Gresham ils522 staff_workshop
- 1. Connecting With Young Adult PatronsAnne GreshamStaff Workshop
- 2. Connecting With Young Adult PatronsPart 1: Understanding Teens in the LibraryPart 2: Stages of AdolescencePart 3: Tips for Serving Teens
- 3. Part 1: Understanding Teens in the Library
- 4. Who – or What – Are They?They are peopleThey are library patronsOur programming policy defines teens as 13-18 years old
- 5. Why are they here?To socializeTo find informationTo do homeworkEntertainmentLack of a parentally sanctioned alternative
- 6. What do they want?To be involvedA space designed for their needsAccess to technology and popular materialsTo be treated with respectGorman & Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 7. How Can Libraries Help Teens Develop?IndependenceExcitementIdentityDiversityAcceptanceGorman & Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 8. Part II: The Stages of AdolescenceRemember how it felt to be a teenager?Yeah, but…
- 9. Common Complaints About TeensThey won’t stop shouting!They’re RUDE!They all hate me!They look and act ridiculous!They travel in enormous packs!
- 10. If they don’t want to be treated like children, why won’t they act like adults?Because they aren’t either.
- 11. The Stages of AdolescenceEarly AdolescenceMiddle AdolescenceLate AdolescenceGorman & Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 12. Early AdolescenceIncreased concern with appearanceSeeks independenceRebellious/defiant behaviorsIncreased importance of friends, peer groupEgo dominates perceptionsGorman &Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 13. Middle AdolescenceBecomes less self-absorbedIndependent decision makingSelf-image experimentationRisk takingDevelops values and moralityForms lasting relationshipsIncreased intellectual awarenessInterests and skills matureGorman & Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 14. Late AdolescenceIdealistic world viewIncreased involvement with the world outside of school and familySets goalsForms stable relationshipsViews adults as equalsEstablishes independenceGorman & Suellentrop (2009), p. 15
- 15. Part III: So What Can I Do to Help Them?
- 16. Ninja Skills for Serving Teens (Joseph, 2010)Madasabe better at finding information than they areGeridoUnderstand and seek the new and the recentGetamataStrength of age and wisdomIf you are older than 24, you are very old to teensBemeijiMemory – remember patron names and preferencesRespect
- 17. DON’T:StereotypePower tripTake it personallyBlow it out of proportionTreat teens like childrenTry to be coolGorman & Suellentrop (2009); Bolan (2006)
- 18. DO:Be approachableBe a good listenerBe good at answering questionsBe an advocate for teensMaintain boundariesBe consistentEmpathizeGorman & Suellentrop (2009); Bolan (2006)
- 19. And Remember:We’re glad they’re here!
- 20. ReferencesBolan, K. (2006). Bridging the Gap: Proactive Approaches for Adults Working with Teens. Young Adult Library Services, 4(4), 32-46. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Gorman, M. & Suellentrop, T. (2009). Connecting young adults and libraries (4th ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.Joseph, M. (2010). An Exquisite Paradox: Making Teens and Young Adults Welcome in Public Libraries. Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services, 23(3), Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Editor's Notes
- #2: Introduction: Anne Gresham, Reference LibrarianExperience With Teens: Teen Tech Club Teen Tech Week Various Regular Teen Programs MLS CourseworkLibraries can be one of the most positive and empowering things in a young person’s life, and we’re in a position to give it to them. I’d like to talk with you today about how we can make that happen!
- #3: Outline the presentation.
- #4: Teens can be terrifying, but fear is the product of ignorance. I’d like to spend a few minutes talking about who these people are so that we can work with them with confidence.
- #5: Start by asking the question to the group and allow for discussion. Emphasize that the courteous, no-questions asked service we provide adults applies to teens as well. Note that set-in-stone age definitions are not always appropriate.
- #6: Invite answers from staff.Emphasize that the library can provide a constructive and safe social space for teens, and this should not be viewed as a threat. Additionally, all information is not academic! Teens log on to Facebook to find information. Continue by explaining that teens do in fact use the library for homework, and often need our help and our resources. Mention that much like our adult patrons, teens also view the library as a source of entertainment – magazines, graphic novels, and Gossip Girl books are no more deserving of condescension from staff than the Encyclopedia Britannica. Finally, suggest that some teens are a captive audience. They have been dropped off and left to fend for themselves. This is an opportunity for us to win lifelong library supporters by making their library experience engaging and worthwhile.
- #7: Invite answers from staff. Give some suggested answers taken from Gorman and Suellentrop (2009). Ask the group why these wants are important to teens and if they can think of any ways to provide them.
- #8: Invite answers from staff. Ask for examples for each bullet point. Extend the discussion by pointing out that these are basic teenage developmental needs, and the library can provide a safe space for nurturing them.
- #9: Why do they act like they do? Many people simply can’t understand why adolescents choose to act out, dress in bizarre fashions, and put such enormous importance on their friends’ opinions, often at the expense of common sense. However, there’s nothing abnormal about them (but don’t tell them that!). Next I’d like to walk through the stages of adolescence and the characteristics of each.
- #10: Ask for additional complaints – let staff vent a little bit!
- #11: Emphasize the uniqueness of adolescence in American culture.
- #12: These three stages are rather plainly named, but possess distinct characteristics. Let’s talk about them in a little more depth.
- #13: This is a difficult stage, both for teens and those who love them. Teens in this stage are not operating with a full set of adult logic and rationality, and it’s unreasonable to ask them to. Ask for memories and stories.
- #14: Ask for memories and stories. What are some ways for libraries to provide healthy risks and support maturing interests and skills?
- #15: Ask for memories and stories. Discuss ways to nurture a burgeoning sense of these teens’ place in the community.
- #16: Now we know who they are and why they act the way they do. So what next?
- #17: For each skill, ask for an example of a library situation where it would be useful.
- #18: Act out examples of each. Library staff are neither parents nor teachers – we can provide a space where teens interact with adults who are not dictators. So don’t act like one! However, remember that teens are still developing interpersonal skills, and remember that your sense of self is not at stake – you are there to support them, not to be destroyed by them. We are no longer teens, though, and acting like one won’t help. In fact, it will probably be painful. Go ahead and be an adult – you are not fluent in their language, no matter what you think!
- #19: The way that you greet teens will have enormous influence on their opinion of libraries. Make it a pleasant experience for them – smile, make eye contact, and show them that you are listening and that respect their needs and difficulties. Ask for examples of each bullet point.
- #20: Thanks for all your input! I’ll compile all of your suggestions and observations you’ve made throughout the presentation and post them on the staff network.
- #21: Let’s take a five minute break. There are refreshments in the back. When we come back, we’ll do some role playing to put some theory into practice.