Teen programming at the County and branch level
In the New Castle County Delaware Library System, successful teen programming tends to focus on the practical preparation for challenges teens will soon face. We host two annual series of workshops at multiple branches, one on applying for scholarships for college, and one on volunteering. The teen volunteering presentations culminate in a large Volunteer Fair at one of the branches, to which we invite local and national non-profits who accept teen help. Many NCC branch libraries use teens to staff the popular Summer Reading Club, as well as to help out throughout the year. For most of the teens, volunteering is their first exposure to a professional workplace.
On the individual branch level we have more recreational programs. The Teen Doctor Who Club at the Brandywine Hundred Library, which was began as a summer program last year, has been so popular that we just keep having it! Teens from different schools have met and formed friendships based on a common love of the mad man in the blue box.
The brand-new Claymont Library has a beautiful mural which was painted in the summer of 2013 by area teens with instruction from wonderful local artist Ken Mabrey. Teen videographers, using cameras purchased with a Best Buy Community Grant, filmed the process. Their short video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLWTDcK4jMM‘ 
Finally, our teen magazine, IMAZINE, is in its third year. Many branches offer writing and art workshops throughout the summer when teens have a little more free time, and we encourage them all to submit to IMAZINE.
Submitted by Jeanne Benzel, Teen Librarian, Brandywine Hundred Library
