Dynamic Youth Services

First, I want to say that I really liked reading this book - although the more I read, the more I realized that I was not going to be able to complete a Programming Proposal for my final project as I had hoped. Clearly outlined in DYS, no one librarian can do it all - and trying to create a YA program in my school district by utilizing space and resources at our local public libraries (to defray transportation costs and ensure attendance of teens) is not possible - as most of our libraries do not have strategic plans, or vision/mission statements. These libraries (sadly) exist as a repository of book; they offer access to a few computers; they offer story time for little children.

 As a school district, I do have access to a mission statement for both the district and the high school. Our World Cafe last spring has led to committees, so we don't yet have a strategic plan, vision or market research - but it is being worked on. Good to know now.

My hope was to begin to provide programming using a mobile model, which could work effectively for things like gaming nights and such. All four of our town libraries either have a room within their library or a room within the same town office/community building they are located in.

Since transportation is the biggest issue for my YA students, I propose a mobile system where I transport all of the necessary components. I have a great start with an LCD projector and portable screen. My college-bound children in away so I also have access to a PS2, Dance Pad, and a number of popular video games still popular with our teens.

New plan: research proposal realizing the obvious, on average the last major change to any of our public libraries was in the smallest town with the construction of a combined new town office and library in 1991. All four have one librarian, only one of which has a degree and specialized library training, two have volunteers while the other two choose not to have volunteers (I've been trying to help them both for almost a decade now). Besides the books, nothing has changed.

I want to know why my teens really stopped visiting, or are they just saying they stopped. Are there reduced visits? Why? Parent control? Transportation? Quality of collection? Too old for story hour? What are their reasons? What would get them back?