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Think Big!

A Resource Manual for Teen Library Programs That Attract Large Audiences

RoseMary Ludt

Think Big: A Resource Manual for Library Programs That Attract Large Teen Audiences is a how-to manual for librarians who want to attract large groups of teens to their libraries with meaningful, memorable events. Large programs may seem to be impossible to attempt until the project is broken down into the separate parts needed. Think Big begins with those separate parts necessary to create a large event, starting with the logistics of time and place, the budget and how to find funding, making a timeline to make everything fall into place, communication among all of the people involved, marketing to the teen audience, troubleshooting with thorough preparation, and the importance of evaluations for reporting and for future planning. Part 2 is a collection of best practices. Seventeen successful, large programs are included, contributed by librarians who have dared to think big and made it work. Included are the book and author programs in school and public libraries. There are also creative programs about poetry and dance, STEM activities, pop culture, and school and work. Every section has two to four programs. Each program explains how the program began and evolved to the event it is today. A timeline, how the program was financed, who assisted to make every step successful, how the program was publicized, and how evaluations were collected and written are provided in detail to empower a librarian to tackle their first-time big program.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 154 • Trim: 9 x 11½

978-1-5381-2840-4 • Hardback • July 2020 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-5381-2841-1 • Paperback • July 2020 • $65.00 • (£50.00)

Series: Teen Librarian Bookshelf

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science / General, Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science / Youth Services

Think Big!

A Resource Manual for Teen Library Programs That Attract Large Audiences

Hardback

Paperback

Summary

Think Big: A Resource Manual for Library Programs That Attract Large Teen Audiences is a how-to manual for librarians who want to attract large groups of teens to their libraries with meaningful, memorable events. Large programs may seem to be impossible to attempt until the project is broken down into the separate parts needed. Think Big begins with those separate parts necessary to create a large event, starting with the logistics of time and place, the budget and how to find funding, making a timeline to make everything fall into place, communication among all of the people involved, marketing to the teen audience, troubleshooting with thorough preparation, and the importance of evaluations for reporting and for future planning. Part 2 is a collection of best practices. Seventeen successful, large programs are included, contributed by librarians who have dared to think big and made it work. Included are the book and author programs in school and public libraries. There are also creative programs about poetry and dance, STEM activities, pop culture, and school and work. Every section has two to four programs. Each program explains how the program began and evolved to the event it is today. A timeline, how the program was financed, who assisted to make every step successful, how the program was publicized, and how evaluations were collected and written are provided in detail to empower a librarian to tackle their first-time big program.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 154 • Trim: 9 x 11½

978-1-5381-2840-4 • Hardback • July 2020 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-5381-2841-1 • Paperback • July 2020 • $65.00 • (£50.00)

Series: Teen Librarian Bookshelf

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science / General, Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science / Youth Services

Author

RoseMary Ludt has written and edited for the young adult librarian audience for nearly twenty years, working for Neal-Schuman Publishers, Kurdyla Publishing LLC, and American Library Association. She has been the editor-in-chief of VOYA Magazine for almost ten years and is a former editor for VOYA Press and YALS Journal.

Table of Contents

Dedication
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
Foreword by Pam Spencer Holley
Preface

Part I Thinking about Big Teen Programs
Chapter 1 Think Big about Logistics!
Chapter 2 Think Big about Building a Budget!
Chapter 3 Think Big about Creating an Event Timeline!
Chapter 4 Think Big about Communication with Your Collaborators and Attendees!
Chapter 5 Think Big about Marketing! contributed by Angela Hursh
Chapter 6 Think Big about Troubleshooting!
Chapter 7 Think Big about Evaluations!

Part II The Big Programs
Chapter 8 Big Programs about Books and Authors
Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival contributed by Olivia S. Durant, Nazareth College of Rochester, New York
Build it BIG: The North Texas Teen Book Festival contributed by Rose Brock, Ph.D., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Sharing the Spotlight: School Author Visits contributed by Timothy Horan
Teen Author Festival contributed by Rebecca Greer, SouthShore Regional Library, Florida

Chapter 9 Big Programs about Arts and Music
Oakland Youth Poet Laureate contributed by Peggy Simmons, Oakland Public Library, California
Monster Bash contributed by Rebecca Greer, SouthShore Regional Library, Florida
Teen Center Prom contributed by Frieda Toth, Crandall Public Library, New York

Chapter 10 Big Programs about STEM
STEM Night @the Library contributed by Brittany Chavez and Katie Allen, Garland County Library, Arkansas
Knowlympics contributed by Lise Fortier, Saskatoon Public Library, Saskatchewan, Canada

Chapter 11 Big Programs about Pop Culture
Library Comic Con contributed by Rebecca Greer, SouthShore Regional Library, Florida
May the Fourth Be with You contributed by Michala Sage, Henderson County Public Library, Kentucky
Star Wars Day contributed by Christina Getrost, Nancy Messmore, and Gretchen Quinn Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library, Ohio
The Quiddich Games: May the Snitch Be Ever in Your Favor contributed by Michala Sage, Henderson County Public Library, Kentucky

Chapter 12 Big Programs about School and Work
Teen Internships contributed by Erin Shaw and Jennifer Thompson, Brooklyn Public Library, New York
Summer Job Fair contributed by Alisha Polkowsky, Irmo Branch Library of the Lexington County Public Library System, South Carolina
Finals Café contributed by Tegan Beese, Lake Villa District Library
ACT/SAT Prep Programs by Sarah Wright, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio

About the Contributors
About the Editor

Reviews

Think Big represents the compassionate and professional beating heart of YA programming. Built on a foundation of extensive field practice and wide-ranging supportive resources it advocates youth-led, technology-infused, and professionally-informed ideas for librarians north, south, east, and west; in public or school environments; and from program inception to outcomes-based evaluation.

— Anthony Bernier, Associate Professor, San Jose State University

Think Big! is a gold mine of teen programs from book festivals and author visits to poetry, a Monster Bash, pop culture and STEM. My favorite is Finals Café, the perfect spot to study before exam days. Best of all is the step-by-step guide to putting on every program.

— Pam Spencer Holley, Former Librarian and Administrator, Fairfax County [VA] Public School

Think Big!

A Resource Manual for Teen Library Programs That Attract Large Audiences

RoseMary Ludt

Think Big!

A Resource Manual for Teen Library Programs That Attract Large Audiences

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