Teen Program or Service Proposal

LIS 60626-001: Library Materials and Services to Teens

Tiger Reed

1. Saint Louis Public Library, Central Library, Teen Lounge.

Main library in the city-wide system consisting of 17 branches in Saint Louis, Missouri located in the
downtown area. Central Library has the largest and most separated teen space, called the Teen Lounge.
The Teen Lounge hosts video gaming 6 days a week, homework help 5 days a week, author visits, regular
programming, a teen hall group, makerspace club, and special programming throughout the year.

2. Proposed Program: Adulting 101 Series

A series of 5 programs to be held in the Teen Lounge in the spring 2019 programming cycle (January-
May). Programs will address issues teens face both during and after they finish high school. The
programs are as follows:

1. STL Teen Action! – A workshop for teens who want to know how to become civically engaged
at the local level. Guest speakers will discuss how teens can make their voices heard locally, as well as
discuss what their legal rights are as minors and how those rights change after they turn eighteen. Teens
will learn about getting registered to vote. Guest speakers will include an alderperson, a representative
from social justice organizations (such as: The National Conference for Community and Justice of
Metropolitan St. Louis (NCCJ).

2. On the Job! -Teens will learn about the process of applying for jobs locally, from filling out job
applications, preparing for job interviews, and participate in a mock job interview. Teens will also learn
about workplace etiquette.

3. Finance 101- A financial advisor or city treasurer Tishaura Jones will be on hand to counsel
teens on how to manage their money and save for the future. Teens will learn practical ways to budget
their money, and ways to put their money to work for them. The social sciences librarian will also show
case the grants and foundation center, and books on how to start your own business.

4. College Bound?- Making choices about which path to take after high school can be difficult.
Teens will learn about the college application process, with representatives from local colleges present.
Vocational and trade schools will also be discussed, with either a representative from a vocational
program on hand, or a local trade union, such as the Brotherhood of Ironworkers.

5. On Our Own- What skills do teens need when they move away from home for the first time?
Even if teens leave home to move into a dorm, things can be tricky. Teens will learn about navigating life
in new living spaces. Grocery shopping, roommate communication skills, and how to pay utilities will be
among a variety of topics discussed. Teens will be provided with and On Our Own guide, including web
resources to take with them.

This type of programming is not currently being offered at SLPL at any branch, and there is a need for it.
Teens often come into the space and ask staff about what to wear for job interviews, where to apply for
jobs, and will often share their concerns about their future path after they graduate. These programs
incorporate the core values from YALSA’s Future of Library Services for and with Teens Report,
especially connected learning, collaboration, education, and equality. With this series of programming,
the library is facilitating conversations and helping teens to learn practical skills they will need via
working with community partners. Providing teen patrons with this type of programming helps put them
on equal footing with their peers.

3. Goals & Objectives:

1. Goal: Provide programs that provide practical life skills for teens, including underserved teens
in the community.

Objective: Develop and present Adulting 101 Program Series monthly during spring 2019
programming cycle. Fulfils program guideline 4.0, 1.0, 9.2

2. Goal: Empower teens to become politically active in local politics and involved/aware of social
justice activism locally.

Objective: Guests from local politics (an alderperson) and social justice organizations will
present a workshop presenting teens with steps they can take to become civically engaged. Fulfills
guideline 4.7 (connecting youth with mentors, guides, and other adult role models and educators).Also
fulfils 6.3 (considering which tasks are best served by community partners, mentors, etc.)

3. Goal: Help teens develop necessary soft skills that will help them in the job market and in
their first jobs.

Objective: Hold mock job interviews with teens and discuss strategies they can employ to
prepare for these situations. Addresses 4.3 (enabling teens to explore career pathways).

4. Goal: For teens to be knowledgeable in areas of personal finance. Fulfils 4.7 (connecting youth
with mentors, guides other adult role models)

Objective: Have guest financial advisor/city treasurer Tishaura Jones teach teens about having
a back account, budgeting basics, and how to research entrepreneurship. Fulfils 4.7 (connecting youth
with mentors, guides other adult role models), 1.8 (direct the library’s limited resources to provided
needed programming that is relevant to teens, not already offered elsewhere).

5. Goal: Generate awareness for practical educational/career opportunities including but not
limited to college.

Objective: Hold College Bound? workshop, with representatives of local colleges, and
tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics), and those in IT fields that can discuss their
career paths. In line with 4.3 (enabling teens to explore career pathways).

6. Goal: Teens are aware of the challenges and changes they face when moving away from
home and are better equipped to deal with practical and emotional issues.

Objective: Staff answer teen questions and go over the basics of dorm life/roommate life,
being responsible for oneself for the first time. Handouts and web resources will be shared with teens.
Addresses 4.1 (emotional, intellectual, and social needs of teens), 4.5 (self-regulation, self-management,
persistence, independence, and organization), 4.9 (incorporate a variety of types of interaction, small
groups, on-on-one engagement, and large events.)

4. Outcomes

Teens will experience the tangible results of at the very least acquiring new skills. Some of which can
help them get a new or first job, give them some ideas about how to manage their own money from
their first paycheck, decide which career path is right for them if college is not the right path, know their
rights in legal situations, be empowered by voting, become civically engaged in their community. They
will benefit from hearing about how to communicate with roommates, make a grocery list, how to find a
place to live before they leave home.

5. Measures of Success

Program attendance numbers will be recorded. Surveys will be given to program attendees, and staff
will informally interview program attendees. Staff will also be surveyed who presented the programs in
the series for their evaluation of program strengths and weaknesses. A report will be compiled and
submitted to SLPL administration.

6. Program Budget

In theory the program series would be presented at no cost to the library. Community partners would
volunteer their time to the library. There are no supplies needed aside from the usual office supplies
used regularly by the Central Youth Services department (copies, etc). In the case that a speaker would
require an honorarium, Central Youth Services would request funds from the Central Library budget
and/or Youth Services System budget to pay for said honorarium.

7. Timeline

Day 1: Brainstorm for a new program series, 5 different programs for Adulting 101. Research program
ideas.

Week 2: Write proposal for Adulting 101 Series.

Week 4: Meet with Central Youth Services Teammates and add to/edit program proposal.

Week 5: Consult with teens in Teen Hall meeting, get their feedback on program series proposal; edit
proposal as needed.

Week 6-8: Reach out to desired community partners, discuss program, get feedback. Secure
commitments. Create a memorandum of understanding with partners to ensure participation.

Week 9: Submit program plans to 1st Floor Manager Scott Morris, Director of Central Library Brenda
McDonald, Youth Services Advocate Carrie Dietz, and Director of Neighborhood Services Tiffany Davis.
Program plans include dates/time/location, each individual program description, supplies needed (not in
this case), and marketing work orders. Marketing work orders contain copy describing program, and
requests specific types of promotional materials. In this case, it would be print flyers, pdf documents,
and social media posts, and event pages for the series and each individual program.

Week 10: Upon approval of program plans, begin delegating tasks to staff members who will be
presenting programs. Stay in regular communication with guest speakers up until program is presented.
After each program: Collect and record attendance statistics. Give out surveys and speak with program
attendees about what they thought were strengths and weaknesses of the program. Survey and speak
with staff presenting/facilitating program about their experience.

After last program in May: Generate evaluative report addressing strengths and weaknesses of Adulting
101 series. Meet with Central Youth Services Teammates and decide if the series should be repeated. If
so, discuss what can change to further streamline the program series to be more beneficial and effective
for teen patrons.

8. Marketing Plan- (include flyer)

At SLPL, we have a marketing department that creates various marketing for the entire system as well as
individual programs at various branches. Nothing is created without their approval, and there is a
protocol for requesting materials. For this assignment, I have made a flyer, but in real life I would
request that they generate one for display at the branch and to bring to outreach. I would also request
social media posts, a Facebook event page, and a pdf of the flyer.