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.