Programming & Toolkits
This page contains Good Neighbor Day programming ideas & toolkits for Creating Connections & Building Belonging.
What's the difference between these types of programs?
Programs for Creating Connections: may be stand alone, singular experiences. Based on getting to know your neighbors and community in a casual yet meaningful way.
Programs for Building Belonging: Ongoing experiences based in social volunteering or acts of community service.
There is research that shows that volunteering, especially in group settings, can combat loneliness and social isolation.
Creating Connections
Low on capacity for a large event for Good Neighbor Day? Consider some of these more casual programming ideas designed for Creating Connections between neighbors!
Coffee & Conversations- host a morning event with complimentary warm beverages, conversation prompts, and other casual interactive activities like puzzles, coloring books, fidget toys, etc.
Chalk the Walk- provide a designated time to create collaborative art on the sidewalks of your library and neighborhood! Provide chalk and a theme.
Sunday Sundaes- host a complimentary sundae bar at the library on the Sunday closest to Good Neighbor Day. Include engaging displays and activities like a dessert cookbook display and dessert themed bingo.
Kindness Rocks- host a craft program painting collection of rocks with positive quotes and inspirational images.
*optional- go on a walk with your neighbors and distribute them together
Speed Meeting- like speed dating but just for platonic connections! Designed for people to have opportunities to talk to people they otherwise might not. Open to all open minded participants, with no expectations. Provide snacks, icebreakers for conversation, and a resource list for getting involved in your community.
Handmade Greeting Cards- host a craft program for all ages to make handmade greeting cards for Good Neighbor Day. Provide snacks, icebreakers for conversation, and card making supplies.
Toolkits for Building Belonging
Block Party Toolkit
Block parties are the ultimate social connector with your neighbors and they're easier to put on than most people think!
Host a block party in for Good Neighbor Day by selecting a date and location, securing any necessary permits* from your town or city, inviting the neighborhood, and having a good time!
*Why do I need a permit for a block party? It depends on local ordinances but you might need one to close a street, plug in speakers, etc.
Partners
Utilize your local partners and think- who is already in your neighborhood? Here are some suggested partners for block parties but remember- it doesn't have to be complicated- keep it simple!
Parks & Recreation
Neighborhood Associations
Downtown Associations
Basics
Location- library or library branch
*You may want to strategically consider locations outside of the library if you have a bookmobile or outreach vehicle, if you have partners in other areas of your community, or if you want to reach specific neighborhoods.
Food- consider asking local food trucks or restaurants to set up. Potlucks are also popular!
Music- your neighbors are musical! Ask a local musician (or two) to play a few songs. If you have a budget, this is a great way to spend it!
Activities- hopefully, Good Neighbor Day coincides with good weather! Outdoor lawn games, like cornhole or ladderball, are quick and popular. Oversize versions of games like checkers, chess Jenga, Connect 4, and other classics are also easy to set up and play. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and hula hoops are hits with all ages.
Market It!
Make & distribute flyers/invitations at library and local businesses/hot spots
Promote in library newsletter/local newspaper
Spend an afternoon knocking on doors in the neighborhood & handing out flyers
Post on social media and consider a wider variety of apps! Where does you community find out about events?
Community Yard Sale Toolkit
Get together with your neighbors and get rid of unused items and odds & ends no longer needed at your home while raising money for a community cause! Invite community members to set up tables or spaces at your library with the shared understanding that all funds raised will be donated to a cause in your community*
*Why donate the proceeds? Anyone can have a yard sale to make a few dollars, but doing so collaboratively and with a shared goal in mind builds community and togetherness.
Partners
Are there secondhand sellers in your area that may want to participate in a fundraising sale? Think outside the box.
Local businesses/individuals
Local artists
Logistics
Location- library, library branch, library lawn or parking lot
*Most yard sales are outside, but the timing of Good Neighbor Day can make for questionable weather in late September. Parking lots and outdoor spaces can usually accommodate larger crowds, but prepare to potentially move inside to a meeting room.
Vendors-Have people sign up for a table/booth/space 1-3 weeks in advance. Be clear if there are limitations on what can be sold. Be clear that proceeds are going to a community donation.
Check out- have one location to check out for all vendors. Accept cash or digital payments (directly to the designated organization). Consider having a member of the receiving organization at the sale to talk to community members about their organization or cause. Utilize volunteers for settingup and tearing down, as well as for any logistics (sales, answering questions, greeting people, etc) and promotion. Ask existing library volunteers if they are interested in helping out for a special event, or solicit volunteers specifically for this event.
The day before your sale, ensure your space is clean and set up. Vendors should arrive before the start of the sale on the day of to set up their items, and stay through the whole sale to help clean up at the end.
*Pro Tip- a good yard sale usually has a bake sale element! Consider asking vendors to bring a baked item to sell communally, and have a separate table set up for that. Be aware of potential allergens and label ingredients!
Market It!
Make & distribute flyers at library and local businesses/hot spots
Promote in library newsletter/local newspaper
Post on social media
Social Volunteering Toolkit
Libraries rely on volunteers for many of their daily operations, but do these library volunteers know each other outside of ships passing in the night? Many volunteer duties in libraries are solitary. Volunteering is not only good for the organization, but good for the volunteers and can provide a social outlet to avoid isolation. It also fosters a sense of camaraderie within the volunteer group working towards a common goal together.
Is there an extra project that could use the work of many hands? Work with your Friends or Foundation to host a social volunteering event, where people work towards a common goal in a casual setting together
Partners
Consider partnering with your Friends and/or Foundation groups- they might have the capacity to organize a social volunteering event that they benefit from!
Is there a local group in town that could use a big effort? Maybe they don't know how the library can help. Get in touch and offer the library's resources. They could be potential partners for other programs in the future.
Basics
Location- library,library grounds, or library branch. Depending on the project, you might need different supplies/stations set up in specific ways.
Project Ideas- think outside the box. If there is a big event coming up (like a fundraiser or a book sale), maybe all hands on deck are needed in advance.
Stuffing envelopes/folding brochures
Gardening/library grounds clean up
Kit assembly (back to school kits, hygiene kits, snack packs, winter preparedness kits)
Market It!
Is this something open to the general public, or is it an opportunity for existing library volunteers? If the latter, consider making invitations, or posting fliers at locations in your library where volunteers spend time.
Volunteer Fair Toolkit
Volunteerism has unfortunately been on the decline in America, though there are known benefits to volunteers when they give back. Local organizations in your community who rely on volunteers may not have all the help they need. On the flip side, people in your community may not know who they can give their time to, or how to get involved. Hosting a Volunteer Fair matches prospective volunteers with organizations they are interested in who need more help.
Partners
Make a list of local nonprofits and volunteer-run organizations in your area. It's always good to brainstorm with a colleague or friend. There are quite a few community/area foundations in Montana that support nonprofits- they could be a great partner for a volunteer drive that helps all nonprofits in your area.
Basics
Location- library or library branch meeting room
Set Up- Like a job fair! Invite local non-profits and volunteer-run organizations who are looking for volunteers to set up a table with their information, and have a representative from that organization there to talk to prospective volunteers
Food- Offer light refreshments and drinks.
Market It!
Make & distribute flyers/invitations at library and local businesses/hot spots
Promote in library newsletter/local newspaper
Post on social media
Good Neighbor Day Book Suggestions
There is no shortage of stories about neighbors and community! Here are a few to start your booklists.
Adults
Fiction
A Man Called Ove- Fredrik Backman
Hannah Coulter- Wendell Berry
Jayber Crow- Wendell Berry
Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story - Wendell Berry
Sacrament- Susan Straight
The Noticer- Andy Andrews
Theo of Golden- Allen Levi
Nonfiction
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters- Priya Parker
The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door- Dave Runyon & Jay Pathak
The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods- Peter Block & John McKnight
The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods- Peter Block & John McKnight
Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose- Jennifer Breheny Wallace
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life- Eric Klinenberg
This is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are- Melody Warnick
This is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are- Melody Warnick
Picture Books
Albert the Fix-It Man- Janet Lord
Everybody Cooks Rice- Norah Dooley
Everybody Cooks Rice- Norah Dooley
Last Stop of Market Street- Matt de la Peña
Thank You, Omu- Oge Mora
Say Hello- Rachel Isadora
