I first picked a wide variety of genres so that each student would have the opportunity to make the choice based upon something they might like - I mean don't we all narrow down blind dates somehow.
Next I wrapped each title in red butcher paper and cut out the bar-codes so that the students could check out the book without having to unwrap it (this was probably the most time consuming of everything)
I then found a popular or catchy quote from the book, without giving the title away, and printed it on plain white paper and wrapped it around the front of the wrapped book. I then had one of my crafty students add twine and a fun little Valentine note to the book.
I then had one of my crafty students add twine and a fun little Valentine note to the book.(Click image for downloadable link)
I also set up a fun incentive, that if you came and "blind dated" a book, that you would enter your name into a drawing for a Starbucks gift card - lets just say this helped bring students in that don't normally enter the library or even check out books for that matter. (Click image for downloadable link)
We introduced it at lunch and after that lunch period, I was already out of books and needed to wrap more. If you venture to do this, I would recommend that wrap twice as many books as you expect (this is what I had to do), but it is well worth it!
