Team building for library staff
Team building for library staff works best on the staff development day when the doors are closed: a 60-minute hosted puzzle or trivia game, a paper-and-pen kit workshop, or a skill session, with every branch on one video call. Prices are live, and we take purchase orders.
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Plan around the hours the library is open
A library is open nights and weekends, so the whole staff is rarely free at once. Four slots that work.
The classic slot
The staff development day
The one day the doors stay shut and everyone is free. Your board sets the date, so book the moment it is on the calendar.Any week
Before the doors open
An 8:30 AM game ends before a 10 AM opening. Branches join from their workrooms on one link.Two sessions
Evening and weekend staff
Book the same game twice, one morning and one late afternoon, so closers and Saturday staff get a turn.Everyone
Pages, clerks and part-timers
Put them on the invite as early as the librarians, and on paid time if your rules allow it.
Library team building activities
Each runs about 60 minutes with a live host or instructor on your video call. Prices come straight from our catalog.
Puzzle and trivia games for book people
Small teams, clues and questions, with a live host running the hour. Nothing ships, so 2 weeks is enough notice.
Virtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $39 USD / person
Trivia with a Twist!
Hosted trivia in mixed teams that scores more than right answers. No trivia experts needed.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $39 USD / person
Clue with a Twist: Winter Fun!
A murder mystery at a winter gala: find the weapon, the room and the culprit through puzzles.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $35 USD / person
Beach Vacate-tion Escape Room
A story-driven escape game: solve puzzles in small teams to collect rubies and leave the island.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $39 USD / person
Oregon Trail
A narrative journey where the group votes on each choice, with new teams every round.
1 hour
Paper and pen kits, shipped to every home
A box reaches each person and an instructor teaches on the call. Book about 3 weeks ahead for US addresses.
Virtual / HybridLive hostKit
Starting at $41 USD / person
Origami
Origami papers for five designs and a short history of paper folding. Ships to the US, Canada and abroad.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive hostKit
Starting at $71 USD / person
Card Decorating
Calligraphy pens and blank cards: letter a thank-you note to a colleague. Continental US only.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive hostKit
Starting at $88 USD / person
Gratitude Journaling
A small blank notebook and prompts for a gratitude journal. Continental US only.
1 hour
Skill workshops for the staff development day
A facilitator teaches one skill and the room practices it. These fit the training block of a closed day.
Virtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $34 USD / person
Speak Up! Public Speaking Workshop
Structure a message and calm the nerves, for storytime, programs and board meetings.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $34 USD / person
Let's Stand Up to Stress
Simple relaxation and movement techniques for staff who work a busy public desk.
1 hourVirtual / HybridLive host
Starting at $34 USD / person
Supercharge Your Squad
For branch managers and supervisors: use each person's strengths and stop doing it all yourself.
1 hour
Running a staff book club too? Our book club ideas guide has formats for work. See all activities.
A staff development day agenda
The library is closed, so you have the whole staff for one day. Put the team building hours around your own training.
8:30 AM
Coffee and the director's welcome
Every branch on one video call, or together in the main library's meeting room.9:00 AM
A skill workshop
One hour on presenting, stress or speaking up. More in team building workshops.10:15 AM
Your own training
Catalog changes, new services, safety drills: the sessions only your staff can run.12:00 PM
Lunch
Order in by branch, or make the kit hour the lunch break.1:00 PM
The hosted game
A puzzle or trivia hour with teams mixed across branches and departments, so circulation meets IT.2:15 PM
Done early
Send people home with an hour back. On a closed day, that lands better than one more session.
Looking for training topics? See professional development ideas.
What it costs for a branch or a whole system
Games and workshops are one package for the group, so the cost per person drops as more staff join. Kits are a base fee plus a price per kit.
Sizes for one branch, a system's staff day and a large system.
| Activity | 12 people | 30 people | 75 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trivia with a Twist!Hosted virtual game | 12 people$975$81 each | 30 people$1,195$40 each | 75 people$1,415$19 each |
| OrigamiKit workshop, kits shipped | 12 people$679$57 each | 30 people$1,129$38 each | 75 people$2,254$30 each |
| Speak Up! Public Speaking WorkshopSkill workshop | 12 people$850$71 each | 30 people$1,700$57 each | 75 people$2,550$34 each |
Worked out from our live catalog prices. Need it on paper for the board? Get a free quote.
Paying for it on a library budget
Small budgets and public money. What a business office or a board usually asks for.
- A written price for the board or the business office. Every activity page shows the total for your headcount, and a free quote comes back within 24 hours.
- Purchase orders and invoices. A booking on a PO gets an invoice instead of a card charge.
- Or a card. Reserve online with a 50% deposit if the library pays by card.
- Public money has rules. Ask your business office whether a staff event can come from the operating budget, and read government team building for how public-sector rules shape it.
- Friends groups and foundations. Some libraries pay for staff appreciation from a Friends group or foundation. Ask your director what yours allows.
The library team building calendar, 2026 to 2027
The dates most libraries plan around, with book-by dates from our lead times.
December 2026
The staff holiday party
For a game before opening on Wednesday, December 16, 2026, book by December 2; for a kit, by November 25. Ideas on the virtual holiday party page.Your closed day
The staff development day
Book once the board approves the date: 2 weeks ahead for a game, 3 for a kit, 5 if anyone gets a kit outside the US.April 11 to 17, 2027
National Library Week
ALA lists the 2027 week as April 11 to 17, and ALA-APA sets National Library Workers Day on its Tuesday: Tuesday, April 13, 2027. For a staff appreciation game that day, book by March 30; for a kit, by March 23.May to August 2027
Keep it off the busy weeks
Public libraries run summer reading and academic libraries run finals. Plan the hour for after, not during.
Public, academic and school libraries
The same staff, different calendars and budgets. Where each one fits.
Public library systems
Branches across a city or county, a board, and public purchasing rules. This page is written for you.Academic libraries
Your year follows the semester and your money often follows the university. See team building for university staff for campus budgets and retreats.School librarians
Usually one or two people who join the school's own staff events. See team building for teachers.Staff in one building
A host can run trivia or a painting workshop in your meeting room in many US cities. See in-person events.
Library staff team building questions
What is good team building for library staff?
A 60-minute hosted puzzle or trivia game, a paper-and-pen kit workshop such as origami or card lettering, or a skill workshop on presenting or stress. Run it on the staff development day when the library is closed, or before opening, with every branch on one video call.
What are good library staff development day activities?
Pair one skill workshop in the morning with your own training sessions, then a hosted game after lunch with teams mixed across branches and departments. End early. A host runs the game, so the person who planned the day gets to play.
How do we celebrate library staff appreciation?
National Library Workers Day falls on the Tuesday of National Library Week, which makes it April 13, 2027. Book a hosted game for that morning by March 30, or ship a journaling or card kit to every home by March 23, and give everyone the hour on paid time.
How do we include evening and weekend staff?
Book the same game twice, one morning and one late afternoon, so closers and Saturday staff get a turn. Most sessions run about 60 minutes on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.
Can a public library pay by purchase order?
Yes. A booking on a purchase order gets an invoice instead of a card charge, and card payment with a 50% deposit works too. Ask your business office which budget a staff event can come from, since public funds have their own rules.
How much does team building for library staff cost?
Hosted games are one package for a group, so the cost per person drops as more staff join. Kit workshops are a base fee plus a price per kit with continental US shipping included. The price table on this page shows live totals for 12, 30 and 75 people.
How far ahead should we book?
About 2 weeks for a hosted game or workshop and 3 weeks for a kit workshop to US addresses, or 5 weeks with anyone in Canada or abroad. For a game on December 16, 2026, book by December 2; for a kit, by November 25.
Keep planning
Team building for government teams
Public sector events with invoice and PO billing, and who-pays rules in plain words.
ExploreTeam building for university staff
Department retreats and staff appreciation events on the academic calendar.
ExploreTeam building for teachers
After-school and PD-day events for school staff, in person or virtual.
Explore
