Celebrate Valentine's Day on a 'Blind Date With a Book'

February 10, 2011 - 12:26pm — birdie

Interesting (cheeky even!) concept in New Zealand:

Queenstown librarians are playing matchmaker again this Valentine's Day as the library gets set to repeat last year's Blind Date with a Book literary liaisons.

Monday's event pairs borrowers with specially wrapped mystery books, chosen by library staff as being particularly deserving of a hook-up with a willing reader, Queenstown library manager Robyn Robertson said.

"We are choosing books we personally enjoyed or feel passionate about. The books are all gift-wrapped, with only a barcode on the outside, so it really is a blind date with a book and there's no telling what you might get.

"There's a cheeky mix of fiction and non-fiction, with a nod towards the day that inspired the whole initiative. There's bound to be some romance in there - it is Valentine's Day after all - but there's also a real mix of other genres."