Collaborating with Teens to Build Better Library Programs, Part 1
Download as PPT, PDF5 likes2,790 views
The document discusses teen participation and collaboration in libraries. It emphasizes moving from passive programming for teens initiated by libraries to active involvement of teens in planning, decision-making, and implementation of services. This includes establishing teen leadership councils and committees to give teens ownership over programming and activities. The benefits are outlined as helping libraries become more relevant while providing developmental opportunities for teens such as learning social and cultural competencies.
Collaborating with Teens to Build Better Library Programs, Part 1
- 1. part #1 December 2012
- 2. Beyond attendance or circulation numbers… Participation and collaboration with teens from passive to active…
- 3. POLL QUESTION #1: Who is out there? Which best describes you: I work primarily with teens I “do it all” including work w teens I am a school librarian I’m the Director of the library I’m the “lucky” person “designated” to work with teens I am a Library Science Student I am in a room full of people interested in teen services!
- 4. Teens want to be involved at their library…
- 5. This week… Foundation •Teen participation •Why teen participation & libraries •“Ladder of Teen Participation” Teens in your community •Library’s reach Programming teen involvement in program development and implementation discovering and fostering communities of interest Teen Leadership Councils and groups volunteers formal/ casual/ off-site opportunities
- 6. From inward to outward… Teen library programming is not an end unto itself; without service context does not move the library toward the realization of goals, which must include “actively involving teens in the planning and implementation of services and programming for their age group (YALSA/RUSA).”
- 7. What? What is youth participation?
- 9. Teen Participation “… is the involving of youth in responsible, challenging action that meets genuine needs, with opportunities for planning and/or decision-making affecting others in an activity whose impact or consequence is extended to others...” --The National Commission on Resources for Youth in the United States, 1975
- 10. Teen collaboration* may be something you have to advocate for…. http://www.amarillomagonline.com/article/239 * or basic service
- 11. Teen Services… Becoming core in the traditional library landscape •Entitlement •Possibilities •Expectations •Necessities
- 12. Why? Why is youth participation important?
- 13. Why is teen/library collaboration important? … for libraries … for teens http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4815206453_4565d99438.jpg
- 14. Why is teen/library collaboration important? … for teens Gain: developmental assets cultural & social competencies meaningful participation Play decision making roles Take ownership of the library Valued & respected by community Civic engagement
- 15. Why is teen/library collaboration important? … for libraries •Useful, relevant, and appealing to teens •Teens take ownership •Less inward more outward focused •Community of asset builders •Legitimately involve teens •Opportunities to build greater organizational capacity & credibility
- 17. Youth Participation Model Express Evaluate Articulate http://www .f lickr.com/p hotos/victo riap ubliclibrary Assess how your library is doing now and help set goals for the future.
- 18. Roger Hart created a model for thinking about youth participation as a continuum of activities.
- 20. Rung #3 adult initiated action; shared decisions with youth initiated by adults but the decision making is shared with young people
- 21. Rung #2 youth initiated and directed actions young people initiate and direct a project or program. Adults are involved only in a supportive role
- 22. Rung #1 youth initiated actions, shared decisions with adults initiated by young people and decision making is shared between young people and adults.
- 23. What’s your impression? Most teen related services/activities at your library are currently… #1 youth initiated actions, shared decisions with adults #2 youth initiated and directed actions #3 adult initiated action; shared decisions with youth #4 youth are consulted and informed #5 youth are assigned but informed #6 tokenism #7 decoration
- 24. Possible indicators of teen/ library collaboration… NOT! http://tametheweb.com/2008/08/28/library-fail/
- 25. POLL QUESTION #2: Have you ever planned a library program for teens and no one showed up ?? (I have.)
- 26. “How do I get teens to show up for programs at the library?”
- 27. inward to outward & teen programming is for teens
- 28. From inward to outward…
- 29. from the web….
- 30. from the web….
- 32. teen programming is for teens “We are not teens… but we think we are.”
- 33. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyndipix/2850529664/in/photostream/ Know the teens you serve… and not just the teens you see… Know the community you serve…
- 34. gaining teen participation… teens you see every day school groups outreach homeschool groups school counselors school librarians comic book store
- 36. This is all stuff you may suspect (know!) already… Questions to ask yourself... how does your library currently engage teens? how does your library approach attracting teens to the location? what do teen find when they visit your library?
- 37. participation… to collaboration TLCs “Regulars” Communities of Interest Volunteers
- 39. Teen Leadership Council Ingredients: Teens Staff advisor/ facilitator Meeting (consistency!) Responsibilities & decision-making that affect broader group
- 40. in an asset framework EMPOWERMENT Community Values Youth | Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth. Youth as Resources | Young people are given useful roles in the community. Service to Others | Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
- 41. asset framework SOCIAL COMPETENCIES Planning and Decision Making | Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices. Interpersonal Competence | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills. Cultural Competence | Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds. Sense of Purpose | Young person reports that "my life has a purpose."
- 43. Teen Leadership teen library board member "Here I was -- a 17- year-old at meetings with adult professionals. But people treated me with respect, and they respected my opinion."
- 45. Teen advisory group “The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. And the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.” – Carmen Martinez, Director Oakland Public Library http://sparkaction.org/node/27408 Youth show their support local libraries at Thursday's Council meeting, which may be impacted with the mayor's budget cuts http://oaklandlocal.com/sites/default/files/i/citycouncil2.jpg
- 46. Formalized city-wide / local / independent http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/links/teens/index.html
- 47. Proximit y & Interest
- 48. proximity Monday Nights @ Central What are we doing tonight?? Consistency
- 49. Collaborating with “The Regulars” More casual / spontaneous Based on interests of evolving group Play a “local” decision making role Emphasis not on “hosting” programming for peers – but implementing ideas for group The perfect storm of “we want to cook”.
- 50. Communities of interest A “community of interest” is a group of people who share a common passion.
- 51. Based on what you know is popular… What do you think might be a “teen” community of interest? (answer via chat)
- 52. anime/ manga San Japan Reading Room
- 53. anime/ manga San Japan Reading Room
- 54. Communities of interest • do not rely on what you think you know (or the things YOU like… or the thing you think teens like…) • know what’s going on in your community • tap into gaps • rely on teens to tell you • add “library-ness” (mission value)
- 57. QUESTION #3: Does your library have teen volunteer opportunities?
- 58. task based teen volunteers project based volunteers
- 59. task based teen volunteers Make it official! & Spontaneously on the spot! Assessment of interests be open to nontraditional shelving decorate teen space reviewing items working on teen blog .. (more on these later!)
- 60. task based teen volunteers Focus on what teens are gaining…
- 61. teen volunteers pitfalls... not having enough for a teen volunteer to do... colleagues who are not comfortable with teen volunteers doing anything… not having staff to train/supervise teen volunteers
- 64. How Chuck Norris ate Teen Tech Week…
- 65. …and zombies invaded Teen Read Week.
- 66. Your role: Foster and facilitate… Find resources Develop partnerships Grow users Build community Advocate Formalize
- 67. Programming Policy Formalizing teen participation/ collaboration as a success measure Making it part of your teen service mission and vision.
- 68. Programming Policy SAPL - Teen Program Development Guidelines: •Teen Library Program development will NOT be passive – with the Library in the role of “creator” and the teen patron in the role of “attendee.” •Teen Library Programming will NOT originate from: •the interests of library personnel •library staffs’ or community members’ perception of the interests of teens •library staffs’ or adult community members’ presumption of what is “good” for teens. Teen Library Programming WILL originate from: •Teens with library staff assuming the role of facilitator and guide during the process •Teens will actively participate in program development, implementation and play a role in the decision making process.
- 69. Getting to baseline: (homework.) Of the population served by the How many students attend the library, approximately what high school closest to your percentage is made up by teens location? (13 to 18)? Based on the size of the teen Look at demographic/ population vs. the number of economic information about active teen library cards – is the community you serve. there potential to increase What picture forms about your teen library usage? typical user? In the last year how many teens In your library database attended library programs? How determine how many teens have many teen programs were “active” library cards. offered?
- 70. You need to know… Does your library keep How are teen separate statistics on the programming decisions number and attendance of made in your teen programs? organization? Does your library have a Are there teen programming separate budget for teen guidelines/ policy/ programming? If there is a centralization? budget – what is the funding amount based on? How do teens find out about teen library How do you report teen programs/ activities? programming activities to: your supervisor, administration, library board? (like statistics, narrative, or both - or other)
- 71. Questions? Questions? jenniferjoan@gmail.com
- 72. R.I.P. “Adele” Peace to you as you roll in the deep.
- 73. Ultimate ownership – the clean-up
Editor's Notes
- #3: From guessing what teens want – to asking - to having them implement …
- #5: And not just the ones you see everyday.. They may not even know it.. We are after teens who are regular users and teens for whom the library is not even on their radar screen…
- #11: The reason for the programming – goal of programming --
- #20: In all of the activities that we undertake in collaboration with teens it is useful to fame a framework to base our efforts.
- #25: Our attitude…
- #27: I believe programing s is a good test of teen participation/ collaboration it’s success or failure is … in your face vs. collection development
- #28: I believe programing s is a good test of teen participation/ collaboration it’s success or failure is … in your face vs. collection development
- #33: I believe programing s is a good test of teen participation/ collaboration it’s success or failure is … in your face vs. collection development
- #36: why
- #38: Making choices about action Give young people the chance to participate in the decisions that affect their lives
- #56: The only time we’ve had book clubs is when teens have asked if we have book clubs….
- #61: remember this is not slave-labor this is always an opportunity to make community connections - help build assets, elicit suggestions/ opinions and that teen will walk away with a behind the scenes impression of the library... and how it values teens.
- #63: Project is to read/ perform for kids… the date of the program is October whatever… group comes together, decides on program/ project and disbands…