Getting crafty

Looking for fun project ideas for teen programs, or just yourself? Here are some of my favorite magazines/sites to browse:

Craft: the first project based magazine dedicated to the renaissance in the world of crafts.
Slightly geekier than the typical Michael's crafts crowd.

Make: technology on your time
Tech geek version of Craft.

ReadyMade: Instructions for Everyday Life
Very hip, environmentally conscious, and grades projects by difficulty and cost.
I love this incredibly simple project!: Photo Ops

Instructables: Make, How to, and DIY
People post their own how to instructions for more things than you can imagine!

Where do you go for how-to inspiration?

Marketing in Libraries

One thing that libraries have always struggled with is marketing. WE know we're great, but somewhere in our natural introversion we have a hard time screaming from the rooftops that we will, actually, improve lives through our services.

SLJ, recognizing that libraries have a hard time promoting themselves, has created an inexplicably named blog, Bubble Room, to address marketing in libraries.

I don't know if it'll be useful, but hey, there it is, just in case.

I actually really like this post, which talks about how the Rochester Public Library has a calculator on their site that totals the amount patrons have saved by using the library rather than purchasing the books they've checked out. I've always thought that we should print their savings on the check out receipt. That's one way to achieve validation through knowledge. ;)

Keeping up with Asian pop culture

I've found two great sources in my quest to learn more about Asian pop culture...

Giant Robot - print magazine and website highlighting visual arts, music, literature, and the famous names in Asian pop culture

PingMag - Tokyo based e-zine "About Design and Making Things!"


I've been looking through Issue 50 of Giant Robot, and it could be worth considering for out teen magazine collection.