Brooklyn Public Library

One of the best parts of being a librarian is seeing the impact the programs and community events have on the patrons being served. However, this is paralleled by the patron appreciation that can be seen as well. In communities where every-day needs are not being met and budgets, both inside and outside of the library are growing smaller, it is more important than ever to find creative and new ways to serve the community. Public libraries are excellent places to provide at-risk youth with services, programs, and materials which will help them succeed. Research suggests that teenagers and young adults who participate in positive, community-based programming less likely to become juvenile delinquents. This is even more important for teens from …show more content…
Hurwitz’s “teen summit” programs help provide homeless teens with a safe place to voice their opinions and speak directly to local representatives. Hurwitz says that many of the questions these teens are asking at the teen summits are questions regarding their education, as well as physical and mental health resources. Teens who become involved in their local library, either through Teen Advisory Boards or through library programs feel they have a voice in what happens around them. One library in Georgia is doing their best to help homeless children with these kinds of issues. Librarians at the Dekalb Public Library are tirelessly working together with local homeless shelters in order to keep the children who stay there up to date on their homework. However, this is not all the work there is to be done. These librarians also conduct storytimes and play games with these children. All together, this amazing program serves anywhere from thirty to fifty children and teens each …show more content…
In the article Using Urban Fiction to Engage At-Risk and Incarcerated Youths in Literacy Instruction, Stephanie Guerra discusses the key reasons why giving education and literacy to those most in need is so necessary. Guerra studied the reading habits of teenagers and young adults who are currently living in incarceration facilities as well as children who are labeled “at-risk”. In her research, Guerra found that “points to literacy as a major protective factor against incarceration for at-risk youths”. Guerra discussed how incarcerated teens, while usually at a lower reading level, still enjoy leisure reading if it is presented to them in a way that does not seem intimidating. Both the incarcerated group and the nonintegrated group were presented with fictional stories which feature characters with whom they can relate. These characters are, generally, people of color from the inner city. This approach to reading seemed to help even the most reluctant