Transcript Connecting Young Adults and Libraries Identifying the customer

Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
Zollo, Peter.
Wise Up to
Teens. 2nd
Edition. New
Strategist
Press, 1999.
www.connectingya.com
Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
THE
ELEMENTS
OF
SUCCCESS
 Asking why
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Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
Identify the elements
of success: create for
your community, don’t
just copy.
 Bridges not barriers
 Everything to scale

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Everything to scale
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Program This!
AGE
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
5%
0-2
13%
21%
23%
3-4
5-6
7-8
20%
12%
5%
1%
1%
9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18
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WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY:
a how-to-do-it workshop
“But I put out the flyer”
-
Stock excuse number #1 on why a
program or service didn’t meet
expectations.
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WHAT is programming for
teens?

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Staff intensive:
Involve a hired presenter:
Use a teen presenter with knowledge or
expertise
Be totally teen planned, implemented and
evaluated.
Be highly interactive on the teens own time
and always available
Be almost spontaneous
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WHO is the audience and what
are their needs
Physical activity:
 Competence and Achievement:
 Self-Definition:
 Creative Expression:
 Positive Social Interaction with Peers
and Adults
 Structure and Clear Limits
 Meaningful Participation
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
What types of programs appeal to
teens?
Cultural  Informational –
 Educational
 Recreational

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What are some teen program staples?
Craft programs
 Book Discussion Groups
 Teen Read Week
 Summer Reading Programs for Teens
 Writing groups and contests
 Teens as performers

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What teens are you trying to
reach with programs?

12-13-they are interested in being teenagers,
in every possible way.
 14-15-able to remember topics and
discussions from one month to the next, can
express their emotions thru writing or acting,
generally are not getting regular opportunity
to be creative, can assist with crafts as well
as participate.
 16-17-Able to give opinions while taking
multiple factors into consideration, looking for
practical applications
of information, have
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developed niche interests.
HOW do you plan teen
programming?
Ideas
 Ask and answer the 5Ws
 Implementation
 Evaluation
 Education

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5W 1H
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WHAT IS THE PROGRAM: (title / description
/ objectives)
WHO IS THE AUDIENCE: (age, gender,
target schools)
WHEN/WHERE WILL IT TAKE PLACE: (date,
time, and location)
WHY WILL IT SUCCEED: (partnerships,
youth involvement, development needs)
HOW WILL BE PROMOTED
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What are examples
of successful teen
programs?
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Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Teen drama club
over the
summer on
weekly basis.
Picked and then
presented a
play. Now,
monthly basis.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Serve parenting and
pregnant teens
developed
program where
students would
read stories to
kindergartners.
Also do
programming
around the
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Card and comic book club on
Saturday afternoons. Kids
trade with each other and
with library. Play card
games such as magic the
gathering. Door prizes and
refreshments.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST
PRACTICE
Contest to
bulletin board:
librarians gave
a theme and
students
created the
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
LSTA grant buy dig
cameras; grades 4
– 8; set up eye-spy
teams with local
historians; took
photos of historic
sites: zoom in,
wrote clues; on the
web.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Summer programs for teens - craft,
intellectual/educational, and FUN:
(mystery kit): no young children
allowed. Using mehndi: body painting:
temp tattoos. Seeing kids normally not
library users: primary pr is through
word of mouth. Unique programs: mud
painting, tie dye, etc.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
During summer, using
Gates computers.
Offered training beyond
use of the Internet to
use programs loaded
on computers.
Instruction in use:
classes they could
sign-up.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST
PRACTICE
T-shirt
decoration:
teens create
their own tshirts to wear
when they
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Contacted by historical society to do a
program with an inner city branch.
Activities, and also performer coming in
costume. Tie in with Ohio history
learning requirement.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Program in schools a brown bag lunch
program with middle school. Visiting
twice a month, book discussion group
over lunch. Library buys paperbacks for
students. Librarian presented an
award to teacher who organized project.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Poster designing contest for the summer
reading program theme. Anime style
was the winner: got used on the public
relations materials. Teen was then
hired to work at branch.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
For Teen Read Week,
photographer took
pix of teens in
various locations
which were then
used in libraries with
slogans on them.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Teen Arcade in Gates
training room
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Every time a teen
attends a program
or volunteers, ask
them to give email
address and get
invites to school
programs.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Last September turned volunteens in
puppet performing troupe (puppet
teens). Help prepare scripts, make
props, develop scenery, and perform.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Library has developed outreach programs with a
wide range of agencies which also serve teens,
such as the workforce center, a program for teen
mothers (New Beginnings), GED/ESL classes, key
contacts in the mental health community,
Juvenile Detention Center including donations of
materials, and educational community/alternative
high school
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
One branch worked with a nearby
Catholic school which assigns student
to read genre fiction. Library helped
develop list and promoted titles with
series of booktalks at the school.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
. Although at the low end of young adult
age range, library visits every 5th grade
class during the fall to promote
children’s book week with 30 minute
presentations about the library,
including booktalks. Teachers like the
visits with normally begin with a letter to
principal, then a follow-up phone call to
set schedule with secretary or librarian
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
LIBRA teens only summer reading program.
Teens complete a reading log, book review,
and/or trivia fun sheets, (reading, write, and
solve) Have to be going into 5th grade or up
(age 11) .Primary participants are ages 11 15, both genders.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Developed a Mother and daughter book club.
Program recognizes fact found in many
suburban library systems that parents must
be involved or be supportive of teen
programs if they are to provide
transportation.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
. Poetry contest in the spring. YAs could submit
two poems. Capped off by an open mike night to
announce winners (Friends group supply prizes).
Over 70 Yas attended last event. Success due to
teachers getting involved and interested. Also lead
to the publication of the compiled poems. Short
story contest following same plan in the summer.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
. Teen Art Show had over 100
entries. Art put on display in
YA area and all over the
library. Reception held to
honor artists drew over 75
people to the library in the
summer.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Book discussion groups at the held during the
summer. Teens read books, discuss, and
have interacted with authors via telephone.
One group member now leads a book
discussion group for younger kids. Article
in October VOYA.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Developed system wide summer reading
program based on the number of pages
read, which allows teens to allowing to
read anything, including books they read
younger children. Goal is 600 pages. Prizes
were selected by young adults.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Library has developed a close relationship
with Girl Scouts. Scouts have done story
times in the library where Scouts read to
kids as parents were talking with WIC staff.
Girl Scouts have done a craft project and a
local history project. Girl Scouts do project
cleaning books.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
For Teen Read Week, librarians
cooperated with cable access
channel and high school to
produce 30 second “spots”
about using the library
featuring leaders from local
high school .
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
The Library’s Public Information Office
has developed mailing lists to promote
teen programs which include schools,
churches, and youth organizations.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Developed partnership with parks and
recreation department. In their
promotional materials, they advertise
library programs. Similar programs
with community education to promote
library programs.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
In September, push library cards with a table
at open houses and parent/teacher nights.
Also, send library card applications to all
the media centers. Students can return
completed application to media center,
media center gets them to library, and then
staff processes and mail cards to students.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
During the spring, students from Richfield
Middle visit the Southdale Library on
field trips for information literacy
instruction and to use collection. Also
used opportunity to conduct focus
groups to solicit opinions about methods
to improve library services to young
adults.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Systems Library has become
involved in community wide
grants to develop after school
programs and/or increase
student achievement.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Received funding from the Arts Council
for an arts project work with artist to
create large scale puppets, involving
students ages 8 – 14. Worked with
special program at high school off
campus supply two teen interns who
interested in art and education
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Teen summer volunteer
programs which allow teens
opportunity to “manage”
children’s summer reading
program, help with
programming duties, assist
with shelving juvenile
materials, and other tasks.
Most successful are those
which allow teens opportunity
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
One branch designed a suggestion
box to put in the teen area with
form stating: “we listen to you”
for suggestions of titles, genres,
and music. Titled ordered
through the suggestions are put
on display.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
. Library publishes “zines” filled with
artwork, reviews, poetry, and short
fiction. These are created and edited
by small groups of teenagers,
primarily high school students which
are then distributed to area schools.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
. Internship program developed with
Service Learning Coordinator where
high school student learns about
collection development and assist
with other special projects for course
credit . Expanded to another branch
involving grant to hire two teens to
assist youth librarian in all aspects of
serving teens.
Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
.Sleepovers at the library; issued library
cards, story times, food, and staff
involvement. Staff was there to
supervise. 11 and 12 year old who
were not primarily library users.
Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
 Dewey
or
don’t we know
good topics
for school age
programs?
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Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
000
100
200/400
300
500
600
700
800
900
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Connecting Young Adults and
Libraries
BEST PRACTICE
Loose leaf notebook: kids made
suggestions of books they wanted to
read, and also wrote reviews of books,
positive and negative.
Program This!
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Acting class
Author visit by
Anna Pearl Barrett
ASPIRE Olympics
Bats! (Nature to
go)
Bead crafts
Birthday bashes
Blue Gnus
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Program This!
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Ice Cream
Juneteenth
Kid Kix
Kung Fu
Mad Science
Magic show
Magic the
gathering
Modeling with clay
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Program This!
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Clown show
Computer camps
Computer shirt
Father's Day craft
Fly : hip hop dance
FotoFest
Galveston trip
Game Days
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Program This!
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Scrapbook
Sign language
Snakes!
Solar system
SPCA
Stain glass craft
artist Teena
Goldstein
Tie Dye shirt
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5W 1H





WHAT IS THE PROGRAM: (title / description
/ objectives)
WHO IS THE AUDIENCE: (age, gender,
target schools)
WHEN/WHERE WILL IT TAKE PLACE: (date,
time, and location)
WHY WILL IT SUCCEED: (partnerships,
youth involvement, development needs)
HOW WILL BE PROMOTED
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What are the elements of developing
successful teen programs?



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Popularity of the topic:
Partnering with schools, school group, and youth
serving organization:
Promotion, not just publicity.
Making connections with what is happening in the
lives of teenagers.
High touch: the best model for teen programs is NOT
story time (we perform; the audience watches), but
toddler time: we provide an interactive experience
consist with the development needs of the child.
Youth involvement:
Define success and expectations appropriate to the
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Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
THE NUMBER
ONE WAY TO
PLAN
DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT A
SUCCESSFUL
SCHOOL AGE
PROGRAM:
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For your
consideration-
Things
Change
(Walker
and
Company,
April 2004)
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Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
Develop action
plans
 Review objectives
 For more info:
Connecting 3rd
edition
 One booktalk

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For more information:

Connecting Young Adults
and Libraries: A How-ToDo-It Manual, Third
Edition
By Patrick Jones, Michele
Gorman, and Tricia
Suellentrop
 Neal-Schuman, July 2004
 1-55570-508-1. 8 1/2 x 11 .
438 pp.
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Do It Right! Best Practices for Serving Young Adults
in School and Public Libraries
Patrick Jones and Joel Shoemaker; Introduction by
Mary K. Chelton


Young adults are a growing population in
libraries, yet few librarians know how to
provide the unique kinds of services
teenagers need and want. Now, YA experts
Jones and Shoemaker apply customer
service theory and technique to serving this
unique population. Shoemaker explores
ways to provide the best possible customer
service in school library media centers.
Jones offers tips, techniques and examples
of how to turn teenagers into "raving fans"
of the public library. Includes charts,
examples, and real-life case studies. These
two innovative YA librarians have written the
definitive guide to customer service for
librarians serving youths.
1-55570-394-1 . 2001 . 6 x 9 . 200 pp.
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$45.00
http://www.connectingya.com
Running a
Successful Library
Card Campaign: A
How-To-Do-It
Manual
By Patrick Jones
1-55570-438-7 . 175
pp. $55.00 / NealSchuman, 2002
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http://www.connectingya.com
What's So Scary
About R.L.
Stine? by Patrick
Jones:
0810834685 ;
Scarecrow,
$32.50. 276
pages, 1998
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Connecting Young Adults and Libraries
Patrick Jones
http://www.connectingya.com
Consulting,
training, and
coaching for providing
powerful youth services
including library card
campaigns and web
projects
[email protected]
www.connectingya.com