Day, but here are some additional fun days that don’t revolve around love.

• Books We Love – Have students recommend their favorite books for the display.
• February 7th – Safer Internet Day – Teach and review internet safety.
• February 17th – Random Acts of Kindness Day – Books about friendship and kindness are a great fit.
• February 26th – Tell a Fairy Tale Day – Bring out all the fairy tales!
• All About Love – Display any books about family and friendship (or for older students, relationships!)

March

With March comes Spring! You might showcase books about the changing weather or the approaching Spring Break. Here are some more library book display ideas to choose from.

• Spring Showers – Books that make you want to cry!
• March 3rd – Return Borrowed Books Week – no explainaiton necessary!
• March 12th – Plant a Flower Day – Any books on gardening and flowers.
• March 20th – World Storytelling Day – Choose books from students’ favorite authors.
• Hello Spring – Books about the new season or activities that happen during spring.

April

April is a bit trickier since the only big holidays are April Fools (and sometimes Easter). Luckily, there are some fun holidays you can celebrate, too.

• April Fools – Time to pull out those comedy and joke books.
• April 2nd – National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day – Cookbooks and food-related books!
• April 3rd – Find a Rainbow Day – Showcase books all about the weather.
• April 12th – D.E.A.R. Day – Drop Everything and Read .
• April 23rd – Take a Chance Day – Books on courage, trial and error, and not giving up.

May

Most holidays in May pertain to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, however, there are some fun opportunities for library book display ideas.

• May 2nd – International Harry Potter Day – Celebrate all things Harry Potter.
• May the Fourth Be With You – Showcase those Star Wars-themed books.
• May 9th – Alphabet Day – Display a book for every letter of the alphabet!
• May 12th – National Limerick Day – Have fun with limerick books, maybe hold a limerick contest.
• May 20th – Be a Millionaire Day – Display novels on careers, money, and financial literacy.

June

If you’re still in school during June, you can get students excited with summer-themed library book display ideas, plus some other silly topics.

• Summer Fun – Think campy, light-hearted books to read during the summer.
• Flag Day – Share books with characters and settings from around the world.
• Dive into a Good Book – Showcase the top checked-out books of the school year.
• June 27th – Helen Keller Day – Display books from inspirational figures, like Helen Keller.

July

Not only do we have The Fourth of July with fireworks and cookouts, but your book displays can also celebrate –

• Keep It Cool – Share winter-themed books to feel a bit “cooler” in July.
• Christmas in July – It’s never too early for Christmas Around the World.
• July 1st – American Zoo Day – Bring out all the animal-themed books!
• July 11th – Cheer Up the Lonely Day – Share light-hearted reads that make great book companions.
• July 19th – World Listening Day – highlight audiobooks if your library has them.
• July 22nd – Hammock Day – Books about the great outdoors are perfect for this holiday.

August

Celebrate Back to School season with some intriguing library book display ideas. Hook students into reading from day one!

• August 5th – Campfire Day – Create a camp read-a-lot display with adventure-packed books.
• August 9th – Book Lover’s Day – Favorite books for each grade level
• August 26th – Dog Appreciation Day – Who doesn’t love dogs? Hook students with adorable puppy books.
• Friendship Week (3rd week in August) – Any book with friendships will work in this display.

September

Back to school continues for some this month, and students may be making their first trips to the library. Use these library book display ideas to get students excited about reading.

• Happy Cat Month – Showcase all your cat books, both fiction and non-ficiton.
• Little League Month – Share stories about baseball and famous players.
• September 9th – Teddy Bear Day – Have students bring their teddy bear to school, maybe even have a teddy bear picnic.
• September 13th – Positive Thinking Day – Share books with a positive theme and message.
• September 13th – Roald Dahl Day – Celebrate the wonderful books of Roald Dahl.
• September 19th – Talk Like a Pirate Day – Showcase pirate books and stories.

October

Get students excited for spooky season with a brand new book display!

• October 1st – International Music Day – Share biographies about various musicians and the history of musical genres.
• October 5th – World Teacher Day – Have teachers recommend their favorite books and share stories about school.
• October 12th – Cookbook Launch Day – Showcase a display full of cookbooks and recipes.
• October 16th – Dictionary Day
• October 28th – Astronomy Day – Anything related to the Earth, moon, and stars fit here.
• October 31st – Magic Day – Got any books on magic? It’s their time to shine.

November

Thanksgiving is the most notable holiday in November, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share books with any of these themes as well:

• November 1st – Author’s Day – Create a book display with authors of various backgrounds.
• November 1st and 2nd – Dia De Los Muertos – Share the holidays, traditions, and stories of the Day of the Dead.
• November 8th – Tongue Twister Day
• November 24th – Showcase Your Unique Talent Day
• Aviation History Month – Show off any books related to aviation or transportation.
• National Adoption Month – Share books about adoption and the families we choose.

December

You don’t have to have a Christmas book display in order to celebrate December. Here are some other library book display ideas for this chilly month.

• December 1st – Rosa Parks Day – Share stories about leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
• December 8th – Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day – Historical books that take you back in time.
• December 8th – Dewey Decimal Day!!!
• Holidays Around the World – Books about Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Hanukkah, and more!
• By the Fire – Any books related to the chilly weather or that take place somewhere cold.

I hope these library book display ideas get your students excited to read! Feel free to get creative with these ideas and create a library display that represents your students and school.

I created a set of special days posters to go along with this list. Click below to read more about it.

Special Days Display Posters – School Library or Classroom

Are you looking for new ways to get students reading? These display posters are it! These posters are for special and unique days of the year. You will put up a poster and then sel…

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