ARLD Day 2026

In this lightning talk, we'll break down the steps and equipment needed to create a quick, easy, and cheap themed escape/puzzle room for a memorable community-building event. Easily customizable puzzles can tie in library elements while being compelling in their own right. We'll share how we have adapted and scaled this experience for different purposes and audiences, including student worker training, orientation, and undergraduate and graduate student programming at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. We'll provide links to resources you can use as a starting point.