The introductory presentation at the 2016 Annual Children's Workshop in Abilene, Texas. This year's topic was Teens in the Library.

1. Not Just a
Demographic:
Teen
Workshop
February 29, 2016
Presented by the
Abilene Public Library
Children’s Department
Abilene, Texas

2. Introduction
Kelsie Wade
Children’s Librarian
Main Branch
Teen Time: Masquerade Masks

3. Why teens?
 By an overwhelming
majority, a teen/youth
workshop was voted on
“what to see next” at last
year’s workshop
 Underserved population
 Are not given the same
attention as children
 Teens themselves may not
reach out to libraries Lego Club

4. Statistics
 25% of all public high school students fail to
graduate on time
 34 million Americans ages 6 to 17 are not
receiving sufficient developmental resources
 21% of public secondary schools do not have a
paid, full-time, state-certified librarian
 54.7% of U.S. households have Internet access;
millions of teens whose households don’t must
rely on library computers for homework, college &
job resources, etc.
Teens Need Libraries. YALSA, 2015.
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/teens-need-libraries

5. Statistics
 Participation in library programs for kids under 18
rose from 35.6 million a year in 1993, to 54.6
million a year in 2005.
 In a 2007 poll, one-third of teens indicated they
visited the public library ten times a year or more.
 Students in programs with more school librarians
and extended library hours scored 8.4 to 21.8%
higher on ACT English tests and 11.7 to 16.7%
higher on ACT Reading tests compared to
students in schools where libraries had fewer
resources.
Teens Need Libraries. YALSA, 2015.
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/teens-need-libraries

6. Teens in the
Library
 Teens need to be in the
library
 Whether school or
public, for books or
programs, it is beneficial
on an educational and
social level
Tween Time: Fun with Jars

7. So, the big question…
 How do we get teens into the library – and
keep them there?!
 Teens are notoriously hard to engage in a
library environment
 This workshop should help you with that!

8. What this workshop is all
about…
 TEENS
 Well, besides that, we’ll learn:
 About teens in the library
 Materials for teens
 Making the library a comfortable place for teens
– and making them want to come back!

10. Teens in the
Library
 How do we make the library a comfortable
place where teens want to hang out?
 Materials for teens: dystopias, fantasy,
romance, oh my!
 What is too edgy?
 Help! My teens have issues!

11. What this workshop is all
about…
 Clubs for teens
 Writing clubs
 Book clubs
 Lego Club
 Anime clubs
 What succeeds?
What fails? WHY?!
Collecting
Commas
Writing
Club

12. Programs & Clubs
 How to advertise for your
events
 Food?
 What a standard program
may look like
 How to connect with your
teens without driving them
away
 Teen crafts that actually
appeal
Tween Time: Cupcake Burgers
and Fries

13. What this workshop is all
about…
 Big programs
 Lib-Con
 Annual Library Con
of glorious
nerdiness
 Summer reading
club
 8 full weeks of
programs & prizes
Teen
cosplay
winner for
Lib-Con

14. What this workshop is all
about…
 Crafts
 Don’t worry, we’re still doing hands-on crafts
 For every craft station visited, you’ll receive a
ticket to be entered for our raffle prizes
 5 winners total

15. Scared yet?
 Don’t be. Teens are full of their own
challenges, and present something totally
different from children, but they are wonderful,
awesome, and constantly surprising.
Teens decorating
the new
whiteboards in
the teen space at
Main

16. So let’s get
them started!