When I started as a librarian, I wanted to help all libraries reach out to teens in meaningful ways. I’ve been at my job for a little over a year now, and while I still have a long way to go, I’m proud of some of the things I’ve done this past year to help the teens own teen services at my branch.

Working with teens takes trust, a caring heart and a willingness to listen to new things. While I would love to have a huge teen space in every branch with daily programs and amazing collections, I’ve found that teen services is more about relationships than the size of your collection, the amount of your programs, or even the amount of space dedicated to teens at your library.

Service teens is about talking to parents who don’t understand their son or daughter and helping them understand that its OK to pick up an audiobook or graphic novel instead of a novel. It involves working with schools, teachers, and other organizations that teens use frequently. Its genuinely listening to the teens ideas and giving them a chance to make the programs, collection, and space theirs with minimal barriers. Its also about showing the community all the positive things teens are capable of, such as drawing, writing stories, or giving back to the community.

If you are looking for ways to get teens to take ownership of the library here are a few ways to garner teen input:

1. Put up a blank posterboard with a question, so teens can write their response (What is your favorite Band or Anime or Book). A good follow up is to check to make sure these items are in your collection.
2. Before you order new magazines, or any items for a specific collection, survey the teens about them (Ask What should we keep? What should we add? Any you think we shouldn’t have, Why?)
3. If you have the staff to support it, hold a teen program once a week. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just reserve the meeting room for them. Then let the teens decide what they want to do. I tend to bring at least 3 choices, and the ones there at the beginning of the program get to pick what we do. Also Halfway through I tend to switch things so everyone gets a chance to do what they want.

And while I’ve not convinced every employee in my library system of the value of teens and services to them, I am grateful for all of the people who are very excited and supportive of teen services because without them I would not have really been able to do anything. I’ve pulled in pages, circulation, reference librarians, and even administrators to help me be the eyes and ears for what the teens want from their library. Its my job to help the teens see what’s possible.

So when you get frustrated I hope this helps you see that deep down its about helping one teen been more confidant about themselves and who they are by finding acceptance for being themselves from you.