Letting the crafts go out individually to patrons is the new name of the game. Here are some of my favourite picks for "Take and Make" kits that work for tweens and teens, but several can be perfect for any age group!

Why leave the escape room trend in the past when you can transition to digital rooms? Check out my collection of themed rooms (which you are welcome to use, share, or just play) and some of my tips for making your own!

Browsing is looming on the horizon. Some libraries have even started opening up for limited browsing hours and many more are about to follow. However, the question then comes...how can librarians support browsing (finding a book by the magic of happenstance) but keep people from unnecessarily touching books and taking them off the shelves only to decide they don't want them? My solution just might work for you and your library!

Well...with fall right around the corner, many libraries (public and school) are trying to make their plans. Libraries are deciding if they are going to try to make programs work for the end of the year or nixing them all together for 2020. Whatever decision is made, in-person programs will need to be adjusted when you start doing them again.

Crafts have the ability to be one of the best aspects of any library program (if chosen carefully!). After quite a few years and an insanely wide range of programs, I have developed a list of what I consider my tried-and-true craft picks that are always crowd-pleasers! 

Ok...admission time. I HATE teen summer reading. Summer time for teens can be complicated -- volunteering, working, summer school (for extra credit to get ahead even), babysitting younger siblings, and having fun with their friends. If teens enjoy reading during their leisure time, the simple fact is that they will do it anyway. Reader teens might appreciate prizes for doing something they would already do, but no free books or gift cards will make them read more. Also, no prizes are going to make teens read during the summer when they don't like it or have other things that they need to do. I know this might seem anecdotal, but I have actual numbers to support this once we got rid of teen summer reading for something else...so hold on to socks!

 Maker Fairs in the library are a great way to attract multiple demographics at one time -- whether children, parents, or even teens! Creativity coupled with risk-free exploration and real-life results allow for Maker Fairs to be well-loved and well-attended.

Yet, times when teens would want to enjoy the Maker Fair and times when families with younger children want to attend can vary wildly. So...how exactly can you frame this type of event to aim directly at teens and make SUPER SURE that they stop by?