If tall, dark and handsome wasn’t your type, maybe someone that “Speaks in slang” was? Perhaps you’re into the darker, heavier type and would go for someone that “Doesn’t play well with others?” If you stopped by the John Peace Library and were looking to spend Spring Break with a special someone, UTSA Blind Date 2014 had you covered. With a book, of course.
Forty-eight books wrapped and titled with quips like “Dark, historical type,” “Adventurous with a sense of humor” or “High school sweetheart” and more were set on display for anyone in the UTSA community to check out. Once people selected their “date,” they were prompted to snap a photo of the book and post it on Instagram. Five winners will be selected to win one of UTSA Libraries new t-shirts.
The project was the brainchild of library intern Taylor Wallace, who proposed the project as a means to traffic more attention towards the Popular Reading section. The project, with support from the Director of Library Communications, Anne Peters, had become a success with forty-one of the books having been checked out in less than twenty-four hours.
“I picked books from the Fiction section, as well as some from Graphic Novels and Juvenile Lit to get a well rounded variety,” explained Wallace. “I picked a lot of my favorite books that spoke to me and inspired me in college. That led me to books like Clockwork Orange and No Country for Old Men. It was mostly fiction. Fiction speaks more to people.”
Wallace worked with books available in the library along with a few she ordered to add to the libraries growing collection. There were authors such as Nicholas Sparks, Mindy Kaling and Peter Hook in addition to classical authors. Wallace wanted to create a broad range in order to appeal to all types of readers and organize a diverse collection “daters” could select from.
Along with a teaser, the age of the book was written in the corner to make the project as similar as possible to an actual blind date situation.
“That’s a factor that really plays with people, and a factor that plays into people in real life with blind dating,” said Wallace. “You scope it out, undress it and get reacquainted with it. The whole point is to enjoy the book.”
With the success of the UTSA Blind Date 2014, Wallace’s next project is to relocate the Popular Reading section to make it more accessible for everyone. For now, Wallace hopes for the project to continue.
“The library can tell when there’s swells of people checking out books. They can determine trends and students schedules, so maybe they can just do a general blind date,” said Wallace.
“It’d be really great if they make this a annual or semi-annual thing.”
If you grabbed a date, be sure you snapped a creative photo and posted it on Instagram with the hashtag #utsablinddate2014 to be entered for a chance to win a t-shirt. The UTSA Popular Reading section is located right of the main entrance, and books may be checked out year round during working hours.
