Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders: Teen Library Advisory Boards and Volunteer Opportunities

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Effective teen volunteer programs balance autonomy, structure, and accountability. As teens transition from childhood to adulthood, libraries can provide positive working environments by offering engaging volunteer opportunities in the form of Teen Advisory Boards (TABs). Well designed TABs offer participants opportunities to gain skills in leadership, collaboration, project management, and communication. In turn, teen participants provide the library with insights into a vital user group with unique social and information needs.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how your library can establish a Teen Advisory Board or enhance an existing program.

The presenters will share examples from the Plano Public Library Teen Street Team as well as discuss how to establish goals that benefit both teen volunteers and the library with a collaborative engagement model and clear expectations.

Through participation in this session, learners will: 

  • Gain concrete strategies for assessing current teen volunteer programs and identifying opportunities for improved engagement
  • Learn metrics to assess the long-term benefits for teen volunteers
  • Be able to develop a program framework that combines clear project goals, communication practices, and accountability standards to support the experiences of both teen volunteers and the library 
  • Understand how to evaluate a library’s teen volunteer program by implementing a review process that leverages feedback from participants, surveys, and advisory questions

Heather Torres is a Senior Public Services Librarian and has served Plano Public Library since 2015. Heather is involved with developing and delivering programs, with a specific focus on business and career topics. In addition, Heather manages volunteers for PPL’s English conversation program and is an engagement advisor for Plano Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board, where she actively strives to enhance teen-related services to foster engagement.

Laura Hargrove has served Plano Public Library as a Senior Public Services Librarian since 2015. She is an engagement advisor for Plano Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board, helping local teens build skills and confidence that will aid them through their high school career and beyond. Laura enjoys researching, developing, and presenting early learning programs and storytimes. She brings her interest and expertise of natural sciences to STEAM programming, inspiring curiosity and sharing the wonder of nature with the youth of the community.

This event will be hosted in Zoom. Automatic captions will be enabled for this event. This event will be recorded, and registrants will receive access to the recording within a day after the event ends.

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact us at ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.

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