Becca Boland - Making the Most of Teen Library Volunteers

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MAKING THE MOST OF TEEN LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS

Energizing and Engaging Community

Becca Boland

Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians Series

C. Allen Nichols and Mary Anne Nichols, Series Editors

Copyright 2020 by Becca Boland

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Boland, Becca, author.

Title: Making the most of teen library volunteers : energizing and engaging community / Becca Boland.

Description: Santa Barbara, California : Libraries Unlimited, [2020] | Series: Libraries Unlimited professional guides for young adult librarians series | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019051212 (print) | LCCN 2019051213 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440865626 (paperback ; acid-free paper) | ISBN 9781440865633 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Teenage volunteer workers in librariesUnited States.

Classification: LCC Z682.4.V64 B65 2020 (print) | LCC Z682.4.V64 (ebook) | DDC 023/.3dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019051212

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019051213

ISBN: 978-1-4408-6562-6 (paperback)

978-1-4408-6563-3 (ebook)

24 23 22 21 20 1 2 3 4 5

This book is also available as an eBook.

Libraries Unlimited

An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC

ABC-CLIO, LLC

147 Castilian Drive

Santa Barbara, California 93117

www.abc-clio.com

This book is printed on acid-free paper

Manufactured in the United States of America

For my Daniel.

Thank you for your unending support despite the fact you will never read this book.

CONTENTS

SERIES FOREWORD

Teens have boundless energy, creativity, and enthusiasm. Why not put those attributes to work in your library by encouraging them to volunteer? Easier said than doneright? Not really, as Becca Boland has written an all-you-need-to-know guide on ways that you can incorporate teen volunteers in your library. She provides the solid ideas, offering a range of possibilities from small-scale (one-time events and drop-in volunteering) to large-scale (ongoing boards or community partnerships). Successful volunteer programs from different libraries are highlighted, along with ready-to-go ideas and lists so that you can easily implement what fits your library and community.

We are proud of our association with Libraries Unlimited/ABC-CLIO, which continues to prove itself as the premier publisher of books to help library staff serve teens. This series has succeeded because our authors know the needs of those library employees who work with young adults. Without exception, they have written useful and practical handbooks for library staff. Beccas practical advice will allow you to provide a structure where teens can thrive in forming relationships and taking on responsibilities. By providing them with job readiness skills as they prepare to enter early adulthood, your library and its community will also thrive.

We hope you find this book, as well as our entire series, to be informative, providing you with valuable ideas as you serve teens and that this work will further inspire you to do great things to make teens welcome in your library. If you have an idea for a title that could be added to our series, or would like to submit a book proposal, please email us via jgribble@abc-clio.com. Wed love to hear from you!

Mary Anne Nichols
C. Allen Nichols

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Libraries Unlimited . First and foremost, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to write this book.

You . Thank you for reading. This was a real labor of love for me. Im not super confident in my writing or even my place in the greater library world. I hope you will overlook any flaws and see the heart of this bookmy passion for teens and creating programming that supports them in their growth and ability to become better humans.

Heather Booth . Thank you for your texts talking me down when I was standing on the ledge of imposter syndrome. Thank you for reading this when I didnt want to look at it myself. You are truly an inspiration to me and countless other librarians. We are lucky to have you as a part of this profession. I am lucky to call you friend. I owe you coffee, pancakes, and a drink. Not necessarily together.

Regina Townsend . Thank you for collaborating with me all of those years ago and endless e-mails and collaborations since. Thank you for being my go-to librarian regarding working with Greek letter organizations for this book as well as all of your amazing volunteer and service ideas. I admire you as a human and a librarian. I wish you had been my librarian as a teen. I probably would have spent a lot more time in the library.

Rachael Bild . Thank you for taking the time to speak to me about all of the amazing volunteer opportunities you have for your teens in addition to endless e-mails and our ALA presentation. You are a powerful force in the library world. I dont know that Ive ever met a more fervent advocate for teens and libraries.

Megan Emery . Thank you for all of your amazing work with teen volunteers. Your e-mails, articles, and presentations are an inspiration. Thank you for writing back and forth with me even as you were preparing for maternity leave.

Michelle Torrise . Thank you for all of the amazing information and insight about how volunteering can work in a school. Im so lucky to have you as a resource, and your school is so lucky to have you on their staff.

Jole Seroff and Tasha Bergson-Michelson at Castilleja School. Thank you for your collective hours spent on the phone telling me about your library TA program (and so much more). Your passion for libraries and working with teens is contagious and inspirational. I would love to spend time in your library and be able to continue our amazing conversations. I hope someday that can become a reality.