#Bookface brings book cover art into the real world

May 19, 2015

By Kate Gill

The New York Public Library's Instagram featured New Jersey's Cherry Hill Public Library photo of Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore. — The New York Public Library's Instagram featured New Jersey's Cherry Hill Public Library photo of "Batman: The Killing Joke" by Alan Moore.
Courtesy of the New York Public Library

Libraries aren't just palaces of dead trees anymore: Lots of libraries and librarians have embraced technology and social media.

And one library-centric hashtag has caught on in the wider book-loving world: #bookface. The idea is to take a book cover and stage a photo that appears to complete it. It's life-meets-(cover) art!

We are seriously in love with @chplnj's #bookfacefriday shot of Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore. #bookface
A photo posted by The New York Public Library (@nypl) on May 1, 2015 at 12:08pm PDT

Ms. Marvel wants to remind you that tomorrow is Free #Comic Book Day at the #library! Come by and grab some awesome new #comics, wear your #superhero costume, take some pictures in our photo booth, and enter a raffle to win a Spider-man action figure! In addition, there will be comic book crafts from 2pm – 4pm. #freecomicbookday #msmarvel #marvel #marveluniverse #superheroine #kamalakhan #graphicnovels #fcbd #fcbd2015 #bookstagram #books #bookandface #bookface #bookfacefriday #librarylife #bookish #burlingame #burlingamelibrary
A photo posted by Burlingame Public Library (@burlingame_library) on May 1, 2015 at 1:34pm PDT

#BookFaceFriday #ChronicleCapers
A photo posted by Lara Starr (@larastarr) on May 1, 2015 at 6:06pm PDT

After seeing @nypl's awesome triple #bookface this morning, we just couldn't wait anymore and had to share this for #bookfacefriday! Last month, we submitted this image to the Sisters in Crime "We Love Libraries" contest. We are still hoping that our image gets selected! Winners of this monthly #contest are awarded $1,000 to purchase more #books for their collections! We encourage all of the #librariesofinstagram to participate! And now, we present: Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris Devious by Lisa Jackson #bookandface #bookfaces #bookface #triplebookface #sistersincrime #librarylove #mysteries #marciaclark #guiltbyassociation #charlaineharris #deaduntildark #lisajackson #devious #books #bookstagram #bookish #novels #booknerd #librarylife #libraries #shelfie #libraryshelfie #burlingame #burlingamelibrary
A photo posted by Burlingame Public Library (@burlingame_library) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:43am PST

An artsy and eccentric #bookfacefriday for you today! #salvadordali #bookface #dali #librariesofinstagram
A photo posted by Brantford Public Library (@btfdlibrary) on Apr 17, 2015 at 5:45am PDT

Our children's librarian, Klara, has been on maternity leave for the past couple months. Last week, she paid us a special visit with her son, Joaquin. To welcome him to our #library family, we managed to find an appropriate #bookface for him. Although this bookface isn't perfect, Joaquin nailed it with his facial expression! It Will Come to Me by Emily Fox Gordon #bookandface #bookfacefriday #books #bookish #novels #shelfie #bookstagram #baby #libraries #librarylife #burlingame #burlingamelibrary
A photo posted by Burlingame Public Library (@burlingame_library) on Mar 27, 2015 at 10:55am PDT

The subjects of #bookface range from graphic novels to biographies and self-help manuals. Most have a human subject or two, but even that isn't a given. Speaking from experience, making a good #bookface photo isn't easy. It takes a trained eye to spot the composition: A green-haired man as the Joker, or a Bob Hope lookalike with an uncannily similar hairline. It's all in the details.

Give it a shot. Stage your own #bookface, and tweet @sideshow with the results.

Will you support The World with a monthly donation?

We rely on support from listeners and readers like you to keep our stories free and accessible to all. Monthly gifts are particularly meaningful because they help us plan ahead and concentrate on the stories that matter. Will you consider donating $10/month, so we can continue bringing you The World? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!