MAUREEN

Today's program is an overview and discussion of YALSA's recently released report, "The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: a Call to Action."

Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, this was a YALSA-sponsored year-long conversation among library staff, partners and stakeholders in the broader community.

Included in-person summit in Chicago Midwinter last year and YALSA-convened virtual town halls and series of hangouts and conversations on connected learning.tv

MAUREEN

not this

Who are you?
+ youth worker?
+ Young person?
+ director/administrator?
+ funder
+ policy maker

MAUREEN - table discussion for 15 minutes

What is YALSA?

1) What was your experience with libraries as a young person?


2) What do you hear about libraries from the young people you work with?

MAUREEN

National Forum on Libraries and Teens - IMLS funded. In recent memory there has not been a national gathering that examined library services specifically for teens.

Also, a few really important reasons why now is the right time

1. Teens are using libraries. share impressive PEW data

2. Library services to teens are in jeopardy

3. Demographic shift

4. Technology

5. Teens are entering workforce without critical skills

CHRIS?

Fundamental paradigm shift that needs us to look at library services to teens in a new way

CHRIS?

Brains wired differently/multitasking okay

focus less on teens and more on the evolving nature of tech and how that’s impacting communication, content creation and sharing, etc.

It’s also impacting job skills that teens need to have in order to succeed after high school.

Many teens are connected 24/7

use public libraries for homework and school-related research but prospects for engagement beyond that are lacking. Not enough opportunities for teens to connect to resources to support personal independent growth -- explore their passions

CHRIS?

Not just print literacies -- multiple kinds of literacies highlighted in reports

digital literacy
multiple literacies
media literacy

CHRIS?

What is connected learning?

Why is it relevant to libraries -- because it's our work and it's always been our work - to connect academics to interests

Where to learn more: connected learning.tv

CHRIS?
Bridge growing knowledge divide

Build on teens' motivation to learn

Provide workforce development training

serve as connector for teens and other community agencies

1. Libraries can help to bridge the knowledge divide by not only providing technology, but also by providing formal and informal opportunities for teens to learn to use tech tools in meaningful and authentic ways - ways that have an impact on their lives. As Ernest Morrrell, notes,
“All young people have a political identity, a yearning sense of injustice that they want to do something about. What we need to do is…ask them, what are you going to do about it and give them the tools they need to take action.” Similarly, many teens have a creative drive that is often thwarted at schools, which libraries can support.

CHRIS?
What is the big picture for this shift?

+Historical and Envisioned Futures examples from report -- articulating the difference between what we've done and where we need to go

give specific examples that resonate with audience, i.e.

audience -- not just the readers anymore

space -- not quiet with tons of dusty shelves

collections - print, online, etc.

staff - role of them

youth participation -- HIGHLIGHT THIS FOR NAA AUDIENCE

Outreach - highlight this, too.

CHRIS

Teens are the beneficiaries for this work. Emphasize benefits for teens

+learning
+leadership
+ community
+ literacy
+ technology
+creativity

Teens are the beneficiaries of this shift - the new vision outlined in this report. With the shift, libraries become a key community-based institution where teens can gain nontraditional skills, become the experts that other teens and adults turn to, take on leadership roles, gain skills as decision-makers, take meaningful action in their communities, build relationships with adults they can trust, develop empathy, gain digital literacy skills, engage in self-expression, the list goes on.

MAUREEN

What libraries need to do section. Less time on this because

1. Embrace our role as facilitator rather than expert

2. Refocus beyond our traditional role and traditional measurements of success

3. partner strategically to reach beyond the library's walls (THIS ONE ESPECIALLY FOR NAA)

4. create a whole-library and whole-school approach to serving teens in physical spaces and online

5. support library staff in gaining new skills (example is youth workers and what they know). Can they share with library folks?

MAUREEN leads; all walk around

Discussion with participants at their tables.



1) What is your reaction to what you heard here?
2) What new ideas does this overview give you?
3) Where are opportunities for you to partner with libraries in your community in new ways?
4) Where will you start?
5) What recommendations do you have for library staff to better work with you?

CHRIS?

Report is done but this is just the beginning of the conversations and the THE WORK!


Download a copy of the report at http://www.ala.org/yaforum/project-report

Read and discuss report on twitter or the YALSA blog. #yalsaforum

CHRIS OR MAUREEN?

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

Connect with your library when you get back. Talk about the report together. Where can you work together?