Crawford Barniskis, S. (2013). Teaching art to teens in public libraries. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(2), 81-96.

In the article, Teaching art to teens in public libraries, librarian Shannon Crawford Barniskis discusses the importance of implementing art-based teen programs into libraries.  Crawford Barniskis first discusses a survey that she conducted in which she asked questions regarding the types of professionals that were hired for art-based programs, what types of programs their library hosted, and the cost of the programs.  Crawford Barniskis discovered four main reasons that libraries were conducting art-based programs for teens, equal access to artistic opportunities, getting teens in the door, cognitive-emotional benefits, and supporting lifelong learning.  One of the most popular teen programs that were discovered by Crawford Barniskis as a result of this survey were programs that involved duct tape.

 

Goodstein, A. (2008). What would Madison Avenue do? School Library Journal, 54(5), 40–43.

Award-winning blogger and author, Anastasia Goodstein discusses ways to market programs to teens in her article, What would Madison Avenue do?  The core of the article discusses practices for engaging teens in libraries by using marketing tools such as enlisting the help of other teens, do not try too hard to be cool or relevant, get involved with issues that teens care about, know your audience, and use technology and social media tools appropriately and effectively.  Other helpful hints provided in the article allow the teens to participate in the marketing, keep marketing short and relevant, and be consistent with marketing plans.  This article was written in 2008, and as such is dated with information regarding technology and social media practices; however, the core of the information regarding the necessity to meet teens where they are is still relevant.

 

Graves, C. (2014). Teen experts guide makerspace makeover. Knowledge Quest, 42(4), 8-13.

Providing STEM programming and makerspaces can be an overwhelming endeavor if one is not a science-oriented person.  In her article, Teen experts guide makerspace makeover, school librarian Colleen Graves discusses how her middle school has allowed their Teen Advisory Board members to participate in implementing STEM programming.  Graves details how her library’s Teen Advisory Board helped create workshop ideas that included a duct tape project, making their own blogs, creating apps, crafty cooking, and Minecraft workshops.  Graves found that the students became more interested in participating in the programs since they were involved with planning the workshops.  She also found that as a result of participating in planning the programs, the students took on leadership roles within the library and on the Teen Advisory Board.