BookFace Friday (a 2022 reprint)
If you follow the Fergus Falls Public Library’s social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram – you may have noticed our weekly Friday posts highlighting different book covers. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, take a moment to head over to these sites and peruse some of the pictures we have posted. Aren’t they great? These pictures are known as our #BookFaceFriday posts and they have garnered the interest of many patrons in the community. While this is not a novel idea we came up with (classic librarian joke), it is something I have wanted to do for a while after seeing other libraries post their ‘bookface’ pictures online. Forty-six weeks later and still going strong, I’m already thinking about what 2023 will look like.
What is a ‘bookface’ picture? Started in 2014 by librarians, ‘bookface’ involves strategically lining up your face, another body part, animal, or object alongside a book cover to extend the image on the cover and capture it in a picture. Since January, various library staff members and volunteers have helped out by being ‘bookface’ models or by holding the book to get the right angle for the picture. Holding a book may sound simple, but do not be deceived. I often take multiple pictures to match the cover with the background. This means the person holding the book has to maintain their position for a couple of minutes, or more, until the perfect shot is captured. Try holding a hardcover novel with your arm outstretched for over a minute and see how it feels. Not easy, right? We have also braved the elements whether it was a hot and humid summer day or a freezing cold winter one. Nobody can question our dedication!
The main difficulty with taking #BookFaceFriday pictures is lining up the book cover with the background in a nearly perfect way in terms of perspective and element matching. Does the face look too big compared to the body? Is the hand at the right angle? Are the colors close enough? How do we get a chicken to stay still? Each week there is something different to consider, depending on the chosen book. There have been a couple of times when I took close to 100 pictures because elements were not lining up properly. The octopus picture we used back in May is one example of this. How are books chosen? We are usually inspired by new or recently checked-in books, books related to the seasons or holidays, or books from pictures we have seen online. Picture books tend to be the easiest to use, but we try to be cognizant of incorporating books from our children’s, teen, and adult collections.
Some of our most popular #BookFaceFriday posts include: “If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won’t)” by Betty White, “Edward the Emu” by Sheena Knowles, “The Bookshop at Water’s End” by Patti Henry, and “The Vinyl Detective” by Andrew Cartmel. I honestly love each week’s picture because I know the work and fun that goes on behind the scenes of the ‘bookface’ posts. Posting weekly #BookFaceFriday pictures has been a positive, enjoyable experience and the feedback has been complimentary and encouraging. A few authors have even commented on the posts of their books! Looking ahead to the final six weeks of 2022, we have some books in our queue and will be looking for a couple more to finish out the year. With new books processed weekly, there are sure to be many choices for us to consider.
A reminder that we will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Native American Heritage Day next week, but will be open our regular hours Saturday, November 26. Keep your eyes open for our next #BookFaceFriday post! If you have suggestions for books we could use, let us know in person or email us at ferguslibrary@gmail.com. I’m always looking for unique titles to use and appreciate hearing ideas from others.
Krista Kugler is the Children’s Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library
The images below are the most popular BookFaceFriday photos from 2024.
The images below are the most popular BookFaceFriday photos from 2025.
