With a little help from my (librarian) friends

I have now contacted 10 libraries across the country asking them how their teen services departments (if applicable) are organized. I sought these ten libraries out specifically because a) I know they have successful teen services from personal experience or word of mouth, or b) they are grouped in the same category as this library by Hennen's American Public Library Ratings or by Library Journal's Public Library Ratings by size, population, statistics, and many other factors.

These are the libraries I have contacted:

• Baltimore County Public Library (MD)
• Boone County Public Library (KY)
• Campbell County Public Library (KY)
• The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (OH)
• Cuyahoga County Public Library (OH)
• Columbus Metropolitan Library (OH)
• Denver Public Library (CO)
• Hennepin County Public Library (MN)
• King County Public Library (WA)
• Multnomah County Public Library (OR)

I still may add more libraries to the list including Seattle Public Library, Chicago, Salt Lake County and maybe more. But at this point I'm thinking the information I will receive from these libraries will give me enough data to start thinking about how we would like to organize things here.

Step 1 of....?

It has begun. I started the huge process of advocating for more support for teen services at the library. The library I work at is so incredible, I know we could be providing such amazing services for teens in our communities. Already we have several branches that provide high quality programming for teens, why don't we all? Why are there so few teen spaces?

These and many other questions have been occupying my mind on a day-to-day basis both in and outside of work. In no particular order, these are the questions I am currently researching:
How many teens (age 12-18) reside in this county?

• How many are library cardholders?
• How many of our library staff specialize in teen services?
• What is the graduation rate for our county?
• What is the drop-out rate?
• How many organizations serve teens in our county?

Another question that is just as important is how do other libraries our size work with teens? I am contacting around 10 libraries across the country and asking them questions about budget, programming, staffing models, etc. to use for this research.
This is something I am going to propose the Teen Services Committee when we have our next as something that we should potentially work on this year. In addition to the previous questions, the final and probably most important question is, what do we want? What specifically is it we are asking the library to provide? Is it just a matter of money? Is it to create positions? Is it having a strong voice in decision making? These are things we must be considering when embarking on this journey. It's going to be a very, very, very long one.
But I can say this, I have never felt more energized as a librarian and library advocate than I do right now.

A newfound interest

It's a rough time out there for libraries right now. It's rough for everyone and especially all non-profits but since this is my field, I have a particular interest in this. These are a few articles I've been reading recently in the news about other states that are in difficult situations. I'm lucky to be in a system that is not in the same dire straits as these are but we are nevertheless feeling the crunch.

California
A Critical Situation in California
Many Libraries Go Quiet as Local Budget Cuts Deepen
Grads at UCS Bash Tuition Hike


Pennsylvania
Arendtsville Library to Close
Budget Cuts to Affect Local Library Branches


Massachusetts
Cuts in MA Library Aid, Possible Closing of State Library Generate Protests
State budget cuts force end to Bookmobile

So what is my newfound interest you ask? Advocacy. Library advocacy, to be exact. I have discovered I have really enjoyed reading about what it takes to make a library run and how libraries are dealing with the current recession. I don't enjoy reading about libraries in hard times but I enjoy thinking about how it's librarians and other people in the community that often work the hardest to try to explain to the policy makers how important libraries are to our communities.
In particular one area of advocacy that I have a very strong drive for is young adult services. It is a notoriously under-funded and underserved group of library goers and most teen librarians face tough hurdles when asking for program funding, teen spaces in libraries or even teen book collections. It's a challenge but based on what I've seen just during my short time in this field, there's significant change already across the country.
It's up to us to make our voices heard. It's up to us to know what our community needs and wants and it's up to us to find a way to provide that to our communities. Libraries are at a critical point right now. We have record numbers of people in our doors with needs that the library are desperately trying to keep up with. It's not just books and research, or even internet access. It's up to us to continue the change toward the future.

YALSA here I come!

I have been given the honor of participating on the Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee for YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association). Library services for teens is something that is near and dear to my librarian heart and to be involved in this amazing national organization is beyond incredible. Not to mention one of my closest friends is also on the committee! One of the major requirements (besides reading a ton of books...oh how sad for me) is to attend both the American Library Association's annual as well as midwinter conferences. I've been to an ALA conference once before and a PLA (Public Library Association) conference once. It is a mind-boggling experience replete with entertainment, amazing author signings, incredible presentations, networking and all sorts of awesome. My first conference as a committee member will be next June in Washington D.C.!

On another library-related note, I have been diving into lots of graphic novels lately. Especially those written specifically for children. I've always talked up the Bone series by Jeff Smith and I've finally read the first volume. Highly recommended! It's hilarious and has a great story. Such a fun format to read in, I wish I had the talent that these authors and illustrators had. J and I sometimes talk about collaborating on a graphic novel. Or a regular book. Maybe someday. When we're retired probably.

Whoa.

Time flies, right? It's been what, a million years? 2 million? Way too many. Lots of changes, folks, lots of changes.

First off, I'm no longer a roller derby girl. It was such a challenging decision to make but between tearing my MCL and the bill I'm about receive from that as well as having less and less time for my family and friends, I decided this was the best course of action. So now, I'm back to my lifelong love of music. I am in a choir called Encore Vocal Arts and I absolutely adore it. We have a concert this Saturday, tickets are still available! It's going to be held in the beautiful St. Joan of Arc Cathedral in Indianapolis and I'm so ridiculously excited. Here is a description of the what the concert will be like:

"The Whitacre's Lux Aurumque sets such an ethereal tone with its floating tones and pure sound -- I can't wait to hear how it will float and 'ring' in the live space that is St Joan of Arc. In contrast, I get goosebumps every time I perform a great spiritual..and Moses Hogan (the arranger) does a great job communicating that excitement to the audience. These are just two examples of what we'll be performing.

"Saturday night’s concert will be a gift – great acapella music from traditional to contemporary but also stories of hope and light- in the acoustically rich space of St Joan of Arc Cathedral. One gift will be to you as you experience the music, another will be a gift to us- your presence at the concert and another – an opportunity to learn more about United Way of Central Indiana’s 'Winter Assistance Fund' as we again search for ways to uplift the needs of the human spirit in our community."

Join us for what will be a very memorable evening of music!