YA Services Minutes - February 28, 2024

OES Updates 

Teen Services Check-In Report – Emily 

Remaining focus topics to be covered in 2024:  

• Teen advisory boards – August 28 

• Teen spaces – moved to April 17 after discussion 

• Anime clubs - November 20 

Winter Reading update – Emily 

• 21% increase on signups compared to last year, completion up by 10%, redemptions are down by 100 people (but more will come to claim prizes in March), etc. More stats available with Kristin (OES). 

• Early March is when prizes will be drawn 

Summer Reading preview – Kristin 

• 2024 Summer Reading Theme: Adventure Begins at Your Library : La aventura comienza en tu biblioteca  

• Met with Marketing and spoke about artwork for Summer Reading. 

• April 19th is the Marketing deadline for June/July INFO Magazine! 

• Working on getting Beanstack setup (previous year’s issues have since been fixed) 

• Selected drawing prizes (headphones, Grand Canyon exploring kit for early childhood, etc.,) 

• Clear stadium tote for alternative prize to books 

• Training will launch in April (in person and virtual) 

• Intranet resources going live in April  

• Communications coming in March 

• Goal is to have Beanstack challenges up and pre-registration running by Library Specialist Media Breakfast on April 12 

Programming deadline update – Emily and Kristin 

• The Program Planning and Outreach updates will soon go from best practices to expectations. 

• MAC and planning ahead Too many last-minute projects. Everyone should aim to enter programs in Library Market three months in advance. Susan, RDs, and Kim are figuring out expectations concerning this issue.  

• Creating more Universal Tags: National Library Month Tag coming soon 

• April 19th is the Marketing deadline for June/July INFO Magazine! 

Sensory Bags – Kristin  

• Each library gets two bags 

• Noise cancelling earmuffs, sunglasses, fidget toys, etc. 

• Extra supplies are available, if necessary,  

• Should be checked out for in-library use to track how often they are being used 

• Supplies to reorder if needed (email Kristin and Djimon)  

• There is a QR code on the bags to request feedback from library guests 

• Communication cards coming soon 

• Bags are for all ages and in-library use only 

YALSA Symposium reports 

All files and resources are in TEEN SERVICES SHAREPOINT 

Lacy: Partners and Programs for Safer Community Spaces  

• Determine ways to create safe spaces for teens in the library 

• Learn about programming that discusses violence prevention and community engagement.  

• Learn how to seek and build partnerships with community organizations.  

• Learn about funding and other resources that exist for creating activities and programs to keep youth safe.  

Krystle: Teen Voices and YA Material 

• Teens are the experts because they are the teens. Go to them as a resource.   

• Listen and encourage them to speak their minds.   

• Let them be the advocates.   

Rena: How to Navigate Challenges in the Teen Services Space & Programs that Attract New Users 

• Tips about how to navigate book challenges in the teen services space 

Meg: Creating a Teen Artist-in-Residence Program at Your Library 

• Personal development checkups and developing artistic youth as a community themselves.  

Heidi: Self Care - Unappreciated, Burned Out, and Censored Still Here 

• Settling into where you are and what's happening 

• Living what you believe (living with authenticity and what your values are). If not, your days are hard. Find out what you believe and center yourselves so you can work within the realms of your work and personal life 

• Finding your community – who are those who believe in you 

• Quit seizing the day – be rather than do. You don't have to go hard at everything. Do not overwhelm. Take time to breathe for yourself and for others. 

• Self-care is not a trend 

• When you're rigid and stressed, you're going to break 

• Breakout vs demoralization: no longer have the tools to do the job (burnout) versus the work you do is not good or worthwhile and you can't get behind, can't explain, and are no longer confident in (demoralization). 

• THREE book resources: sleep smarter, the sleep revolution, the power of rest 

Emily: Youth Homelessness: Understanding the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 

• Every school district is required to have a MVHA liaison 

• Teen homelessness definition is broad under the law 

• Mid-Del Schools MHVA liaisons is coming to the April Teen Service Meeting  

Passive Program Palooza! & Break 

What is PASSIVE PROGRAMMING? 

Passive Programming Ideas  

Some passive programming show-and-tells from the Teen Service Meeting: make art take art, puzzles, floral design day, what’s the best way to eat a potato? post-it surveys, Star Wars scavenger hunt (riddle), haikus, metaphor dice for poetry, manifestation star station craft, button maker to design and make buttons, and MORE! 

Sharing and Programming Discussion  

Elisabeth White (VI) 

• Young entrepreneur's club: Students learned the basics of entrepreneurship each week through fun, hands-on activities, culminating in a Pitch Event (curriculum available, email Elisabeth) 

• Spring Break - 90s themed escape room, need deco 

• April – combining Taylor Swift album release with poetry month (Poetry Month Library Version) 

Megan Autaubo (DC) 

• TBD 

Rena Gibson (RE)  

• Attempting to get people in for programs (particularly for the Summer), tiny books collection program (different book covers will be created for each program and made for guests to collect them all)! 

Lacy Kieser (SO)  

• Fanfiction fanart competition is going until March 8th (with award ceremony March 20th), Teen DND, alpaca palooza (April 6th), video game nights for teens, book boxes, Maker Mondays 

Meg Nance Coker (SCR) 

• Moving all the digital stuff from Library Market to another software.  

• Building a new website.  

• Want to learn anything about your branch? Contact Meg 

Rachael Lester (SCR)  

• Love to work with Teen Programmers and here to help! Former HS librarian 

Nell Johnson (BE) 

• DND club is back up, tabletop adventure club for teens (RPG), poetry and playlist, Youth Writer workshop, new moon journaling (all in Spanish) 

Natasha Parker (AL) and Tyler Gosdin (AL) 

• April – cardboard construction paper program (making cars), US Grant outreach (Magic: The Gathering program) 

• Grand opening hopefully the week of May 13th, two weeks of events, Summer Reading Kickoff Party. Want to help them move? Contact Almonte staff!  

Risa Jensen-Jones (PSA) 

• Touring the library for budget (Larry and Executive Council),  

• Marketing materials being created to share the value of libraries 

Ryn Lewis (ED) 

• Young storytellers, coding club (Sphero code), take and make (used polymer clay and smores keychains were made), developing escape room (Percy Jackson), exploding photo book, murder mystery (steampunk) 

Anton Littlejohn (MC) 

• Recurring program – Fortnite trivia night, Epoxy resin project, Smash Bros Tournament 

Mary West (CT) 

• Floor is lava program, May – music Mayhem, 3D pens project, 35 teens at anime club 

Sheldon Beach (BI) 

• Valentine heart and Haiku passive program, Robert Frost and Taylor Swift program, escape room – candy themed, Origami project 

Kassy Nicholson (NW)  

• Dredd RPG in March, DND, mini figured workshop 

Krystle Pierce (CH) 

• Slime series programs and music hangout   

Audrey MacDonald (BE) 

• Spanish classes (work in progress) 

Paula Penrod (WA) 

• Spring break palooza, Summer Reading kickoff, watercolor painting, creating an escape room 

Heidi Port (DVS) - summer teen volunteer dates to remember

• March 1st - invite teen volunteers back to the library 

• March 18th – opportunities going live and published 

• August 2 – Teen Volunteer recognition party at Downtown after hours 

Please share your thoughts on our guest speaker and the rest of the meeting here: SURVEY LINK