Teen Services Minutes - August 28, 2024

Guest Speakers – Speakers from the Youth Housing Demonstration Team with the Homeless Alliance cancelled 8/28 due to illness, they will be rescheduled for a future Teen Services meeting. 

OES Updates  

Summer Reading wrap-up – Emily and Kristin 

• Summer reading committee signups come out next week  

• Programs exchanged throughout locations helped 

• Camp Downtown program was a success (interactive program for children but can be converted for teens).  

• Candyland – Bethany decorated entire library in theme for summer 

• Recommendation for 2025 SR: Staff-only SR books reading level list available next year (to differentiate adult vs easy vs tween vs JF)  

• Please take the post summer reading survey! Every staff member is welcome and wanted since Summer Reading affects everyone. 

• Read It Forward delivery on September 27th  

Scheduling fall/winter Teen Services check-ins – Emily 

• Book time with Emily Williams: Teen Services Check-In 

• Emily will go around the libraries and visit teen services staff. Feedback, comments, improvements, plans, and programs are topics on the table. This is an interactive method to learn and help, however needed.  

Outreach and STEAM kits – Djimon 

• Please be respectful of the kits. 

Teen bookmarks from COM – Emily 

Updated language from older bookmark: Teens (change dated steampunk/gears theme) FREE stuff you didn’t know you could do at your library  

• Hang out with friends in teen events   

• Volunteer for great experience & service hours  

• Use wifi and charge your phone  

• Have a Safe Place if you need help  

• Read comics and manga  

• Download audiobooks & ebooks with Libby and hoopla  

• Reserve a study room (at most locations)  

• Ask a librarian about homework or research help  

• Design something at your nearest Makerspace  

• Learn new skills through Tailored Skills  

• Play video and board games  

• Find resume and job search support  

• Check out study guides, prepare for ACT or your driver’s test  

And lots more!  

QR code landing page with links (Tailored Skills, volunteering)  

www.metrolibrary.org   

On back – no locations, in Spanish instead? 

Teentober 

• If you want to highlight teen events during Teentober, make sure to add the teentober tag to teen programs.  

• If you have a specific Teentober program you want to push, contact Emily Williams  

Additional projects 

• Met with juvenile court judge that wants to connect juvenile teens with library resources. They would like librarians to outreach and maybe teach a class centering around library resources available and the library’s role to probationary youth. If you’re interested in helping with this outreach, contact Emily! 

Teen Advisory Boards

Panel discussion with Elisabeth, Mary, Ryn, and Kassy (responses by Rena provided via email) 

What is the current status of your Teen Advisory Board or Teen Service Team? 

• Kassy – Does not have one. Had one consistently in 2017 but covid happened and has not successfully got it going again. 

• Mary – Has one, relaunched as TAB and will resume in September.  

• Elisabeth – 3rd round of TAB, started first year of librarianship, last year was first full year of TAB, and next week is their first meeting for the year 

• Ryn – Inherited TAB, dissolved because of covid but now bringing it back through teen volunteering.  Timeframe on TAB will be Sept-May 

• Rena – Does not have one currently but is trying to start one up  

What is the difference between a TAB and a TST? 

• Elisabeth – TST- task I want you to do and tell them what to do. TAB- telling the librarian their ideas and librarian is there to help. Ask them what the barriers are and issues you see in the library, and what they can do to address and fix these issues shown (i.e., people needing help with basic technology, so they make quick tech videos).   

• Ryn- Different experience since both were functioning before entering. Had to come in and figure out TAB that was already there. 

• What is the connection to teen volunteers? Is there any crossover? 

• Mary- They are the exact same kids so make sure they are knowledgeable in both TAB and volunteering  

• Elisabeth- Some that do both or one or the other 

• Ryn – What the highschoolers show up for, and that is how they get them in the library.  

• Kassy – Recruited TAB members from volunteers. Sometimes they would handpick and sometimes it is opened to everyone (that volunteer) depending on need. 

How do you recruit? 

• Mary – Word of mouth. Solid group coming that then brings their friends that brings their friends. Originally were going to outreach events, but it picked up so much and now word of mouth is working well. 

• Ryn – Legacy kids (brothers and sisters that did it before them), any local schools that have volunteer and service-based programs and responsibilities. Keeps it very small because you don't need the same numbers in the summer as the rest of the year 

• Elisabeth – same as others 

What kind of projects have your groups done? Do they have a set mission or purpose? 

• Elisabeth – Come up with their own mission (i.e., tech videos to help guests, mental health). Walk around and notice what is needed in the library and what barriers TAB wants to tackle and how; and they let them know.  

• Mary- Younger group in this TAB, so they need more guidance. Talking about outcome statement and how everyone in the library needs one. Big group brainstorming. (i.e., boat-science program they got created and executed). Stick with kids' programs.  

• They also decorate library windows each month. 

• Ryn - Teen room makeover- They sat with catalogues and decided what they wanted in there and why, and that influenced how they reorganized and designed the room.  

• Help dry run programs and events and will give feedback (passive programming as well),  

• Kassy- Helps with planning teen programs. Have a teen activity at the same time every week (what they are beginning to learn so this helps their process). Meet right before teen program. TAB met directly before that, wanted them to participate more but it ended with running ideas by them (program idea), and they would give opinions. Dry runs, debrief after, icebreakers, evaluations after each program, and more.  

• Rena- Led programs and marketing at their respective schools 

Do you have teens provide input and act in partnership with staff on any projects? 

• Ryn- teens have come on outreach events (specifically school or teen-based outreaches) 

• Rena- teen partners with library staff and will help out 

• Mary- Volunteer DMs for DND 

Does your TAB provide leadership opportunities? 

• Elisabeth – Nothing formal, but they have opportunities to lead by being in TAB.  

• See each other every other week instead of once a month (because so much is missed). In order to do the officer thing, you would need to be consistent and see each other more often. 

• Ryn- Nothing formal, but they come in less confident and leave with more, plus other great qualities and skills and lifelong connections 

• What does a meeting look like? How often do you meet? 

• Mary - 2 hours long, snacks, after school, must redirect them because this is different from a regular teen program. 20-30 brainstorming work and 20-30 at the end for games and calm down period 

• Elisabeth – Short meetings more often (every other week) instead of longer ones once a month. Shorter meetings make the meeting more meaningful and less busy work. 

• Ryn- Activities in the beginning. They will say it’s goofy, but it is bonding, and many are still in contact with each other and built lifelong connections.  

• Rena – Consistency, more than once a month is needed 

Any ideas for maintaining a successful TAB? 

• Kassy – Depends on the group of kids that came in. Some were successful while others were not.  

• Ryn – Need to see each other more (for bonding purposes) 

• Mary – Having an agenda helps keep them on track. Then they’re rewarded at the end (games, fun time, bonding time) 

What fun things did you learn on the fly from doing this program? 

• Ryn – Volunteering but so different. Teen Services and TAB you can build a bond with them and the programs are more laid-back.  

• Rena – How great teens can be. They get a bad rep but with this program they get to showcase another side of themselves, and you discover their true personalities. 

• Kassy – Let the teens set the ground rules (of course there is general stuff) because each individual group will display what is important to them (i.e., no cursing rule, no movie spoilers' rule,) and other rules and procedures they create and respect. 

Time for Q&A 

What are some good talking points for my supervisor about how this will benefit the library overall? 

• Consistent teens during the school year that will lead to better SR volunteer numbers 

• Teens coming to the library all year  

• Making lifelong users 

• Teen service hours 

• Program is scalable, can make it as big or small as we want! 

What does the interview process look like? 

• Not different from Summer Reading volunteer process 

• Chat beforehand, volunteer application, expectations chat, very casual 

• Tell them they could come and observe a TAB session first and then apply. 

How to get older and younger kids to get along or help the process of them understanding each other in TAB 

• Different ages must adapt and figure out what works for each group.  

• Younger kids do learn from the older kids  

• If you listen to them and prove what they say matters, you will bridge the gap and understand each other.  

• This is a place where kids can find their group, their niche.  

• There hasn’t been a problem with older kids having issues with younger kids.  

 THEMES from panel discussion: TABs are an excellent way for staff to building relationships with teens in our community and to help teens connect with each other; we need to be flexible in structure and goals; timeline for this type of program is often cyclical; it helps you get comfortable with failing and learning; every group is different and unique. 

Sharing 

Heidi Port (DVS) 

• Teen volunteer information for fall coming out soon 

Kristin Williamson (OES) 

• September through May, we are partnering with OU Health and bringing their pediatric resident services to four libraries (VI, DC, BI, and AL). They will be at locations for 2 hours to connect guests with resources and give a medical presentation on a certain topic.  

Elisabeth White (VI) 

• One volunteer from the library approached the library and asked to do a plushies program. Taking them through the program planning process to get this done! 

Anton Littlejohn (MC) 

• Trivia night, anime club, string art program, Lifesize LIFE   

Paula Penrod (WA) 

• King Tut escape room, crafts for Halloween, felt plushy kit, passive programming 

Nell Johnson (BE) 

• Tabletop adventure club, local author visit, American girl book club, voices in votes exhibition that will be here in December and January, no other programming happening during those months 

Sheldon Beach (BI) 

• Opening lower floor for video game nights, getting sounds room ready (Styrofoam-ing room, drums inside, microphone, etc.) 

Mary West (CT) 

• Artsy fartsy club (thank you Kassy/NW for program idea), felt program  

Krystle Pierce (CH) 

• Cardstock Halloween house (take-home kit) - going to do one for every holiday (valentines, spring), Halloween slime 

Natasha Parker (AL) 

• Reading music for beginners' series, teen makerspace once a month, trading card game night,   

Kimberly Ventrella (DN) 

• Stardew Valley needle felting program, Paranormal Fest 

Kassy Nicolson (NW) 

• Artsy fartsy connected with specific artist, TikTok ghost painting with a Taylor Swift twist, having LGBTQ-specific programs (national coming out day program, Scott/CT doing an author visit, Pink Pony Club, and movie showings) 

Please share your thoughts about the meeting and format in a quick survey here: https://metrolibrary.wufoo.com/forms/p1gwtlf9121ocsu/