Last night, my colleague and I hosted 92 high school students for our third annual library lock-in that we’ve re-branded Falcon Library After Dark. Our activities included pizza, three movie screens, computers, tabletop games, video games, double Dutch, corn hole, Legos, and an all-night activity if they chose to undertake it– a BINGO-like challenge that got them talking, investigating, and thinking. This was followed by a short dance party before running our nonfiction gauntlet and collecting their Blow Pop.

Students get to hang out and be themselves with their friends and make new friends. They enjoy the camaraderie and excitement and an opportunity to relax for an evening before heading into the weekend at home. And it got me thinking- what would I do if I were in the library all night? Here are five things:

1. Sit down and just be. Our library is nothing if not active. If we have to close for a period or after school, which doesn’t happen often, it’s nearly impossible for anyone– students and staff alike– to believe it as they rattle the doors and stare in. Therefore, sitting down and just being in the library is a luxury. While most library’s aren’t shush zones, there is something beautiful about a silent library… sometimes.
2. Make myself a cup of tea. I joke that I’d be opening up Pandora’s box if I started drinking tea at work because I drink enough outside of work, but on the rare days where I need to warm up, there is a stash in the office.
3. Wander the shelves. I take pride in our collection. I turned into a nonfiction reader about a decade ago and haven’t looked back. I often read nonfiction during my lunch. I’m also just as obsessed with graphic novels and fiction, so no matter where you are in the library, there’s something fantastic to read at your fingertips. It would be lovely just to feel with my fingertips and scan with my eyes.
4. Ignore my desk. Wouldn’t it be tempting if I were locked in the library all night to sit down and work? Of course, but this is not that kind of fantasy.
5. Read. What did you think number five would be? After wandering the shelves, it would be nearly impossible not to have pulled some off the shelves and snuggle in for the rest of the night to read– in the comfy chairs, at the table, in between the stacks.

What would you do if you were in a library all night?