I love my job.
I have been the teen services librarian at Bartholomew County Public Library for six years and I still love my job as much as I did when I was hired fresh out of library school.
Serving teens is my passion and I am fortunate enough to work with other adults who are also passionate about serving teens. Thanks to the addition of a few new staff members to our department, Teen Services now hosts daily after-school programs and nearly 20 monthly programs at the Main Library, four monthly programs at the Hope Branch Library, and several outreach programs with the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center. Some of our monthly programs include: Teen Book Club, Manga/Anime Club, 3D Print Club, Hogwarts for Muggles, and Dungeons & Dragons.
In January, we’ll be adding two new teen monthly programs: Art Smart and One-Shot RPGs (Role Playing Game). Art Smart will be a fine arts class. The first Art Smart will be at 4 p.m. Jan. 21 and teens will learn watercolor painting techniques.
Our Dungeons & Dragons program has been so successful that we have had to split up the teens into two groups, and both are full. To add another RPG option, we’ve decided to offer monthly one-shot RPGs. The first One-Shot RPG will be To Serve Her Wintry Hunger from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 10.
Over the past six years, something I’ve heard over and over from adults visiting the library is how much they wish they could attend our teen programs. Teen programs are restricted to those currently in seventh through 12th grades. In February 2018, I started the Adults Reading Young Adult Book Club for adults who love reading teen fiction. Our January book club will meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at Camila’s restaurant. We’ll discuss “Dumplin’” by Julie Murphy and compare the book to the Netflix film of the same name.
Starting January 2019, the Teen Services Department will duplicate one of our programs for adults only. We’re calling this program “Remix.”
The January program is Remix: DIY-Painted Bookends will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Jan. 26 in the library conference room. Participants will have the opportunity to paint one of our library bookends and leave their artistic legacy in the library for years to come. Future Remix programs will include: One-Shot RPGs, Hogwarts for Muggles, Eat for Cheap and many more.
Adults aren’t the only ones wishing they were teens so they could get into our programs. I also have sixth-graders and their adults asking if teen programs include sixth graders. Short answer: they do not. Long answer: each year, I allow sixth graders to start attending teen programs on May 1 since they are almost seventh graders.
Our children’s department has recently added two new programs for Grades 4-6: Word Nerds and Please Clap! Word Nerds is perfect for those who love reading, aspire to be an author, or just love learning new words. Please Clap! is an improv program for those who love theater and drama.
Beginning in January, a new program, Hogwarts Prep School, will be added to the list of great programs for tweens. For those who haven’t yet received their Hogwarts letter or aren’t old enough to come to Hogwarts for Muggles, this program is for you. The first Hogwarts Prep School will be a Care of Magical Creatures-themed DIY.
Have a suggestion for a program? Go to mybcpl.org and go to the contact page. Scroll down to email contact form and fill out a request. We’re always adding something new to better serve our patrons. Who knows? Maybe your suggestion will be our next new program.
Christina Kelley is the Teen Services Librarian at Bartholomew County Public Library and can be reached at [email protected].
