East Greenbush Community Library, New York - Teen Advisory Group

Group Name:
TAG—Teen Advisory Group

Library Name:
East Greenbush Community Library

What year did the TAG start?
2001

How often does the TAG meet?
monthly during the school year

How many members does your TAG currently have?
11

Jen McIntosh, the group's leader, at a literary costume party.

How do you recruit members for your TAG?
Library newsletter, teen newsletter, fliers, word of mouth, library teen website, newspaper.

Does the TAG have a particular focus? For example, do members work primarily on collection development projects, intergenerational projects, reading projects, technology-based projects, and so on? If so, how did this focus come about?
No, not really. They help me plan programs and judge the annual poetry contest. We're less of a project-oriented group, and more a teen-oriented group. It's an outlet for teens to connect with each other and with me.

TAG members model their cool TAG t shirts. The front simply says TAG.

What recent projects have TAG members developed?
A bake sale to raise money for cool TAG t-shirts.

What advice do you have for someone starting a TAG?
Start small and tailor each year's group to the actual teens involved. If your teens are into volunteering and community work, steer them toward those types of projects. If your teens just need an opportunity to talk and connect with each other and relax, let them do that. Just because one library's TAG is really into service doesn't mean yours has to be. Let the teens dictate what your group will be and become. And always have food.

TAG members.

What do you think is the hardest part of running a TAG and how do you handle that difficulty?
After a few years the teens get "possessive." They're don't want to advertise—they don't want new people. They want their own little group. I'll be left high and dry when they graduate! I try to think of the future by having programs for tweens—4^th-6^th graders—and letting them know that they can be a part of TAG when they get older. Our group is for 7^th-12^th graders and we have mostly 11^th graders now. By targeting the younger kids, I'll have a new group in 2 years!

What is your favorite part of running a TAG?
Connecting with the teens. Talking to them. Getting to really know them. So many adults think that teens need to be protected—from society, from information, from "dirty words." If only these adults would talk to a teen every once in while they'd understand that teens need to be exposed to these things! They need to learn how society works and how they can make a difference. "Protecting" them by filtering information until it's safe does a major disservice to teens. But the only way you can know what teens need and want is by talking to them directly! Doing this job any other way is just playing a guessing game. I love that I KNOW my teens.

Are there materials you suggest librarians planning a TAG read/access to help them get started?
There are so many good resources out there—I made a list: http://www.eastgreenbushlibrary.org/teen/yalibs.htm

If you would like to talk to Jennifer about her TAG she can be contacted at mcintoshj@uhls.lib.ny.us.