The Office of Commonwealth Libraries is implementing 8-8TEEN Quarterly Conversations, a series of virtual community of practice sessions to discuss all aspects of library services for youth ages 8-18 in Pennsylvania. These conversations are open to all library staff and volunteers providing services to young people, including school librarians and library school students. These virtual sessions will be held via the Zoom meeting platform.
The goal of the community of practice sessions is to empower library staff to deliver effective, community-focused programs, services, and resources for youth ages 8-18 and their families and caregivers. These sessions will provide a platform to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices within and between libraries across the state enhancing the programs and services offered. While there will be general guiding questions, conversation topics, and breakout rooms, these sessions will be dedicated to free-flowing discussion, human-centered solutions, and relationship building for library staff.
The May 2025 8-8TEEN Quarterly Conversation on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM will focus on the importance of intentional relationships with teens. Relationships are vital for fostering trust, engagement with library services and programs, and creating safe spaces where young people feel valued and understood. Building relationships also helps librarians to meet their unique needs, interests, and challenges.
Join us for a collaborative discussion about serving tweens and teens in your community. This session is a space for shared dialogue – come prepared to exchange ideas on how we can engage teens as partners and leaders in library services. To support meaningful conversation and connection, we strongly encourage participants to join with a working camera and microphone.
To register, please visit https://forms.office.com/g/uNBVECVEnG.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for 8-8TEEN Conversations
Who can participate in these opportunities?
Participation is open to all individuals committed to library service for youth ages 8-18. This includes staff from public libraries, volunteers, library directors, school librarians, and library school students concerned with all aspects of library service to youth.
How will the conversations benefit participants?
The conversations are designed to be dynamic information exchange sessions, facilitating the sharing of best practices, innovative ideas, and successful strategies for tween and teen services in libraries. Participants will build valuable professional connections with colleagues across the state, collaborate with peers to address common challenges and explore innovative solutions, and develop understanding and confidence about engaging with tweens and teens in their communities.
Why should I participate in 8-8TEEN Quarterly Conversations?
The 8-8TEEN Quarterly Conversations are Pennsylvania’s opportunity to engage in deep, free-flowing conversation about library programs and services to youth ages 8-18. Similar to the Early Childhood Conversations (ECCs), these conversations will focus on empowering library staff to deliver the most excellent and equitable library services to their communities with a foundation of community engagement, collaboration, and compassion. A central anticipated outcome of these conversations is relationship building amongst library staff
Do I need a working microphone and camera to participate in this opportunity?
While not explicitly required, it’s extremely helpful to have access to a working microphone and camera. Sessions are highly participatory with group conversation, breakouts, and collaborative activities. While participants are learning about serving teens, building professional relationships with one another in a supportive environment is a fundamental element of communities of practice.
Will this session be recorded?
No, the session will not be recorded. We encourage active participation and engagement during the live sessions to foster dynamic discussions and knowledge sharing among participants.
Can I get a Continuing Education Certificate for attending either opportunity?
CE will not be offered for the 8-8TEEN Quarterly Conversations.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Corri Hines or via the LibAnswers question form.
The Bureau of Library Development (BLD) in the Office of Commonwealth Libraries supports libraries and library services for Pennsylvanians through the administration of state and federally funded programs and grant opportunities including LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act), Library Access, LAMP (Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians), the Public Library Subsidy, and Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities. BLD also provides advisory services, professional development, and continuing education for library staff and volunteer leadership at public, school, academic, and special libraries.
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