I work at the Helsinki University Library. A couple of years ago my boss at the time, who also enjoys puzzles (many, many librarians do) said I should bring a puzzle to work. So I did. More than one, in fact. There’s a round table in one of our break rooms, and most of the time, there’s a puzzle on it.
Many colleagues started bringing in their own puzzles as well.
Before last Christmas, I decided to put a puzzle out for the customers as well. Just for the holidays. Well, it turned out to be so popular we couldn’t possibly stop 🙂 And the customers started bringing in their own puzzles as well.
When a puzzle is finished, the customers can break it up and bring the box to the service desk, where they get a new puzzle in exchange. A 1000-piece puzzle seldom takes more than a day, and there is almost always someone working on the puzzle.
The library has had a lot of positive feedback about the puzzles, with one customer saying that the puzzle makes the library seem like a friendly and welcoming place.
Puzzler1909 
That’s a wonderful idea but do you lose many pieces?
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Well, you spotted the flaw right away 🙂 The staff hasn’t lost any pieces, but twice puzzles completed by the customers have been found to have lost pieces. I’m convinced it’s not the puzzlers, but passers by, who sometimes put their bag on the table while they check their phone or something, and then a couple of pieces go with them… Knowing this, I don’t bring in my absolutes favourites.
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