An opportunity to increase your impact ARSL, Sept. 2014
The Future of Library Services for & with Teens
Beth Yoke, @yalsa_director
#act4teens
www.stayclassy.org
What We’ll Cover Today
Overview of the “Future of Library Services for & with Teens: a Call to Action” reportImplications for librariesLeveraging opportunitiesDiscussion, Q&A
The Issues Highlighted in the ReportTeens make up a significant portion of library usersLibrary services and resources for teens are in jeopardyThe demographics of teens has changed significantlyTechnology continues to have a large impact on communication, teaching and learningTeens are entering the workforce without critical skills
What Teens Need from Libraries
Bridge the digital and knowledge dividesLeverage teens’ motivation to learnProvide workforce development trainingServe as the connector between teens and other community agencies
The Report’s Impact on LibrariesAudienceCollectionsStaffingSpaceYouth ParticipationOutreachPolicyProfessional DevelopmentProgramming
Denverpost.com
Opportunities Galore for Libraries!
● Make a difference in teens' lives & for the community as a whole
● Get more mileage out of your existing resources
● Engage community members● Attract partners● Increase your visibility & value
www.dreamstime.com
Making a difference
● About 7,000 teens drop out of high school per day
● Approximately 40% of high school graduates lack the literacy skills employers seek
● The hours between 3 – 6 pm are the most dangerous time of day for youth
● 8 in 10 Americans want all children and teens to have some type of organized activity or safe place to go after school
Leverage Existing Resources
● Inventory your library’s assets to identify what exists to support connected learning activities– Staff and volunteers’ own expertise and interests
– Digital resources
– Items in the library collection● How to & DIY materials, career exploration resources,
etc.
– Partner resources and expertise
caustincounseling.com
Engage community members
People are willing to give time to a worthy cause
● Parents● Local business owners● Teachers● Retirees● Volunteers & Friends Groups● Your local VIPs● Others?
www.elmwood.k12.wi.us
Attract Partners
Workforce development, STEM and out-of-school are areas of focus with funders
● Local foundations● Chamber of Commerce● Youth serving groups● Government agencies● Not-for-profits● Schools (K-12, vocational, college)● Others?
www.socialh.com
Increase Visibility & Value
● Attract new audiences to the library● Gain new advocates● Become more visible beyond the library
walls● Create compelling stories that show how
your library makes a difference in the community
● Enhance/expand the perception of what your library does
Implementing connected learning activities can help you:
Ideas, Comments, Questions
Any ah-ha moments?
Any comments or ideas to share?
What would you like to know in more detail?
What ideas did you learn today that you’ll apply in your job or bring back to your institution for further conversation?
Thank you for participating!
q99.info
This presentation is on SlideShare: http://ow.ly/B4eg5
Selected Resources
The Future of Library Services for & with Teens: a Call to Action site, www.ala.org/yaforum–Full report & summary–5 recorded webinarsYALSA wiki http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa
TRW webinar http://ow.ly/B4beO
MAE Collection Development Grant http://ow.ly/B4blO
http://ow.ly/q6xPA
[email protected] or @yalsa_director