February might be the shortest month, but for school librarians, it is arguably the most packed. From the “Year of the Horse” to the centennial vibes of Black History Month, your library is the pulse of the school this month. The AASL School Promotions Committee has been hard at work curating some amazing resources for you to use as is or help inspire events, displays and other impactful moments in your library.

Did you know that this year marks the 100th anniversary of what was initially referred to as “Negro History Week”. Carter G. Woodson, the 2nd African American to receive a PhD from Harvard, felt strongly that the African American experience should not be relegated to the academic world.  With this in mind, he chose the second week of February for school children to learn about black history. Why the second week of February? Simply, this week coincides with the birthdays of two key people in black history, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The Harlem Renaissance also buoyed the interest in African American culture.  Writers such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Claude McKay emerged. Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holliday graced the music scene. And artists Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage and Jacob Lawrence shared their perspective through their works. From Woodson’s initial push for a week of celebrating African American culture, we now celebrate the entire month of February the incredible contributions from the past and present during Black History month.

from biography.com

We kick off the month with World Read Aloud Day on February 4.  Always the first Wednesday of February, this is a perfect day to advocate for reading as a basic human right.  There are infinite ways to celebrate this fabulous day.  We stop reading aloud to children way too soon.  Stop and pick up a picture book and read it to a group of 8th graders and you will see their faces change almost immediately from “I am too cool for a picture book” to “keep reading” within the first 3 pages of the book.  Masked readers, local author visits, reader’s theater or even a dress as your favorite character day are great ways to celebrate the day. Or try something outside the box like a flash mob read aloud where everyone randomly stops what they are doing and reads the same poem or short story to the students.  Whatever you decide to do, make reading aloud a regular part of your plans regardless of the age of your students.

from ncte.org

The Lunar New Year, February 17, ushers in the Year of the Horse. In the Chinese zodiac the year of the horse signifies energy, freedom and forward momentum. Ways to celebrate in your library could include explanations of the Chinese zodiac through book displays or even informational scavenger hunts. Since the Fire Horse represents energy, passion, and breakthroughs, create a “Breakthroughs in Innovation” display featuring Asian and Asian-American inventors and scientists. Focus on culturally relevant crafts such as red envelopes which are a staple in celebrating the new year. Though they are usually filled with money, why not fill them with book recommendations?  Either from you or encourage the students to share book recommendations amongst each other.

from star8s.com

February may be the shortest month of the year but you will not find yourself at a loss for ways to celebrate the love of books, reading and libraries.

Happy Reading!