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Teen Reading LoungeA Pennsylvania Humanities CouncilProgram & Publication

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

For more information on the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and our programs, please visit www.pahumanities.org or call (800) 462-0442 or (215) 925-1005.

Teen Reading Lounge (TRL) is a program of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, supported by theNational Endowment for the Humanities and by federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council builds and leadsa vibrant network of individuals, organizations, andcommunities that champions the humanities and empowers Pennsylvanians to think critically, grow, and engage in their communities. With the support ofindividual donors, foundations, corporations, and theNational Endowment for the Humanities, PHC advances the humanities through original programming,advocacy, and direct grants to more than 250 organizations statewide. PHC strengthens and empowers libraries, historical societies, museums,schools, arts centers, and scholars to engage with theircommunities and advocate for the humanities.

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PHC's work would not be possible without the robust participation of our vibrant colleagues in the humanities. Indeed, Teen Reading Lounge is a collective endeavor that brings together the vision, knowledge, and wisdom of inspired individuals and organizations from across Pennsylvania. Public libraries and their staff, including teen and youth librarians, scholars, artists, and educators advised PHC throughout TRL's development.

We are particularly grateful to Pennsylvania's library community. With generous support, guidance, andencouragement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Commonwealth Libraries, 12 public libraries representing a variety of Pennsylvania communities conducted two rounds of pilots in2010-12, and many of these libraries and their facilitators continued to work on TRL. In 2012-13, CarnegieLibrary of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh District Library Center joined our venture and conducted programs at eight libraries in Allegheny County to improve our practices and our materials. PHC alsoworked with Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the University of Pittsburgh’s Western Pennsylvania WritingProject to evaluate the program. Finally, the Allegheny County Library Association, the Pennsylvania Library Association's PA Forward initiative, and the Pennsylvania Library Association's Academy of Leadership Studies have also lent their energy and resources to TRL in 2012-13.

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PHC has a successful track record of working with Pennsylvania libraries for decades. As centers for lifelong learning and development, libraries are a natural fit for publichumanities programming bringing together individualsto learn, grow, and engage in their communities.

Teen Reading Lounge was developed in partnershipwith library leaders, educators, artists, scholars andteen services librarians. Advisers helped us think out issues like program design, informal learning needs relating to the humanities and public libraries, skill building in teens, reading and book trends, program evaluation outcomes, and teen services best practices.

To date, we have worked with 16 unique libraries to test howthe model could be implemented by experienced and novice teen servicesproviders. Over 350 teens from diverse communities across Pennsylvania participated in the program. Library staff, program facilitators, teens andtrained evaluators have provided valuable feedback on the program so it can be continually improved. The TRL materials reflect what we’ve learnedfrom the talented individuals and the creative teens who have participated in this process.

Table Of ContentsA Message From Our Executive Director 4

Defining The Humanities 5

How To Use Our Guides 6

Frequently Asked Questions 7

Outline Of A TRL Program 8

Teens And The Humanities 9

How TRL Supports Learning 9

Teens’ Use Of Libraries 9

Building A Strong Relationship 10

Why Popular Young Adult Fiction? 10

TRL Program In Action 11

As the executive director of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council(PHC), I passionately believe in the power of the humanities to openminds, transform lives and build a better future for generations tocome. Within this guide, we have provided tips and tools to implement PHC’s humanities-based, interactive book discussion program, Teen Reading Lounge.

At PHC, we believe in the power of the humanities as a learning tool to help young people to become smart, confident and conscientious and empathetic young adults. Today, more than ever, all of us – not just young people - need to sift through so much information, adapt to rapid change, and engage in a global community. The humanities can help teens at a critical time in their development and provide themwith the tools and context to understand, make decisions and act responsibly in their lives, communities and future jobs.

Our Teen Reading Lounge program serves as a model for out-of-school time learning within libraries such as yours acrossPennsylvania. The program uses popular comics, graphic novels and fantasy to foster fun, creative discovery and deeplearning experiences. The program helps to engage teens, establishing libraries as legitimate and safe hangout places formany young people who do not have other places to go after school, on weekends, or during the summer.

What makes TRL unique is that teens themselves actively co-create this program with librarians and educators. The program teaches 21st century learning skills and allows teens to explore questions important to them. Such an experienceis critical for teens who may not be engaged by school and who are at a time in their lives when they are questioning whothey are and what their place in the world is. This is the kind of program that can get kids on the right learning and socialtrack at just the right time in their lives. TRL can make a real difference in their future.

It is my belief that you will find the resources, guidance and tips within the pages of our program materials to be invaluableto you as you begin to develop your own TRL program. Our staff and partners have worked hard to present to you themost complete and helpful information possible. Crafting an innovative, interesting program for teenagers is indeed possible — and with the direction provided within these pages, I hope you will find the process to be rewarding andthought-provoking.

Thank you for choosing to implement PHC’s Teen Reading Lounge program. Your library is taking an important step towards helping young adults learn to better articulate and share their opinions and beliefs, engage with others, and overcome differences – all vital skills that will help them become civically engaged and responsible adults.

A Message From Our Executive Director

Laurie ZiererPennsylvania Humanities Council

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humanities

“ “The humanities are thestories and ideas that convey what it

means to be human. They bring the community together to discover how history,

the arts, literature and culture stimulate our creativityand inspire actions that improve the world around us.They connect us with each other and start conversa-tions that cause us to think critically, engage with our

communities and grow. The humanities provide continuity with the past, reflect the present and illuminate possibilities for the future, fostering

a greater understanding of the world and our place in it.

literature

art criticism

stories

understanding

values

languages

interactive

thinking

hearing

philosophy

writing

reading

history

analyze

world

visual

discuss

friendships

beliefs

ethics 5

How To Use Our GuidesTeen Reading Lounge Program OverviewThis program guide sheds light on the science — the “why” — behind the program.Downloadable as a PDF from www.pahumanities.org, the publication shares the research and the reasoning behind why the Teen Reading Lounge program is structured the way it is, and how it benefits both the youth and your library. (The publication you are reading right now is the Program Overview.)

Teen Reading Lounge Reference GuideOnce you decide that launching a TRL program within your own library isright for you, contacting PHC and downloading the Teen Reading LoungeReference Guide from www.pahumanities.org is your next step. Thepublication serves as the “how to” in getting your program up and running and contains the tips and guidance on how to design your program. “

“6 PHC can play an important role in help-ing young people develop an awarenessof how the humanities reach every corner of our lives. Working with them is our opportunity to deliver civility andculture to the world they will create.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is Teen Reading Lounge (TRL)?TRL in an informal learning program developed for public libraries as an educational and recreational resource for youngadults. A teen-driven program, TRL is designed to engage teens (ages 11 to 18) in the exploration of the humanitiesthrough the reading and discussion of popular young adult literature and creative hands-on or other experiential activitiesthat complement the readings. Library staff designs the program with teens and a program facilitator, an individual experienced in leading programs with and for teens.

What are the goals of TRL?Engage teen audiences in out-of-school-time learning in the humanities.Increase the capacity of libraries to conduct public humanities programming for teens, tomorrow’s library supporters.

How much will TRL cost my library?TRL is free to libraries partnering with PHC to bring the program to their community. For those libraries, PHC covers thecost of books, supplies and the honorarium for the facilitator.

Why should I bring TRL to my library?TRL is an opportunity for libraries to introduce the humanities as a tool to engage teens and for libraries to build capacityfor serving youth. Librarians have a special opportunity to develop their leadership abilities by connecting with a networkof librarians serving teens so they have increased peer support, increased opportunities to share information and learn,and a stronger vehicle for taking collective action.

What resources and support can PHC provide when I’m planning my own TRL program?PHC provides a wealth of resources for libraries running a Teen Reading Lounge program. Libraries can access our TRL Reference Guide on our website, which is full of information on how to plan for, implement and advocate for a humanities-based program like TRL. In that guide, libraries will find suggestions for recruiting a program facilitator, bookand activity ideas, tips on working with teens, and guidance on promoting, attracting teens and evaluating a program.

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Outline Of A TRL ProgramTRL consists of eight sessions that take place over a few months. Libraries work with theirprogram facilitators and teens to choose up to three popular young adult books to explorewith the group. The two main components of the program are book discussions and creative or experiential activities. Although there is a framework for TRL, the program isflexible and can be customized for a library’s specific group of teens.

Discussions are the cornerstone of TRL. During discussion, teens are asked to reflect onthe books they have read. Participant responses should drive the sessions; the adult’s role isto spark and guide discussion. Creative and experiential activities have taken manyforms. Libraries have created projects rooted in the visual and performing arts,writing, graphic design, media and technology. Off-site field trips and learningexperiences also have been successful. Activities should be adapted to fit the skills of the facilitators and the interests of the teens. In this way, teens are actively creating a response to what they’ve read, often times revealing additional dimensions that didn’t come out in initial discussions.

Finally, building community is central to a successful program. Each session builds on the previous one and encourages participants to deepen their understanding of the book, engage respectfully in thediscussion with peers and adults,continue to make connections to themselves and the world, and gain greater proficiency in21st century learning skills. v

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Teens And The HumanitiesPHC believes that including teens in the public humanitiesis a crucial step in building a community of well-informed,highly-engaged adults. The humanities can help teens at acritical time in their development. Major intellectual, emotional, and social growth are squeezed into the teenyears as youth develop their sense of self and prepare foradulthood and active citizenship. During adolescence,youth shift to a more nuanced understanding of the world,moving away from the black and white perspectives thatthey held when they were younger. They are also activelyshaping their identity and figuring out their role in society,

even as they increase their understanding of others. At animportant point in the lives of adolescents, the humanitiescan teach important skills essential for future life and work.They foster in teens an understanding of the complexity ofour relationships, an appreciation for the intricacies of social situations, and the ability to empathize and understand other people, their values, and their motives.They help young adults learn how to articulate and sharetheir opinions and beliefs, engage with others, and overcome differences — vital skills for civically engaged andresponsible adults.v

How TRL Supports LearningTRL advances skills promoted by PA Forward, the Pennsylvania Library Association’s literacies initiative, civicand social literacy as well as basic literacy skills. It also supports learning outlined by the PA Core Curriculum andthe Pennsylvania Standards. TRL addresses reading comprehension, speaking and listening, civics and government, interpersonal relationships, and arts and humanities standards in the PA Standards and reading literature and speaking and listening standards in the PACore Curriculum. Through TRL, teens become an active partof a learning process that is rooted in the humanities and reflects personal interests. Studies have shown that thiskind of interest-based learning creates collaborative, participatory and analytic learners. Teens who participatedin TRL activities reported an increased desire to read andgained confidence in expressing their opinion and understanding others’ points of view – all essential skills

built by critical thinking and positive social interaction.

In addition, TRL promotes 21st century skills advocated bythe Institute for Museum and Library Services, including: l Creativity and innovation skills — to think creatively,

work creatively with others and implement innovations. l Critical thinking and problem solving skills — to reason

effectively, make judgments and decisions and solveproblems.

l Communication and collaboration skills —to communicate clearly and collaborate with others.

l Life and career skills — to be self-directed learners, interact effectively with others, work effectively in diverse teams and to act responsibly with others.v

Teens’ Use Of LibrariesAccording to a 2007 Harris Interactive poll on youth and library use, nearly 80 percent of children ages 8 to 18 yearspossess library cards. The poll also found that 57 percent ofpublic library users and 78 percent of school library usershave visited their public library at least monthly. A 2012study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project notedthat high school students are more likely than other agegroups to have used the library over the last year. However,the Pew study found that, in spite of their high rate of li-

brary usage, high school students were the least likely agegroup to state that the library is important to them andtheir families. In recent years, there has been a concertedmovement to expand and improve teen services. This issure to increase the numbers of young adults who valuepublic libraries. TRL is a useful resource for libraries that are part of this movement.Today’s TRL teen participants are tomorrow’s tax paying citizens and library supporters.v 9

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“Building A Strong Relationship

Choosing books for the program is a chance to work closelywith teens and your facilitator to begin shaping a unique experience atypical of a traditional book club.

Designing a program that reflects teen culture is importantso that teens can see their lives and interests in the material. Popular young adult literature often deals withpeople or issues that are marginalized or outside of the“normal” — both attractive concepts to a group that feelsmuch the same. Also, by embracing popular young adult lit-erature, the library can demonstrate how TRL is wholly dif-ferent from the classroom. This can help attract a widevariety of teens and different types of readers, some whomight not otherwise join a program like TRL.

Past TRL libraries have had success with books in fantasyfiction genres such as The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson andthe Lightning Thief and Divergent. Other libraries haveworked with comic books and graphic novels such as Coraline, Cardboard, The Runaways series and Ghostopolis.Comic books and graphic novels can be especially success-ful with reluctant readers because they are not text-heavyand combine word and image to tell a story. Teens frompast rounds of TRL reported that TRL made them want toread and showed them that books are an important part ofindependent learning. Whatever genre you decide to explore, TRL is an opportunity to instill a lifelong love ofreading in teens. v

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Communicating with teens in your library is key to building a strong relationship with them and, in turn, crafting a successful program teens feel ownership of. Studies have shown that teens feel more connected to society and perform better overall if they have a trusted adult in their lives. This is especially important for at-risk teens, those not excelling in a traditional classroom setting or those not finding support at home or in their community. TRL is a chance for library staff to build relationships with teens who need guidance. By allowing them to be themselves, share their opinions and be heard, you begin to build a trusting relationship that could have a long-lasting impact.

Based on preliminary data, 83% teens who attended a TRL program expressed interest in returning to the library for another program, 80% said they would tell their friends to visit the library, and 66% would work with library staff to develop new programs for teens. Many even expressed interest in volunteering at the library based on their experience with TRL. TRL is an opportunity to engage the teens in your library in meaningful activities that aid in their development andpositively impact their lives. v

Why Popular Young Adult Fiction?

TRL is one of the most fun things I did all year!It was great!

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TRL Program In Action

One library in a lower income area of southwest Pennsylvania saw their Teen Reading Lounge program blossom into a civic engagement project – a welcome surprise for library staff, the program facilitator and participating teens. Five teens made up the core group and all had been in juvenile detention and had completedcommunity service hours at the library.From the beginningit was clear to the teen specialist that the reading and discussion format wasn’t fully working because his teensweren’t familiar with graphic novels and comics – the seriesthe library wanted to explore.

“No one had ever read a graphic novel so in the first sessionwe talked about how the panels work,” the teen specialisttold us. “We actually read a chapter from the first book to-gether at our first session (graphic novel No Girls Allowed:Tales of Daring Women Dressed as Men for Love, Freedomand Adventure) and I was really surprised how confusedeveryone was. Nobody recognized the Star of David orknew anything about the Holocaust. It was one of thosemoments that can be discouraging but reminds us howimportant our work is. We ended up having a really intenseconversation about equality and how much better thingsare - and aren't - in the 21st century.”

The teen specialist and the facilitator also experimentedwith different kinds of hands-on activities to find out whatwould resonate with the group. They found that the teensreally responded to creating art pieces involving power tools.

“We learned they liked working with power tools,” the program facilitator said. “That led us to create the finalproject.”

To combine their love of hands-on activity and the recurringtheme of displacement found in all three of the graphicnovels the group read together, the teen specialist and facilitator created the Birdhouse Project. Over the next several sessions, teens painted and assembled birdhousesfor the trees outside of the library - which is situated on themain road of the community. On Arbor Day, teens cleaned,mulched, and placed the birdhouses in the library trees. Thelibrary also invited the local Fire Station to help hang thebirdhouses, and everyone in the community was invited toparticipate, thus leveraging their TRL program into something all could participate in.

“These teens wanted to create a project that would addsomething beautiful but functional to their neighborhood,”said the program observer. “They made the connection totheir favorite work The Arrival by Shaun Tan when theycommented that in that graphic novel, the man found anew country where he could function and stated that thebirds in the community would have a new habitat as well. Itwas heartwarming to see one of them make this leap.”

The library embraced challenges and let their teens guidethe process by carefully observing how they reacted to discussion and activities. Making adjustments – readingaloud, exploring how comics created a narrative, building asafe, welcoming environment where all voices were heardand guiding the teens to create something that had real-world implications yielded an impactful program thatwas beyond a book discussion program. “Creating an outreach project was a very successful path for our library,”the teen specialist told PHC. “It connected the books to-gether and beautified our neighborhood. [The teens were]able to take pride in the lasting effect and hopefully it canshape the idea of taking accountability for their own environment.”v

Empowering Teens to be an Active Part of the Community

““To learn more about TRL

call (215) 925-1005.

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Photos courtesy of:Georgiana Deming, Andrew Kelemen, North Versailles Public Library, Plum Borough Community Library, Bridgeville Public Library, Hazleton Area Public Library,Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Hazelwood, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Allegheny, Grove City Community Library and Sewickley Public Library.and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Carrick

In the course of our sessions, teens hadopportunities to experiment with photog-raphy, movie-making, collage, "vintage"technology (typewriters, old cameras),special effects makeup techniques, andmore. These activities invited participantsto think more deeply about the bookswe'd discussed and also to brainstorm,share ideas, and produce imaginative creations of their own.