Serving Urban Teens

Book excerpt: They're socially conscious, tech savvy, street smart, terrifically diverse, and they're seemingly running rampant. They're urban teens and they need access to your library-for homework help, for study and research, to use the computers, to socialize, to browse the graphic novels, to listen to music, and for many other reasons. By exploring current, effective models for teen services, as well as future possibilities, this guide leads you to the necessary resources and tools for achieving success with this important population. Learn about staffing solutions, partnerships and programs, overcoming challenges of physical spaces, training tips and models, technology and collections, and service across library systems. Filled with examples and anecdotes that illustrate the principles, and generous lists for further reading, this guide will help you improve your service not to just urban teens, but to all teens.