Tag Archives: teens

Thinking about the future of Teen Services

Posted on March 16, 2013 | 1 Comment

Recently, I was asked what my thoughts on the current state of Teen Services in the library were.  I replied:

So I’ve been a teen librarian since 2007.  At that time, it felt like teen services were really a one person show.  Libraries found someone who were passionate about working with teens, breaking down boundaries, and just wanted to do exciting things.

However, there’s only so far one person can go.  After that, you have to start collaborating and building a team.  I think that’s where it’s heading right now.  Teen Services will be less about one teen librarian working alone and doing amazing things and instead we’ll see Teen Services become something bigger…more people working together to do awesome things.

Less solitary teen librarians doing amazing things, more teams of amazing people coming together and doing amazing things for teens!  Seriously, I think collaboration is key.  Look at The Beatles.  Of course, all of their solo careers were super awesome.  They made some great music.  But think about the music they made together as The Beatles.  I mean, they’re THE BEATLES!  Great things can happen when you get amazing people together.  Libraries should bring amazing people together and see what happens.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot and I’ve pretty much convinced myself that this is the best way forward.  But just saying these things is one thing and doing them is another.  You’ve gotta come up with a plan.  Here’s my attempt at a plan:

INVEST IN AWESOME PEOPLE AND AWESOME THINGS
One of the big reasons why I chose to join the team at the Chattanooga Public Library was because the library and the city are focused on investing in awesome things.  Let me tell you a bit about that:

To quote The Gig City website:
Chattanooga is the first city in the Western Hemisphere to offer one-gigabit-per-second fiber internet service to all residents and businesses. At 200 times the speed of the national average, the Gig opens the door to unimagined ways of learning, playing and conducting business.

Investing in the infrastructure to create a one-gigabit-per-second fiber internet service shows that the people in this community care and want to make the most of the place they’re living in.

This is the approach that the Chattanooga Public Library is taking as well.  Our director Corrine Hill is bringing together amazing people from all around with one simple goal: do awesome stuff for the community.  One of the greatest things about my new job is joining the team in place in Chattanooga and working together to do something really amazing.

Investing: To me, that’s key.  Surround yourself with the people you want to work with and…

THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE PICTURE
Fiber internet service doesn’t happen overnight.  It took a lot of thought, planning, and a big gamble on Chattanooga’s part to have this in place.  So where do you want your teen library to be in the next few years?  Think about that and set yourself on that path.  Work with what is best for your institution and your community.

Don’t think that the future of the teen library is one sided.  It isn’t all about JUST making stuff, reading, hanging out, playing video games, and more.  It’s about all of these things together.  Don’t forget about any group of patrons.  Each one of them need us.

HAVE FUN
Always remember to smile and have an open heart.  We work in libraries, one of the most awesome places in the world.  We get to surround ourselves with great people and we get to do great things.  Remember that!

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Posted in Libraries, Technology, Teens

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THE WHOLE WORLD WAITING

Posted on February 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

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While I still have almost two months left here at the Portland Public Library, tonight feels like the closing of a chapter.  At 6pm, we will host a viewing of THE WHOLE WORLD WAITING, a film about  15 immigrant teenagers from Portland, Maine.  I’ve seen all of these teens in the library at some point.  Some stop by to say hello every once in awhile while others are in here every day.

I want to take the opportunity to thank not only these teens for sharing their stories but to Sonya Tomlinson, David Meiklejohn, and everyone at the Telling Room for putting this film together.  This project is beautiful and these stories are so great to hear.  Also, thank you for your kindness and support during my time in Portland, ME.

For more information on the film, the filmmakers, and more:

Budget Fabulous Films by David Meiklejohn

Young Immigrants Share Their Stories for the Camera via Portland Press Herald

The Whole World Waiting and The Young Writers and Leaders Kickstarter

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Posted in Libraries, Life in Portland, Life in Portland Maine, Teens

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Part 4: What people want from their libraries

Posted on January 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

The always observant Stephen Abram points out that the new Pew Internet & American Life Project Report on Libraries has arrived and it is a MUST READ for libraries.  The part that stood out to me?  Part 4: What people want from their libraries.  If we’re not listening to our communities, what are we doing?

Particulary interesting to me (being a librarian involved with serving Youth) was the following:

Almost three-quarters (74%) of Americans think it is “very important” for public libraries to provide programs and classes for children and teens. Another 21% consider these programs “somewhat important,” while 2% say they are “not too important” and 2% say they are “not at all important.”

Some 92% of Hispanics and 86% of blacks consider these classes to be “very important” to the community, making them significantly more than whites (68%) to say this. Additionally, women (79%) are more likely than men (68%) to consider this resource “very important,” as are Americans in households making less than $75,000 per year (79%) compared with those in households earning more (65%).

Parents in our focus groups almost uniformly appreciated children’s programming at their local libraries. Some parents said that they would appreciate extended hours at libraries so their children could spend time there in a monitored environment; others wished there were more activities on weekends, instead of during the work day.

Many librarians in the online canvassing wrote about their experiences creating “hangout” spaces and activities for teens, citing importance of keeping teens engaged with the library as they grow older. “Interacting with children and young adults at their schools is an important aspect of encouraging these groups to use the library at a young age,” one wrote. “These groups may be more likely to use the library as adults if they are comfortable there as children.”

Finally, keeping these spaces apart from the main reading room areas of the library seemed to be an important point for many of our focus group members, as many of them complained about increased noise levels during our sessions.

 

 

Thanks for sharing this Stephen!

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Posted in Libraries, Teens

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