Advocacy is something that library staff working with teens sometimes find difficult to take on. It can seem scary. It can seem time consuming. It can seem like something that someone else can do. However, advocating for the value of library teen services and the value of supporting the successful growth and development of teens is something that every library staff member needs to take on. As a way to help library staff understand some of the ins and outs of advocating for and with teens, YALSA just added three new Snack Break videos on that topic.
One way to get started with advocacy work is through engaging teens in activities that help them gain advocacy skills. In the video below, Jane Gov, Youth Services Librarian, Pasadena (CA) Public Library, provides tips on how to do just that.
If you wonder how to make connections with local community members and elected officials in order to advocate for and with teens, the tips from Gail Sheldon, Children’s and Youth Services Library Consultant, Alabama Public Library Service, will help you get started on that.
Mary Hastler, CEO of the Harford County (MD) Library System, explains why it’s important to connect with state legislators in order to gain support for teen library services.
Advocacy is something you can do. For more information on how to get started, along with tips for successful teen services advocacy, check out YALSA’s advocacy resources. On the advocacy web page you’ll find an Advocacy Toolkit along with ideas on how to spend just a few minutes, or several hours, on being a teen services advocate.
You can view all of YALSA’s Snack Breaks on YouTube.
