The Phone Chokey

During Summer Reading Program, my fellow youth services librarians and I had a lot of problems getting the teen volunteers to keep their phones put away while on shift. And so, I made something hilarious out of a cardboard box that will hopefully keep the phone rule at the front of their minds as we transition into the school year.

I give you, THE PHONE CHOKEY!!

Front

Side

Back

Inside

Don't act like you don't know what The Chokey is. Everyone who lived through the 90's has done two things: had a crush on Miss Honey, and wondered how long they could survive in The Chokey before cracking. (If you've been living under a rock for 30 years, the movie is the incomparable 1996 classic Matilda.)

I'm honestly so proud of myself for this little project. The cell phone gets cradled safely in the inner box, away from the sharp points of the push pins so that I get exactly zero calls from parents about their child's $600 iPhone getting damaged at the library. 

Doing this also adds some levity to the RULES while still making sure they're enforced. I've found this is important when working with teens if you want them to enjoy coming to work but also operate within the guidelines of the workplace. 

We haven't had to use The Phone Chokey yet... Stay tuned for the inaugural confiscation!