Ideas for Adult Programs

These are suggestions for ways your library might promote the Kansas sesquicentennial (KS150) in your community.  Feel free to add to these ideas by emailing them to Kim Harp at kimh@kslib.info

Community:
Mini-book festival
Designate an historical or literary site in your community
Frontier or Pioneer Day(s)
Day honoring local celebrity or author
Connect with existing special dates or events
Host an 8 wonders of (community, city or county) contest similar to 8 Wonders of Kansas
Host a volunteer opportunity fair
Sponsor an old fashioned barn-raising or barn dance
Create 'Remembering (Community-name)' kit similar to BiFolkal kits

History:
Offer family oral history workshop
Host a family document preservation workshop
Find local reenactors at:
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/civilwar/Kansas%20Reenactor.htm
  http://lecomptonkansas.com/index.php?doc=lr.php 

Arts/culture:
Art Fair with local artists of all ages
Sponsor an art walk
Poetry contest
Essay contest in which writers/artists envision the next 150 years for Kansas or your community
Photo/Art contests
Exhibit local artists
Symphony in the Flint Hills
  http://www.symphonyintheflinthills.org/
Feature local musicians of any age/genre
Check the following  for ideas about Kansas music & musicians
  http://www.ksmusichalloffame.org/inductees.html
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Musicians_from_Kansas
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Kansas
  http://skyways.lib.ks.us/KSL/Ref/misc/kansasmusic.html

Nature & the great outdoors:
Birding
  http://www.naturalkansas.org/birding.htm
150 Wildflowers of Kansas
  http://www.kswildflower.org/
Local and statewide geology  http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/home.html
Geocaching  http://www.geocaching.com/local/default.aspx?state_id=17&x=1&y=1Plant a community garden (don’t forget the sunflowers!) for example, http://www.k-state.edu/ufm/community_garden.htm
Exhibit the history of a local state park  http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations
Play a truly Kansas game: Basketball!
Hike or bike a Kansas scenic or historic trail  http://www.kansascyclist.com/trails/  http://www.trailsofkansas.com/kansashikingtrails.html
Promote a walking club:  http://www.ava.org/gen3/data/clubsbystate.asp?EVState=KS
Stargaze
  http://www.astronomyclubs.com/1/190/18/0/club.aspx 

Hobbies:
Quilting
Wheat weaving
Knitting/Crochet
Scrapbooking
Antique cars
Aviation exhibit
Let local model train enthusiasts set up in the library
Cooking/bread making
Compile your community’s favorite recipes to make a KS150 cookbook
Have local restaurants give cooking demonstrations of their most popular or renowned dishes
Barbecue contest 

Technology:
View a Kansas related film
http://kdoch.state.ks.us/kdfilm/fc_credits.jsp

Kansas actors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Kansas#Film.2C_television_and_stage or http://tinyurl.com/2b78c9n

Films set in Kansas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_Kansas
Start a KS (or community-name) 150 blog
Start a Flickr account of photos from KS150 activities
Create an online time line of community history since 1911
Create a calendar of the KS150 theme
Create a YouTube video of your community 

Resources/partners:

Local county extension office/4-H clubs
genealogical & historical societies
chamber of commerce/visitors' bureau
senior living facilities
schools
faith communities
other libraries

State & regional:
KS150 initiative
State Library & regional library systems
Kansas Arts Commission
Kansas Humanities Council
Kansas State Historical Society