I assist the children's librarian in various ways and one of these ways is by creating the bulletin boards. I really enjoy doing this and find that it is a fun way to be creative without too much of a time commitment. I have a lot of flexibility in what I put together and they just seem happy to have something up on the walls so it's a win-win for everyone.
I get ideas from department stores in Seattle (see the "Tie Tree"), magazines, websites, and anywhere else I can possibly borrow and adapt so please feel free to continue to borrow and tweak any ideas that you see here. One of the launching points I use for my ideas are quotes. I love, love, love a great quote.
In addition I really enjoy making the displays as 3-D as possible by using unusual materials. In the books-to-movie display I obtained actual film print from a local theater, ties from the thrift store ($5 for a bag of 100!), plastic deli bowls from a local grocery store created the wheels on the bus, I made all of the tissue flowers in the summer reading display and used a jean-like tablecloth to create a big pocket, and I stuffed the display paper with newspaper to create the umbrella effect, but whatever you use just try it before thinking that it might not work because most of the time it usually does. Above all else, have fun, create, and enjoy!
