I’ll admit it: I love a Youth Services department that looks like children actually spend time there.
Give me colorful bulletin boards, giant cardboard creations, characters peeking out from bookshelves, seasonal decorations, interactive displays, and something slightly ridiculous made out of butcher paper.
Maybe it’s the ’90s library kid in me.
I know that aesthetic isn’t for everyone. Modern library design often gravitates toward clean lines, neutral colors, open spaces, and carefully curated displays. Those spaces can be beautiful.
But when it comes to Youth Services, I’ll take a little creative chaos.
I don’t want the children’s department to feel like a hospital waiting room.
I want kids to walk in and immediately start looking around.
For me, that’s what creative Youth Services spaces are really about: creating an environment that invites kids to notice, wonder, explore, and feel like the space belongs to them.
“Whoa! What’s That?”
That’s one of my favorite reactions to hear in Youth Services.
It means something caught a child’s attention.
They noticed.
They’re curious.
They want to investigate.
As adults, we can get caught up in whether a space looks polished, cohesive, or aesthetically pleasing. Kids are looking at it differently.
What’s hanging up there?
Why are there footprints on the floor?
Is that a dragon?
Was that there last time?
A creative Youth Services space gives kids something to wonder about before they’ve even pulled a book from the shelf.
Think about the children’s libraries many of us remember: construction-paper bulletin boards, hand-painted signs, stuffed book characters, seasonal decorations, and giant paper creations.
Was everything coordinated? Probably not.
Was it minimalist? Definitely not.
But it was fun.
The children’s department was allowed to have its own personality—and I think there’s something worth preserving about that.
Give Them Something to Discover
Kids don’t need everything to look professionally manufactured. They know the pirate ship is cardboard and the giant tree is paper. Somehow, that doesn’t ruin the experience, especially in creative Youth Services spaces fostered for discovery.
Instead, handmade spaces can send a message: creativity happens here. Imagination is welcome here.
Little surprises add to that feeling. A character hidden on a shelf. Tiny footprints disappearing behind a bookcase. A silly sign. A decoration that changes with the seasons. These are all details that transform regular rooms into welcoming Creative Youth Services spaces.
Try crouching down and seeing the department from three or four feet off the ground. Could something be hiding on a bottom shelf? Could a tiny door appear along a baseboard? Approaching the room with these questions in mind leads to imaginative and engaging creative Youth Services spaces.
There’s something magical about creating details that kids might discover while the adults with them walk right past; that’s the spirit of well-designed Creative Youth Services spaces.
A Space That Says, “You Belong Here”
The books will always be at the heart of Youth Services, and our environment can help children find their way to them. A giant dragon can spark an interest in fantasy. Mysterious paw prints can lead to animal books. A pirate ship might inspire someone to search for pirate stories—these are the kinds of moments made possible in vibrant Creative Youth Services spaces.
Children spend so much time in spaces designed by adults. Youth Services has an opportunity to say something different: let the space itself—especially in its creative forms—encourage them to feel ownership.
This space was made with you in mind, reflecting the power of truly creative Youth Services spaces.
So maybe the ’90s children’s library aesthetic isn’t for everyone. I’ll happily keep the cardboard creations, hidden surprises, colorful displays, and creative chaos that define unique Creative Youth Services spaces.
Because when a child walks in, stops, points, and shouts, “LOOK!”
They’re not worried about whether the space is aesthetically cohesive, especially when they’re in truly creative Youth Services spaces.
They’re too busy experiencing it.
Jessica Brownley (she/her/hers) is a Youth Services Librarian at the Bartlett Public Library District in Bartlett, Illinois. She is dedicated to developing creative and immersive programs that spark curiosity and joy among children in all types of Youth Services spaces.
All photos by Jessica Brownley, ALSC member
The post Making the Library Feel Magical: A Case for Creative Youth Spaces appeared first on ALSC Blog.
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