I'll Link to That: Top Teen Librarian Resources

So you're working with teens, huh? So you want to know all the best resources to support this work? I got you.

- Lindsey Krabbenhoft

The Research

If you want to stay in-the-know about current research on teens and their development then grab a copy of Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. The American Psychological Association says this book "attempts to understand and explain teenagers to [the] readers while avoiding demonization of teens." You'll come away with a better understanding of why teens behave the way they do. This 2022 book is also recommended if you are specifically interested in teens and digital media (what are they doing on their phones all day?). If you're looking for research relating to teens in the library, check out The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults for free articles or see if your library provides free access to Young Adult Library Services, YALSA's awardwinning e-journal.

Programming

The most popular website for teen librarianship is undoubtedly Teen Librarian Toolbox. You'll get program inspo, book reviews, reflections, and more. Do not miss their giant page of Teen Programs in a Box (TPiB). You could spend hours clicking through the links! The Ontarian Librarian also has a great cache of programs for teens and tweens and my favourite thing about this blog is it provides all the resources for every activity. The maker movement has been very popular with teens and there is no shortage of resources out there. Make It @ Your Library is a browsable STEM activity list. On the YALSA blog you can find links to their Maker and DIY Programs wiki page and their 2014 Making in the Library toolkit. Need something a little more low-key? Check out this amazing article by Kelly Jensen on reaching teens subversively through passive programming. Lastly, there ain't no shame in scoping out other library websites to see what they are offering. No need to recreate the wheel!

Collections

First step? Sign up for the School Library Journal BeTeen newsletter which provides "the latest news and features on books, authors, library programs, and more for tweens and teens." It's a great way to see what's on the YA book horizon. Teen Librarian Toolbox mentioned above also does thorough book reviews, including from teen readers themselves. My personal favourite YA book review blogs are Forever Young Adult, Miss Print, and Reading As I Am. Lastly, the senior division of the Young Readers' Choice Awards provides top choices for teens.

For Discussion

I'll end this column by sharing a thought-provoking article by Teen Librarian Toolbox author Karen Jensen. She shares 9 ways to drive teen turnout at your library - and 4 ways to lose their attention. Do you agree? I encourage you to share with the staff at your library and get a discussion going.

Lindsey Krabbenhoft is a Children’s Librarian in Vancouver, British Columbia and one half of Jbrary, the online children’s librarian treasure trove. She is also the cofounder of the Library Services for Children Journal Club and encourages any other research nerds to join. You can find Jbrary in its own little corner of the internet at jbrary.com