Standing Room ONLY

If you're having trouble attracting teens to your school or public library, you're not alone. Kids have cell phones, e-mail, and iPods—not to mention clothes, dating, sports, and music—to keep them busy. And let's face it, libraries just aren't cool enough to compete.

But getting kids excited about the library isn't as difficult as you think. All it takes is giving them some control. You'll be surprised at how quickly their attitudes change once you let them play a role in everything from programming and technology to book selection and design. It may take some getting used to, but listening to what they have to say is probably the smartest thing you can do. Once they're hooked on the library's benefits, you'll have lifelong users who'll pass that love on to their kids.

One foolproof way to get your library buzzing with teens is with technology—and the more of it, the better. Amy Fiske, a teen services librarian at the Maricopa County Library's George L. Campbell branch in Arizona, says many teens have better tech skills than the library staff, so don't be afraid to turn to them for advice. If your Web site needs updating or you have no idea how to host a gaming event, the best resource is right at your doorstep. Working together on creating blogs, wikis, and podcasts can be extremely rewarding, especially if both sides build on existing skills and learn new ones.

Dawn Rutherford, a YA librarian at the King County Library System in Washington agrees that librarians need to keep up with cutting-edge technology to stay in touch with teens, while still “maintaining as much face-to-face contact with them as possible.” Rutherford suggests virtual book groups and book review blogs as some creative ways to keep teens coming back.

Of course, more traditional programming can also be enticing. Teresa Brantley had the right idea when she collaborated with nearby Eva Perry Public Library to start a Printz Club, modeled after the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature. The media specialist at Middle Creek High School in Apex, NC, offered tasty snacks, new books, and a cozy environment to lure teens to her room. Once there, she talked to them about the hottest titles, introduced the idea of reading for fun, and got them to join her club. Now, about 50 kids meet every Wednesday at the public and school library (and occasionally at lunchtime and on weekends) to chat about their favorite books and choose their top title of the year.

So far, the clubs' track record has been pretty impressive. Last year, they correctly singled out John Green's Looking for Alaska (Dutton) as the Printz Award winner. And this year, they fittingly chose Markus Zusak's The Book Thief (Knopf) as a Printz Honor book. It's not surprising that the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)—which administers the Printz Award—has invited Brantley's group to take part in selecting the Teens' Top Ten Books, an annual list of the best YA titles nationwide selected by teens.

Indeed, when school and public libraries join forces, the collaboration can lead to wonderful results. Teen librarian Jeri Gunther, formerly of the Brick branch of the Ocean County Library in New Jersey, partnered with nearby Brick Township High School to launch the popular club Lit Chicks, a 30-member teen book discussion group for girls, which meets for two hours every Wednesday and is advised by Gunther and English teachers Sharon Curran and Denelle Godek. Since the club started in 2005, the school's library circulation has more than doubled.

Partnering doesn't end there. Since 2004, each of Ocean County's 20 branches has had a teen advisory board to ensure that young people take part in what's happening. Last summer, the teen advisory boards organized a summer reading program at the public library called Journeys to Understanding, which focused on cultural awareness. They also designed logos for library T-shirts, started anime clubs and a Reading Buddies volunteer summer program, and helped develop activities to promote reading among their peers. Student input has been so successful that the architect and interior designer of the new Teen Zone at the Toms River branch invited a focus group comprised of Brick students to help them redesign the 4,000-square-foot space.

Indeed, a growing number of librarians realize that working together to attract teens is far more successful than working alone. At Memorial High School in Eau Claire, WI, the dynamic relationship between media specialist Pam Gardow and reading specialist Annis Williams led to the creation of a 60-member Teen Literacy Initiative club. With the help of donations, club members started a small independent bookstore that sells books during school author visits, and they've donated thousands of books to homeless shelters, juvenile detention centers, and community programs, such as the Give-a-Kid-a-Book project—all through collaboration with the public library, district schools, and the local university.

As a result, Gardow and Williams say student enthusiasm for reading has spread throughout the school and the community, and their library circulation has doubled. “When students are given an active voice in developing programs and selecting books, they feel empowered and take ownership in their library,” Gardow says. “We need to collaborate with our teens, not just with our professional colleagues. Teens want to make a difference, and the library is the perfect place for them to have an impact.”

School libraries that encourage young adults to play active roles in running, supporting, and promoting library-related events quickly gain the support of higher-ups. Administrators in schools like Memorial emphasize the importance of library groups in their school's extracurricular activities by including them in their school handbook. Library groups are also prominently featured during orientation for new students and are recognized as a vital part of student activities beyond classroom studies. YALSA and the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English are just two organizations that strive for better collaboration between school and public libraries.

If you need more convincing, “The Coolness Factor—Ten Libraries Listen to Youth” is one noteworthy study that proves teenage opinion and involvement is key. According to the study, conducted by the Urban Libraries Council, teens think libraries are uncool places frequented by “nerds, dorks, and dweebs.” They also think librarians are unhelpful and unfriendly and feel libraries should provide better books and materials, as well as more convenient hours of service. Kids also want to get rid of restrictive rules and fees. “Clearly, teens are not finding what they seek in our very uncool settings,” the study says. “How libraries 'get along' in the next years will depend on how seriously we take the advice of our young people.”

I make every effort to include this kind of information in the library science courses I teach at Catholic University in Washington, DC, and at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Although my classes focus on YA libraries and literature, I go to great lengths to tell my students about the importance of getting teens interested in reading books and sharing them with their friends. I also teach how teens can encourage nonreaders to become readers and include lessons on adolescent psychology so that future librarians know how to relate to teens and understand their behavior. By doing so, my students will ultimately discover how to connect kids to books and the library.

Since letting go isn't always easy, try starting with something small. Encourage teens to produce a newsletter or help with a Web page on your site. The Tempe Public Library in Arizona has an active Teen Friends group that meets monthly to plan library programs, assist with the YA collection, and volunteer in various areas of the library. Here are some surefire ways to make sure that your library is teeming with teens:

Offer good leadership. A librarian or another adult—who genuinely likes and understands teens—must be on hand to guide and plan activities involving teen participation.

Actively recruit teens. Talk to the teens in your library, post flyers where teens will see them (not just in the teen space), make posters or promotional displays, and post meetings on the library's calendar of events. It's also a good idea to send press releases to the local media, include the library in local volunteer recruitment brochures, and send public service announcements to local secondary schools. You can also promote the library during classroom visits, ask teachers to recommend students who might be interested, send personal invitations to teens who've signed up for other programs or activities, and most importantly, get teens to recruit other teens, such as their friends and siblings.

Plan meetings and training sessions carefully. Let teens decide on the mission and format. Don't rush them. Let kids take their time getting to know each other, you, and the library. Be ready with icebreakers and let teens set the ground rules.

Include fun activities. Bring food and music, or play games. Include social activities after meeting, such as going to the movies. Thank-you pizza parties are popular ways to show appreciation for teens' contributions. But make sure you find out what kind of permission forms your school or library requires for any off-time activities.

Make your meeting times and days consistent. Once your group is established, figure out what time and location are most convenient for you and your teens. Be flexible if someone needs to make changes.

Offer perks and benefits. Give participating teens extra rewards, like a T-shirt and a membership card that offers special privileges, such as reduced library fines, longer Internet access time, or first dibs at new YA books.

Keep communication open. Maintain up-to-date membership lists, send newsletters about teen activities, post meeting schedules on your library's Web site, and, if possible, have a teen member appointed to your library board.

Encourage challenging opportunities. Ask teens to review books or make DVDs. The Tucson-Pima County Library's Teen Zone just made a series of movie trailers promoting books that are posted on its Web site, a project that earned the 2007 Sagebrush Award from YALSA. Teens can also assist with collection development, plan for new teen spaces, publish a print or online literary magazine, run programs for young children, hold fund-raisers such as book fairs, provide feedback, or represent the library at events such as parades or manning booths at festivals.

Remember, when teens think something is important, they'll find time for it. Although you're competing with the latest technology and trends, there's still room for the library—as long as you offer new and exciting ways for them to participate.