Taking a managerial job may be the best way to advocate for teens

I'm the first to admit that being a young adult librarian is one of the greatest jobs on earth, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes wonder if I'm getting too old—mentally, physically, and professionally—to continue booktalking, programming, and “connecting” with teens. Is there a shelf life for teen librarians? Sometimes the answer, sadly, is yes.

There may come a time in your career when you'll feel the need to move on. If that urge hits you, you'll feel conflicted. You'll want to stay in the better, more fun job, but there'll be a nagging feeling that it's time to start climbing up the ladder.

The truth is, there may be a time limit to being an effective young adult librarian. How will you know when that time arrives? Age isn't the main factor in determining your next career move. As anyone working in teen services can tell you, attitude is everything. But at some point in your career as a YA librarian, you'll want a change of scenery and a new challenge—and that more than likely means moving into a managerial position.

Some of you may have a strong desire to be an administrator, and if so, you've already made the move. But if you're still on the fence, think about the benefits. Taking a job with more authority may be the best way to advocate for teens.

Many people think moving up translates to selling out. After all, teen librarians are the ones who stand up to the administration, so how could we possibly become one of them? But the situation isn't that black and white. In fact, moving up in the ranks could actually help future teen librarians. Think about it—as part of the managerial team, you'll have more control over the purse strings, the hiring, the direction of teen services, collaboration, and fine-tuning the policies of the entire library.

Just look at the former teen librarians who've gone on to become rock stars: Edith Cummings, Patrick Jones, and Deborah Taylor all began their careers as young adult librarians—and look at them now. At some point, they decided to become branch managers and administrators.

Before they took the plunge, however, they each took great pains to leave an infrastructure in place that would ensure they would be succeeded by committed teen librarians. Administrators everywhere are retiring, leaving big shoes and even bigger jobs to fill. Imagine if your library system was full of branch managers, department heads, collection developers, and directors who were former teen librarians? Just think of the possibilities! This scenario might not be as far-fetched as you think. The Young Adult Library Services Association currently has more than 5,000 members, many of whom are under 30. Think about it. In 10 years, these teen librarians will be in powerful positions. They'll be key decision makers when it comes to redesigning libraries, hiring staff, setting new policies, and creating innovative programs.

Still not convinced? Then look around your library. It's no coincidence that your teen services department hasn't benefited from a generous budget. That's because your director wasn't a YA librarian.

Whenever and wherever you go in your library, you can continue calling yourself a teen advocate if you remember these golden rules: Make sure you hire a talented person to replace you; continue to support and mentor new teen librarians; fight the good fight because you can understand firsthand the challenges that teen librarians face and the rewards for delivering great service; and lastly, don't be afraid to continue climbing up the ladder, as long as you continue taking those talented teen librarians with you.

You can lead from any position, but it's sometimes easier to change the world when you're at the top.