Junk Journal Workshop

Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library is hosting a Junk Journal Workshop on Monday, October 19, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. It's held in the children's section, and it's open to ages 5 to 18, so it works for kids and teens alike. The workshop is part of the library's LEAP arts and crafts program, and it runs every other Monday at the same time, so if you can't make this one, there's another session coming up soon.

If you've never come across junk journaling, the name is a bit of a misnomer. It's not about making junk; it's about using scraps and found materials to build a personal record. Everyone gets a composition notebook to start with, and from there you fill the pages with memories. You use embellishments, collages, drawings, photos, and letters to piece together a visual diary that's as much about the process of making it as it is about what you put inside. It's a low-pressure way to get creative, and because it's a group session, it's a good one to bring a friend or a sibling along for.

The library itself has a bit of a story. It's on Girard Avenue, and until 1977 it was known as the Girard Avenue Branch. City Council renamed it to honor Ramonita G. de Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican educator and community leader who served as a supervisor in the School District of Philadelphia's Bilingual Program. The branch first opened on December 16, 1968, and went through a renovation in 1996 as part of the library system's 'Changing Lives' campaign. If you've walked by, you might recognize the mural by the Mural Arts Program on the exterior, along with an abstract relief sculpture by Joseph J. Greenberg, Jr.

So, if you've got a kid or teen who likes to draw, collect things, or just wants a project to sink into on a Monday afternoon, this is a great spot to start. The workshop runs from 3:30 to 5:00 PM at the Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library, 600 West Girard Avenue (at 6th and Girard), and it's part of a series that returns every other Monday.