Valuable nuts-and-bolts advice for creating and enhancing service to urban teens.
Series Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Highlights in the History of Serving Urban Teens Chapter 2: Staff and Volunteers Chapter 3: Teen Services Training Chapter 4: Making Space for Teens Chapter 5: Collection Development Chapter 6: Programming Chapter 7: Partnerships and Outreach Conclusion Index
Paula Brehm-Heeger has worked in public libraries of all sizes in a variety of cities and states for more than fifteen years. A frequent presenter and speaker at library conferences and a Past-President of the Young Adult Library Services Association, Paula never misses a chance to advocate on behalf of young adults and to speak out about the need to provide outstanding library service to all teens.
This book is an excellent guide to setting up a teen program. The
author provides plenty of program suggestions, who to contact, how
to accomplish staffing with a smile, and making a setting
attractive and inviting to teens. . . . Although the book is
written for the young adult, teenage population, elementary and
other professional librarians can get a ton of ideas. . . .
Recommended.
*Library Media Connection*
This guide discusses numerous staffing and training issues, as well
as how to handle the constraints of physical space, collection
development, programming, and outreach, all from an urban
perspective.
*American Libraries*
This helpful guide encourages librarians to establish and promote
service to teens in densely populated areas where the public
library is often their only place to hang out. The book focuses on
training staff to provide excellent service, the physical space and
collection, and offering programming and volunteer opportunities.
Suggestions for planning, budgeting, and promoting programs are
given, along with step-by-step guides to eight different programs,
including an author visit, anime club, and college- and
career-planning seminars. . . . The bibliographies and lists for
further reading at the end of each chapter are great references.
Equally helpful are the book lists in the chapter on collection
development. . . . Combining conventional wisdom and current hot
topics in the field, this volume will appeal to librarians new to
serving teens and/or those unfamiliar with working in an urban
area.
*School Library Journal*
Brehm-Heeger brings her expertise to this topic as a fifteen year
provider of library youth services and YALSA president for
2007-2008. She provides a historical context for library youth
services, and then launches into a reasonably comprehensive
overview of all aspects of teen services, addressing the need for
specialized youth services, staff training, collection development,
programs, and facilities. . . . While other books provide
information geared towards youth specialists, Brehm-Heeger
emphasizes that all staff in a public library will likely intereact
with teen users and should be given training in teen development
and positive approaches to interactions. She also places a
significant emphasis on teen involvment and in planning and running
teen programs and spaces. Although specifically geared toward urban
settings, this book has applications for any public or school
libraries serving teens.
*Oklahoma Librarian*
This book is a must-have for any librarian who works with youth.
Written by an experienced practitioner and past-president of the
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the
American Library Association (ALA), this thirteenth title in the
Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians
series begins with definitions and a brief history of library
services to urban teens, followed by a description of issues
concerning this special group. . . . Youth librarians can take this
book and run with it. Despite their sometimes erratic behavior,
teens are important to the survival of libraries. It is not only
the mission of libraries but also in the self-interest to capture
the minds and hearts of youth while they can. This book provides
the tools to accomplish the job.
*VOYA*
This book is definitely a helpful guide for the young librarian or
library volunteer seeking answers for how to better deal with
running a library in an urban setting. It provides endless helpful
tips and ideas that will make your library a great place for the
community to relax and learn.
*Feminist Review*
Serving Urban Teens identifies areas of public librarianship that
can be specifically improved upon to more effectively serve our
growing urban teen population. Brehm-Heeger examines physical space
models, collection development trends, programming ideas, and
incorporating teens as volunteers and staff members. Most
importantly, she stresses that we must all work together to meet
the unique needs of urban teens, working with them to a build
community.
*Colorado Association of Libraries*
Not just for school libraries, nor just for public libraries, many
of the ideas given here are well known but she adds a unique spin
to how to best accomplish relevant and significant teen involvement
in the library. Bottom line: Keep this around as you think about
creative strategies to involve urban teens in your library.
Recommended.
*Teacher Librarian*
This title from Libraries Unlimited is yet another fine manual
which offers support and inspiration for professionals handling
teenage clientele in public libraries. . . I recommend that all
generalist librarians who deal with teenage enquiries (or look with
dismay at a teenage group entering the library) read this book. . .
. For the uninitiated or the faint hearted this book is a good
foundation. . . . This is highly recommended.
*The Australian Library Journal*
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