By: Annie Suhy, Outreach Specialist

graphic of a black and white banner with the word ebooks written on top, draped over a red cartoon heart outlined in black.We can all admit it’s a magical feeling when you find THE book. There’s an instant connection. They just “get you.” You’re counting the minutes until you’re together again. But when you’re in the literary love game, you may have been burned once or twice by a pretty cover.

Those bold colors… that snappy title… the alluring description. It can be all too hard to resist.

After a chapter or two, you realize the stylish sans serif and that Instagrammable color palette was really all there was to it. You just can’t commit.

Luckily, librarians and media specialists are the ultimate matchmakers. And with so many titles waiting to be borrowed in your school’s digital library, there’s sure to be one worthy of your students’ time. What better time to find them their perfect reading match?

ebook blind date clue card that reads: never judge an ebook by its cover. judge it by its first line. the first line of the mystery ebook is: "I know I am not an ordinary 10-year-old-kid"
Can you guess this book? See below for the cover reveal!

Set students up with a new ebook by introducing them to just the first line. Explore the Blind Date with an Ebook Marketing Kit where you’ll find one graphic featuring the book’s first line with the cover hidden, and another with the cover revealed. Or you can choose your own books and first lines by simply editing this Canva template.

Have some fun on social media and let students guess the title, then include the cover reveal graphic in the comments, or post at a later date.

Find more graphics for Valentine’s Day this month on the Social tab. Post on your social media pages, or print out and hand out to students to celebrate the love of reading.

Need some ideas of collections to feature? Our staff librarians put a lot of love into these recommended lists: Valentine’s Day, Tween Romance, Romance HS and many more!

two images. one is of two cartoon avocados holding hands with hearts between them, alongside the words read your heart out. the other is of two different people's hands, both holding up phones, with the text "I'm so glad we're on the same page" in between them.

ebook blind date answer card with the jacket for the book wonder by RJ Palacio. the jacket is next to the words "Revealed! I know I am not an ordinary 10-year-old kid."

Cover Reveal! Did you guess correctly?

An intriguing first line, and the cover is pretty nice too. Call me crazy, but it might be love…

About the author:

Annie Suhy has been working with public libraries since 2006. As an Outreach Services Specialist, Annie has partnered with libraries across the globe to integrate their digital collections into their outreach efforts. She is currently in love with What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer.