Crafting: It’s not just about the duct tape
If you do craft programs at your library, you know it’s a great way to bring people in and bump up your attendance statistics. But crafting and libraries are an ideal match for many less selfish reasons as well. As National Craft Month comes to a close, let’s reflect on what crafts can bring to the lives of our teens and our relationships with them, and how this aligns with the mission of libraries.
Crafting builds community
Crafting is learning
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Crafting is real
Crafting is fun
Crafting is lifelong learning
Crafting is also creativity, problem solving, innovation and more. Crafting is asset building, skills building, and confidence building. Crafting is a great thing for our libraries.So craft away.
Filed under: 40 Developmental Assets, Crafts, National Craft Month, Professional Development, Teen Programming, Uncategorized

About Karen Jensen, MLS
Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 32 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).
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We have a Finish It Club at our library. I've been teaching them slightly more complicated crafts the day before and then they can finish it the next day. Both programs have different flavors. At the more intensive one, they are hunkered down, trying to learn. At the second one, they feel more confident and often ask if they can do the craft again. (They are killing me on embroidery supplies. They love it. Whenever we are in the same room as the supplies, they ask if they can embroider.)
I love this idea! How often do you meet?
We meet twice a month. Last year we met every week but it falls on the same day as storytime and a night we're open, so scheduling got really tricky. I only do one intensive class a month so they can use both sessions to finish their craft. The Finish It Club is my favorite program right now. The teens are engaged but comfortable and if they see something that someone else is doing that they don't know how to do, they ask to learn. It feels like magic.