CALCON 2024

Teens are important patrons in our libraries, with unique and evolving needs. Staff comfort levels, preconceived notions or stereotypes, and requests from organizations to justify teen services can create barriers to effective teen services – but they also offer library workers a chance to advocate for teens. Using psychology, biology, and what we know about teen lives today for a better understanding of teens and their current experiences can create an empathetic base for teen library services. In this presentation, we will share our approach to a training we share with staff to build understanding about teens, as well as some techniques for using this training and the information to advocate for teen services in your libraries.