Libraries are excellent at helping young people navigate the newly complicated waters of approaching adulthood. It gives them a place to help someone else and be needed outside of their family, and during your teenage years getting away from your parents is a precious treasure. At the library teens can become a highly functioning member of their local community, and that's something to be proud of. I for one am probably not as active of a member of my own community now as an adult than some of these teen library volunteers can boast of, and I salute them.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Teen Volunteers
It's somehow easy to forget about the need for having teens as volunteers in libraries and not just trying to reach them through the regular channels such as programming and outreach. Teens are at that point in their lives where they like feel helpful and appreciated. For many, this means they would rather be a volunteer at your library than be the subject of programming (or both, there's always both!) A wonderful post just came to my attention from the Teen Librarian's Toolbox. This particular entry included a letter that a teen volunteer wrote and dropped off for his "library family" telling them how much he appreciates what the library has done for him and what it helps him to do for others.
Libraries are excellent at helping young people navigate the newly complicated waters of approaching adulthood. It gives them a place to help someone else and be needed outside of their family, and during your teenage years getting away from your parents is a precious treasure. At the library teens can become a highly functioning member of their local community, and that's something to be proud of. I for one am probably not as active of a member of my own community now as an adult than some of these teen library volunteers can boast of, and I salute them.
Libraries are excellent at helping young people navigate the newly complicated waters of approaching adulthood. It gives them a place to help someone else and be needed outside of their family, and during your teenage years getting away from your parents is a precious treasure. At the library teens can become a highly functioning member of their local community, and that's something to be proud of. I for one am probably not as active of a member of my own community now as an adult than some of these teen library volunteers can boast of, and I salute them.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Crafting for Teen Read Week
In recent years the art of crafting and DIY has made a spectacular comeback. Shops featuring vintage and handmade items with a modern twist are popping up in every town. Steampunk and its crafting ideals are also on the rise. If you are looking for something new and exciting to feature in a program, try some of these ideas featured in YALSA's blog. You can create an experience centered around any book with crafts for your kids. Nail art, cross-stitching, or just creating some decorations for Halloween or from book ideas. I think you'll find more enthusiasm for for the library when your audience can get their hands dirty doing it.Sources
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2012/10/15/teen-read-week-ideas-crafting-it-came-from-the-library/#more-20533
Image
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/
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