Librarians make me giggle.

While I found this rather enjoyable, I'm glad I graduated from Rutgers without impersonating Lady Gaga whilst lauding the benefits of proper searching.

Link via Boing Boing (found on facebook via Jess T).

Twittle Dee

A while back Gina from WebYA inquired about a Twitter flyer after viewing the Facebook flyer I made for Teen Tech Week 2010. It took me some time, but I believe I finally got it. Behold:

Background: SG_Refresh paper

T icon: Jankoatwarpspeed.com

Bird: unknown origin :(

Header font: Action of the Time A L

Secondary font: Helvetica

Since beginning my new job I've dropped off the blogospheric planet much to my dismay. Sadly I don't think that is going to change anytime soon, as I tend to take a while to adjust to new situations. I wanted to kick off my hiatus on a high note (e.g., the Twitter flyer) and demonstrate a taste of what you will find when I return. I plan on creating a lot of new graphics and tutorials to join the funky craft sites I discover. Take care until then!

Libraries = Opportunities

Hey guys! Long time no post. I wish I could tell you that I was off preparing for the rally tomorrow in Trenton to support New Jersey libraries, but alas I haven't been. I'm only doing lame things like getting acclimated at my new job and the like. While I am not awesome enough to be one of the proactive librarians fighting for funding, I did wake up really early one morning to get onto the Today show with fellow bad-ass librarian, Jessica, for 2.2 seconds to advocate for libraries (New Jersey in particular):

For more information on the May 6th rally to protest the grotesque 74% budget cuts proposed by NJ Governor Christie get educated about the situation and visit the facebook page! Good luck tomorrow everyone!

STAC it up: Teen Advisory Councils

I have touched on my experiences with my former library's TAG group on this blog before but I never realized how much work my predecessor had to put in to create the group in the first place. Upon starting at Suffern, I've found this massive library that has all kinds of programs and groups does not have an advisory council of any sort in place. Well OBVIOUSLY I need to correct that, and thus the Suffern Teen Advisory Council was born (STAC for short).

Recently WebYA posted a fabulous list for someone looking to start a teen advisory group (and by recent, I mean it was March 2010 so recent enough). I've done a lot of research on these groups in the past year (Tuccillo's book Library Teen Advisory Groups, YALSA's TAG resources* and then there's always the TAGAD-L listserv) and I have to say I really like this list a lot! It's succinct and yet every detail is important for someone starting a TAG. It even has ideas that I didn't come across in any of those numerous resources. Check it out if you are starting a TAG or even if you've just celebrated the 4th anniversary of your library's group.

*Which could use work, to be honest with you. Some links are dead and many of the "Still in development" sections were in development when I looked at them last summer

Booktalks

What book do you find yourself booktalking over and over again? Why that particular book? For me it's The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I just booktalked it for the third time this week and I only got in to work 15 minutes ago.

I'm looking to build up the short list of my go-to books as they're all getting checked out slowly but surely. What will I do when they're all off the shelf? Rely on you, that's what! Leave a message in the comments about which books you think should be included because only one book on the list below is checked in.

The List (thus far, as I remember it):

• The Hunger Games -- Suzanne Collins (duh)
• Marcello in the Real World -- Francisco X. Stork
• Alice, I Think -- Susan Juby
• The Mortal Instruments series -- Cassandra Clare
• All Alone in the Universe -- Lynne Rae Perkins
• Ordinary Ghosts -- Eireann Corrigan
• Hold Still -- Nina LaCour

The list also includes books that sell themselves due to popularity amongst teens or their connection to a movie (such as Inkheart).

Teen Tech Week: Facebook fanpage flyer

Teen Tech Week just so happened to land on my first full week at my new job. I'm torn between wanting to do something for TTW and trying to figure out how to place holds on books with a new system. Something that I've been able to do with spare moments at the refdesk with no problem was to create a facebook fanpage for my new library.

So in honor of Teen Tech Week I have a large format jpeg of the promotional flyer I made up for the fanpage (sans library name, of course!):

Thaw out!

We're going to do something a bit different today. A little while ago I decided to enter the Blogsplash for a novel entitled Thaw by Fiona Robyn. Essentially, myself and many other bloggers get to publish the first page of the novel on the first of March as a neat form of 2.0 viral marketing. I may not be an Amazong Associate, but I sure like me some 2.0 swag and with all the e-book controversy going on I can't help but appreciate an author putting it out there for free. As today is the first of March, it's ready and raring to go. Below is the email sent to me by the author in it's entirety. Enjoy! -Kristi(e)-

Meet Ruth. She doesn't know if she wants to carry on living or not, and she gives herself three months to decide. Her diary is my novel, Thaw, and you can read it for FREE, beginning today.

Why am I giving a novel away for free? Because I am a writer, and I want to share my characters and their stories with as many people as possible. And maybe, if you enjoy it, you might want to read more of my books.

Become a follower of the blog page now. Follow on Twitter. Join the Facebook page. Forward this email to your novel-reading friends. Thank you.

Over to Ruth.

*

These hands are ninety-three years old. They belong to Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. She was so frail that her grand-daughter had to carry her onto the set to take this photo. It's a close-up. Her emaciated arms emerge from the top corners of the photo and the background is black, maybe velvet, as if we're being protected from seeing the strings. One wrist rests on the other, and her fingers hang loose, close together, a pair of folded wings. And you can see her insides.

The bones of her knuckles bulge out of the skin, which sags like plastic that has melted in the sun and is dripping off her, wrinkling and folding. Her veins look as though they're stuck to the outside of her hands. They're a colour that's difficult to describe: blue, but also silver, green; her blood runs through them, close to the surface. The book says she died shortly after they took this picture. Did she even get to see it? Maybe it was the last beautiful thing she left in the world.

I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to carry on living. I'm giving myself three months of this journal to decide. You might think that sounds melodramatic, but I don't think I'm alone in wondering whether it's all worth it. I've seen the look in people's eyes. Stiff suits travelling to work, morning after morning, on the cramped and humid tube. Tarted-up girls and gangs of boys reeking of aftershave, reeling on the pavements on a Friday night, trying to mop up the dreariness of their week with one desperate, fake-happy night. I've heard the weary grief in my dad's voice.

So where do I start with all this? What do you want to know about me? I'm Ruth White, thirty-two years old, going on a hundred. I live alone with no boyfriend and no cat in a tiny flat in central London. In fact, I had a non-relationship with a man at work, Dan, for seven years. I'm sitting in my bedroom-cum-living room right now, looking up every so often at the thin rain slanting across a flat grey sky. I work in a city hospital lab as a microbiologist. My dad is an accountant and lives with his sensible second wife Julie, in a sensible second home. Mother finished dying when I was fourteen, three years after her first diagnosis. What else? What else is there?

Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. I looked at her hands for twelve minutes. It was odd describing what I was seeing in words. Usually the picture just sits inside my head and I swish it around like tasting wine. I have huge books all over my flat - books you have to take in both hands to lift. I've had the photo habit for years. Mother bought me my first book, black and white landscapes by Ansel Adams. When she got really ill, I used to take it to bed with me and look at it for hours, concentrating on the huge trees, the still water, the never-ending skies. I suppose it helped me think about something other than what was happening. I learned to focus on one photo at a time rather than flicking from scene to scene in search of something to hold me. If I concentrate, then everything stands still. Although I use them to escape the world, I also think they bring me closer to it. I've still got that book. When I take it out, I handle the pages as though they might flake into dust.

Mother used to write a journal. When I was small, I sat by her bed in the early mornings on a hard chair and looked at her face as her pen spat out sentences in short bursts. I imagined what she might have been writing about - princesses dressed in star-patterned silk, talking horses, adventures with pirates. More likely she was writing about what she was going to cook for dinner and how irritating Dad's snoring was.

I've always wanted to write my own journal, and this is my chance. Maybe my last chance. The idea is that every night for three months, I'll take one of these heavy sheets of pure white paper, rough under my fingertips, and fill it up on both sides. If my suicide note is nearly a hundred pages long, then no-one can accuse me of not thinking it through. No-one can say, 'It makes no sense; she was a polite, cheerful girl, had everything to live for,' before adding that I did keep myself to myself. It'll all be here. I'm using a silver fountain pen with purple ink. A bit flamboyant for me, I know. I need these idiosyncratic rituals; they hold things in place. Like the way I make tea, squeezing the tea-bag three times, the exact amount of milk, seven stirs. My writing is small and neat; I'm striping the paper. I'm near the bottom of the page now. Only ninety-one more days to go before I'm allowed to make my decision. That's it for today. It's begun.

Continue reading here. Follow on Twitter. Join the Facebook page.

----------------------
Warmest wishes,
Fiona Robyn
--------------
www.fionarobyn.com
www.plantingwords.com

Make Waves: Sea Glass Candy Recipe

Those of you looking for aquatic themed activities for your library this summer might want to check out Not So Humble Pie's Sea Glass Candy recipe. As far as equipment goes you only need a stove-top (or hot plate), a sauce pan, candy thermometer metal pan and a mallet. If you can muster those items up--not to mention the limited ingredients--you should definitely consider this for your summer reading program because it looks like it is going to be a smash. ... Sorry--I had to. (Thanks Craftzine!)

A personal announcement

I suppose I didn't have to be so quiet about the reason I've been away, but I'm quite superstitious. I didn't want to let everyone know that I got a new job until after the moment I held the official letter of hire in my hand just in case something happened (what would happen idk, but that's my superstitious nature for you). My employment packet finally came today so I am happy to say that I am now going on to be a teen librarian in the state of New York.

It's my first full-time job ever and I'm quite excited. I'm really nervous, too. I'm leaving a part-time position that I have grown to love and don't quite know what is going to happen with that particular library once I leave. In between putting together resources for my successor and preparing materials for my first project at my new library I have been far too exhausted when I finally had free time to blog. I'm sorry. But the moment I've been waiting for is almost here!! I start March 1st. :D

Hold the flipping phone!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, let me stop bouncing up and down.

::long pause::

::crickets::

Okay. Glad that's settled. I just found out thanks to my wonderful inbox that vacation deals are now announced for The Wonderful World of Harry Potter with travel dates starting May 28th! While this is not the official start date (it's still the dreaded "Spring 2010"), the park has to be opening Memorial Day Weekend, right?! RIGHT!?!?!

I went on to the Leaky Cauldron for more info, but they know just as much as I do at this point. WHEN WILL MORE INFORMATION COME?!? (In case you couldn't tell, I am quite fond of the notion of going to The Wonderful World of Harry Potter during opening week. In fact, it has rather been my biggest fantasy since they mentioned they were making a theme park).

Aaaand back to our regularly scheduled programming of me being a horrid blogger due to things I can't officially talk about yet (Dear mailman, please get on that. I want to discuss why I'm not discussing stuff).

DIY for you

Disney has what appears to be a very easy to refurbish cardigan up on Ruffles and Stuff. Does it not just scream awesome librarian cardigan or what?

Ello!

I've been m.i.a lately, but I'm going to be mysterious and evasive for a few more days (perhaps weeks) before I announce the reason why. Why? Because I'm evil like that, yo. Mwahahahhahahaa

Anyway, I feel bad completely leaving you hanging so check this out. I saw it on Craftzine a while back, but it's still amazing. If you haven't seen it yet get on that. :D

This just in!

Voldemort scrapbooks.

I'll let that sink in for a bit. ::pause:: Okay, okay he doesn't really because he's "fictional" and as many people have tried to address with me, fictional "beings" can't do anything outside of their books/tv/whatever. BUT... imagine if he did. Wouldn't it look a little something like... this:

Eh? Eh?

Okay. I have to clue you in. I recently went out to dinner with one of my bffs Sara and we spent at least twenty minutes debating what sort of secret, mundane activity the Dark Lord does in his spare time after we reminiced about the depiction of Edward Cullen in Growing Up Cullens* and settled on the moste anciente and noble art of scrapbooking.

Do you think Voldemort scrapbooks (or in this case, Scrapblogs)? No? What do you think he does? How about another kid/ya lit character? What are the secret lives of fictional beings?

*If you've never read Growing Up Cullens, get on that. You think you know Twilight, but you have no idea. That is the diary of their awesome lives.

Poetry Friday

Since I'm nursing a "I was too proactive with my blog this weekend" hangover resulting in epic blog laziness, I felt it appropriate to use a villanelle I wrote about the subject (since I was also too lazy to write a new poem).

[ ]

Walking is tough, but moving is profane.

Why stir when there’s so much sitting to do?

Hell, I’m too lazy to make a second refrain.

I don’t defend myself much, it’s not worth the pain

Of opening my jaw only to argue:

Talking is tough, but moving is profane.

I plop down more than pigeons spew white rain

For laying down feels better than sex used to.

Hell, I’m too lazy to make a second refrain.

I had a crush once, he had some sexy brains;

But he never called and I was never one to woo:

Stalking is tough, but moving is profane.

I once watched a three hour infomercial for Rogaine

Since a two-cushion-remote-stretch was too much ado.

Hell, I’m too lazy to make a second refrain.

I look upon marathons with utmost disdain,

For why run when there’s so much sitting to do?

Walking is tough, but moving is profane.

Hell, I’m too lazy to make a second refrain.

Oh sugar snap!

This exists. It's moments like these that I wish I had minions so I could demand this hat at once!

National DeLurking Week

I caught up on my Mother Reader this weekend as part of Bloggiesta and I'm quite glad I did. How else would I have known that this week is National Delurking Week!?! How will I ever find all the time to comment on the blogs I lurk about on? Oh. Right. Mother Reader has been kicking butt all over the place by encouraging people to comment more on others' blogs as part of Comment Challenge 2010. Phewwww.

In honor of National Delurking Week I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I lurk too. Here are some of my favorite blogs to lurk about on. Enjoy!

***

Ruffles and Stuff -- A fantastically crafty stay-at-home mom that posts tons of great jewelry and sewing tutorials. She makes me wish I was her toddler with all the adorable outfits and accessories she makes for her.

Bakerella -- I love mini things. I love beautifully crafted baked goods. Therefore, I love^2 Bakella and you will too!

The Food Librarian -- I just discovered the Food Librarian this weekend but omfg am I in heaven! A vast array of different foods are demonstrated, including various jello molds.

Miss Erin -- A true YA blogging delight.

Craftzine -- There are no words. Just click.

Super Punch -- A lot of my offbeat book-related stuff comes from here and a whole bunch of awesome art. Not to mention all of the super cool things I don't share with you all because it doesn't really fit with my blog, but is nonetheless awesome.

Bloggiesta Finale

I am a very tired blogger. I'm glad Bloggiesta distracted me from being sick, but I am ready to go to bed now and not look at my blog for a day or two. Glad I made some back up posts today so I can just post them in under a minute. Between Saturday and Sunday I spent a total of 12 hours and 40 minutes blogging in some fashion or another. ::Phew!::

Before looking at the not-entirely-finished goals I set out to accomplish, I wanted to point out a few things I did that were not on my list.

• I created an image for my 10 for 2010 posts
• Decided I definitely wanted to include recipes in 2010 and found a slew of 11 baking/cooking blogs worth adding to the blog roll.
• Organized my Google Reader (which is never under 600 unread posts and yet it is close to 200... go me!)

And to send it off, here's my to-do list in all it's uncompleted glory:

• Start a Google Notebook dedicated just to my blog.
• Pick through my starred/shared items on my reader to get all those "sort through later" items and put them into some sort of order on my newly made Notebook.
• Do the same thing with some of my favorited items from Stumble Upon (realistically the craft and cooking tags). ::please hold while I laugh and look at the ridiculous number of favorites I have on Stumble Upon:: Not happening.
• Make another 10 for 2010 post.
• Make back-up 10 for 2010 posts for a rainy day.
• Email an author for an interview we discussed a month ago.
• Set up the reviews templates for five books.
• Actually review one of the books I've had sitting next to my computer begging in a creaky voice, "Revieeew me."
• Participate in Comments Challenge 2010 over at Mother Reader.
• Lastly, make a business card for this little dude for networking.

10 for 2010: Craftiness Explosion!

Here are some of the best links that were gathering virtual dust in my Google Reader. I've hand picked ones that I believe will work in most public library settings.

1. This one is practically cheating. The Long Thread collected the Top 100 Craft Tutorials of 2009. Whether you're more interested in mastering your technique before trying out some crafts at your library or looking for the next big purse tutorial sure to win your teens over, this list is surely going to have something for you. (Thanks to Craftzine for the link!)
2. I don't personally have a knitting club for my teens because I'm quite abysmal really, but I dream of one day having one. If you share this dream or already have one this ThreadBanger video featured on Craftzine detailing how to make a styling and easy crochet headband will be a welcome winter treat!
3. If your library is anything like mine, you have all your spring plans in place already. Why not start thinking summer thoughts then? This watermelon soap tutorial from Candle Tech's blog is an interesting twist on the handmade soap program. (Thanks to Cut Out + Keep for the link!)
4. Whitney of Youth Services Corner has just the right solution for the overgrown weeded book pile. Who doesn't need an awesome book clock?
5. Looking for an easy way to push Lewis Carroll's Alice stories before Tim Burton's movie debuts in March? Why not make up a display of the books with these Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum paper toys as the perfect compliment? Thanks for that, Toy a Day!
6. FREEZE! Don't forget to check out these t-shirts created by Craftster user fluffypants from freezer paper stencils! Check out this step-by-step tutorial for more information on how to create these excellent customized shirts.
7. Still Dottie is one of my favorite fashion bloggers. Check out her tutorial on how to embellish plain t-shirts with glitz and glam...
8. ...and without.
9. These leg warmer spats are easy peasy and if you don't want to try them out with your teens, you might want to try them out for yourself. Just sayin' Oh Craftster, you are the best!
10. Last one! Since I'm jealous of anyone that has a teen knitting club, I'm going to live vicariously through you guys until I get one of my own. Here's a star crochet pattern found (but of course) on Craftster.

BONUS JONAS: Shrink jewelry is a fun one to make for yourself or with the teens. Since this involves selecting images in advance I'm not sure how well it will work with teens, but this tutorial was too awesome to pass up. Enjoy! (Thanks Threadbanger for the link!)

First things First

Before even starting on the tasks I assigned myself, I set aside some time to browse through the mini-challenges happening this weekend for Bloggiesta. While many of them seemed like it would add even more work and would make completing my to-do list that much harder, one seemed like it was the best place to start this whole weekend. That's probably the reason why Natasha listed it as the first mini-challenge on her starting gate post for Bloggiesta.

I'm talking about Rebecca of The Book Lady's Blog encouraging participants to set blog goals for 2010. I was planning on just keeping the goals in my notebook so I can visit it periodically throughout the year, but Rebecca's right. There IS "nothing quite like publicly committing to something to motivate you to do it."

Without further ado, the goals of Purple Polka in the year 2010:

• Complete at least one 10 for 2010 post a month.
• Create graphic headers for regularly featured posts.
• Sweep through my starred items in my Google Reader once a month and put together links in my notebook for ease of use.

Only three to start, but I don't want to overwhelm myself and then not do any of them. How about you? What are your blogging goals this year? Check out Rebecca's post for inspiration if you don't have a clue as to where to start. It sure helped me!

Bloggiesta: Digital housekeeping style

Hola! This is my starting post for this weekend's Bloggiesta. I'm very excited for the timing of this challenge as I'm stuck home sick/bored today and now I have something to keep my mind off that. YAY!

Maw Books Blog is hosting the second annual Bloggiesta in which participants are encouraged to work on all those things they put off in regards to their blog. I've made up a little to-do list and hope to accomplish all of the items during the duration of the event. Which, by the way, runs from yesterday until Sunday, January 10th. This leaves me with only two days, folks (eep!)

To the to-do list, Batman!

• Start a Google Notebook dedicated just to my blog.
• Pick through my starred/shared items on my reader to get all those "sort through later" items and put them into some sort of order on my newly made Notebook.
• Do the same thing with some of my favorited items from Stumble Upon (realistically the craft and cooking tags).
• Make another 10 for 2010 post.
• Make back-up 10 for 2010 posts for a rainy day.
• Email an author for an interview we discussed a month ago.
• Set up the reviews templates for five books.
• Actually review one of the books I've had sitting next to my computer begging in a creaky voice, "Revieeew me."
• Participate in Comments Challenge 2010 over at Mother Reader.
• Lastly, make a business card for this little dude for networking.

Thank you Abby (the) Librarian for your posting on both Bloggiesta and Comments Challenge 2010!! You = blog lifesaver frillz.

BONUS JONAS: I have techno/trance on my computer for those moods that occur 0.001% of them time that remind me that I like this type of music. Mostly it gets ignored, but I was furiously typing my to-do list up and didn't want to stop and found that I actually got really into typing and thinking of other ways to challenge myself this weekend as a result.

Long story short: If you find that you don't have blogging motivation, slap some electronic beats on and let the repetitive, driving bass-line will be your guide.

Poetry Friday

I don't oft participate in Poetry Friday despite my love of poetry (both reading and creating). It's odd, really, considering my blog is actually named after a poem I wrote in college. I couldn't think of a proper blog name and it reminded me of the poem and I opted to use "Purple Polka" until a more fitting title struck me and as the months go by and the posts go up I can still think of no better name.

So, Purple Polka, this one's for you--

that which we call purple
by any other name would not cling to my walls
in such exuberant purplocity if my walls be coated
by the likes of Lilac Bouquet or Touch Of Violet.
‘twould be far too light, but not nearly as odd
as perhaps the dried renditions of Veronica’s Sash
( for i’ve not the faintest knowledge of this Veronica, nor
why one would desire to drape her ribbon ‘bout their study).
and while the word may lurk in Mystic Purple’s moniker,
‘tis far too airy to comprise a Proper Purple.

paint brush i implore you to shroud my halls–
Purple Polka take my walls.

Get ready to "Read for your Life"

Many have been buzzing about the changing of guards for the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for some time now (Fuse #8, Mother Reader and A Year of Reading among them). While some people leaked the information on the interwebz last night (I'm looking at you NYTimes!), Katherine Patterson was officially named the 2nd National Ambassador for Young People's Literature this morning.

First and foremost, congratulations! Not only to Ms. Patterson, but to everyone who had a hand in selecting her because you did a phenomenal job. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at the Baker and Taylor CATS Publisher preview this past November and she was delightful and showed that she will do much more than step up to the plate.

Jon Scieszka spent his time as Ambassador promoting the love of reading and motivating reluctant readers to enjoy reading. What will Katherine Patterson do? She has already started her Ambassadorial duties declaring that "Read for your Life" is going to be her driving force. What this entails we will find out in more detail in the coming weeks. If her time prior to receiving this honor is anything to go by, it can only be good for young people's literature. Shelf Talker has written up a fabulous summary of Ms. Patterson's numerous qualifications for the post and links to the aforementioned NYTimes article that is definitely work checking out for a more detailed look at Ms. Patterson's accomplishments.

10 for 2010: Favorite Programs of 2009

Not one for end of the year lists, I thought I would instead come up with a few for the new year. For the very first list (not to mention my first post of the new year) I thought I would start off with a reflection of my favorite 2009 programs. I know what you're thinking, isn't that just an end of the year list a few days late? Probably, but I like thinking about what worked best last year when developing ideas for the coming year so to me it's a start of the year process.

Below are some of my favorites linking (if available) flyers with more information, and blogs that inspired the program or ones that contain similar information:

1. Bento Boxes! -- The teens ate this up (literally--yuck yuck yuck). I found Lunch in a Box to be so helpful that I even printed out the page on gap filling for the teens to take home.
2. Fashion Forward -- One of the ways I battled a depleted budget was to harass convince my friend Christina to talk about her time at Fashion Institute of Technology and her post-graduation job working with Ralph Lauren.
3. Jam Session -- Recycling records into bowls was a smash hit. Halfway through we started sending off the records by playing a track from the album on YouTube as it melted in the oven.
4. When Zombies Attack! -- This one was yet another product of harassing convincing my friends to help out the library. I harassed encouraged her to combine her love of zombies with her theater training to create a most excellent interactive presentation.
5. Gift Workshop * -- This was an epic two parter. At the first workshop we had three projects going on: 1) Everyone turned Delias catalog pages into star-shaped gift bows and then either 2) made duct tape wallets or 3) decoupage magazine pieces onto little boxes.
6. Gift Workshop (2) -- At the second gift workshop we converted old CD cases into frames.
7. TAG -- Working directly with my Teen Action Group has been some of the most rewarding time I spent this year. I blogged back in November detailing a fun activity we did.
8. Writing Festival -- More harassment (oh whatever, we all know it was harassment at this point) on my behalf where I gathered some of my favorite writers to host stations and go over manga, fan fiction and a really awesome haiku game I learned in high school.
9. Rock Band -- I inherited a fabulous gaming program at my library featuring head-to-head tournament play. It was nice taking a break from that and watching everyone just playing instruments.
10. Candy Sushi -- This summer my Teen Cafe regulars rolled out some Rice Kristipie treats and Swedish Fish to some delicious results. Definitely revisiting this one in the next few years.

Leave some of your best 2009 programs in the comments!

* Sorry for the head tilt! Towards the end of the year I switched to vertical signage to be able to advertise more programs. It prints lovely, but is a bit annoying when looking at on the screen.