My Library
The need to involve young people in
the services that affect them
• Large county – 73 libraries, 11 mobiles
• Reaching young people
• Focus groups – 1 library – sustainability
–expectation –delivery, staff intensive
• Questionnaires – short term
• Mystery shopping
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But…….
• Young people already
involved as volunteers – eg
SRC
• Work experience
• Stock purchase projects
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My Farm!
My Library!
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Aims
• To involve young people in genuine decision making
and to gather feedback on our services
• To help young people learn about the realities of
managing a customer-focused library service
• To help young people develop critical thinking and
evaluation skills
• To promote library services to young people and their
families
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Structure
• 12 questions – 1 per month for a year
• Had a series of questions prepared but kept
feeding in new ones
• Meet each month to decide on question and
plan action and response to previous question
• Used constant contact software – email
question every month
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Recruitment
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Press
Website
Secondary School Librarians
Involvement Team
Facebook and Twitter
Aimed at 12-16 year olds -parents had to give
permission some used parents email
• 90 young people – 72 participated
• 52 female and 20 male
• Average age at the end of the project year
14.6
• Average response rate was 7.8 questions
• 15 answered every question
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questions
• October –Reading ideas
• November – Budget
• December – Reward for completing
metropolis
• January -What areas of the library they used
• February –Promoting You Tube channel
• March – Activities for SRC volunteers
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April – YA/Cross over section
May –Difficult situations
June –Promoting library services to a friend
July – websites to help with homework
August – Recommended read of the year
September - Evaluation
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Every person who responded to the final evaluation
question felt that taking part was worthwhile
A chance to express feelings, opinions and
ideas 49%
Help change/improve the library service 46%
A voice for young people 27%
Feel involved 16%
Realise how libraries run 16%
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Why the project was worthwhile
• I liked helping the library and some of the questions like the one
about books for difficult situations really made me think
• I enjoyed giving feedback to the library and it felt good to know
that my opinion counted
• I could see what other people thought about the different
questions and if they agreed with my view
• It was nice to see the changes the library may be making
because of the people who took part
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• It’s hard to believe I’ve been
doing this for a year and I
have looked forward to the
monthly email.
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Recommended reads by young adults taking part in
My Library
Agatha Christie – Murder is Easy
It is a gripping tale by a renowned crime writer and I feel that everyone should be given a chance to indulge in it.
Alex Scarrow – Time Riders
I recommend this book because it is very action-packed and adrenalin-pumped. This also contains lots of information on
history and science. The plot is very detailed which shows a brilliant mind behind and within the pages of the book.
You Tube trailer
Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
It is a tense storyline full of twists, turns and emotion and explores ideas never thought of before.
Ally Carter – I’d Tell You I Love You But The I’d Have to Kill You
It is a very funny book and although the main character is a spy, it is very relatable book for teenage girls.
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