Tis the season to be creative, and these Christmas library displays are a fine testament to that.
Get inspired to create your own, with 25 displays below for each day of Christmas!
Turn the page to:
- Trees From Books
- Trees From Folded Books
- Book Wreaths
- Book Snowmen and Penguins
- Best General Displays
Trees from books
1. The gram book tree by myfriendsarefiction
This is an elegant display from My Friends are Fiction, pitting the sides of old books against a black book cover background for a striking tree, complete with fairy lights across the bookshelves.
2. Credit: Palmer Memorial Library, Texarkana College
Color coordinating your book tree can be tough, though the payoff is spectacular when it looks as well thought-out as this one. Greens, dark reds, and yellows make a brilliantly colorful book tree.
3. Book Tree with Fairy Lights
This mysteriously unknown book tree doesn’t offer quite the coordination of the first two, though the wraparound fairy lights add the extra dimension.
4. The Whimsical Book Tree by Mája S
Just stunning! The baubles and tinsel draped across this book tree are eye-catching additions. This should look messy, but it’s incredibly well done. We love the silver palette here.
5. The Christmas Present Book Tree (that’s wordy) by Jackie AlSaffar
This is a play on the traditional “grounded” book tree by Jackie – note the presents propping the tree up, bringing that extra festive feel to proceedings at this book store.
6. All green!
7. It’s beginning to BOOK a lot like Christmas by Missoula Public Library
Trees from folded books
1. Credit: Baldwin Library, New York
This is a delightful tree made from a folded book at Baldwin Library in New York.
If you’re feeling generous this year and reside in The Big Apple, why not take a look at where to donate books in NYC.
2. Folded magazines from North Buncombe High School Library in NC
Credit to Katie Darty, who published this as part of her own guide to library displays for Christmas. As a bonus, she tells how to make these conical wonders:
Just take the corner of the page, fold it to the center, and fold a second time if you want to make a skinnier triangle; fold up the bottom and you are done. Repeat with each page until the entire magazine is transformed into triangles. Glue two magazines back to back to make a fuller tree. – Katie Darty, librarian
Book wreaths
1. The book page wreath by Davenport Public Library
Some classic #bookcraft here from the fine librarians of Davenport, Iowa! All I can think is wow, this took some time and serious effort!
2. The literal book wreath
Yep, a wreath made from literal books half-opened and connected to each other in a perfect circle. Add decorations on top to complete the wreath.
Book snowmen and penguins
1. Happy holidays from Olaf!
Frozen is a pretty big thing, still… and what better character to create from books than the lovable snowman, Olaf! All white books do the trick here.
2. Credit: Kelly Ann Morgan fron North Orange beach Library, Apopka
Guess how this snowman was created? By wrapping VHS tapes in white paper! A truly incredible creation from Kelly Ann, in Apopka Florida.
We previously wrote about where to donate books in Orlando, just down the road from Apopka, if you feel like you’re in the giving spirit this holiday season!
3. The sad book penguin!
We don’t know why this penguin is sad, because it’s wonderfully created from black, white, and of course, orange books. Cheer up, penguin!
4. Other Christmas library book sculptures from Terrific Times in Third
5. The giant book snowman
Here’s another book snowman that’s… rather large!
Best general book displays
1. Credit: Fairhill Library
The South Lanarkshire leisure and culture Instagram page was proud to show off this display by one of their libraries. Such wonderful attention to detail, and even the simple touches like the cut out snow falling from the shelves is beautiful.
2. Credit: Laura O’Connor
Beautiful symmetry for the Christmas book fireplace, and we love the extra attention to detail here such as the plate of cookies for Santa!
3. Library Advent Calendar by Wellington City Libraries
4. Get your mitts on a good book!
The words here are all capitalized, so you know it’s serious! Jokes aside, this is a great way to entice children to read.
5. Present shelves
6. Penguin and snowman themed shelf ends
7. Rudolph-themed shelf end (finally, a reindeer appearance!)
8. The Gingerbread House
What list would be complete without a life-sized gingerbread house? Unfortunately, this creator is unknown, but there was some serious elbow grease put into this one!
9. Raise high the stockings! (Credit: Kristen Gober)
I hope these displays have given you the inspiration you need to make your own. Why not let us know if you make one to rival these!