Display Idea: National Humanities Medals Winners

As I have talked about many times here on the blog and in my presentations, displays are meant to highlight books our patrons would not find without our help. 

Sometimes this means going out of our way to make sure the mosts popular titles and authors are NOT on display, but other times, this means presenting displays in ways that allow your patrons to see a wider range of your holdings in one place.

The awarding of the National Humanities Medals by President Biden is a great opportunity to practice the later. Since this has been in the news the last few days, it is in the back of our patrons minds-- bookish people register bookish news.

The list of recipients, here and below, are wide ranging and would never find themselves grouped together except on this stage. I love the breadth of experiences that are represented here. In fact, putting these winners together in one displays allows you to show your community the breadth of your collection. We are so obsessed with siloing our materials that when our patrons see materials from across service areas on one display, they will notice. This shows through example that we are there to serve all and work hard to have materials for them on a variety of topics.

You can pull books by and about all of these winners and in some cases, you can include films as well. Also some award winners allow a little more leeway. For example, Native America Calling is an online radio program and podcast, but also feature books prominently. Use this link to find some of them. Get those up on display as well. You don;t have to explain why the item you choose are there. Be more inclusive and expansive. Title it Showcasing the Work of the National Humanities Medal Winners, and fill away.

I know this suggestion will make some of you a little uncomfortable. Many library workers use very narrow categories for their displays. They want everything to be from one area of the library. And they don't want to branch out of the way they have always done things. This suggestion will cause some of you or your coworkers to get nervous. Others will say it is too much work.

But this is not more work, it is simply thinking more broadly about how and why we display items. This is actually easier than coming up with a topic and hunting for books to fill it. This is a news story that gives you the titles you need. And because this meal isn't hemmed in by a specific identity or genre, we get a HUGE cross section of items to showcase, together, in one place.

This type of display not only demonstrates the breadth of our entire collection but it also shows our patrons that we are willing to think outside the box, that we can help them in ways they might not think are possible. It may be a new way of displaying materials, but it will most definitely attract more attention and check outs.

Give it a try. You can also click here to see all award winners in reverse chronological order, in case your display gets emptied buy eager readers and you need more. 

Here are the 12 recipients of the 2021 National Humanities Medal, with their White House citations:

• Richard Blanco: An award-winning poet and author, professor and public speaker, and son of Cuban immigrants, Richard Blanco’s powerful storytelling challenges the boundaries of culture, gender, and class while celebrating the promise of our Nation’s highest ideals. (Read profile.)

• Johnnetta Betsch Cole: A scholar, anthropologist, and academic pace-setter, Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s pioneering work about the on-going contributions of Afro-Latin, Caribbean, and African communities have advanced American understanding of Black culture and the necessity and power of racial inclusion in our Nation. (Read profile.)
• Walter Isaacson: Through the stories of our Nation’s remarkable citizens, Walter Isaacson’s work, words, and wisdom bridge divides between science and the humanities and between opposing philosophies, elevating discourse and our understanding of who we are as a Nation. (Read profile.)
• Earl Lewis: As a social historian and academic leader, Earl Lewis has made vital contributions to the field of Black history, educating generations of students, while also being a leading voice for greater diversity in academia and our Nation. (Read profile.)
• Henrietta Mann: The pioneering efforts of Henrietta, Ho’oesto’oona'e, Mann, led to programs and institutions across the country devoted to the study of Native American history and culture, honoring ancestors that came before and benefiting generations that follow. (Read profile.)
• Ann Patchett: With her best-selling novels and essays, and her bookstore, readers from around the world see themselves in the pages of Ann Patchett’s books that take people to places of the heart and feed the imagination of our Nation. (Read profile.)
• Bryan Stevenson: An advocate fighting tirelessly for the poor, incarcerated, and condemned, Bryan Stevenson follows the Book of Micah’s instruction to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly as he chronicles the legacy of lynching and racism in America, shining a light on what has been and all that we can be as a Nation. (Read profile.)
• Amy Tan: By bravely exploring experiences of immigrant families, heritage, memories, and poignant struggles, Amy Tan’s writing makes sense of the present through the past and adds ground-breaking narrative to the diverse sweep of American life and literature. (Read profile.)
• Tara Westover: Tara Westover’s memoirs of family, religion, and the transformative power of education, has moved millions of readers and served as a powerful example of how the humanities can set people—and a Nation—free. (Read profile.)
• Colson Whitehead: With genre-defying craftsmanship and creativity, Colson Whitehead’s celebrated novels make real the African American journey through our Nation’s continued reckoning with the original sin of slavery and our ongoing march toward a more perfect Union. (Read profile.)
• Native America Calling: Through its interactive shows on the radio and online, Native America Calling educates the American public about Indigenous issues while preserving Indigenous history and culture to honor their contributions that strengthen the sacred Nation-to-Nation relationship. (Read profile.)
• Sir Elton John*: An enduring icon and advocate with absolute courage, who found purpose to challenge convention, shatter stigma, and advance the simple truth that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. (Read profile.)
   (*medal awarded separately in September 2022, during a White House event, “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme.”)