The Library Shop’s Popular ‘Where’s Waldo’ Scavenger Hunt Returns To In-Person And Gets ODIfied
The Library Shop’s most popular program is back for the first time since 2019 – with a twist. This year, instead of Waldo, the San Diego Public Library’s adorable new mascot Odi the Coyote is hiding somewhere inside all 36 libraries. Same fun month-long city-wide challenge and same fun prizes.
The Library Shop’s Where’s Odi
Library patrons can visit as many library locations in the month of July as they can, searching for a 3-inch cut out of Odi the Coyote hidden somewhere and anywhere as librarians get creative inside their prospective branch. Finding Odi gets participants a stamp in their Where’s Odi passport plus a different, collectible button from each library location. “Where’s Odi” @SDPL is free for anyone to participate and the more Odis library patrons find, the more buttons and prizes they collect.
This year, library patrons will be searching for Odi, who was created to promote literacy and the resources the library offers among the youngest readers. The library’s new mascot was born from the vision that the San Diego Public Library is the place for opportunity, discovery and inspiration.
Where to find Odi
The program will be held the entire month of July at all 36 San Diego Public Library locations. People can meet Odi at the kickoff event at 10:30AM, Saturday, July 2, at the Kensington Library (4121 Adams Ave.). The first 50 children to attend will receive a kite craft kit.
Join this journey of discovery
A family favorite program since 2017, “Where’s Odi” @SDPL (previously known as the “Where’s Waldo” @SDPL program) is a journey of discovery across all the neighborhoods of San Diego. In 2019, the most recent year the program was held, 221 participants visited all 36 library locations and over 14,500 buttons were given out to participants – each button representing a library visit.
Where’s Odi prizes
In addition to collectible buttons, all participants are entered into a raffle for Library Shop gift cards. Hidden limited edition “Chrome” buttons and one-of-a-kind “Gold” buttons among the regular buttons are also up for grabs. By collecting one of those buttons, participants can redeem it at the Library Shop for a mystery prize. Also, participants who complete the search and find Odi at all 36 locations will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement plus a lanyard to display the 36 buttons and a Champion Medallion printed in the library’s IDEA lab.
About the Library Shop
The Library Shop is a well-curated book & gift shop catering to librarians, library lovers, literary obsessives and book nerds inside the Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Common since 2013. We are owned and operated by the Library Foundation SD. All proceeds benefit the San Diego Public Library system. For more info about The Library Shop, go to the website here and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
See you there, San Diego!
