Photograph of children reading at a round wood table. Non-fiction bookcases can be seen in the background. Libraries serve as information centers, meeting spaces, and material repositories for everyone, but they have a special role in serving their youngest community members. Library staff who work with and serve children, tweens and teens, and their parents/caregivers may find that they need a different set of skills and competencies than staff who only work with adults. This training covers best practices for all services to youth, regardless of age, and provides a workbook for you to develop your skills as a youth services staff member.

Youth deserve an open and welcoming environment at the library. Serving children of all ages allows library staff to explore creative and fun ways to implement informal educational opportunities that can help lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, reading, and exploring.

Libraries are one of the last places where families can gather and access free materials and programming. Knowing that we act as stewards of this special place in our community, we have a responsibility to ensure that library resources and services:

  • Reflect the needs of the library’s community;
  • Respect and celebrate ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity;
  • Provide services and materials to all; and
  • Address different age levels appropriately.


Last modified: Monday, March 10, 2025, 5:42 PM