There are resources for kids' book tastings, but what about the grown people? Here's a how-to for hosting a book tasting for adults at a public library.

If you and your family are bookworms you will love getting crafty with these super fun DIY bookmarks with birds. Make these fun DIY crafts with your family this weekend and enjoy getting crafty and reading more. This bookmark is a nice craft for teens and adults.

Despite the fact that it is now September, the weather here in LA has decided to grace us with a late-summer heat wave. The temperatures are suppose to be in the 100s all weekend, so needless to say I will be looking for some indoor air-conditioned activities to attend to while avoiding the heat. So

So, you're planning programming for the adults in your library and you're looking to change it up? From time to time, this question is posed on the awesome Programming Librarian Interest Group and librarians respond with lots of great possibilities. I thought I'd compile a list and share. Perhaps some of these ideas might work for your library? Local 1. Local History Talks/Presentations 2. Local History Walk 3. Genealogy DIY Crafts 1. Paper Making 2. Stab Binding Books 3. Christmas Ornaments 4. Shibori Scarves 5. Water Color Scarves 6. Soy Candles 7. Glycerin Soap 8. Beading 9. Altered Books Technology 1. Digital Photography Classes 2. How to Use Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram/Snapchat, etc. 3. iPhoneography (taking and editing pics with iPhone) 4. Intro to Windows 10 Food 1. Cookbook Club 2. Cooking Classes 3. Soup Night / Pie Night (patrons bring in food to share) 4. Rose Hip Jelly Making 5. Downton Abbey Tea 6. Wine Tasting 7. Edible Book Contest Presenters 1. Paranormal/Haunted Presentations 2. Pet Psychic 3. Professional Headshots for Facebook Profiles 4. Discovering New England Stone Walls 5. Falconry 6. Beekeeping and Honey Tasting 7. Yoga 8. Meditation 9. Veteran Author Talks 10. Living History Performances and Re-enacting Educational 1. Car Seat Safety Program 2. Business Networking/Speed Networking 3. Job Prep (Resume writing, Mock interviews) 4. DIY Home Repair 5. Pearl Harbor (75th anniversary in December) 6. Show Great Courses Lectures 7. Interior Design 8. Travel on a Budget 9. Identity Theft 10. Etsy/eBay 11. DIY Bike Repair Gardening 1. Gardening Presentations 2. Plant Swap 3. DIY Terrarium Writing 1. Publishing Your Writing 2. Writing Memoirs 3. Open Mic Nights Fun / Entertainment 1. Family Movie Nights 2. Star Trek Program (50th Anniversary is coming soon) 3. Introduction to Drones 4. Bridge 5. Collectibles & Antiques 6. Plan the Perfect Staycation 7. Mah Jongg 8. Couponning 9. Coloring Books 10. Chinese New Year Places for Partnerships If you are looking to increase your attendance numbers, partnerships are a great way to do so: America Red Cross (for blood drives hosted at libraries) Local Senior Center Local Historical Society Local University (The outreach office may have someone willing to do social media programs) Local Stores (Drones, DIY Home Repairs/Renovations) Additional Reading Want more ideas? Check out: "Adult Programs in the Library" by Brett W. Lear was highly recommended. You can also access PLIG's Program Speed Dating Packet for more great info and ideas. List Source The list above was pulled from these discussions: Discussion #1 and Discussion #2. You need to be a member of the Programming Facebook Group to be able to read them. Thanks to all of the librarians who shared their wisdom!

So, you're planning programming for the adults in your library and you're looking to change it up? From time to time, this question is p...

A recycled book art workshop is a easy, affordable project to do in your makerspace. Old books can easily be found from weeding libraries or at thrift stores.

Looking for some relaxing and calming crafts for adults? Check out these 35 stress relief crafts to make when you're feeling anxious and stressed.

A blog about library displays, educational bulletin boards, new books, crafts, young adult programming, teens, librarians and sharing ideas.

To celebrate National Library Week, tween, teen, and adult patrons can create their own mini-libraries at home and then add them to the full display.

Hello again! Fall is definitely in full swing and Halloween is on the way! If you are still looking for some inspiration for crafts this season, just look to b

Turns out terrariums and the library are a great mix! I’ve run this DIY Terrarium workshop twice and both times it’s been full (20 attendees) with a wait list! With the right know-how a…

The most successful displays I've done at my library have been passive readers advisory. For the last five years or so, I’ve done a monthly display of minature books based on the top YA titles checked out in my library system, with the top 10 books getting four readalikes. The Tiny Library is a collection of tiny books based on our most popular titles. Each tiny book contains reading suggestions based on our readalike list. There is a QR code that leads to a Google Form where teens can choose the books they want to pick up from the library.

We are passionate supporters of public libraries here at Pages Unbound. But there are still awesome services and programs I would love to see libraries provide! Here are ten cool ideas that would g…

Introverts around the world will relate to Adult Services Librarian, Elizabeth Koenig's inspiration for starting an arts and crafts program for adults at her library.

We weren't restricted to the Summer Reading theme for the Adult To Go Kits, so the first one we rolled out was Paper Quilling.We purchased Paper Quilling Kits from S&S Worldwide and packaged them up individually. There weren't enough tools for a dozen kits, so we had to order extra from Amazon, and they were inexpensive. We only included the slotted quilling tool in these kits. Most of the paper hanks already came divided up and banded together, though I did have to split the 6 hanks of all-blue

Unleash your creativity with 75+ easy crafts for adults. Embrace the joy of handmade creations & elevate your DIY skills now.Let's get crafty!

Discover fun, creative craft ideas for adults! Get inspired with easy DIY projects, art techniques and craft ideas. 🎨✂️

How to make a paper bird: Last year I ran across a post on Pinterest on how to make a curly paper bird. (You can find the instructions on Spoonful). The birds turned out very cute and I used them to decorate a summer themed display. This year I wanted to make a different bird, preferably one with wings. I searched Pinterest and I was unable to find a bird that I liked or if I did like a bird it was too complicated for me to make. So I came up with my own bird, here are the instructions, I hope you like it! What you will need: construction paper: you can use multi-colored or make the bird all one color, you will need a separate color for the beak. tape staples stapler scissors printer (If you want to use my wing and tail template) I began by tracing out wings for the bird. You can make your own wings or print out my wing template (you will need to cut out two, if you are making a smaller or larger bird you can scale the image using your print preview settings): I then cut out 2" strips from matching colored construction paper. If you want to make your bird multicolored you would want to cut at least one 2" strip from an alternate color. (The body can have up to 3 circles and the head 2) The longest body strip was 7", the longest head strip was 4" I wanted the bird's head and body to have the curly circles like the bird from Spoonful, to achieve this you need to cut the center circle strips for the body and head approx 1" shorter than the outer circle strips. Beginning with the inner most circle strip for the body, roll up the strip and tape the ends together. Then roll up the next strip and tape it to the inner circle. Once you have completed the body you can roll up the head following the same steps. For the tail I used three layers, I just cut a shape that seemed like a tail to me. You can follow this template (I would alternate the layers, maybe make the center layer only have two curves) To give the wings a 3D effect, I rolled the tips of the wings up and stapled them together. Here are pictures to explain better: I then put the bird together, I tape the head onto the body by folding up a small piece of tape. I then taped the tail onto the body. For the wings I inserted the stapled part into the body (between the outer most circle and the middle circle) and then I stapled it onto the body. (I backed it up with a small piece of tape. The last thing I did was make the beak. I cut out a hourglass shape from orange construction paper and then I taped the ends together. I folded up a small piece of tape and taped the beak onto the head. I bent the tail and wing feathers so they would have a more 3D effect. I then taped the bird to the display and I think it gives the illusion that the bird is flying. I hope you will be able to use these instructions to make your own paper birds!

Looking for some relaxing and calming crafts for adults? Check out these 35 stress relief crafts to make when you're feeling anxious and stressed.

About seven months ago, I noticed a new trend among public libraries of offering “adulting” programs. When I first saw a posting via social media about this program, my brain screamed, “Where were …

What are Maker Kits? Maker Kits are low-cost, versatile materials for open-ended creating put together in one container around a themed craft. Each kit is filled with supplies that are easy to use …

Looking for some relaxing and calming crafts for adults? Check out these 35 stress relief crafts to make when you're feeling anxious and stressed.

Don't let a short schedule keep you from providing engaging library programming. These 30-minute library lessons are perfect for librarians!

Make these adorable mini beaded bookmarks out of wire, beads and paperclips. An easy craft to do with kids

Ages: Tweens, teens OR 20/30s Duration: 1.5 hours Style: Drop-in Budget: $40 Goal: To provide a silly, surprising, and highly creative atmosphere with no pressure to make something “good.” Summary:…

Teen librarian Cindy Shutts walks us through a DIY tutorial of a miniature garden in a tin

Made some bookmarks at work today!

A blog about library displays, educational bulletin boards, new books, crafts, young adult programming, teens, librarians and sharing ideas.

More reasons to hide out in a library all day!

Adult Summer Reading Program 2024 Childhood summer camp memories & adult summer camp experiences. From book discussions, to Ranger-lead hikes; crafts to movies; field trips to Ghost Stories around the camp fire - we have your summer covered with fun! Read books & participate in activities for a chance to win prizes! Track everything atContinue reading →

In the books I loved to read as a kid, libraries are crazy old buildings full of secrets. The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn sends Anthony Monday all over the library, following obscure clues to u…

Learn to rubber stamp, cross stitch, knit & more with an arts & crafts kit.

Old books make great DIY craft materials that can be highly personalized. Learn more about easy and fun book paper crafts.

I’m always looking for small program ideas that don’t take a lot of planning time, are inexpensive, are flexible, and appeal widely. Here are three to try. Sci-Fi Stitches – or – Embroidered notecards You can be silly or serious with this one. I did both and both were fun. For the “sci-fi stitches” I […]

Turns out terrariums and the library are a great mix! I’ve run this DIY Terrarium workshop twice and both times it’s been full (20 attendees) with a wait list! With the right know-how a…

Program Name: Choose Kind – Card Making for Seniors, Students, Police, Fire, Military What: We’ve offered this program a number of time in the past – a passive program that is great for any age group, any time of year. We set up a station with some basic craft supplies – paper, crayons, stickers, scissors and glue and then leave basic instructions for the kids. We’ve had the kids create thank you cards for local police and fire personnel, holiday cards for senior citizens living in assisted care communities and for students during finals week. Where: The best part about this program is that we just set it up on a table in our children’s department. It can be anywhere in the library where you have a little extra room. When: Another program that can be done at any time during the year and works really well when you need a filler program to offer – maybe during late August when summer reading is over or May before summer reading starts. Anytime of the year is a good time to choose kind. Who: We set this program up for kids of all ages, but you could offer it in the teen department, or even in the adult department and see if anyone creates anything! This could also work as a program for college students on a campus as a relaxation program during study hours for mid-terms or finals. How: This doesn’t even require a moderator, just a little staff time to pull some craft material out of the closet and to straighten up the passive program station throughout the day. We’ve often had to put a sign out for patrons to encourage them to make a card to leave at the library (and then allow them to make a card to take home for someone they know) Alternatives: Besides cards for the military, we’ve done a sock drive and collected leftover Halloween candy to send overseas. You could also do a drive for travel size bathroom goods for the homeless or a food drive for a local food pantry – remember that they receive a lot of donations around the holidays, but people are always hungry! During the month of April, I’ll be participating in the 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. For this year’s theme, I’ll be offering you a library program plan with everything you to need to re-create it at your own library. Most of these programs we’ve offered in the past, others are programs I’d like to try in the future. I’m always looking for new inspiration and I thought you might be too!

Next week marks the start of National Library Week!

Ideas for self-directed activities and passive programs for kids at the library. Obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, displays, and more.

More reasons to hide out in a library all day!

A recycled book art workshop is a easy, affordable project to do in your makerspace. Old books can easily be found from weeding libraries or at thrift stores.