Making Space for Teens in the Library

At #PLA2026 today, presenters from Downers Grove Public Library and Carol Stream Public Library talked about teen spaces in the library. They started by sharing common problems they identified when it comes to teens in the library:

1. Teens are underserved
2. There is limited space and resources for teens.
3. There are disproportionate behavior incidents involving teens in the library.

From here, they shared their guiding principles for creating teen spaces in libraries:

• Teen ownership and agency over library space and services
• Equity of access
• Teen autonomy and self-directed exploration

The self-directed exploration really grabbed my attention! At my library, our teens are so over-scheduled, their time taken up by school and extracurricular activities. This means they use the library, but it is for studying. They tend not to always show up for programming. Some self-directed activities shared were:

• Ask a Question of the Week: keep the marker at the desk! Needing to ask for a marker creates an opportunity for a positive interaction between teens and staff.
• Collaborative Crafts: This not only promotes ownership of the space, but it also encourages interactions between teens
• Maker Kits: These kits are available at the desk and have all the necessary supplies to do a craft in the library. They are switched monthly.  
• Volunteer Kits: These take-home kits contain everything needed for completing a volunteer activity, like decorating lunch bags for Meals on Wheels. When teens bring them back, library staff sign off on the volunteer hour they earned from using the kit.  

I loved how these activities meet teens where they are! They are also easy to replicate, even if you do not have a dedicated teen space.  

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Laura Hargrove (she/her) is a senior Public Services Librarian at the Davis Library, one of the Plano (Texas) Public Library locations. She enjoys bird watching and hopes to add a few lifers to her life list between PLA sessions! As a librarian, she works with patrons of all ages and enjoys nature-based STEAM programs for early learners and families. She is an advisor for PPL’s Teen Advisory Board. She served on the selection committee for the 2022 YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction and is chair of the YALSA Divisions and Membership committee.  She is most looking forward to coming home from PLA with fresh programming ideas for her patrons.  

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