Crash course in young adult services

Title:

Author:

Flowers, Sarah, 1952- author

ISBN:

9781440851704

Publication:

Santa Barbara : Libraries Unlimited, [2017]

Physical Description:

137 pages ; 28 cm.

Series:

Crash course series (Westport, Conn.)

Contents:

Introduction -- The teenage years -- Positive interactions with teens -- Teen collections -- Programming for teens -- Teens and their information needs -- Teen spaces -- Speaking up for teens -- Teen volunteers and workers -- Keeping up : professional resources and development -- Appendix A: Creating a crash course workshop -- Appendix B: Programs -- Appendix C: Displays and booklists -- Further reading -- Index.

Subject Term:

Young adults' libraries -- United States.

Libraries and teenagers -- United States.

Libraries and teenagers. (OCoLC)fst00997580

Young adults' libraries. (OCoLC)fst01183241

Geographic Term:

United States.

Local Subject:

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE COLLECTION

Other Format:

Online version: Flowers, Sarah, 1952- Crash course in young adult services. Santa Barbara : Libraries Unlimited, [2017] 9781440851711 (DLC) 2017038317

Available:

Library	Call Number	Material Type	Status
Searching... State Library of Oregon	027.626 FloweC	4-Week Loan	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Learn how to improve teen services in public libraries by better understanding teen development and having positive interactions with teens to provide appropriate and interesting collections and services.

A library can be a tremendous resource for teens--one that helps them to learn about themselves and the world they live in. But teenagers are intrinsically different from children and from adults, and these critical developmental differences affect the ways they interact with others, both in the world at large and in the library. Serving teens effectively in the library requires a basic understanding of who teens are and the developmental tasks they face--factors that affect all aspects of library service, from the specific programs and services we offer to the ways that staff provide assistance to the teen who is seeking help at a library service desk.

This book enables library workers to better understand adolescent development, which allows them to provide a positive library experience for teens. Readers will learn how to supply excellent library services with and for teens, including in the areas of collection development, readers' advisory, reference and homework help, programming, and advocacy. The book identifies the best ways to have positive interactions with teens in the library based on their mental development and details best practices for teen services. The concluding section discusses advocating for teens, with emphasis on their right to privacy and equal access to materials and services.

Author Notes

Sarah Flowers is the retired deputy county librarian at the Santa Clara County Library. She currently teaches online courses on teen services and supervision for Infopeople.

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

This "crash course" delivers as promised. Former YALSA president Flowers presents a huge amount of material in a relatively small amount of space. This impeccably researched and cited work incorporates YALSA's "core professional values" in every chapter. The book begins with physiological explanations of young adults' actions and thoughts. The author draws a distinction between distracting and dangerous behavior and examines the basics of interacting with teens, including being honest, clear, fair, and flexible. Flowers also offers tips on dealing with teens individually and in groups and gives examples of passive and active programs and ideas for evaluating them through surveys and observation. Several chapters list further resources, and appendixes feature a sample crash-course workshop and more in-depth descriptions of potential teen programs, such as making, book clubs, and life skills. Displays and sample book lists are explored in more detail. Readers will also discover suggestions for sharing this information with fellow professionals who don't work with this age group. Sample teen volunteer applications and ideas for maximizing teen service learning experiences enhance the text. VERDICT Library staff new to young adult services will benefit most from this publication, but even seasoned veterans will find inspiration here.-Deidre -Winterhalter, Oak Park Public Library, IL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.