Miami-Dade Public Library System's Community Halloween Spooktacular

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

During the 2017 Halloween season,?staff at Miami-Dade Public Library System’s?North Dade?Regional Library?came together to create a?custom-made?family-oriented?Community?Halloween Spooktacular?Program.?The?initial?date of the program was October 31, 2017.?This program,?which was the result of a monumental and on-going effort by staff, was well-advertised and attended by the community.?It was easily the best attended event of the year. The program’s success led staff to duplicate their efforts, giving rise to an annual?Community?Halloween Spooktacular?that included a haunted?house,?which the branch hosted again?on Halloween?in 2018 and 2019, attracting more than 600 visitors over a 3-year period. This?innovative?program was beneficial to the library and community members alike, eliciting positive response. Children and their families left happy with a vibrant and exciting?perception?of the library and information?regarding?upcoming programs and resources.?Library staff were able to?establish?and strengthen relationships with families, reconnect with?infrequent?library users, and connect with a wider audience. There was also a remarkable boost in staff cooperation and effort, resulting from increased employee morale, as staff were?permitted?to demonstrate their creativity, talents, and abilities. The annual?Community?Halloween Spooktacular event contributed to Miami-Dade Public Library System’s mission to, “Provide extraordinary services, spaces, and experiences that promote literacy and learning, personal growth, and limitless opportunities.”?