If you’re looking for a passive program that keeps kids engaged, builds critical thinking skills, and practically runs itself, let me introduce you to one of my all-time favorite passive activities I've created: Break-In Bags , also featured in School Library Journal ! This program quickly became one of the most talked-about activities in the youth department. Kids would come in just to see if they could crack the code—and the best part? It requires minimal staff time once it

Teens are one of the hardest age groups to reach at the library—at least, they were for me at the beginning. When I started as Youth Services Librarian serving ages 0–18, teen involvement was almost non-existent. They came in, grabbed what they needed, and left. My After School Snack Initiative helped get more kids in the door—teens included—but it raised an important question: How do I keep them in the building and engaged after they’ve collected their snack? The answer, it

If you work with tweens and teens, you already know this universal truth: They are always hungry after school. They walk into the library at 3:15 with backpacks, stories from the day, and the kind of hunger that could level a vending machine. And if your library is anything like mine, snacks instantly become social currency. So instead of fighting it, I built a program around it. Gutsy Gourmet is a monthly themed tasting program where kids try foods (and drinks!) they might

Passive programming for all ages!