Serving teens in MHLS libraries

(Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books)

The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens, and Books) is a book club grant program organized by the American Library Association Public Programs Office (PPO), in cooperation with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Major funding for the Great Stories Club has been provided by Oprah’s Angel Network.

About the Program

The Great Stories Club is a reading and discussion program that targets underserved, troubled teen populations. The program reaches teens through books that are relevant to their lives, inviting them to read and keep the books, and encourages them to consider and discuss each title with a group of their peers. It seeks to show that reading can be a source of pleasure, a tool for self-exploration, and a meaningful way to connect to the wider world. Its ultimate goal is to inspire young adults who face difficult situations to take control of their lives by embracing the power of reading.

Check it out at http://www.ala.org/ala/ppo/currentprograms/greatstories/club.cfm

mk

In this conversation, Dimitri Williams (professor @ USC who studies social dynamics of online games) and the young gamer he interviews reflect on the ways in which leadership and organizational skills can be developed in an online multiplayer game. Use arguments with your administration to support purchasing gaming equipment and offering programs.

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3356.html

mk

Check out the article at http://www.actforlibraries.org/pdf/TeensFactSheet.pdf. Interesting facts about library usage by teens, what the public thinks about how libraries should serve teens and some innovative program ideas.

mk

Interesting article: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/211/report_display.asp

MK

We started a tradition two years ago of doing a “graduation ceremony” at our annual TAB Lock-in (all night event). Each graduate gets a group of other TAB members who dress the graduate in a newspaper gown and cap–we’ve had some pretty creative designs! It’s amazing what they can do with a stack of newspapers and a roll of scotch tape! Once the costumes are finished, everyone gets a kazoo to do Pomp and Circumstance while the grads march to receive their honors. The grads get a coupon to a local ice cream place and another prize (either a book or something else from our prize collection–we usually do this part around 3 or 4am, so my memory is a little fuzzy…). It’s one of the highlights of the Lock-in!

From Mary Ann Lewis, Young Adult Services Librarian, Associated Libraries of Monroe County

MK - You have to love the kazoo idea…

If you are lucky enough to have older teens in your group, here are some ideas for honoring them from ya-yaac listserv:We honor the outgoing members with a cake, card signed by all the TAB members and a graduation-dressed teddy bear holding a gift certificate for Barnes & Noble, presented at the last meeting of the school year.  So far we’ve only had one per year, so it hasn’t strained the budget. We also asked them to suggest a book to add to our YA collection that had meaning for them - one was a biography of her favorite poet - and we put a book plate with their name in it with the years of service as a TAB member.

Jane Granatino, Asst. Director, Dover Town Library, Dover, MA

 MK

This is the same post I made on the MHLS YS listserv but am trying to keep this blog going by adding to it occasionally.

For those of you who want to stay up-to-date on gaming in libraries, consider this blog: http://libgaming.blogspot.com/
It’s an extension of the Google Libgaming listserv, which you could also join. This is an example of the crossroads we are currently at with the technology–listservs and blogs overlapping in serving as information sharing resources.
MK

Hi, everyone,

Here’s a great teen idea–an Alternative Fashion Show. See http://www.yalibrarian.com/ and scroll to bottom for more details on Fayetteville Library’s successful show. You might contact Marist College Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising Dept. to see if some of the students would help you with this. Be sure to watch the video to see the bubble wrap hat, box skirt and my favorite–the slide skirt! MK

Kim Bolan, who did a teen space workshop at MHLS a couple years ago, has started a teen space blog. Here’s the url: http://indielibrarian.blogspot.com/

She also wrote the book, Teen Spaces, (in MHLS Professional Collection) . Don’t forget to look at our website about spaces and furniture at http://midhudson.org/department/youth/Space_PlanningYS.htm

MK

Just saw this information about a mystery writing contest for teens and thought you might want to pass it on to teens. http://www.mysterywriters.org/pages/news/nixon.htm

 MK