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Oakland Public Library - Youth Leadership Council

How do you recruit members for your TAG?

We recruit through personal relationships developed with staff, and through peer association.   People interested in exploring possible membership are invited to attend and simply observe a meeting with a friend.  No obligation.  If the YLC captures their interest, current members elect to admit the new person or not.

What recent projects have TAG members developed?

As I alluded to above, the YLC is less “project” oriented than skills focused.   They represent our city’s youth patrons at all of the Library’s public functions.  They review and help us revise new building and re-design plans.  They systematically contribute to the institution’s long-term Master Facilities Plan.  In the latter instances, they work directly with our architects, planners, and administrators.  Depending on the matter at hand, they all question and comment on YA-specific topics: the design of the teen area in our new Caesar Chavez Branch, for instance.   At other times, however, they’re contributing their insights at the institutional level.  That’s “Horizontal Integration.”

Try to keep a good age mix.   It’s not too hard to get the 14-year olds.  But that 17 year old remains a tough catch for many libraries.   Right now the YLC has a good mix.  We’ve even got two college students.   The younger kids can be intimidated if you’re not careful, though.  But if it’s done right, they all like that they get to “be at the same table” as older people.  That flows nicely to my next point…

Lead.   So often we get caught up in the language of “listening to teen voices” that we forget that we’re the ones with the higher level skills, backgrounds, and institutional connections.  We’ve got to make choices, set up priorities, and conduct much of the follow-up.  Thus, I work with the architect prior to our YLC meeting to preview and rehearse a presentation.  Architects don’t generally know how to talk to young people.  But it’s on me to help educate them to ensure a quality and fun experience.  At first, many YLC members were too shy to question our interview subjects.  They don’t often get the chance to sit on that side of the table.  So I drafted a list of starter questions.  We’ve refined them as we’ve gone along.  And they know they can throw out all the nominated questions if they want.  They have much more fun now.  But I had to lead.  I also was the one to decide to limit the YLC number to 12 people – that’s my limit to insure that they all have a quality experience.

Finally, beware of “Teen Panel Syndrome.”   This is a term my friend, scholar Mike Males, has invented to capture how so often institutions like libraries cultivate selected young people to trot out as generational representatives – the “voice of youth” cut-out.  And there is substantial institutional pressure to do so – it’s great to parade young people in front of boards and commissions and what have you – to say the things we want to hear from them.  But it’s not great.  It’s manipulation.  And if you’d did the same thing with any other social group in society you’d rightly be charged with tokenism.

When we say we “prepare” YLC members to represent the Library, we aim at a very modest goal.   The YLC members learn as much as we can teach about what’s going on.  But when they represent the Library they do so as individuals, not as hand-picked tokens telling adults what they want to hear.  Indeed, when we went to the state capital for State Legislative Day, we briefed and reviewed a few notes on the train.  But when they entered officials’ offices they did so with me out in the hall.  I watched their book bags.  One of the YLC members started passionately advocating for school libraries.  And we’ve never even talked about school libraries! 

What do you think is the hardest part of running a TAG and how do you handle that difficulty?

Keeping other people’s hands off the YLC has become very challenging.   Once you’ve got something going, everyone will come at you to “get the YLC’s input.”  “Oh, can’t you just get the YLC guys to…”.  This is another leadership task, I guess.  Keeping our focus means saying “no” to lots of people who want a shot of “teen inoculation” for their project, their event, their activity.  For our YLC to remain prepared to represent the Library in public our meetings need to keep their focus.  These kids are busy people.  Respect their involvement with/for the Library by protecting their time.    

What is your favorite part of running a TAG?

Although almost every meeting begins tentatively, I love watching them come to life.   And they do every time.  Once that interview gets going under its own steam, once they get past that initial shyness, there’s no stopping them.  The social awkwardness and tension subsides.  After the interview the higher intensity continues on through the rest of the agenda.  By the end of the meeting, I’ve got to kick them out of the room!  

Are there materials you suggest librarians planning a TAG read/access to help them get started?

This is a very good question.   Unfortunately, I’ve not found much to help me in our library literature.  How to set up and help them practice a group interview, for instance.  I brought that with me from my teaching background.  But I have found some help in perusing materials that get creative about leading meetings. 

If you would like to talk to Anthony about his TAG you can contact him at ABernier@OaklandLibrary.org.