Foundational

Transforming Teen Services (ICfL Niche Academy)

The Transforming Teen Services tutorial will help you provide high-quality services and programs for teens at your library. Learn techniques that put teens first and improve engagement and outcomes for youth in your community. As you progress through the different sections of the tutorial, keep track of your notes and complete assignments with the included workbook. When you are finished, you will have a collection of notes and ideas (and maybe even a plan!) to help you improve your library’s services for teens.

Focus Areas: Educational Equity; the Ages and Stages of Tween and Teen Development; Connected Learning; Computational Thinking

Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff (Young Adult Library Services Association)

This is the latest resource developed to help graduate-level students, library administrators, and library staff guarantee that all teens receive high-quality service from their public and school libraries, regardless of whether or not the library has the capacity to dedicate a full-time position to serving teens. It is intended to set a foundation for the education and professional development of all library staff, regardless of job title, and to provide guidance for determining practitioner skills and knowledge. It is also meant to provide a framework to enable those within and outside the field to understand the unique role library staff can play in helping teens prepare for college, careers, and life, and to communicate that role to others.

Focus Areas: Teen Growth & Development; Learning Environments & Experiences; Youth Engagement & Leadership; Outcomes & Assessment

The Idaho Out-of-School Network (ION)

The Idaho Out-of-School Network, ION, is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting quality programs for Idaho’s youth. Of particular importance are ION’s Building Blocks for Out-of-School Time Quality and its Learning Academy, which is full of online trainings that cover a variety of topics.

Other Professional Development

WebJunction

The WebJunction Course Catalog is free to library staff everywhere. It offers library-specific self-paced courses, webinar recordings, and other great learning materials. Certificates of Completion are available to help library staff meet CE and LEU credit requirements. Create your free account to start. Here is a link directly to resources and webinars and Young Adults & Teens.

Partner Training

Library community members at publicly funded libraries in Idaho (including public, school, academic, and special libraries) can access paid online courses and events through our partner training opportunities. Through agreements with Amigos Library Services, InfoPeople, and Library Juice Academy, the ICfL provides access to a variety of quality online learning. While Amigos and Library Juice do not have a robust collection of teen services trainings, it does have several that are generally useful. There are several InfoPeople trainings that are relevant to teen services in libraries – check out a collection of them here.

Programming

Building News Literacy for Tweens & Teens (ICfL Niche Academy)

Children are exposed to more news at earlier ages through parents, teachers, other students, friends, and digital devices. Join Tom Bober, school librarian and 2018 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, to gain an understanding of tweens’ and teens’ news literacy realities. Librarians will leave the webinar with a practical set of simple terms, resources, and approaches that can support their patrons’ news literacy growth.

Focus Area: Digital Literacy

Tabletop Games and 21^st Century Skill Development (ICfL Niche Academy)

In today’s culture, games are ubiquitous. Although commercial games are recreational, they also provide opportunities for informal learning. In fact, to play games, players must use at least one 21st century skill, and often players use multiple skills. In this presentation, originally recorded in November 2016, Lauren Hays highlights how you can use games in your library to foster skills such as creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Focus Area: Gaming

Mizzen Education

Mizzen got its start in 2020 as Mizzen by Mott, an all-in-one free mobile app conceived and incubated by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and uniquely created with and for the out-of-school time field. Now an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Mizzen Education continues to grow its mission by partnering with practitioners across the country to pioneer custom-built learning solutions for the out-of-school time space.

Focus Area: Various program plans

Star Net Library Network

The STAR Library Network (STAR Net) is a hands-on learning network for libraries and their communities across the country. STAR Net focuses on helping library professionals build their STEM skills by providing “science-technology activities and resources” (STAR) and training to use those resources.

Focus Area: STEM

Databases

LiLI for Schools (ICfL Niche Academy)

LiLI for Schools offers Idaho’s K-12 students free access to online tools focused on their educational needs. This recording reviews key resources available at LiLISchools.org.

Focus Area: Educational Resources

Resources, Websites, Newsletters, etc.

Connected Learning Alliance

The Connected Learning Alliance (CLA) supports a network of organizations, innovators, and thought leaders dedicated to learning that is culturally connected and centered on youth interests and agency. Recommendation: Subscribe to CLA’s newsletter.

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) brings together key stakeholders from the areas of libraries, education, research, out-of-school time, youth development, and more to develop and deliver resources to libraries that expand their capacity to support teen learning and enrichment and to foster healthy communities. Recommendation: A great source for book lists and award lists.

School Library Journal

“School Library Journal” is the premiere publication for librarians and information specialists who work with children and teens. A source of quality journalism and reviews for 70 years, SLJ produces award-winning features and news coverage on: literacy, best practices, technology, education policy, and other issues of interest to the school library and greater educator community. It evaluates a broad range of resources, from books and digital content to databases, in 6,000+ reviews published annually.

Library Journal

“Library Journal” is the oldest and most respected independent trade publication for the library community. Founded in 1876, it provides news, analytical features, and critical reviews to assist public, academic, and institutional librarians with professional development and purchasing decisions.

Afterschool Alliance

The Afterschool Alliance works to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs. Afterschool programs are critical to children and families today, yet the need for programs is far from being met. Recommendation: Use to access data and advocacy resources.

Conferences

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) will hold a joint conference in January 2028, along with the Youth Media Awards. Learn more here.