Better Serving Teens through School LibraryPublic Library Collaborations

In this practical guidebook, experienced librariansa public librarian and a school librarianshare advice and ideas for extending resources, containing costs, and leveraging capabilities between school and public libraries, offering insights and strategies to overcome today's economic challenges. The current economic crisis has had a drastic impact on both public and school libraries. As budgets shrink, resources become scarcer, and the job of the librarian becomes harder. The conundrum of doing more with less challenges even the most seasoned professionals whose institutions face service cutbacks, disappointed patrons, and possible job eliminations or closures. This book asserts that a collaboration between school and public libraries can effectively serve the needs of two populationsteens and the community at largewhile minimizing the cost to do so. Better Serving Teens through School LibraryPublic Library Collaborations offers thought-provoking advice and ideas for practical use in real-world libraries. The authors provide step-by-step guidance for those who wish to start, strengthen, or extend a partnership with colleagues at a sister library, covering topics ranging from teen advisory boards and collaborative programs to homework help and professional development. Veterans in the field, as well as beginners, can utilize the wealth of tools withinincluding worksheets, timelines, and checkliststo leverage the capabilities of other agencies tp fortify both their own and their institutions' value.