#MyLibraryMyStory Guest Post: Feed Them and They Will Come

Feed Them and They Will Come: Engaging Tweens at Your Library

by Ashley Brown, Children's Librarian, and Cassidy Tanzella, Teen Librarian

When we started working together at our current library, we looked for gaps in programming and how we could meet those needs in our community. The children’s and teen programs were both packed, but we seemed to be missing the middle school-aged students from both. We knew they came to the library after school, so something had to be done to get them into programs.

Tween programming can be hit or miss. When we said we wanted to create programming specifically to engage tweens, we were met with a (very) significant amount of doubt that we could make it work. A book group for a tween audience seemed laughable.

So, obviously, we had to find a way to make it work.

Our two programs each month specifically for tweens are Tween Takeover and Bite Into a Good Book. The first involves us providing a safe space for them to hang out (and beat them at Mario Kart), and the latter is our pride and joy because it’s a food-themed book group that tweens actually come to (15-25 participants each month). Because we’re amazed at how well this has been received, we want to tell you more about our March session of Bite Into a Good Book.

Bite Into a Good Book meets once each month. The kids get to pick the books and we do something food-related. For the March session, we read Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman (HarperTrophy). The story of an urban community coming together to make a garden in an abandoned lot is told from multiple perspectives. We both read and loved this story around middle school age, so we were really excited when the group took this suggestion and latched onto it.

But what were we supposed to do for an activity? It didn’t seem like the typical cooking activity would fit since so many different kinds of food are grown by the community in the book.
This is where we got ridiculous and stretched the definition of what the book group had been so far. We contacted ReCreative Denver, a creative reuse center that we have worked with before. Together, we developed a program where the kids could build mini planter boxes and plant their own seeds to grow into food.

The kids had so many great comments on the text and how it related back to the activity that we were all participating in. They felt that us making the planter boxes, decorating them, and planting together was just as much us acting in community as Fleischman’s characters coming together to create a garden. There are some themes that are touched upon which the kids really wanted to talk about and the use of multiple perspectives led to discussions surrounding why diversity and acceptance are so important.

We love our book group and we want other librarians to have success with this age range that can be difficult to reach, so we’ve created this breakdown of how we make it work.

Ashley and Cassidy’s step-by-step guide for getting tweens engaged in library programming:

1. Listen to Them.
   Remember middle school and how awful it was? Everyone telling you to act your age, but still treating you like a child? If you’re going to have success with tween programming, especially a book group, you need to listen to their interests. We let them choose the books. Give suggestions once you’ve listened, but don’t override their voices because this might be the only place they have the ability to really say what they want.
2. Feed Them.
   Similar to high school and college students, tweens want to be fed. If you feed them, we promise they will come. Always offer alternatives for dietary restrictions so everyone feels welcome, though. We stick to gluten-, dairy-, and nut-free as a basis and then accommodate as necessary.
3. Be Ridiculous!
   When we come up with the specific activity surrounding each book, we very much try to come up with something ridiculous in order to promote the program and get the kids hyped about it. This has led to a good number of kids recommending the book group to friends. Instead of being a traditional book group, discussion takes place during the activity which feels more natural. We have discussion points prepared, but have not had to use them once.

Ashley Brown worked in libraries, declared that she was going to be a teacher, and ended up being a librarian anyway because it’s the best profession that exists. Originally from Massachusetts, she’s made her way around the country and is now a Children’s Librarian in Colorado where she wakes up to views of the mountains, reads lots of books in a hammock, and hangs out with her dog and cat. She has an MA in English Literature from Boston University and an MA in Children's Literature and MLIS from Simmons University.

Cassidy Tanzella is a librarian, graduate student, and lover of the outdoors. Originally from Upstate New York, she now resides in Denver, Colorado where she is attending the University of Denver to attain her M.S. in Library and Information Science. She currently works as a Teen Librarian in the Denver Metro area.