Check out the newly released Teen Services Competencies! The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association, released new teen competencies late in 2017.

The new document includes 10 competencies that are intended to set a foundation for the education and professional development of all library staff, regardless of job title, and to provide guidance for determining practitioner skills and knowledge. Read the competencies now.

YALSA will host free live monthly webinars beginning in March 2018. Each one will be facilitated by knowledgeable youth development experts and library staff and focus on a different competency in YALSA’s brand new Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff.

All free webinars will be held from 2:00 – 3:00pm, eastern, the second Thursday of the month.  These webinars are free and open to any interested individual, regardless of job or membership status.

Webinar recordings will be available for those who can’t participate in the live session. Reserve your free seat for the webinars you are interested in attending by selecting the link in the table below. (Note: each webinar will be capped at 100 participants in order to guarantee a high-quality learning experience.)

Competencies

  1. Teen Growth and Development: Knows the typical benchmarks for growth and development and uses this knowledge to plan, provide and evaluate library resources, programs, and services that meet the multiple needs of teens.
  1. Interactions with Teens: Recognizes the importance of relationships and communication in the development and implementation of quality teen library services, and implements techniques and strategies to support teens individually and in group experiences to develop self-concept, identity, coping mechanisms, and positive interactions with peers and adults.
  1. Learning Environments (formal & informal): Cultivates high-quality, developmentally appropriate, flexible learning environments that support teens individually and in group experiences as they engage in formal and informal learning activities.
  1. Learning Experiences (formal & informal): Works with teens, volunteers, community partners and others to plan, implement and evaluate high-quality, developmentally appropriate formal and informal learning activities that support teens’ personal and academic interests.
  1. Youth Engagement and Leadership: Responds to all teens’ interests and needs, and acts in partnership with teens to create and implement teen activities and to foster teen leadership.
  1. Community and Family Engagement: Builds respectful, reciprocal relationships with community organizations and families to promote optimal development for teens and to enhance the quality of library services.
  1. Cultural Competency and Responsiveness: Actively promotes respect for cultural diversity and creates an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful library atmosphere that embraces diversity.
  1. Equity of Access: Ensures access to a wide variety of library resources, services, and activities for and with all teens, especially those facing challenges to access.
  1. Outcomes and Assessment: Focuses on the impact of library programs for and with teens and uses data to inform service development, implementation, and continuous improvement.
  1. Continuous Learning: Acts ethically, is committed to continuous learning, and advocates for best library practices and policies for teen services.