The Bellefonte Library is offering something very special this February: blind dates! These aren’t the dates you think. You don’t have to go out, there are no awkward moments, and you can check out multiple at a time. No, these dates are not people. The dates are books, wrapped up like presents, waiting eagerly for you to unwrap and read them.

Checking out a blind date is very easy. You just pick up a book from the display, and bring it to the circulation desk like any other item. The twist is that you only know the genre, first line, and audience of the book. Unwrap it when you get home and your reading can commence!

In February 2020, Bellefonte Library Assistant Manager, Ashley Hoover, decided that she wanted to incorporate the first line of books into a library display. She says that she has always been fascinated by books with interesting first lines, and she wanted to share that wonder with Bellefonte Library patrons. So, Hoover decided she would make book versions of blind dates. She wrapped books in red and put two tags on the front of each one. One tag stated the genre of the book and one tag included the very first sentence. Every February since, that the display has reappeared and it has gotten a little grander. In 2023, the blind dates included books appropriate for all ages. This year, that age inclusivity will continue. Additionally, each of the books will be a staff recommendation. The catch is that once you remove the wrapping on the blind dates of 2024, they are guaranteed to have an ugly cover. Come down to the Bellefonte Library today and pick out a date! Sometimes it’s best to go in blind.