karen brooks-reese teen services coordinator. teen services by the numbers 78% of 8-18 year olds...
TRANSCRIPT
Karen Brooks-ReeseTeen Services Coordinator
Teen Services by the Numbers
• 78% of 8-18 year olds nationwide have a library card.
• 57% have used a public library in the last month.
• ¾ of Americans think it is a high priority for libraries to provide a place for teens to study and congregate.
• 26% of teens say they would use the library more often if it had a space just for teens.
“Teens are increasingly becoming library immigrants in a land of
library natives.”
- Mary MaddenPew Internet & Digital Life Project
The Library:An adult perspective:
• Quiet• Good books• Helpful librarians• Cute little kids at storytime• Reasonable loan rules• Comfortable
A teen perspective:
• Can’t think – too quiet!• Books are outdated – I’d
rather use the internet• Nosy adults• Obnoxious little kids sticking
their noses into my business• Impossible-to-follow rules• Uncomfortable – nowhere
to sprawl, put my feet up…
2,422 Teens participated in Teen Summer Reading at 38 libraries.
They read 11,522 books, 98,127 minutes, and 41,976 pages.
Teen District Services provided each library with posters, bookmarks,
electronic documents to reproduce and PRIZES.
241 entries to the Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest were received from high school students all over Allegheny County.
101 pieces will be published in the Ralph Munn Chapbook, and each library will receive a copy to add to their collections.
A Eulogy for American EnglishBy Dani Zionts Lyon
Inside my head, I called myself the “savior,”a messianic angel, fantasizedabout the day I would myself proclaimthe English language mine, romanticizedthat trivial profession I endured:lexicographer. I thought myself—the God of Grammar—with my pen ensuredthe English language. An exquisite life.
The day I went too far, I killed a child,Hyphen, the misbegotten son of ampersand.My ego-trip unbreathed him, my pen, wild,tore him from homes in fig-leaves, log-jams.The written word has turned to mush—soon gone,I’ve mangled it, yet English marches on.
• 128 Gift Books sent to teen librarians to add to their collections in past week
• Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) available to borrow
• Weeding and collection analysis assistance available!
• Teen Services Meetings– Bimonthly, rotating
locations– Opportunity to:
• Share ideas• Discuss teen literature• Network with other teen
librarians– Training component at
each meeting• Booktalking• Podcasting• Graphic Novels
– New for 2009: Themed meetings
• Training and Workshops– Teen Summer Reading
– Audioconferences• Gaming in Libraries• Serving Teens in Busy
Branches
– Adolescent Brain Development Workshop• October 28th
• Session 1 for all staff• Session 2 primarily for teen
services staff
• Where do tweens (ages 8-11 or 9-12, usually) fit into library services?
• Tween Task Force, made up of children’s and teen librarians from throughout the county, will:– Explore best practices for tween services– Develop resources for use by libraries throughout the
county– Offer tween services training workshop
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
Can’t think – it’s too quiet!
Does it need to be that quiet all the time? Could the library allow a bit more noise after school, or create a teen space where noise is permitted? Some studies show that teens (especially boys) actually work better with auditory stimulation.
Books are outdated – I’d rather use the internet
Today’s teens have never known a world without the internet. Is it any wonder they’re more comfortable online? Be familiar with useful databases, and be able to pair those with books. Don’t forget to explain why the internet isn’t always the best resource!
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
The library’s full of mean, nosy adults.
Encourage your staff to think of teens as people first and teens second. They should be friendly, but step back if a teen doesn’t need or want help. They should ask questions and engage in conversation and not assume that just because somebody is under 18 that they’re up to no good!
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
The obnoxious little kids are always sticking their noses into my business.
If you’re going to the effort to offer teen programs, make them teen programs. Younger kids might want to join in, but teens aren’t going to want to participate if the program is full of little kids. Consider making certain chairs or computers “teen only” at certain times of day.
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
I can’t follow all those rules.Most libraries are full of unnecessary rules that are designed to stop specific behavior, not the actual activity. Why can’t teens share computers? Why can’t they play games? Usually it’s a noise issue – so wouldn’t a better rule be “keep noise at a minimum”?
Strict loan rules with fees attached can be very difficult, especially for teens who don’t have their own income. Consider exploring a “fine alternative” program or something similar.
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
The library’s uncomfortable. There’s nowhere to sprawl and I can’t put my feet up or my head down.
When was the last time you saw a teenager sitting upright in a chair and enjoying it? Look into furniture like “poofs,” ottomans, diner-style tables – if you really want teens to use it, ask for their help in picking it out!
What Else Can We Do?The Library: a Teen Perspective
• Develop lifelong library users.• Active, willing volunteers.• Build community support • Teens’ parents are voters – and so are they.
What Teens (and teen librarians) Need from YOU
• Understanding that offering excellent services to teens is as important as offering services to children or adults.
• Support (monetary and moral) for teen librarians who want to try new things.
• Release time for teen librarians to attend meetings and training workshops.
• Additional training needed?
• Program ideas?
• ????
