Teens gain guiding role at libraries
- |
Imagine a library designed by teens: Rather than stern warnings to be quiet, there would be cheers in a
Thanks to new federal funding, that teen dream is coming true in eight communities across the state, including at the Marlborough Public Library and Dover Town Library. Awarded last month, the grants will help those facilities - as well as libraries in Braintree, Everett, Ipswich, North Reading, Palmer, and Williamsburg - create or improve facilities and services for, and designed by, teenagers.
The grant, labeled "Serving Teens and Tweens" and funded by the federal Library Services and Technology Act, will provide each library with $20,000 in October, with the exception of North Reading, which will receive $15,000.
"Improving teen services helps increase library circulation. There is also a need for after-school time in libraries," said Celeste Bruno, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, which administers the federal program.
The grant requires libraries to use the money to strengthen or create an advisory board of teens to decide how to spend the money.
Dover Town Library recently organized a teen board, said director Charlotte Canelli.
"We're excited to have been awarded the grant," she said. "We're looking forward to finally serving teens here. Right now, we have a teen room, but it's small, with books and a couple of tables and chairs. It's not teen-friendly. We're looking forward to improving it."
The library is seeking a successor to its assistant director in charge of teen services, Jane Granatino, who recently announced her resignation. Once the successor is found, the grant will be implemented.
In a similar effort, Marlborough Public Library has also organized a team of teen directors, who meet once a month to discuss plans. "Whatever direction we go in is going to be planned and designed by teens. Rather than saying, 'I hear teens really like orange carpet,' or 'I hear they really like Hanson,' we're letting them decide what they want," said Eliza Langhans, Marlborough's teen services librarian. "On the board, we have about 10 to 12 mostly high school students, and a few seventh- and eighth-graders."
She said they would most likely continue to utilize the current teen room, in the basement of the library.
"We have been using minimal funding until now, keeping things as cheap as possible. We have to borrow video games and video-game equipment from the Central Massachusetts Regional Library System for a week at time," said Langhans. "Now we might purchase our own, depending on what the teen group decides."
She said she hopes to be able to stay on the pulse of the latest technology used by teens.
"This is an underserved area of the population. These children are our future. Many people end up forgetting about people for five to 10 years - when they're teens and in their 20s. It's best to keep them involved straight through," said Langhans.
The federal grant program was launched following a survey commissioned by the AfterSchool Alliance, a national research group that found a need for more after-school programs. Results showed that while 14 million K-12 students spend some portion of their afternoon taking care of themselves, only 6.5 million children participate in any form of after-school program.
According to Bruno, expanded nontraditional services have helped to boost overall library use by teens in recent years, helping libraries overcome an anticipated decline in circulation now partly blamed on the easy availability of the Internet. Data compiled by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners show library use has actually increased statewide as facilities for teens have expanded in the past few years.
According to the agency's data, in 2001, teens accounted for approximately 25 million visits to Massachusetts libraries and 45 million books borrowed. At that time, there were about 80,000 youth programs. In 2005, the state board found, there were 28 million visits and 50 million books borrowed in Massachusetts, as the number of youth programs increased to 88,000. And by last year, with 100,000 youth programs, there were 31 million visits to libraries and 52 million books borrowed.
"Contrary to what people think, the Internet has helped increase library circulation. Googling leaves people wanting more reliable information," said Bruno.
"Focusing on teens has to do with the changed perception of the library," said Langhans, the teen services librarian in Marlborough. "To them, it's not someplace to drag your feet. It's a place to have fun, and if that means changing it from the traditional space, then so be it."
