Acting on a suggestion from patrons, the Chester branch of the Plumas County Library has started a monthly Lego club as an opportunity for aficionados of the building bricks to gather and share their hobby. “We have the Legos, you bring the imagination!” said branch manager Lori Metcalf. She emphasized that, like all programs of the Plumas County Library, this is a completely free activity. In addition, no sign-up or registration is required.
The Lego club meets every third Saturday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The next session is set for Jan. 20. Metcalf said she begins each session with a “15-minute challenge.” She pulls a random prompt out of a jar and participants have 15 minutes to come up with original creations. Prompts might include “make something that starts with C,” “make an animal” or “build something with one hand.” She then often gives a broader theme or prompt, such as “animals” or “brrr, it’s cold” and lets participants loose.
During the rest of the session, Metcalf said participants — which range in age from young kids up to adults — work independently or with others. During the December 2023 session she encouraged the 18 participants to work as a team on some patterns of video game characters. In addition, she said kids sometimes bring in creations from home to show everyone.
“The kids are always so enthusiastic and have the coolest ideas,” said Metcalf. She said the club gives kids (and adults!) a “safe, comfortable place to be creative and meet others with the same interest.”
Creativity and socialization are broader goals shared by the entire Plumas County Library system, said Interim Plumas County Librarian Sharon McKay. “The library likes to encourage children to be creative, so programs like the Lego club give them an opportunity to explore and create with a toy or craft item that they may not have access to at home,” she said. “Programs through the library encourage children to socialize with each other, encourage cooperation and let children experience how other children play.”
The club also encourages people to visit the library who might not otherwise have done so. “Once here,” said Metcalf, “they will get library cards so that they can take advantage of all of the other resources we offer.”
“The library likes to encourage children to be creative.”
Sharon McKay, interim Plumas County librarian
The Lego club began as a suggestion by two Chester library patrons: Gwen Graham, 13, and her mom Megan. Metcalf reported that after Gwen and Megan hosted a popular Lego-themed summer reading program in August, they suggested that the library follow that up by doing a regular monthly session. “I was inspired by other libraries’ Lego clubs,” said Gwen. “I wanted the kids and anyone in our community to come and have fun at the library, using Lego bricks to build, create and work together.”
The Lego bricks themselves — five large bins’ worth — were donated to the library by Linda Phelps, a former Chester resident who used to own a Lego business. Phelps also donated a “huge assortment” of Lego patterns, activity ideas and other accessories. Metcalf also said that the Friends of the Chester Library group is very supportive of the program and is willing to provide any other materials needed.
McKay said that the Quincy branch library is exploring the possibility of starting a Lego club as well. The library system provides a range of programs for participation by all branches, but McKay said that because branch managers know their patrons best, they are encouraged to put their own spin on existing programming and create additional programs tailored to their patrons’ interests.
The Plumas County Library operates branches in Quincy, Chester, Portola and Greenville. To learn more about library programs and services, visit https://www.plumascounty.us/546/Library.
