Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. I gleaned the following from PUBYAC contributors. If you’re a member, check out the archives for 3-28-2012. Please add YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!

See also: Atlasquest.com

This program works for two different age groups--elementary and teen. Both age groups seemed to really enjoy the hunt.  There is plenty to do and it makes for a fun program. You really don't have to leave your library to make a Letterboxing program work. 

• Plant Letterbox in the library.
• You may want to plant boxes in all of branch locations of your library system as well. 

• My program generally lasts about an hour. 
• Start the program with a description of what a Letterbox is and a brief history of how Letterboxing all got started in Dartmoor, England in the 1850's.  Two great resources are The Letterboxer's Companion by Randy Hall and www.letterboxing.info.
• Next,  talk about solving clues when finding boxes and tie it in by reading a picture book that involves decoding clues throughout the story.  (Even the teens get into helping solve the clues.)
• Next, make stamps.  A great, safe and in expensive way to make a stamp is with craft foam and bottle caps/lids. You draw your design on the craft foam, cut it out, and attach it to your bottle cap with double sided tape or a glue dot. Viola- you have a custom made stamp! (My teens actually got into this part more than I thought they would and made very intricate stamps.)
• After everyone has a stamp, pass out the clue to the library's letterbox and we all go on a hunt for the letterbox as a group. The kids loved going through the motions of deciphering the clues, secretly searching the library for the letterbox and stamping in a real logbook.